Part 2 of the best songs of 2018. Make sure to catch part 1 if you haven't already: https://roganmusicreviews.weebly.com/posts/top-10-best-songs-of-2018-10-6
5. Kids See Ghosts - Cudi Montage The final track on the debut collaboration album between Kanye West and Kid Cudi is by far the most memorable. The song samples the guitar riff from the song "Burn The Rain" by the late Kurt Cobain. Kid Cudi starts off the song with his signature mix of rapping and singing, and part way through his verse, some heavy bass kicks in. I wouldn't expect the bass and the guitar to sound so good next to each other, but they do. A lot of the common lyrical themes on Kids See Ghosts include how West and Cudi have been able to overcome obstacles and struggles, like on the track "Reborn" where Cudi claims he "keeps moving forward" even though he's "had some issues", and Kanye says "I was off the chain, I was often drained / I was off the meds, I was called insane." This song in particular is about looking to God during times of struggles. Cudi's verse details some of the complexities of a mental disorder of some kind, presumably depression as Cudi has battled it before, as he has lines like "See 'em all strapped / And they can't move and I'm sinkin' lower" and "If I'm goin' alone, I've been gone for so long / Ain't nobody, you can't hear a word." The chorus features vocals from Mr. Hudson, as he and Cudi cry out to "stay strong" and "save me, Lord." After that continues for a while, Kanye comes in with one of his best verses ever. The verse is very political and addresses violence in black communities in just sixteen bars. Kanye faced a lot of controversy for his political statements earlier in 2018, and I think mainly it's because of how out there he was. He sounded incoherent and couldn't back up his opinion most of the time, but this verse is very well-articulated and organized, something most of his political statements aren't. The verse also starts off with one of the most powerful opening lines in a while with "Everybody want world peace / 'Til your niece get shot in the dome-piece." The second chorus features all three artists contribution vocals: West sings "Lord, shine your light on me, save me please", Cudi delivers some heartfelt "Whoa"'s on top of it, and Mr. Hudson alternates between a cry of "Save strong" and "Save me, Lord". The song is simply incredible with how much is managed to fit in simply a three-minute stretch and how passionate the two sound on the record. Kids See Ghosts as a whole was slightly inconsistent, but if the whole tape sounded like this? Good Lord. 4. Pusha T -- If You Know You Know The loud, clever, in-your-face introduction to Daytona doesn't disappoint at all. Some people criticize Pusha because "all he raps about is drug-dealing", but it's not what you rap about, it's how you rap about it. The unorthodox sample used on the Kanye West-produced beat keeps the track fresh throughout, and Pusha's entertaining punchlines and comparisons keep the subject matter fresh. I still laugh every time I hear "throwin' that D like Rich Boy". But that's far from the only great line. Here's a few more: "I predict snow, Al Roker" "You all get a bird, this n-gga Oprah" "I was busy earning stripes like a tiger's skin" The song is a first class tour into all the glamour of Pusha T's life: the drugs, the extravagant possessions, and yes, the women. The song isn't anything deep or profound, but it's not trying to be. The repeated riff of "If you know, you know" serves almost as a reminder to the listener: the only people who can really judge Pusha are the ones who have also dealt coke. He doesn't have time for your BS otherwise. Pusha and Kanye manage to make a song with great lyrics a banger as well, something that is very hard to accomplish. Daytona is his best project since his Clipse days, and this brash intro is a big reason why. 3. Drake -- Nice For What Despite Pusha T telling the world Drake was hiding a child, that didn't stop Drake from having a fantastic 2018. Scorpion dominated the charts, and he had a slew of successful singles, including his best single in quite some time, "Nice For What". The song samples New Orleans bounce legend Big Freedia and the New Jersey singer/rapper Lauryn Hill for this tribute to independent women. The song is refreshing in a world of hip-hop where misogyny can be prevalent, as Drake compliments women who pay their bills ("Workin' hard, girl, everything paid for / First, last, phone bill, car, no cable"), don't need a man ("I know Shawty, and she doesn't want no slow song / Had a man last year, life goes on"), and just want to have a good time ("And you showin' off, but it's alright"). It's a much different tone than the pessimistic "Started wearing less and going out more" that was on his 2015 hit "Hotline Bling". The sample from Lauryn Hill's song "X-Factor" ("Care for me, care for me/I know you care for me/There for me, there for me/Said you'd be there for me/Cry for me, cry for me/You said you'd die for me/Give to me, give to me/Why won't you live for me?") repeated throughout the song under a bass heavy beat produced by Murda Beatz is perfect for the club setting this song was meant for. A breakdown section after Drake's second verse is probably the only true complaint I have about the song, as it just doesn't feel like it fits the overall tone of the song. Drake's my favorite artist, which is how I've noticed over the past few years one of the reasons his music has suffered a dip in quality is because he's just going through the motions. But he doesn't just go through the motions here. His lyrics sound passionate, the beat is different, and the song is just a shining ray of positivity, something we needed more of in 2018. 2. J. Cole -- Window Pain Speaking of a "shining ray of positivity", this is probably the opposite of that. The song starts on a very morbid note with child vocals reflecting on a time when her cousin got shot while she was sleeping. Cole's actual lyrics on the song are arguably just as dark as how the song starts, as the chorus repeats twice one of the most depressing lines of 2018, "All I wanna do is kill the man that made my momma cry." J. Cole isn't someone usually considered a pop rapper, but his singing in the initial part of the chorus is somber and actually has a pretty nice tone, allowing it to set the mood for what's to follow. The song is almost five minutes and yet features just one verse from Cole, but he makes sure to pack it full. He begins his verse by wondering if he's changed at all ever since he made it big in the rap game, and how he wishes he could change the lives of his friends that grew up in the hood, but he can't. The line "It go in one ear and out the other like a bullet out the muzzle of a pistol shot" is some clever and dark imagery that adds to the song. J. Cole proceeds to go further into this demon of black-on-black violence, specifically in poverty-ridden situations, and also make you contemplate with these lines: "N-ggas will rep any gang, n-ggas will bust any head/N-ggas will risk everything, point him out and then he dead." To load up the content of his verse even further, he raps about how the violent man in question is "on Henny and Xanned up", a substance abuse-shaming line quite common throughout this album. The verse also addresses the dangers of bringing a child into this world prematurely -- "Just because yo' d-ck can spray semen, it don't mean that you ready to let go of yo' childish ways/The results are deadly/Because that child will suffer and that's what can most affect me" -- something he touched on partially in his 2011 song "Lost Ones". The one verse ends with a dark yet optimistic line in "I know I'm blessed because yo' stress is realer than anything I done been through." The song then ends with the return of the child vocals, insisting bad things happen as a warning sign from God that he's coming back and will restart the world. The song is Cole at simply his most passionate, his most emotional, and most concerned. No other song this year made me feel as much emotion as this one, although if I had some complaints, I feel the song does stretch its runtime out a little bit and also the lyrics within the verse are relatively straight-forward and don't leave much room for interpretation. Nevertheless, this song will forever be remembered as one of Cole's best. 1. Travis Scott -- SICKO MODE The best song of the best album of 2018. I know people will be quick to say "Isn't this a list of the best songs of 2018, not the biggest?" Well, SICKO MODE manages to do both of these. The song takes so many things about what makes Astroworld great and combines them into one five-minute, three-part trap odyssey. The song starts off with these lush synthesizers and a lead into Drake's sing-rap style to start the verse. Travis didn't list the features when he dropped the album, making the features a total surprise. Considering how big of a Drake fan I am, I was thrilled to hear two of my favorites team up. Drake's singing can be hit or miss, but I like it on this track, as it sounds ballsy and confident and is in a comfortable range for him. Then a beat breakdown starts to happen, and it sounds like Drake is about to give some hard-hitting bars, when the beat switches up out of nowhere! Then it proceeds to the second part of the song with Travis Scott's verses. Usually Travis doesn't put much of an emphasis on his bars, but the flow is very smooth within the verses and Travis has some clever lines like "Was off the Remy, had to Papoose" and "Stacey Dash, most of these girls ain't got a clue". He even manages to squeeze in samples from Notorious B.I.G. and Uncle Luke! The chorus for this second part is another example of juxtaposition like I've mentioned earlier on this countdown with tracks like "a lot". The floaty vocals from Swae Lee come in and the listener thinks they're going to hear an R&B chorus when a deepened vocal sample from former Houston legend Big Hawk immediately proceeds it. The amount of creativity within this song is something unseen in a lot of mainstream rap music. Then after the second chorus, the beat switches again! The third part of the song is the best part of the song, and not just because it's predominantly Drake. The chorus of the third part, "I did half a Xan, 13 hours till I land/Had me out like a light", is a little bit dorky, as I find it funny to brag about using prescription drugs as intended. (PSA: That's better than rapping about using prescription drugs in unprescribed doses. Don't take prescription drugs that aren't prescribed to you, they will mess your life up.) Asides from that, the rest of his contribution on this part is great. Some entertaining ad-libs in the background from both Drake and Sheck Wes add to the tone as Drake gives the impression that he is a total badass, talking about settling a score with a foe. Hearing Drake take some subliminal shots at Kanye was pretty entertaining, as "I crept down the block, made a right / Cut the lights, paid the price" references the fact he lives two blocks from Kanye in the Calabasas region of Los Angeles. A normal complaint of Drake is his voice can be monotone, but it actually works here because he's trying to give the impression of a cutthroat, similar to 21 Savage. After Drake's verse, we get another chorus, but this time Travis and Drake exchange saying "Like a light" in one of the most entertaining, hype, and magical moments of 2018. Then Travis ends the song with another crisp verse involving some more bragging and hyping up his girlfriend Instagram model Kylie Jenner: "Baby momma cover Forbes, got these other b-tches shook." Astroworld Six Flags was an amusement park that closed in 2005 and was the namesake for Astroworld. "SICKO MODE" is the song on this album most like a roller coaster. The first part is like the anxious build up, the second part has the most stuff going on, and the third part is the climatic and fast conclusion. No part wears out its welcome for too long, yet all three parts leave an impression on the listener. The beat switches keep you on your toes, there's various Houston slang and samples to tie back to his hometown, and it takes RISKS! I love certain trap music; artists like Young Thug, Playboi Carti, and Future have dropped great projects. However, a lot of trap music is starting to sound stale and similar, with the same type of beats and same type of lyrics and ad-libs. Risks taken here like sudden beat switches, 90s rap samples, different flows -- the song is just so different from so much of mainstream radio. And I'm glad the song got all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hopefully this will inspire more artists to take risks just like this throughout 2018. But best believe down the line, when somebody asks me about 2018, the first thing I'll tell them about is how Travis Scott and Drake were gone on you with the pick and roll for the entire second portion of the year.
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