Patreon supporters received access to this review on October 8th, 2024.

It’s Day 4 of Deviants Week, and today we have this single from Astronate, who is a producer and DJ from Raleigh, North Carolina. I was happy to learn that Astronate has some music available on DSPs because I was very pleased with his skills when he was DJing at the Fight for NC show that I mentioned in Listening Log 009. Check out this short clip I recorded of him goin’ in.

I don’t really take a lot of pictures or videos when I’m at shows because I feel like it might annoy the performers if I have my phone out. I should invest in an actual camera. Anyway, this dropped in December last year, so it technically isn’t the latest single by Astronate. It’s definitely my favorite that I’ve heard so far though, so that’s why I chose to write about this one. There’s also a really well done music video for it that Astronate directed himself, so that’s pretty awesome.

https://youtu.be/hCdQfTMWqUM?si=cWfiOzB-751aySSs

I love the production here. When the beat came in, the song kinda went in a different direction than I was expecting just based on the sample at the beginning. The heavy synth is what really makes this beat so excellent to me. The melody of the instrumental just sounds really great. The first verse is performed by cardigan, and they probably had my favorite verse. The reference to Papa John’s racist comments was pretty dope to me.

Papa John 'cause I don't like these niggas, y'all are dead to me
Told her bring some friends for me
Better call the guys, such a tender melody
I hit the spot, get ten a piece
Told 'em extra on the fries, they measuring, tryna get me fat
Dinin' wings and flats, get the chicken like a bowl of roosters
If Nate did the beat close your computer 'cause we holdin' shooters
Chokin' up on words, show my medulla, bro is empty
I'm gon' stop if y'all gon' let me

I really mess with cardigan’s fit in the music video too. The jewelry looks really dope. The second verse is performed by King Gino, who is the only performer on this track with whom I was completely unfamiliar prior to listening. I came away very pleased with his verse though.

All my cars black, hell yeah I discriminate
Across the table with some real bosses, not a dinner date
Carts on deck, different flavors like it's Minute Maid
Way I vacay, sunbathin' in my Fendi shades
Ice cold drink, cup wet from the condensate
Keep it real simple, I ain't never gotta complicate
Actualizing, man, my life look like an advertisement
Had to buy it, still sellin' dreams when I close my iris

I feel like he has a more immediately accessible flow than cardigan. If you’re not the type of listener who values lyricism then you may not love cardigan’s verse as much as I did. The flow is part of the appeal for me, but I wouldn’t use the word “catchy” to describe it. On the other hand, the short outro verse from Cloud Envy is easily the catchiest part of the whole track. I was hoping his performance would last longer than it did. It feels more like a hook than a verse. It’s still a really dope performance though. Overall, I enjoyed this song very much. Check the music video out and let me know what you think in the comment section below. I think it’s really dope.

https://focushiphop.com/2024/10/10/astronate-hutch-feat-cardigan-king-gino-cloud-envy-song-review/

#Astronate #cardigan #CloudEnvy #KingGino

Patreon supporters received access to this review on October 3rd, 2024.

It is officially Deviants Week here at Focus Hip Hop! In other words, I’ll be covering releases from members of the Deviants collective from North Carolina. First up we have this latest single from Cloud Envy, which was released back on June 6th this year.

https://open.spotify.com/album/5VU2iK6yzN4rfksFGNb6yY?si=y8eU0LK1QEKdPB0ex-e_4g

As you all remember, Cloud Envy’s last album made it onto my year-end list in 2021. I’m obviously very biased since I went to elementary school with him, but you’re just gonna have to trust my word when I tell you I wouldn’t be giving this any exposure if I didn’t genuinely like it. Even if I didn’t have the personal connection to Cloud Envy, I think he’s an undeniably talented artist. I loved his last album, but the stuff he’s been releasing and performing these days is miles ahead. I guess it makes sense. We were really young when that last album came out, so of course he’s improved. One thing I’ve come to learn is that the idea of rappers “falling off” was kind of a fluke. It happened more back in the day, but my theory is that it was mostly due to older artists feeling the need to follow trends to fit in; they didn’t know how to age gracefully in Hip Hop yet. A lot of it is also probably interference from shady record labels and industry people. Artists are more likely to stay indie these days I think, so that’s why I don’t believe artists have been falling off as much. Don’t get me wrong—they certainly could go through slumps. I think a lot of artists have the capability to bounce back if they were good in the first place though. LL Cool J is the most obvious example at the moment, but there are more you could say. Anyway, I’m going off on a tangent, so let me get back to the point…

Cloud Envy is currently making the best music he’s ever made. The last music video he put out was fire, and I like this track even more. The dude’s flow is undeniable, man. He just floats over the production like it’s nothing. I can’t listen to this without getting the coveted involuntary head nod. I don’t know who made this beat, but it kinda reminds me of the type of stuff that could’ve appeared on Joey Bada$$’s Summer Knights tape. It sounds kind of ethereal, melodic, and chill, but it has a lot of energy to it at the same time. I love the hook on this track, and he killed the verse.

Gotta cut 'em off, so be it
If I'm the villain, so be it
Numb to it all, what's a feeling?
Voodoo doll with 6 million
Pins in me, and still winning
I evolved and know healing
Never tomorrow, so let's get it
Several flaws, but no gimmicks
Life is Oz, and I'm Wizard
If you ain't God, then who fearing?
If it's on, send the business

This is actually probably the best song Cloud Envy has released so far. I mean, it’s arguable. It’s one of his best for sure. Definitely top 5. Maybe. I don’t know, he has a lot of good stuff. I’m excited to hear even more in the future though. I know he has a project with Khalil Nasim that he’s working on, so that’s really exciting. I look forward to hearing that one. This song is fire, and I can’t wait to see how he follows it up. Give it a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below. I think it’s excellent.

https://focushiphop.com/2024/10/07/cloud-envy-rugrat-song-review/

#CloudEnvy

I just published episode 9 of my Listening Log series. This is a special Deviants-focused episode, so I discuss releases from cardigan, Khalil Nasim, Yahliq, and Cloud Envy. This series is usually exclusive to Patreon supporters. However, this is a special episode, so I decided to make it available to the general public. You can find the link below. Enjoy!

Click HERE to view the video.

https://focushiphop.com/2024/10/03/listening-log-009-the-deviants-edition-patreonpromo3/

#Astronate #cardigan #CloudEnvy #KhalilNasim #TheDeviants #Yahliq