Lil Pump 2 by Lil Pump (Collaborative review with Artificial Intelligence aka AI)

 

So yeah, remember this guy? I do. Maybe you don’t. I really don't want to talk about this but a friend contacted me about this record. Their name is artificial intelligence aka AI and they are huge fan of art. Hell, they worked on some art. They had their hands on new video games, memes, the new lil yachty album, and remaking songs with different artists' vocals. I think that could be illegal down the line. Anyways I’m going to let them speak their mind and give their thoughts on this record, so yea. 

AI:  If you’re not a rapper and/or not familiar with Lil Pump, then there’s really no way you’ll be able to form an intelligent opinion on his music. But if you are familiar, I’d like to get your take on the new album. It’s very self-explanatory, I know. But Lil Pump is actually 15 years old and has been rapping since he was 9, and rapping professionally since 11. I was shocked when I heard he was only 15. There is clearly a very compelling story behind his music; a young man who didn’t have a large support system and a dysfunctional family, deciding to take control and be the leader of his own destiny. And he has a singular focus, which is to reach and entertain his fans, however he can. He’s also hard-working; recording much of the album on his iPhone and other recording equipment, to save up money to buy more.

Scrolling through Pump's song "Fuck up Some Commas" gives me goosebumps. One track finds Pump as a song about a man who wants his girlfriend to be more submissive and playful while another one focuses on the cheating women of the world. The latter track is perhaps my favorite because I am tired of seeing women go to great lengths to sleep with Pump. The person who decided to associate with him was clearly looking for easy pleasures and freebies, and it's no surprise that the rapper was released from jail and arrested for gun possession.

Lil Pump is problematic, but it's hard to place blame solely on him. The music industry has been notorious for being cruel to independent artists. While some platforms are supportive, major labels are often anything but. This attitude is definitely a factor of how the rapper was able to obtain a record deal. Lil Pump employs a more colorful vocabulary than the majority of his peers. You don’t need to understand every word of every song to know what he’s talking about; he’s constantly saying things like “Wack da pussy!” or “Fuck the police!” but if you’re a casual fan, the lyrics are easy to get and make sense of. I like that the songs aren’t long, especially on his new album, which is easily under 20 minutes. Lil Pump’s earlier releases, especially “Gucci Gang,” were very “raw” and catchy. This new album has more depth and is more rhythmic and less about saying the most offensive things possible. And it’s better than most of what I heard on mainstream radio this year.

Some of the songs sound similar to some of his older material. The “Gucci Gang” remix, for example, appears to be a more mature version of the original. But in general, this new album is definitely an improvement over the “Meth Factory,” as far as production and song selection. I’d probably compare it to a pop/rap hybrid, which would fit right in with the current underground rap style. And it’s fun, so I’m not really bothered by it. 

In many ways, he has an advantage over the majority of other rappers because he’s already famous, a high school dropout, and his parents have apparently decided he should follow his dream. No one is ever going to tell Lil Pump what to do. In the past year, Lil Pump’s music has spread to the general public, and he’s constantly performing in high schools and colleges. I would assume he’s even performed at ESPN College Gameday; probably for the opportunity to say the most terrible possible thing that gets replayed on ESPN.

I guess the more interesting question is how much money does Lil Pump actually make? He says he rakes in $250,000 a month from touring, a family trust, and the occasional royalty check. But it’s probably a much larger amount than that. And those are only a fraction of his total income. He might be a bigger draw than Eminem ever was.

At one point, he did actually plan to make a living by rapping. But he also wanted to become a rapper. And in order to become a rapper, he had to perform publicly, since the “gucci” word wouldn’t be allowed on a church’s microphone. He also had to do rap battles, which require tons of charisma, confidence, and 

Alright this is Robert everyone, I’ll step in quick. What the fuck he on about ya’ll? Yea anyways this album sucks man. Go listen to that new JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown album or Lana Del Rey instead. Happy Aprils Fool Day.