The former member of BROCKHAMPTON Ameer Vann has returned after a year and a half later. Ameer has been silenced after being kicked out of the group after alleged allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-girlfriend, then out of nowhere recently he suddenly reappeared and teased this new EP, and to be honest, I had mixed feelings about this being released. I was worried this would be a whole bashing and bitter album about what was alleged about him (Though he did tweet a statement and kind of an apology to the allegations and his shitty past) and was gonna diss his former group, which the group have dropped Subliminals and more recently with BROCKHAMPTON's new album "Ginger" with the track "DEARLY DEPARTED" with Dom rapping about how Ameer set up one of Dom's friend to be robbed. On the other side of things, I would admit I was curious to hear his side plus awhile he wasn't my favorite of BROCKHAMPTON but he's a talented rapper and with a subject matter sitting in his lap to go off with it does helps out a lot.
I would say this, I enjoyed this new EP, it is not a perfect record but I do like it. I'm what glad to hear is a lot of reflection, guilt, and regret in the lyrics and subjects. There's also angry but more towards how no one is on his side anymore and he's in a weird place and is struggling to find himself and sure they are a few shots at BROCKHAMPTON but it's more he wants to be his own person and to distance himself away from them. Humane is the perfect word I would describe this album from him rapping about doing drugs to cope with the pain to and wishing he co back and fix the wrongs and make him right.
It kicks off with the title track with the very minimal eerie production with 808's coming in and out with a loud bang. There are tons of religious themes in the track mentioning David and Jesus and saying this is his written crucifixion. The first verse like I said, reflections, losing friends and trust and wants to forget and keep moving forward but it's hard where he has thoughts of suicide and compares himself to his mother and sister and the toxic environment he was raised which is true how some people are raised by their folks, it's a perfect way to start the record.
"Pop Trunk" is another great track where he battles himself and compares to his current self and his past self, I love how clever the hook and the song meaning behind with DJ Screw and the Houston song which he was from. There is a jab and a response to Dom, he said: "I ain't no boy in a band, I am more than a man" which It did take me by surprise but I heard it as a yeah I agree with you that I'm not a man but much more than that. Love the beat switch in the track and the Pimp C sample and he sings along with the sample, well done. "Glock 19" who loved Ameer's darker and hard-hitting subject matter will love this, it does seem left field from the first two songs with their topics but this a nice switch up for the EP. Cool and Dre handle the production on this which they do most of the beats on here on this EP and love the "ah ah ah" little vocals mixed with the beats. Also, Ameer's flow on here is fast-paced and not his monotone which is a major plus.
"Los Angeles" he raps about the city and his time there in the city where he brought his demons and baggage with him and he loved the city, misses where the house he lived at but how he lost friends and he lost his innocence with the whole group signing to a major label deal after being independent during their first couple years of the group being a thing. He said in a line here where he feels like he's being used a meal ticket where BROCKHAMPTON has used his name in lyrics or just a subject matter and it's he's very upset cause he wants them to move on and he's already moved on from the group, I agree to a certain extent with him addressing this cause I can understand that it gets to point to a point like enough already let's stop focusing on the past (Not saying he should get a pass for he did allegedly or that it's unfair but I can understand it's has been taken a huge toll on him.)
"Sunday Night" is an ok track, more aggression here and hard-hitting lyrics but the one highlight that sticks to me is the third verse where he said that family is supposed to stick up for you but they don't and I can feel his pain and there's a lot of people who have dealt with that bullshit or vice versa, he does mention again about him being used as a topic in their songs after he was kicked from the group as a griefing mechanism and wished they hear him out and had his back instead just telling him to get out. "Plastic" is a well enough closer to the EP where he reflects one last time and missing the taste of the good life and good friends and relationships, he looks what has happened in the last year and awhile in a weird place still, he looks forward what's next for him and continued the rights in his life and no more wrongdoing.
Final thoughts are that if you really missed Ameer being in the group and were still a fan of his I definitely would check this out to see what he's up to. If you refuse to listen to it cause what he did, look I completely understand and more power to you, I wouldn't force you to listen to this at all. If you're on the fence about this like I was at first at least give it a shot and listen to it than just assuming what he said. Just happy that he went down this path instead of just being bitter and hateful or fake apologies on every song where it feels forced and not authentic. I am curious what he does next since he is signed to Epic Records from what I read and to see/hear what he raps about next since this was the reflection album that was well needed and to be heard and said.
Favorite Tracks: Glock 19, Emmanuel, Pop Trunk, Los Angeles
Least Favorite Track: Sunday Night (If I had to pick one)
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