Rating: N
It’s hard not to view the debut album by Oakland rapper Kreayshawn as a cautionary tale about what can happen when a major label formulates its A&R strategy around YouTube views. Signed to a million-dollar recording contract after the video for her catchy single Gucci Gucci took off online, the 23-year-old MC delivers rhymes so painfully unimaginative and in a flow so stilted that Somethin ‘Bout Kreay doesn’t even succeed as half-decent “ignorant” rap.
At the risk of sounding like I’m 105, it also represents the worst tendencies in digital music production. An ill-conceived attempt to update the classic breakbeat genre, its pile-up of clichéd dance club sound effects, pop choruses and constantly morphing beats fails to disguise the lack of interesting melodies and lyrics. Gucci Gucci was fun because it had an ease, simplicity and, most importantly, pointed anti-consumerism message to it that resonated with listeners – something Kreayshawn never expands on in this utterly vacuous, unlistenable album.
Top track: Gucci Gucci
