From a Birds Eye View / Cordae / January 14, 2022
- Joshua Yoo
- Feb 13, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 22, 2022
In terms of lyrical ingenuity and chops, Cordae has already established himself as a frontrunner for his generation of rappers. And the fruits of his skills and acclaimed debut album certainly haven’t been short of rapid and plentiful success. On this second full-length project, he flexes this success, cruising on a victory lap of breezy production and predictable but well-assembled food for thought.
Demonstrated in multiple pockets and verses of the album, Cordae seemingly hasn’t skipped a beat in his technical skill and delivery. His flows as focused and varied as they’ve always known to be, and it’s still just as entertaining to hear him bite deep into a verse, as he does on the grand, piano-backed “Jean-Michel” for example. Cordae also impresses on the vocal front as well, a clear and admirable improvement on his singing voice, and combined with a knack for sticky hooks, a lot of the refrains on this project tend to make a more lasting impression.
Thematically Cordae focuses heavily on his wins, his growth, the progression from his past to the elevated point he’s currently at now. Across multiple tracks, he paints a vivid picture of all the success garnered so far, as well as the sights he continues to set his future on. It often sacrifices a deeper or more diverse look into a holistic view of his stories and character, and can often leave some to be desired for engaging with the substance of his writing.
But ultimately a claim of victory for Cordae doesn’t necessarily require nor aim for such depth, and he certainly is warranted in this time and space to simply relish the position that he’s earned and worked to achieve. It’s fortunate that he makes it a pleasurable listening experience for those who support him as well.
Highlights: Westlake High, Jean-Michel, C Carter, Momma’s Hood
Lowlights: Want From Me, Today
SCORE: 6/10
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