Vince Staples is Contributing to Rap

It has become an unfortunate situation in today’s world – people dismissing all rap music as a stereotype that plagues the ears of youth and instills poor habits that puts teenagers out on the streets. Sure, there are some rap artists that tend to lean that way. I would be lying if I said there were not any. However, it is unfair to label the entire genre in that way. One of the artists who creates masterful craft through his music is Vince Staples and it shows on his album Summertime ’06. Released in June of 2015, Staples, an up and comer in the rap industry, preached about his experience being raised in the under developed part of Long Beach, Ca. in a way that will paint the image from his mind and transfer it to that of the listener’s.

Staples is straightforward with his music. He puts out what he thinks and does not try to hide it. In many of today’s top songs, the true meaning of lyrics are hidden beneath layers and layers of metaphors, forcing the listener to remember what was said and think about it while the song goes on. Instead, by acting with a sense of realism, Staples cuts right to the chase and is able to resonate his message deep inside people. One of the most recognizable songs off the track list is Lift Me Up, which sounds like a song that should be sang with great praise. Instead, Staples repeats those three words over and over again in almost a depressed manner, capturing the mood of the treacherous times that lay ahead and that he has experienced throughout is life.

Flow is another vital component in any rap song and Staples applies it in a superb manner with his words. While doing that, he maintains the quintessential rhythmic beat that creates consistent pleasure within the ear. An example of this comes from Surf, a song where Staples sends a message about today’s youth and the troubles they unfortunately have on a regular basis. He uses the line “In the Planned Parenthood playing God with your Mom’s check, you ain’t even been to Prom yet,” which flows mystically in harmony with the beat produced in the background. Many rappers today seem to be split along the line of beat or lyrics. Staples fulfills both in an exceptional manner.

As was hinted at before, the driving force behind Summertime ’06 is the realism Staples uses in his songs. He is never afraid to speak his mind, and for that, he should be applauded. He creates lines that one can find in common and also invigorate his music with lyrics that stop and make one think. An example of resonation with the common person comes in Jump of the Roof. In it, Staples is reminiscing about his past love life and all the drama that accompanied it. He uses the line “I hate when you lie, I hate the truth too,” throwing a double-edged sword to his listeners, and something that many people can associate themselves with by remembering a similar time they experienced. Music is what many people turn to in times of need, and rap is no different than any other genre, as Staples shows.

Now, my favorite line is one that Staples uses that makes you think about the world we live in. With the problem of racism unfortunately generating so many story lines in our nation today, it goes hand-in-hand with those issues. This lyric also comes in the song Lift Me Up, as Staples is recanting the times in which the road was unbearable at times. About a verse before the hook, Staples dives into the heart of his listeners by rapping “Uber driver in the cockpit, look like Jeffrey Dahmer but he lookin’ at me like I’m crazy when we pull up to the projects,” perfectly characterizing the gap between today’s society. The first time I heard this line, I paused the song and re-winded it back three straight times. It is such a poignant message and is delivered in a way that aligns with the beat perfectly, making it the best line of the album.

Today’s rap industry is driven by influential messages. It is led by lyrics that speak to the listener and invoke a certain understanding. Right now, the duo that headlines the way is Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper – it is not even a question. But with the powerful track list that is Summertime ’06, Staples has put himself on the fast track toward that same fame and stardom.