SURVIVAL X DAVE EAST

And we are back with our tenth official review! As promised, the below are our metrics for our reviews. To see our previous review of WOPTOBER II X GUCCI MANE, click here.

FEEL- What type of feelings does the music invoke? What does it make you want to do?

LYRICS- Are there bars?

PRODUCTION- Does the artist ride the beats? Does their cadence match the production? Does the production fit well with the project?

OVERALL- How many tracks do we like compared to the number of tracks on the project?

Feel free to use the above for your own reference as you go through the music and let us know what you think! 

SURVIVAL X DAVE EAST

Release Date: 11.8.2019

Number of Tracks: 20

Duration: 1HR 18 MINS

Favorite Track: Seventeen, Wanna Be A G

When XXL got ready for their 2016 Freshman Cypher, they were sure to include mumble rap representatives, for a cypher that was notoriously trolled over the internet. There were some standouts in that cypher however- even in the notoriously bad one was Denzel Curry, and Lil Dicky in the ensuing cypher. These two cyphers however, were followed up by in my opinion, the best duo in XXL cypher history in Dave East and G Herbo, and this can be listened to by clicking here.

From that moment on, Dave East became my clear favorite of the new generation of rappers, and with his hit single, Bad Boy on Death Row, he quickly found himself signed by the legend Nas himself. East is an authentic New York rapper, armed with the full complement of accents, pronouncing words like era, brother, and other like error, bruva, and ova. He also raps with a classic feel, one that pays homage and respect to the greats that came before him, and while he does have face tats, he makes it clear that he is no mumble rapper, and finds himself up next for review.

FEEL

Survival is a story as much as it is a rap album, as it recounts Dave’s struggles growing up in the streets of New York. On the song On My Way 2 School, he recounts his tales of waking up to his mother’s voice for school, reprimands from his school’s principle for not going to class, and the notion that he would one day go to the NBA. And on his song Daddy Knows, he raps about what it meant to him to father his daughter. And finally, on The Marathon Continues, he recounts his past with his friend, the late Nipsey Hussle in a heartfelt tribute. As a result, Survival feels like a look at the storied past of East, and less like an actual rap album.

LYRICS

The feel of the album is not to say that there were not bars however, as Survival is not devoid of some A-list features. Teyana Taylor, Rick Ross, Nas, Gunna, and Lil Baby all make appearances just to name a few, with Max B, securing the top spot for best feature in my opinion. East recounts the stories from his life in a way that is thoughtful, yet rhythmic in a way that does allow for extended play. Some of our favorite quotables can be found below:

“I got my money up- tell them promoters I switched up my prices,” – Dave East, Night Shift

“We don’t even acknowledge the ones you seem to impress,” – Dave East, Godfather 4

“Aladdin had me trying to make wishes – wasn’t no genie,” –Dave East, Need a Sign

“If I could ask God for something – just give me back my niggas,” Dave East, The Marathon Continues

PRODUCTION

The production on Survival does well to help East further his point, as the tracks are smooth and lend themselves best to Dave’s cadence. The production on the album does feature a star studded cast as well, with legends such as DJ Green Lantern, Swizz Beatz, and Timbaland all lending their talents to the project. The smooth tracks are indeed a highlight of the album, as there is not a lot of party music on the album.

OVERALL

Survival is a personal album for its author Dave East, one that masterfully tells his recount of life and coming up in the streets of New York. East is surprisingly transparent on the album, after admitting that his attitude needed work. And while he had to deal with the backlash of being lumped in with other mumble rappers, he does not have to deal with those who claim the late Nipsey Hussle’s passing was used as a clout chase. Of all the rappers who claimed to have a personal relationship with the Marathon’s leader, East was one of the few that can actually be confirmed. And while he has stayed relatively quiet, he uses Survival’s last track to address the passing of his friend. To the back drop of narration from Snoop Dogg, combined with an excerpt from Hussle himself, Survival ends with a heartfelt tribute that can bring any real fan to tears. Commercially, East was subject to the latest trend of review bombing, where a group of people spam bad, unmitigated negative reviews. So while we may not have a huge audience, and it is likely that East will never see this review, let it be known that this is not one of those reviews. Survival is a great album, and Oracle Rap Reviews awards the album a final score of 13 out of the 20 tracks, and hopes you will give in a spin in your next rotation.

The album in a word: thoughtful

11.14.2019 – The Oracle

Edited by MJG Story Creation