Logic, YSIV | Album Review 💿

Grammy-nominated rapper Logic remains on autopilot throughout the course of his highly-anticipated, fourth studio album, ‘YSIV.

“I got more verses than the Holy Bible, motherfucker.”  That’s a lot of verses Logic.  While the Grammy-nominated rapper is clearly exaggerating, he is one of the more prolific and skilled rappers in the games.  He definitely has bars, something that he shows off on his highly-anticipated fourth studio album, YSIV.  Arguably, YSIV is a better-rounded album than his 2017 effort, Everybody.

“Thank You” 

“Thank You” kicks off YSIV soulfully, anchored by dusty, rhythmic drums and lush, old-school vibes. Like many Logic albums, it begins with a skit which closes out with Thomas saying, “Let’s get back to this boom bap shit.”  Throughout YSIV, and first evidenced by the lengthy opener, Logic is all in on boom bap, dropping sensational rhymes.  Assisted by Lucy Rose on the thankful chorus, a number of fans of the rapper share their gratitude for his artistry. While he’s naturally confident, he’s also thankful for his many blessings, fans, and support.

“Everybody Dies”

Logic certainly has no shortage of confidence on standout “Everybody Dies”. He continues to show just how much he believes in himself. “Everybody Dies” features a dusty, soulful, East Coast rap beat.  Furthermore, the synths and pads are effective, naturally suiting his explosive flow. He isn’t playing around on the hook:

“This what you all been waitin’ for, ain’t it?
Rap game owe me, I been waitin’ for the payment
All these little rappers come and go, wonder where they went
Ten years of runnin’, yeah we came up from the basement.”

As aforementioned, he serves up cocky, confident, and ‘turnt-up’ rhymes, with no shortage of memorable, punch lines.

“I am not top ten, more like top three
I am not two ‘cause, nobody could top me
Get the pussy wet like Jodeci, you know it’s me
I can’t seem to put my finger on it like a rotary.”

Notably, you’ve gotta love how his vocals are layered throughout “Everybody Dies,” coupled with the agility and speed of his rhymes. He talks a lot of shit, but, you must admire his flows.

“The Return” 

Standout “The Return” commences with an old school sample at the beginning. As always, Logic impresses with his flow.  The beat supporting him, produced by 6ix, is well-suited for this record. It features an old-school sensibility and a balanced sound (drum programming, synths, sample, piano). From the start of the first verse, he’s confident to the nth degree – “Bitch, I’m here to win it now / L-O-G-I-C, I’m feeling free, I’m finna bring it now / If you know the words take a step back and sing it now.” Following the first verse, he drops an ultra-repetitive hook.  It’s nothing profound, but works perfectly.

On the second verse, he remains tough, unapologetic. The most eyebrow-raising lyric finds the rapper channeling his socially-conscious side:

“Not made to feel bad for speakin’ ‘bout this shit on my mind
Or called a f****t or a n***er or cracker who wish he was blacker
I wish I could face my homophobic, racist attacker and smack the
Shit outta they ass as peaceful as possible
It’s highly improbable, it’s stoppable…”

On the third verse, he references Trump, disses mumble rap, mentions Wu-Tang’s “C.R.E.A.M”, rap beef, status, and notably, how he wants Jay-Z on a track with him. As always, there’s lots to take in – most of it favorable.

“The Glorious Five” continues the magnificence that is YSIV.  Just as Logic asserts, he truly “let(s) this shit rock,” dropping agile rhymes over yet another dusty, soulful backdrop.  The big takeaway from “The Glorious Five” is that he reflects on his life and how fame and money hasn’t change him: “Keep yourself in check like a dollar amount / You ain’t better than nobody based on your dollar amount.”

“One Day”

“And maybe one day I’ll be wiser / ‘Cause maybe one day I’ll be further from here…” Promo single “One Day” opens with chorus sung by Ryan Tedder, who sings with tremendous energy and optimism, looking toward tomorrow. There’s a welcome change of pace with the production following the opening chorus.  The resulting backdrop is rhythmic and soulful in nature.  Logic drops straight bars without pop-rapping, showing off his lethal flow.  On the first verse, he raps about coming up, being on the grind, and using his platform for unity. On the second verse, he asserts, “Game been broken for too long, so I guess I am the cast.” Furthermore, he reminisces on his rough upbringing, and hard times.  At the end of the record, there’s ample Tedder, performing the final two choruses, with a bridge in between.

“Wu-Tang Forever” 

Throughout YSIV, Logic has been red hot.  The streak continues on the epic sixth track, “Wu-Tang Forever.” As promised, he manages to feature every member of Wu-Tang Clan on this eight-minute juggernaut.  Yeah, it’s lengthy, but the bars, the backdrop, and the vibe is literally ‘everything.’ If there ever was an eight-minute record to put on repeat, “Wu-Tang Forever” just might be it. If that wasn’t enough, he enlists Wale and John Lindahl for the grooviest song from YSIV, “100 Miles and Running.” Safe to say Sir Robert Hall goes off, delivering his most agile rhymes of the LP.  Wale doesn’t do too shabby for himself either, eating the beat alive during his guest verse. As for Lindahl? His falsetto is fierce to the nth degree.

“Ordinary Day” is the first regular-length song since “Once Day.”  Featuring Hailee Steinfeld, it’s enjoyable, if less of a distinct standout compared to the aforementioned gems. Even so, Logic remains locked in.  He’s better on the six-minute title track, “YSIV,” which includes a shout-out to the late Mac Miller on the intro and the outro.  “YSIV” is incredibly effective thanks to the old-school production, and a superbly chosen sample, “Life’s a Bitch”, courtesy of Nas featuring AZ.

“Street Dreams II”

“Street Dreams II” rolls right along, maintaining the consistency of YSIV.  Interestingly, the sound feels reminiscent of Logic’s debut LP, Under Pressure.  The bars continue to be impressively delivered.  “The Adventures of Stoney Bob” is incredibly chill and luxurious – ‘high as a kite.’ Logic had a stoner anthem on Bobby Tarantino II as well – the awesome “Indica Badu.” He’s joined by Kajo, Big Lenbo, and Slay Dro.  He’s more thoughtful on the über soulful “Legacy,” characterized by chopped and screwed vocals, reverb-heavy piano, and those signature, dusty drums.  Hook-less, this is all straight, thoughtful bars, chocked-full of introspection, stories and snapshots, and wisdom.

Logic definitely closes out YSIV strong. “ICONIC” is nothing short of a badass penultimate record.  It features a short interlude by Jaden Smith (“ICON”), which signals a sick beat switch.  Furthermore, “ICONIC” samples J. Cole (“Simba”). Regardless whether it’s the first two verses/choruses or lengthy third verse, Sir Robert Hall is on-point.  “Last Call” finds the rapper taking a page out of his colleagues’ book, reflecting openly on his life before becoming one of the top rappers in the game.  It’s long… lots of YSIV is, but it’s also pretty awesome.

Final Thoughts

Logic outdoes himself on YSIV, period.  Everybody was a solid album, but YSIV is better-rounded, even without a big hit like “1-800-273-8255”.  Few have a flow that’s as sweet as his, and he also has the bars to back it up.

Gems: “Everybody Dies,” “The Return,” “The Glorious Five,” “One Day,” “Wu-Tang Forever, “100 Miles and Running,” “YSIV” & “Iconic”

Logic • YSIV • Def Jam • Release: 9.28.18

Photo Credit: Def Jam