“Cruel Summer” is an overambitious album that was never going to meet its high expectations.
What’s sad is Kanye wasted his resources for lukewarm responses.
“Cruel Summer” didn’t generate nearly as much buzz for Kanye and Co. as “GOOD Fridays”.
Songs released during “GOOD Friday” — “So Appalled,” “Don’t Look Down,” and “Christian Dior Denim Flow” — were marketed to promote GOOD Music’s other projects.
Some cuts made “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” some did not. The end result was a sterling list of singles for the public.
The idea for a weekly singles release was new, exciting and simple.
“Simple” is a key word.
“Simple” is what led people to wait for “GOOD Friday” every week for hot music.
Music for music’s sake spelled out success wonderfully.
“Cruel Summer” on the other hand is a more-trouble-than-it’s worth-musical Megazord.*
The album tried to mash ill-matched flavors into one messy compilation instead of spreading them out like before.
Viewed alone, these songs were variably great.
Where else would 2 Chainz spit the verse of his life than on “Mercy?”
Unfortunately “Mercy,” “Cold,” “New God Flow” and “Clique” couldn’t compete with the over-hype of the “ultimate posse album”.
A second “GOOD Friday” series might serve as incentive for GOOD’s artists to work harder on their own material.
Kanye, Push, and Sean are prospering, but almost nothing’s above improvement.
Maybe we’d hear more from CyHi the Prynce.
More thoughts:
Lil B is Kanye West without a “product.” Lil B’s trick is that he’s selling “Based,” an idea. Lil B sells the idea and buys back a cult in return. The trick’s simple and clean, and more importantly, there are no middle men.
Kanye trying to break into the figurative pyramid head is so complicated it’s almost more trouble than it’s worth.
Money complicates things, and it’s easier to sell an idea when you’re not trying to wrestle control away from the gatekeepers.
One more thing — do we talk about Pharrell Williams enough?
Pharrell has practically done everything Kanye has set out to do.
He’s had the cultural revolution, he’s brought high fashion to the common man, he made hip-hop pop without a hint of irony and brought seemingly disparate people together along the way.
This is the man responsible for “I’m a Slave 4 U,” and “Grindin’” and “Excuse Me Miss.” This is the man, the beatmaker, who was asked to score the Oscars. Pharrell’s “been culture,” and he doesn’t even want the attention.
Lately, the only time Pharrell is in the spotlight is to pick the brains of other geniuses.
Kanye’s admiration of him is not only understandable, but a credit to his humility.
