Review of Some Rap Songs by Earl Sweatshirt

Los Angeles rapper and record producer Earl Sweatshirt has finally returned with his third studio album entitled Some Rap Songs—but don't be fooled by the record's seemingly arbitrary title and album art; this is one of the bleakest, heaviest, and densest projects you will hear this year. In Some Rap Songs, Earl paints a somber and heartrending picture of grief and loss. His struggles are existential in nature, stemming from traumatic life experiences—namely the recent death of his father, Keorapetse Kgositsile.

Earl aims for and successfully maintains a distinct aesthetic throughout the entire project. The album is predominantly comprised of chopped-up vocal and instrumental samples that sound grainy, stripped down, and lo-fi. The bass and vocal stems are both mixed low, making the production feel less layered and more two-dimensional. This is likely intended, as it aptly complements Earl's melancholic lyricism and tone.

There are some tracks on the record that sound a bit more conventional than others—like "December 24," which features a muffled piano playing descending arpeggios over a standard boom-bap beat. There's also "The Mint (feat. Navy Blue)," which accentuates a cold and frail piano riff over a similar rhythm. Some Rap Songs may not be the most accessible hip hop release of 2018, but there are certainly moments where it feels warm and entrancing.

Sadly, Earl continually struggles with anxiety and depression; this is no secret. Through the glitchy and spasmodic samples of the album's first single, "Nowhere2go," Earl explicitly states, "I think I spent most of my life depressed / Only thing on my mind was death." In older songs like "Chum" and "Solace," Earl attributed his despondency to things like loneliness and family conflict. He always had a very distant relationship with his father, and a messy relationship with his mother. However, in Some Rap Songs, Earl aims to reconcile with both.

He expresses his gratitude for the women in his life quite a few times throughout the album. In "December 24," he briefly reflects on his grandmother's passing and the effect that had on him. In "Ontheway!," Earl praises his mother for being an anchor in his life through difficult times. Over the the swelling, ethereal string samples in "Azucar," Earl succinctly proclaims, “My cushion was a bosom on bad days / There’s not a black woman I can’t thank."

Nevertheless, "Playing Possum" is probably the most beautiful moment on the record. The song samples recordings of both Earl's mother and father. In an interview with NPR, Earl explained that these recordings were intended to create a dialogue between the two. Using no words of his own, Earl structures the track to tell a beautiful story. In an earlier interview, he told Vulture that he planned on eventually presenting the track to his father. Perhaps he saw this as the first step toward reconciliation. Unfortunately, his father died earlier this year—before Earl ever got the chance to send him the album.

This brings us to the album's darkest moment. "Peanut" finds Earl painfully grappling with the death of his father. Instrumentally, the track doesn't follow any conventional rhythmic structure; it's a messy and jumbled assortment of ominous piano notes and thick, heavy distortion. It's murky and unsettling. This is certainly intentional, as it seems to appropriately manifest Earl's current emotional state. The song contains some of his most dismal and harrowing lyrics to date. "Flushin’ through the pain, depression, this is not a phase / Picking out his grave, couldn’t help but feel out of place," he poignantly utters. “Death, it has a sour taste."

He doesn't conclude with any hopeful or comforting thoughts—likely because he himself is still in search of hope and comfort. Rather, he concludes with "Riot!"—an instrumental tribute to his father's close friend Hugh Masekela, who also died earlier this year. As the nostalgic strains of guitar, drums, and horns send you off, you're naturally left in a pensive and contemplative state of mind.

Some Rap Songs is dolefully honest and heartfelt. It's raw and it's real. If casual listening is your domain, this might not be the best project for you. But if you're looking for something meditative and profoundly impactful, you've hit the jackpot. This record is another excellent display of Earl's musical and lyrical prowess. I just hope he's alright. My thoughts and prayers are with him during this difficult time.