You ever wake up knowing that it’s going to be a great day? The sun’s shining, you’re sporting a pornstar-esque morning wood, Memorial Day Weekend has finally arrived. You know, the type of day that you’ll tell your grandkids about--well, maybe not the glorious morning wood part. Those mornings are few and far between, but when they happen, oh, they happen. Today, Friday May 26th, it happened.
It all started out routinely, but I could feel something different in the air--it’s ineffable. I took a shower, screamed from getting soap in my urethra; made some coffee, burnt my tongue; ate a fiber one bar, almost shit my pants--mornings. While doing the daily morning IG scroll, after staring at Jen Selter’s ass for about seven-minutes, I came across The Shiggy Show’s video of him dancing to “that new Bryson Tiller album”. “WHAT?!” I yelled in disbelief. I was certain that he was joking, as True to Self wasn’t expected until June 23rd. There’s no way that he’d release it a month early…
How naïve of me. Maybe if I didn’t go to bed at the same time as my grandma then I would’ve seen Tiller’s late night IG post showing a picture of the “true to self” definition--the album’s name--officially announcing its release. The first definition states: “When you are being true to yourself, you are completely honest with what you feel, deeply value, and desire. It also means communicating your feelings wholeheartedly both with yourself and others, allowing your truth to flow through you and into the world.” The second definition? “Enjoy”. Don’t worry Bryson, we will. Tiller’s unexpected drop would have been enough stimulation to sustain my morning wood well into the evening, but as previously stated, today was no ordinary morning.
It’s Wizop! Gucci! Yes sir, that’s right. Not only has Bryson graced us with his highly-anticipated return, but so has the T-R-A-P-G-O-D, Gucci Mane. Known for being one of the most consistent plugs in the game, Wop issued three 2016 albums after being released from prison on May 26, 2016--exactly one-year-ago today. Coincidence? Please, don’t be as naïve as me.
Celebrating his first year of freedom, Gucci, being the east Atlanta Santa that he is, decided to bequeath the presents, instead of receiving them. His latest offering, Droptopwop, is a 10-track Metro Boomin’ production that features Offset, 2 Chainz, Young Dolph, and Rick Ross, and amalgamates various Gucci forms: from stuntin’ in typical fashion, like on “5 Million Intro”, to showing what people will do for a glimpse of fame on “Dance With The Devil”, this album continues Wop’s musical exploration. Droptopwop pairs classic Gucci with the refurbished version achieved from his rehabilitated state. It might be MDW, but all I can say is, “Brrr!”.
Yes, Gucci is the GOAT, but there’s another impactful musical figure sailing around Atlanta's waters: Lil Boat. Lil Yachty is quite possibly music’s most polarizing figure--due to his watered down lyrics, unconventional Hip Hop appearance, and mission to impart joy--but he doesn’t let the haters interfere with his output. Today, Yachty dropped his debut studio album, Teenage Emotions. An aspect of debate during his “Everyday Struggle” interview, Teenage Emotions aims to evoke euphoria by encouraging youths to love and accept themselves. It’s pretty respectable and powerful given that he’s only 19-years-old. While I’m not a Yachty fan perse, hey, he’s for the kids. And the kids love him.
Friday, May 26, 2017--remember this date. The date when I got soap in my urethra, and when we received three albums from three top players. If you were concerned about what to bump on the beach this MDW while showing off your newly minted abs, look no further--we’ve got Tiller, Wop, and Lil Boat.