Corporate America - Kao The Great
On a personal note, the reason I am so proud that I got to help with the album cover is because I really enjoy rap music and I am really passionate about it. I always wanted to do photography for a rapper and I got to do that with Oxygen Pernell while I was at PSU and now I got to help create a cover for an album that a lot of people are going to see. Dreams really do come true. Now let's start with this review.
Mama
I think that this is a very strong intro track to the album. It has a great build up and lyrically wise it really sets the tone for the whole entire album. This album is really about all the struggles that he has overcome and still has to overcome to make the future better for his family and it really shines through on this song. I really enjoy this song and think that is serves as a great intro to the album.
The funny thing is that Kao and me had a discussion about where this song should be placed many months ago and I forget if I said it should be an intro or an outro. Regardless of what I said I think that he made the right choice by making this the intro to the album.
This is actually the song I was most hyped for off of this album, because I got the rough preview and thought that it sounded straight fire.
Here's the thing though. The beat is actually a very great beat in my opinion. It's actually a very interesting and hype beat.
So because I already heard the preview of this song and I made it known that this was actually my most anticipated song off of the album, I'm not gonna act like I have any uncertainty about Kao's part in this song. I truly enjoy his verse and the hook.
The thing that really sketched me out was the featured artist's name. Like my man, that name is kinda meh. So I came into listening to this song with a bit of a sketch factor, like I expecting Iam MC Coy to suck or something. But I was wrong, he actually snaps on this song and I am very glad and impressed that he snapped on this track. I'm gonna keep it 100% real, I'm gonna check him out after this review, because I appreciate the work he put in on this song.
This song is hella catchy. The beat is very smooth and Kao rides the beat effortlessly.
He talks about his earlier life and about how he grew up and I appreciate that. This is something I really like about Kao. He doesn't just flex for the song. He's not talking about how he has all these girls and all this money. He talks about how he grew up and what he went through. This song is all about how he came from nothing and now he made it. He's making money and doing his thing, but he hasn't forgotten where he came from.
That doesn't make it a bad song of course, because the beat is actually quite nice.
I think that the feature on this song is great. Her voice is the perfect addition to this song, she fits this song well.
I really like the lines:
" You can hit my line whenever that you ready,
Always got time, I fuck with you heavy,
Been thinking bout you way too much lately,
Maybe cause my life is so fuckin crazy."
We all have that one person in our lives that we shouldn't be thinking about but we still do. Life's weird.
This song has a great intro. It sounds pretty epic and I like how it does it's little stop before Sharell Madden hits us with the hook and then does it's thing while Kao goes in with his verse.
This song is all about how Kao went from having nothing to being influential. His verses are very strong in this song, especially the second verse where he talks about they will take what is theirs and get violent if needed, it's an interesting verse.
I really like the beat of this song and the way Kao flows over it with ease. That's the thing I really like about Kao and it's really displayed on this song. His flow and his lyrics are on point.
This song kind of slows down the tempo and energy from the previous song and that isn't really a bad thing. I'm all for albums switching up the style a little bit and not just making one type of music. If you read my blog then you know that I talk about it a lot in my other reviews. I think it was actually the last couple that got stale by the half way point but this album hasn't gotten stale so far. Each song sounds pretty unique and I like that. Kao doesn't copy and paste his song styles.
This song kind of sounds like an interlude in a way and I like that. It's like the album is giving us a short break, while also giving us a song to vibe to.
I really like the lines:
" She just wanna drink and do drugs,
I let her get fucked up, cause the world is."
That whole part of the song, with the previous and following lines is my favorite part of the song.
Coming back to the whole break of the album/interlude thing, I tore some album apart for a crappy interlude and used an example from a different mixtape for a good interlude. If he slapped an "interlude" in the title of the song it would also be a great example for a interlude.
I like how this song takes the energy from the last song but isn't all hype. It's still a pretty laid back song and his flow is on point in this. I really like the whole vibe of this song, this is def one of those songs that you can chill and vibe to.
"BNM" stands for Broke no more. This song is about how he isn't broke anymore and now he can do what he wants.
This line is full of quotable lines, such as:
"Oh I might as well work for NASA cause baby I just want my space."
I think that it's a clever line and it's just one of those lines that I like a lot.
" Old white bitch said I never be shit,
Now I got a thousand Dollars on my fuckin' wrist."
This is another great line, and I like that there can both be a deeper meaning to it or you can take it at face value. On one had you can take it as he proved her wrong and made it now, which is true. But as a listener you can also take it as an inspirational line that even though people tell you that you can't do something, you just need to stick to it and it can happen. Dreams do come true.
" Wearing all that make up, but you lacking foundation."
This line is just great because it's an interesting thing to say to someone and the play on the fact that even though she's wearing make up and foundation is a part of that, she is lacking real foundation in her life.
These lines are great examples of why I enjoy not only this song, but other Kao songs as well. He has great wordplay and his metaphors are on point.
I think that this is another great featured artist, she has an interesting voice and adds a lot to the song. If he didn't have her featured on this it wouldn't be the same song.
This song has a very strong and energetic beat. It's one of those interesting beats where it at first comes in and then it kind of dies down a little bit and slows down before it comes back in full force and he goes in.
His verses on this song are very strong and his flow is also on point, but that's the way it's been this whole album so far.
I really enjoy the way that this song sounds and the vibe that it has. I also like the lines about his city and personal life. It adds a personal effect to his songs and that's a good thing.
I really like the lines:
" Got a little time for photos,
But ain't got no time for old hoes"
I don't even know why I like that line so much. For some reason it just stands out.
I also like the lines:
"She graduated from college, but don't want a n*gga from college, no."
That's another line that I don't know why I like so much, I just do.
Another great beat on this song, but this one is more energetic with a great build up. Kao snaps on this song, he comes through the gate running. He doesn't really let off until the hook comes, and he keeps the energy up on the second verse as well, even though he slows it down at some points then. That's all good though. I think that this is a very well made song and that a lot of people can relate to. Lot's of people work a dead end job and don't really get a raise. This song is all about the struggle and injustice that a lot of people go through.
Of course this wouldn't be a Kao song without some quotable lines:
" Come together with some gorgeous black and white chicks make s'mores and shit."
" And more money means more fucks,
Yellow chicks let me see more butts."
Ok, let me talk to you guys about that yellow chicks line. He says "see more butts" but he's actually making a reference to Seymore Butts, who is a porn director. So basically he wants to sleep with them, but that reference is insane. The only reason I even got that reference is because my best friend used to get drunk and talk about porn to me, so shoutout to him.
This beat is crazy. It's just an uplifting song and has such a positive vibe to it, even though it's all about making minimum wage and the underlying question of how to live on it.
This song is actually one of my favorite songs off of this album. This song is all about positivity even though the situation might be crappy.
" I can't pay my bills today,
But I don't really give a fuck.
I'm gonna spend all my money on drinks,
I'm gonna turn all the way the fuck up.
Because my job don't pay enough,
Why should itfuck my mood up.
And my engine light just went on,
And my car is 10 years old.
But we won't let that get us down tonight,
Don't really want to hear advice."
I mean it's kinda irresponsible, but he talks about how you need to have joy in life and how he will deal with it tomorrow. He does talk about the consequences of his actions but he also has positivity with his new job.
First of all, the featured artist's name is dope. Sleep is such a tight stage name to go by. It's great.
The beat of this song is very good and kind of dark. This song is all about injustice that black people face compared to white people and like I said when talking about Kendrick and on that Vic Mensa review, I don't feel like I have right to talk about it.
I will say though that I really like this song and that both of them snap on this song. I'm really impressed by Sleep, and I am gonna add him to the list of people that I need to listen to.
This is another very laid back song with a great beat. The beat is so different than the other songs on this album. It's great. I like when artists throw a song that's way different on their albums. It shows that they aren't scared to experiment.
The sample at the beginning of this song is so good. It's from that one Hall and Oates song, Rich Girl.
This song is all about how everything is coming to fruition and that family is very important. This is also a very great outro for the album and I think it's interesting that he begins this album with "Mama" and ends it with this one.
I really enjoyed this album, I'm not going to lie. I think that Kao is a very talented individual and this album really shows that he is a very artistic lyricist. He knows how to make his songs relatable and add a personal level to his music.
The beats were all very good, but the only thing that bothered me was that the 90s songs was louder than the rest, but thats not too bad.
The features were all very good and added a lot to not only the songs that they were on, but also to the album as a whole. So shoutout to all of the featured artists.
This is a great album and I am very excited to see what comes next from him.
I'll give this a 4.5/5.
The funny thing is that Kao and me had a discussion about where this song should be placed many months ago and I forget if I said it should be an intro or an outro. Regardless of what I said I think that he made the right choice by making this the intro to the album.
Cathedral Ceilings feat Iam MC Coy
Here's the thing though. The beat is actually a very great beat in my opinion. It's actually a very interesting and hype beat.
So because I already heard the preview of this song and I made it known that this was actually my most anticipated song off of the album, I'm not gonna act like I have any uncertainty about Kao's part in this song. I truly enjoy his verse and the hook.
The thing that really sketched me out was the featured artist's name. Like my man, that name is kinda meh. So I came into listening to this song with a bit of a sketch factor, like I expecting Iam MC Coy to suck or something. But I was wrong, he actually snaps on this song and I am very glad and impressed that he snapped on this track. I'm gonna keep it 100% real, I'm gonna check him out after this review, because I appreciate the work he put in on this song.
Cold Cuts
He talks about his earlier life and about how he grew up and I appreciate that. This is something I really like about Kao. He doesn't just flex for the song. He's not talking about how he has all these girls and all this money. He talks about how he grew up and what he went through. This song is all about how he came from nothing and now he made it. He's making money and doing his thing, but he hasn't forgotten where he came from.
Nineties feat Leavona Genuso
Yo, this song hits you like a gahdamn train after about 15 seconds. This song is hella loud, I don't know if it's just because the intro is kind of quiet or not, but it seems a lot louder than the previous songs.That doesn't make it a bad song of course, because the beat is actually quite nice.
I think that the feature on this song is great. Her voice is the perfect addition to this song, she fits this song well.
I really like the lines:
" You can hit my line whenever that you ready,
Always got time, I fuck with you heavy,
Been thinking bout you way too much lately,
Maybe cause my life is so fuckin crazy."
We all have that one person in our lives that we shouldn't be thinking about but we still do. Life's weird.
Influential feat Sharell Madden
This song is all about how Kao went from having nothing to being influential. His verses are very strong in this song, especially the second verse where he talks about they will take what is theirs and get violent if needed, it's an interesting verse.
I really like the beat of this song and the way Kao flows over it with ease. That's the thing I really like about Kao and it's really displayed on this song. His flow and his lyrics are on point.
City To City
This song kind of sounds like an interlude in a way and I like that. It's like the album is giving us a short break, while also giving us a song to vibe to.
I really like the lines:
" She just wanna drink and do drugs,
I let her get fucked up, cause the world is."
That whole part of the song, with the previous and following lines is my favorite part of the song.
Coming back to the whole break of the album/interlude thing, I tore some album apart for a crappy interlude and used an example from a different mixtape for a good interlude. If he slapped an "interlude" in the title of the song it would also be a great example for a interlude.
BNM feat Jen Miller
"BNM" stands for Broke no more. This song is about how he isn't broke anymore and now he can do what he wants.
This line is full of quotable lines, such as:
"Oh I might as well work for NASA cause baby I just want my space."
I think that it's a clever line and it's just one of those lines that I like a lot.
" Old white bitch said I never be shit,
Now I got a thousand Dollars on my fuckin' wrist."
This is another great line, and I like that there can both be a deeper meaning to it or you can take it at face value. On one had you can take it as he proved her wrong and made it now, which is true. But as a listener you can also take it as an inspirational line that even though people tell you that you can't do something, you just need to stick to it and it can happen. Dreams do come true.
" Wearing all that make up, but you lacking foundation."
This line is just great because it's an interesting thing to say to someone and the play on the fact that even though she's wearing make up and foundation is a part of that, she is lacking real foundation in her life.
These lines are great examples of why I enjoy not only this song, but other Kao songs as well. He has great wordplay and his metaphors are on point.
I think that this is another great featured artist, she has an interesting voice and adds a lot to the song. If he didn't have her featured on this it wouldn't be the same song.
Rose Gold
His verses on this song are very strong and his flow is also on point, but that's the way it's been this whole album so far.
I really enjoy the way that this song sounds and the vibe that it has. I also like the lines about his city and personal life. It adds a personal effect to his songs and that's a good thing.
I really like the lines:
" Got a little time for photos,
But ain't got no time for old hoes"
I don't even know why I like that line so much. For some reason it just stands out.
I also like the lines:
"She graduated from college, but don't want a n*gga from college, no."
That's another line that I don't know why I like so much, I just do.
34 Cents feat Adrian Hughes
Of course this wouldn't be a Kao song without some quotable lines:
" Come together with some gorgeous black and white chicks make s'mores and shit."
" And more money means more fucks,
Yellow chicks let me see more butts."
Ok, let me talk to you guys about that yellow chicks line. He says "see more butts" but he's actually making a reference to Seymore Butts, who is a porn director. So basically he wants to sleep with them, but that reference is insane. The only reason I even got that reference is because my best friend used to get drunk and talk about porn to me, so shoutout to him.
Minimum Wage
This song is actually one of my favorite songs off of this album. This song is all about positivity even though the situation might be crappy.
" I can't pay my bills today,
But I don't really give a fuck.
I'm gonna spend all my money on drinks,
I'm gonna turn all the way the fuck up.
Because my job don't pay enough,
Why should itfuck my mood up.
And my engine light just went on,
And my car is 10 years old.
But we won't let that get us down tonight,
Don't really want to hear advice."
I mean it's kinda irresponsible, but he talks about how you need to have joy in life and how he will deal with it tomorrow. He does talk about the consequences of his actions but he also has positivity with his new job.
Colors feat Sleep
The beat of this song is very good and kind of dark. This song is all about injustice that black people face compared to white people and like I said when talking about Kendrick and on that Vic Mensa review, I don't feel like I have right to talk about it.
I will say though that I really like this song and that both of them snap on this song. I'm really impressed by Sleep, and I am gonna add him to the list of people that I need to listen to.
Family Matter feat G Sun
The sample at the beginning of this song is so good. It's from that one Hall and Oates song, Rich Girl.
This song is all about how everything is coming to fruition and that family is very important. This is also a very great outro for the album and I think it's interesting that he begins this album with "Mama" and ends it with this one.
Verdict
The beats were all very good, but the only thing that bothered me was that the 90s songs was louder than the rest, but thats not too bad.
The features were all very good and added a lot to not only the songs that they were on, but also to the album as a whole. So shoutout to all of the featured artists.
This is a great album and I am very excited to see what comes next from him.
I'll give this a 4.5/5.
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