One of the album’s more complex lyrical moments, “Becky” is an examination of racial inequality in America that centers on Aminé’s suburban upbringing, repeatedly returning to the line “Mama said/don’t ever bring a white girl home to me.” The song fascinatingly looks at the contradictions between the behaviors of individuals and the trends of the masses, a kind of liminality hinted at in the album’s title.
“Roots” features R&B/funk icon Charlie Wilson, a favored collaborator of Kanye, while “Pressure in My Palms” includes a reference to the origin of the divisive rapper’s beef with Taylor Swift, as well as a brief but unmistakable interpolation of Kanye’s 2005 track “We Major.” On “Mama,” Aminé lovingly sings the praises of his mother and her herculean efforts to raise him, as if in homage to Kanye’s “Hey Mama”-though the song also links to 2Pac’s “Dear Mama.” The album also contains new spins on the dormant practice of skits, and one such interlude pays tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, while others serve as outros for the tracks “Riri” and “Fetus.” These skits find Aminé conversationally musing to himself and his friends about growing older and his place in the world, and they’re a welcome, thoughtful nod to the rap opuses of yesteryear.īy the album’s halfway point, though, it’s clear that this isn’t just another throwback, as Aminé’s full-bodied beats, vintage soul samples, and clever rhymes set him up as a deserving carrier of Kanye West’s torch. The opening track of the Portland-based rapper’s second studio album, Limbo, likewise sets the stage with a chopped soul sample-driven beat and telling references to hip-hop’s past (Jay-Z) and future (Rico Nasty), while unfurling some of the moral concerns plaguing his thoughts. Don’t be lazy, ’cause there’s always going to be a kid working harder than you.On the intro to his 2018 mixtape, Onepointfive, Aminé demonstrated his talent for verbose, declaratory scene-setting. I feel like the only thing you can do is work harder than everyone else. “Just being a kid in your bedroom, I would just upload ideas to SoundCloud, and I was very naive… Being that DIY kid in your bedroom is scary, it’s depressing. In a recent interview with Complex, Aminé spoke about how far he’d come and the difficulties of making it as a SoundCloud rapper. His budget has certainly had a come-up: Limbo features contributions from Young Thug, Vince Staples, Slowthai, J.I.D, Injury Reserve, Summer Walker, and Charlie Wilson.
Limbo is his second official studio album. Aminé followed up his debut album Good For You with the 2018 mixtape ONEPOINTFIVE, a darker effort that found the MC exposing his depression while occasionally dipping a toe into the contemporary trap scene. Aminé wasn’t just vibing on the Caroline of OutKast’s “Roses” he was channelling the outlandish spirit of André 3000, and energizing rap with his wacky glee.
The Portland, OR rapper has been the talk of the hip-hop water cooler since his 2016 single “Caroline”. Aminé has unleashed his highly-anticipated new album Limbo. Stream it below with Apple Music and Spotify.
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