Posthumous albums are museum displays more than albums. Every lyric draws the magnifying glass closer and the album encapsulates a time period. Therefore, the body of work is no longer judged simply by its content independently but, time of its production. The Notorious B.I.G. had “Suicidal Thoughts” on Ready To Die, but it was not until his Life After Death months after he was murdered on March 9th, 1997 where his lyrics began to become eerie prophecies of a man so wrought with paranoia, it manifested in death premonitions. Chinx Drugz, the Queens rapper gunned down in his hometown back in May does not guide the listeners deep into his thought process on his debut album Welcome to JFK. Like the iconic Brooklyn emcee, Chinx’s posthumous album encapsulates the legacy and the man in a museum display for all listeners to dissect and examine; flaws and all.
Welcome to JFK plays like a quintessential transition album more than an introduction. One doesn’t hear a single bar rapped until the second song titled “Experimental,” an emo trap song ripe with disparate ambient sounds, thudding bass and melodic singing that sounds like nothing else on the album. Most of the album follows in a similar concept of experimenting with Chinx’s style. The synth heavy bounce of “On Your Body” is tailor made for summer cookouts and serious crossover potential. Chinx’s manager Biggs informed Karen Civil it “represents his growth as an artist” yet, was a “risk because it’s not the typical Chinx.”
Lyrically, Welcome to the JFK is pretty formulaic with Chinx rapping lyrics such as “cat in the freezer, that’s a cold pussy” on “Go Get It” with the same temerity as if he murdered someone on a track. But, there are introspective and witty gems that saves this from being a monotonous listen. Stack Bundles appears on “Far Rock” and it sounds great hearing him flex his aggressive wordplay with lines like “you playing yourself like suicide drills.” Chinx’s patented unapologetic wit that made “Feelings” a surprise 2013 hit is not completely submerged under the experimentation. “Yay,” with fire truck horns blaring, the album’s hardest drums and Chinx rapping “open up the trap and watch the smokers do the wop” recaptures the raw energy that makes Chinx so captivating. But, Chinx rapping “pray I go to Heaven before I go to hell” on the same song is a sobering reminder that this is more of a museum visit than a party.
The production is the biggest detriment to an otherwise good debut album. Chinx raps vehemently over wipsy piano chimes and baby wipe soft drums on “Go Get It.” The minimalist approach to the Ty Dollar $ign-assisted “The Other Side” sounds as if it was painting by the numbers in the “How To Make A Future Derivative” colorbook. When the beats match Chinx’s, you truly get a glimpse into what a beast the Far Rockaway native was developing into. “On Your Body” may be Chinx’s attempt at a commercial hit, but “Thug Love” is by far the most complete and replayable record on the entire album by a wide margin with lush vibes matching Jeremih’s wonderfully layered vocals for a song that was ready to dominate any and all summer cookouts.
If Welcome to JFK is meant to take Chinx Drugs to a national level, the song structures may be right, but the content shows Chinx was still in transition of fully realizing this aspiration. Two years ago, Rick Ross lost a lucrative Reebok endorsement because he “slipped a molly a drink, u aint even know it.” On album standout “How To Get Rich”, Chinx proudly raps “can’t nobody teach you how to put the molly in her drink so you can catch the vibe.” Even on “The Other Side,” which surely is destined to be in every club, Chinx curiously raps “hit your bitch with the Ray Rice/Jury looking funny in the daylight.” Is Chinx comparing his sex game power to that of an NFL player assaulting his wife or is this some sort of clever analysis of the court of public opinion’s unreliable judgements? We’ll never know.
Chinx’s first commercial album release is a freeze-frame of an emcee that “still sell in the school zone” but ventures into uncharted territory with mixed results. Chinx’s ambition was ready for the lime on the album closer “Die Young.” The most eerily prophetic lyric on the album appears on the album’s best song “Hey Fool” where Chinx raps “drive by hit the deck, shots licked and then I swerve off/murder’s the only topic/neighborhood is watching.” Welcome to JFK will forever shrouded in “What if’s,” even if Chinx’s management promises future projects. But, in the end, Chinx crafted a debut album strong enough to support springboarding him into creative areas we never did, and never will, see him reach.
Sorry but this dude was average at best. Some of yall are gassing him up like the second coming of Pac. Fuck outta here.
Who is yall? You have to name names? I’m looking for the people who you said gassing him like the second coming of PAC. I don’t see them.
No one said he the next pac he def was great at what he do and one of the best coming out New York that wasn’t afraid to create a sound not just ride the wave
Pac? LMAO. My g, nobody ever went to that level. I’m a huge Chinx fan, he had his lane and delivered that head boppin music.
Album is fire rip chinx
CHINX WAS CHINESE. HIS ACTUAL NAME WAS CHING CHONG CHEWEE FUCKY SUCKY GUY FI’ DORRA EGGROLL FO’ YOU, BUT HE SHORTENED IT TO CHINX BECAUSE THAT WAY PEOPLE WOULD TAKE HIM MORE SERIOUS. RIP YOU CHINESE CHICKEN YOU
#YAY!!
He didn’t say Molly in her drink he said can’t. Only teach you how to put the Molly in the drink so you can catch the vibe he was talking bout getting in the zone!…Good write up tho
CHINX WAS CHINESE. HIS ACTUAL NAME WAS CHING CHONG CHEWEE FUCKY SUCKY GUY FI’ DORRA EGGROLL FO’ YOU, BUT HE SHORTENED IT TO CHINX BECAUSE THAT WAY PEOPLE WOULD TAKE HIM MORE SERIOUS. RIP YOU CHINESE CHICKEN YOU
Chinx was an average artist.. I tried to support the JFK album because of his death.. But it’s not very good.. The majority of the album is singing auto tune type throw away records that sound like EVERYTHING else out .. Its still RIP Chinx, but album was no go
You the person I say has deaf/dead ears. I can tell you hold artists to expectations that they can never reach Bc you think everything is supposed to be ground breaking and something you never heard. I can tell by your comment you not a fan of his music and really never was. That’s why you said he was average at best. In reality he’s not even average to you. That’s just you respecting dude hustle at the very least.
like you said you supported because his death and not for his music. That’s love tho. I respect that. There is nothing close to Auto Tune. Look up what a Melody is. I haven’t heard anybody use auto tune in years. What you call support is a quick flip through a couple of tracks but I respect that. Some people don’t even do that. You not hating or nothing. You just giving your opinion.
Just because they don’t like his music shouldn’t give you the right to disrespect that person for giving his honest opinion. Why so hurt Stan?? Calm down.
Disrespect? Lol read my comment again. I showed nothing it respect. Notice inactuallybused rhebwoed you idiot!
It’s very sad to know that we will never see his big smile. Or be able see how of an artist he was going to grow into. RIP Chinx
Dude, only got an album released because of his connection to French Montana. And how French Montana got a record deal, is even more absurd. Sad that he died, but sorry he ain’t have much to offer hip hop wise. Dude was 31 when he was going to release his first album. This was some dude acting like he was 21 instead of 31. His shooting death should be an example to these motherfuckers in their 30’s still thinking they just got out of high school. How the fuck you gonna be 31 and be in a group called Coke Boyz. Talk about straight up ignorance.
I fucks with chinx.. really like CR 5.. but i have to say this album is weak. its just a bunch of average cookie cutter trap songs. no good features ..boring beats… decent lyrics. Rip to the boy but its not a pass for criticism.
CHINX WAS CHINESE. HIS ACTUAL NAME WAS CHING CHONG CHEWEE FUCKY SUCKY GUY FI’ DORRA EGGROLL FO’ YOU, BUT HE SHORTENED IT TO CHINX BECAUSE THAT WAY PEOPLE WOULD TAKE HIM MORE SERIOUS. RIP YOU CHINESE CHICKEN YOU
AMAZING ALBUM I LOVE IT
Liked it. Solid listen. Not sure why all the hate.
Dope
Chinx was a problem in his own lane he created his own sound and was the best thing in his era outta nyc now and days music is evolving and he was deff a big part of this era rip Chinx you will be missed but I will support everything you on and they bring out with you on it
I’M SUING BIRDMAN CUZ I LET HIM FUCK MY CAMEL CLYDE IN THE ASS WHILE MY CAMEL RECITED VERSES FROM THE HOLE-Y QURAN. HE NEVER PAID THE JIZYA LIKE HE PROMISED HE WOULD AFTER REPEATEDLY VIOLATING MY CAMEL AND NOW HE IS TAKFIR. I WILL NOW FORMALLY DECLARE JIHAD ON BIRDMAN’S BOOTYHOLE AND SEEK DIVINE RETRIBUTION FROM ALLAH FOR HIS REFUSAL TO PAY WHAT IS OWED. ALLAH FUCKBAR!!! ALLAH FUCKTARD!!!
IM SORRY BUT THIS NIGGA WACK ….
farrock all day rest in peace chinx .farrock forever homie .edgemere stand up
These punk bitches hate cuz they mad they could neva touch Chinx level. I bump the Fuck outta ‘Hey Fool’ before I knock the Ops teeth out! RIP Chinx!!!
1.46? This album is a upper level version of the Future type sound/lyrical French. I fux with it. RIP
LOVED THE ALBUM