In a now altogether too common meeting of marketing prowess and the expectations of a society in the throes of progression, Australian-born emcee Iggy Azalea’s debut album The New Classic is just that; a modern twist on mainstream marketing’s ideal of beauty and expectations from popular music. Depending on perspective, Azalea unfortunately (or fortunately) follows in a long line of physically attractive blondes pushed to the stars by the music industry. In that being said instead of Azalea’s unique gifts as a lyricist being showcased, the album feels flat and uninspiring. This isn’t as much an enjoyable album as it is a brand marketing impact report highlighting percentages of target demographics reached.
From Marilyn Monroe salaciously wishing then-President of the United States John F. Kennedy a happy birthday in a provocative manner to Blondie’s Debbie Harry, country icon Dolly Parton and Rap divas Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj, bodacious blondes have always been music’s best friend. Next in line is 23-year-old Amethyst Amelia Kelly from Mullumbimby, New South Wales, Australia. For America in 2014, it apparently takes someone from 9,000 miles away to execute the perfect union of popular music and American culture as a whole.
In the ‘90s, “Hip-House” was at least still being done by the Native Tongues, and absolutely nobody is ever going to question the Rap credibility of Heavy D & the Boyz. Thus, while Iggy Azalea’s The New Classic isn’t the offensive dud to Rap as a genre that Vanilla Ice’s To The Extreme was in 1990, Azalea still feels like a pretty white girl interloper in the tough and/or cocksure male and sexy and self-assured black female club that mainstream Rap’s highest level has become.
However, if just wanting another hour-plus of inoffensive and turnt-up party jams to listen to after you finish your top 40 diet featuring Katy Perry and Juicy J, The New Classic has that in spades. Azalea’s most palatable tracks for both Pop and traditional Rap fans alike are T.I. feature “Change Your Life” and already-released single “Work.” Kicking things off with, “You’re used to dealing with basic bitches, basic shit, all the time,” “Change Your Life” is an Azalea showcase because she feels entirely comfortable here with her put upon Southern American accent, and the trite, yet contemporary material.
When listening to this album with a critical ear, one must understand that in Azalea being only 23 and an Australian female emcee who only has been in America for seven years, that her depth of field for developing intriguing material probably isn’t exactly going to yield anything as socio-politically profound or ridiculously vulgar as Queen Latifah or the Queen Bee, Lil Kim. Iggy rapping about being a great girlfriend? Well, again, depending on how you view it, it’s a great thing.
As close as we get to honest and intriguing greatness on the album is “Work.” If there were to be one sentence to take away from this album that accurately describes everything a potential new fan would want to know about Azalea, it’s, “No money, no family, 16 in the middle of Miami.” There’s an ocean of depth in that one statement that makes the rest of the album feel like swimming in a kiddie pool. Producers The Invisible Men shine here as Azalea’s vocals when cast against an 808-heavy trap-meets-EDM firework party of claps and plaintive melodies makes for an extraordinarily well-rounded listen.
It’s a true shame when one listens to an album and the level of production and collaborators far outshines the work of the lead emcee. “Fuck Love” is a dance-bass heater featuring tempo shifts that lend well to peak hours at bottle service clubs that believe in both “turnt” and “PLUR.” “Fancy” slides right onto that launchpad of a sound that sits on top of the Billboard charts, and “Lady Patra” approaches true irie vibes, but stops when the blonde girl has to go back to college with her Jamaican spring break braids. This album has tremendous potential in the Pop-commercial lane dominated by label-driven Rap, but for those wanting to hear Illmatic again, they should definitely go look up MC Lyte on Spotify because this just isn’t for you.
The New Classic is a musical throne upon which the new blonde princess of Pop can rest her ample posterior. As Rap and Pop synergize again—yet this time without significantly embarrassing results—it opens the gate for Iggy Azalea to have an opportunity to shine. Sometimes, when Pop marketing and urban music perfectly commingle, we get Michael Jackson’s Thriller. In other cases, Iggy Azalea’s The New Classic aims high, but ultimately falls flat.
White bitches have no business rapping. Only thing their mouth should be open for is my dick.
Just trash didn’t even read the review ive heard her b4 wit that fake rap accent
lol
I didnt have to even listen to this cd to know its trash. She doesnt even really rap. Its just pop music bullshit.
Great write up from a great perspective.
AMAAAZING ALBUM DESERVED A BETTER SCORE!!!!!!!!
I love Iggy, The New Classic is a really good album!
This album is so dope.
The New Classic, definitely buying tomorrow!
IGGY IGGY my fave tracks are Walk The Line, New Bitch, Lady Patra and Black Widow!!!!
wack11
5/5
Pu55y p0p
Umm she does know Clueless was meant to be satire right?
Worst album of the year, Makes me disgusted to know that she’s from the same country as me. America you can have her now
decent
I feel bad for the the dude having to review this garbage.
Promising debut.
feels like the reviewer actually tried to take this record seriously and put it in a larger context of rap and US culture. LOL. despite being outback trash (according to the stunning bit of autobiographical work that is “Work”) without a dialect coach she’s got nothing to offer the Industry, or any of the pimps (looking at you T.I.) who are astute enough to cash in on her gimmick.
can’t put yellawolf in heels and expect to make millions.
except she will make a lot of millions
yo I hit that
mmmmm… meaty…pussy
ITS AMAZING , I love Iggy..fuck you if you don’t.
How can we get a review on Dynasty’s “A Star In Life’s Clothing Album?” It’s full of good music with depth. Features Talib Kweli, DJ Premier, and Skyzoo.
She fine as fuck, but her music sucks ass.
Fuck outta here with this female Drake
Wow! just a tad worse than Illmatic?!! Maybe it is really a new classic
IGGY IS MY GOD
Get the flock outta here with that poor imitation of Gwen Steffani/Fergie type of shallow puddle of a mess. Rubbish
It is an amzing album, she is surely going to be an artist to watch out for, the top is lonely but not for long because Iggy is on her way up.
Disposable, fast-food, garbage music designed to be a cookie cutter artist. white girls come a dime a dozen in pop music, here today gone tomorrow.
it wasnt that bad guys smh
why do nergos still support the Devil that gonna enslave you again in the near future?
Will you shut up already?
Because the devils pussy tastes better and they know how to treat niggas better than Black women. They also work. Shoutouts to Nick Young and Tiki Barber! Fit White women forever!
good for a female rapper album
fuck you dumb cunt
very good album especially fancy and work
I like how the same person keeps hopping on here and giving the album a five over and over again. Get a job you cunt
suck my cock you fucking faggot i will cum fart in your mums coffee and kiss your dad and then suck your cock fucking faggot
Dope album 4 stars much better then future, tyga, big sean and others garbage.
fuck the dx haters
Fuck you too, asshole
This album was hella dope, but she definitely should have put G-TOWNS artist Steeze Loueeze on it forreal!!! https://soundcloud.com/gtownmusic/doin-numbers-by-steeze-loueeze
she’s really beautiful but she just doesn’t have the charisma or energy that Lil’ Kim or Trina had. Keep trying till you get it right though
Oh so every white female rapper is suppose to be like black rappers? smdh
no you troll. all rappers should have energy and charisma. Its a quality all leaders have; thats what makes you listen
love iggy. at first glance the album was just ok. second time through you start to notice the little details. most of the songs are pretty catchy and her flow is really unique!
The New Classic LOL more like the The New Flop. Get this wack B out of here.
All hype no bite. A few catchy spots mostly due to the producers. Damn I was rooting for this album too.
Anybody peep the KKK on her belt? Black people stay loosing. SMH
They are X’s… SMH
U might be right but that belt was put they to spark controversy fro album sales
lol!
You impose American cultural imperialism onto the children of the world, then complain when they mimic and sell it back to you. ‘Iggy Azalea’ is just a sympton of the root problem.
This B is fake to me. How you gonna come from Aussie and rap like you MamasGunz? She aint about that life. LOL This will be seen as comedy years later. (waiting on her a&r troll to tell me to shut up) This is bad for rap. She is like herpes. No matter how hard you try, she wont go away. Must have too much cash invested in her.
Thats who she is imitating. We thought it was Diamond but you know what, you are right. Mamas Gunz all the way. Iggy Azalea=Kirk Lazarus.
Really? She is totally ignorant of how she is showing white privilege by imitating a black girl from the South. This is worse than Vanilla Ice, except he knew he was fake and hated it later in life.
Lol Word. Why can’t she rap in her own voice? That black southern accent is buffoonery.
we waited so long for this?
deece.
boring nothing classic about it .
fyi: The LA. Rapper Skeme is her Ghostwriter. she even has a song with him..her flow sounds just like him its so bad. lol but its a check for him.
Damn, you didn’t have to expose a bitch. Lol
was he the guy who was writing for kreayshawn?
Yo I just heard about Skeme writing for her! And you’re right, her flow sounds just like his, I checked out his stuff (which was good by the way). Can you give me more insight/proof of him writing her stuff?
her lyrics are close to garbage. skeme must be wack as fuck cuz the production and choruses saved the album NOT her lyrics
I just wanna lick her b-hole doe…
YUMMY!!!!
fuck garbage… no hate… I took the time to listen to this album and this shit was actually what I expected
The problem is not the production, it’s not the writing, it’s not the hooks, it’s this chick’s delivery. It’s impossible to enjoy listening to a chick who normally has a heavy Australian accent try to sound “ratchet” (for lack of a better word). It’s forced, unauthentic, and just wack. No level of production can save Iggy, she just sucks. At least Nicki Minaj deep down can actually RAP first and foremost, and deliver bars in a way that’s halfway decent sometimes. I feel like Iggy’s career is over before it starts. Dunno WTF Tip was thinking…
are this Xs or Ks?
Izzy Azalea brings a whole new meaning to “White Trash”.
fuuuuuuuuu garbage fuuuuuuuuuu waaaaack
This albums is certainly great work for what it tries to accomplish. The production is awesome. It has some creative moments. I don’t know what people expect, but she has more depth than what her label is branding her as.
better than Kelis lol
TNC > Honest
u wish future is garbage but better than her
She’s from Australia, you don’t think it’s her real accent?
sucks
I’ve been fucking with miss iggy for quite sometime. I was waiting on this album since nov. Said to say I’m very disappoint in the new classic. I was was amp after hearing work. Only to find out she didn’t put any work out thought in this album. Some tracks are decent at best and towards the end of the album it just sounds like unorganized noise.
‘The New Classic’. More like aload of the usual bullshit you hear.
I’d give it a 3…its not bad, but not great either
Iggy, watch out when The Pink Print eclipses your “New Classic” when it drops later this summer and gets rave reviews. Keep support Lil’ Kim and flop into irrelevancy, because Nicki is back on her Hardcore and Conscious shit, this time at a Mainstream level.
Good joke.
Well duh… Nicki has been around longer and has way more hardcore fans than Iggy. She has more mainstreams singles. She’s going to make more mainstream singles cause she has that gear. She’ll sell more than 300k solely based on name and not music. DT, you don’t know the numbers game. Music doesn’t matter when we’re talking sales.
So she sold a million copies of Pink Friday on her name alone?
@anonymous. you’re the joke. Nicki Minaj has gone platinum in the past and has sokd 300,000+ in her first week before, while Iggy struggles to sell 300,000 TOTAL even after having a Top Billboard Hit with Fancy. Minaj has a bigger fanbase and it has nothing to do with her being in the industry longer, because there have been artists that have sold millions with their first album.
Nice Album…
Cool.
I love this woman 🙂 what I would do to work for her 🙂
Amazballzzzz
If she were to sing a French song in French it wouldn’t be a big deal in fact it would be a compliment to do so. Iggy is showing respect to the Rap culture by going to the trouble of singing it in southern style with all the lingo of rap. Jazz and blues was originally black yet today there are many white artists, no big deal. Iggy’s ability to flow is undeniable. In TI’s “Mediocre” Iggy’s flow is amazing. Due to label insistence Iggy couldn’t have an album without some pop songs in order to guarantee sales in Europe otherwise it would have been all rap. Im glad because I enjoyed Bounce and especially “Fancy”.The video was perfect. No doubt she can flow with the best of them and no doubt will be a major force in the rap game with the right material.
it was ok 3/5. best songs are dont need yall, walk the line, change your life, impossible is nothing, work, and black widow. shes a pop-rapper. no suprise there
The album was solid I just like fancy a lot thats my shit…no mediocre should of been on this.
DOPE