Buzzing Atlanta based duo Rae Sremmurd offer more than enough reason to wild out on their Interscope debut SremmLife. Turn-up anthems “No Flex Zone” and “No Type,” became two of the biggest singles of 2014 due in part to the two’s association with mentor Mike WiLL Made-It and his Ear Drummer Records imprint. The Tupelo, Mississippi natives have seen Billboard Hot 100 success along with remixes from Nicki Minaj, Pusha T and Lil’ Kim; further contributing to viral success. As the first official Hip Hop release of 2015, brothers Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee tread many trends within their grand introduction. Almost every inch of Atlanta Rap is represented within the project’s 45 minute runtime. That includes iLoveMakonnen’s spaced-out weirdness, sinister trap records similar to another frequent Mike WiLL collaborator Future and the stylized strip club standards Gucci Mane has been known for.
Defining New Atlanta right now, Mike WiLL is behind the majority of SremmLife’s uptempo sound. As the pool of beatmakers from The A keeps expanding, Mike WiLL is the established veteran of his class despite earlier known work with Miley Cyrus and Future. For SremmLife, he digs deeper into Hotlanta’s underground aesthetic to service eleven tracks of boundless energy. The results are entertaining more times than not. Opener “Lit Like Bic” features Lee giving listeners a glimpse of his current life of opulence: “Lit, lit, lit/Lit like Bic/Sremm Life shit/Been in by 6.” Over guitar strums and booming 808s, the intro sets a tone for young rap stars attempting to top whatever epic night held previously. “Unlock The Swag” works in their favor due to Mike WiLL’s haunting beat, complementing their demands of swag activation. Poppy ambitions more homologous with collaborations with Cyrus are more apparent on romantic ode to chasing females on “This Could Be Us.”
The duo has often been compared to this generation’s Kid ‘N Play or Kriss Kross, mainly for their youthful jubilance and chemistry. Jxmmi and Lee play well off each other as they experiment with vocal pitch, catchy hooks and display of machismo in verses. Atlanta rappers typically like to think left-field, choosing to step outside of their creative box in order to execute less linear ideas in Hip Hop. While room is now available for rappers like Young Thug, Rae Srmmurd’s uniqueness lies in their ability to offer different moods. There’s the head-nodding, aggressive “My X” that disses former significant others(“Now I’m with my next bitch, and you just another name on a checklist”), introspective rags-to-riches rhymes through “Yno” and frantic reminders of their nonchalant spending “Up Like Trump.” When paired with seasoned emcees Nicki Minaj, Big Sean and Thug, they’re in full flex mode; even delivering hotter lines than their guests at times.
One possible fault of SremmLife is catering to an audience more interested in the Spooky Black info than a Wu-Tang album. References to party drugs, spin the bottle, Fast & Furious and potentially 2015’s first big viral phrase (“safe sex and paychecks, that’s what it’s all about”) display one amazing, endless time for the “EarDrummers Backwards” boys. While SremmLife is thin on substance, it’s built for clubs and late night adventures. Perfect for the time where sunglasses and Advil are eventually needed.
Nothing but hot sewer sauce.
Dope, great mindless party music. Greatest duo to get hype to in the game.
yall getting paid to rate this?? this album was hot steaming garbage
What the? This can’t be right, really? This is one of the worse retarded albums ever put out by these 2 clown kids. This is sad, your expectations are low and you’ve shit on the bar.
“The duo has often been compared to this generation’s Kid ‘N Play or Kriss Kross, mainly for their youthful jubilance and chemistry.”
No. Only because one is light skinned and the other isn’t. That’s it. Knock it off LMAO!
UNLOCK. THE SWAG. THE SWAG. UNLOCKED.
Album is dope af, I feel bad for those who won’t open their ears to this greatness.
Exactly. People need to stop comparing everyone to kanye and cole and k.dot. not every album needs to have substance. This a party album. You can ride on a Friday night to this. Just like you had ATCQ, De la, Outkast who gave substance… the need of a master p and no limit and cash money and others were still need. Sometime you just need to turn up. This is that and they stayed in they lane. Good album
This is trash, end of story.
no
This is straight crap….
When did rap lose its lyricism?
These dudes are straight clowns.
I’ll give it 1 star since I can’t give it a ZERO!!
I can’t beleive this is what’s hot in 2015, I mean for real this shit is more basic than abc plus they’re young as fuck talkin reckless.cornball shit, no wonder so many young kids is killin each other over nuthin.all it does is glorify ignorance.ima punched in the face when I see em, not hatin just a statement for the lamens.
I think that no one is arguing that sometimes party music is fun. It has its place. But do not try to CRAM down people’s throats that this is “greatness” or that the “party sound” is comparable to lyricism, which is what is being hinted at. Stop it. I respect their hustle, I mean we ARE rating THEIR album but stop with the “They are the NEXT….” stuff if you do not want to hear the truth. Two stars for effort. Keep pushing…
It was actually good it was a club Banger, its not meant to be lyrical like 2014 Forest Hill Drive by J Cole. Its something I could bump in my car at the day time or when I’m partying I play or even when bored at home its a good album not the greatest its a good album bitch niggas stop hating. The beats r on point lyrics r fun and the cover is cool, at the end of the day these to guy could be the next OutKast duo.
OutKast was lyrical, but I see what you mean
Your comment was on point until you compared them to Outkast. Not even remotely close…
These dudes are in their early mid 20s. Why the hell haven’t they hit puberty yet??
Stfu, they just turned 20
They sound like they’re 14.
Pretty solid album.
turn up! mike will made it bonafide triple og producer, got this to hear those beats
Album is party bump in your car music no they are like the new aged kriss kross in a way. They doing something new and different.
What’s “different” about it? Sounds like a majority of everything on the radio.
Sremm Life is the future nigga… I’m 32 from tha south and grew up on No Limit, Scarface, and Cash Money. Outkast, UGK, and 8ball and MJG. As I got older, I only listen to true club bangers or just true banger anthem type songs on a mixtape from various artists. I always wonder why artist’s entire album wasn’t as banging as the songs on the radio. I told myself, I wished the entire album was good. Not just 3 or 4 songs. Albums like 50 cent Get Rich or…. And Outkast All of ’em. We’ll finally I get another complete banger album from Rae Sremmurd where every beat is tight on some Dre-ish type producing, one of the best Albums in the past 15 years! One of the top 5! And here you come with these lies!
No Type is a really good song but No Flex Zone like No Type is also a great banger and both really just warm you up for some much better music on their album. If you don’t feel YNO, Throw Some More, Come With Me and Safe Sex and Pay Checks, then you shouldn’t be a DJ. Hip Hop is dead and Sremmurd Living is going to help feed the game for a little longer. Lit lit lit, lit like bic, and unlock the swag give you 2 intros for the price of one! My X and This Could Be Us made my wife listen to rap again! I would let my teen agers years from now listen to them. “See, you don’t have to sell drugs and rap about stuff that would set all people back for some time frame or another kids.”
If you don’t like it, call “Mime” Will Made It and make a better one. Because, could you shouldn’t make a sound about anything or Sremm-LeeJimmy again. Silence…cuz music is now Up Like Trump (view 302 on YouTube and 25 more later).
Oh yeah, it’s not Shrieking in this album, it’s call swag which is the same difference.
This post gave me cancer.
dat.
bruuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh
good album
I haven’t listened to this album, but after listening to the first 1 minute of “Up Like Trump” this is garbage.These dudes are what’s wrong with hip hop.
cosign JB.
Most hip hop purists won’t like this but it’s dope for what it is, which is just a club banger. It’s not going to make you think, it’s not art. It’s a speaker showcase and background music for the girls in the shake junt.
Fun album..surprised me. If I was 16-18 it be fun at house parties
there the best and got skills. swae lee & slim jimmy
I don’t have nothing to say. it should not be in any hip hop publication
5/5 I love this album, worth the time to listen to, fun and energizing and the collaborations like Nicki Minaj and Big Sean, etc. were great