Back in March, after switching management, Connecticut rapper Chris Webby started releasing new music on a weekly basis as part of his “#WebbyWednesday” series. Capping out at one hour and twelve minutes, his second album Wednesday is a sprawling anthology of these tracks. Despite featuring an eclectic mix of dancehall and rock-rap, Wednesday is a testament to his self-indulgent worldview and fails to live up to his persistent claim that he’s more clever than his competition.
The album starts off with a bang with “Raw Thoughts” — a take no prisoners rant that goes after the political and cultural establishment. In five relentless minutes, Webby manages to criticize everyone from Mike Pence to Hillary Clinton to Kid Rock. Over a blaring, mid-tempo Jazzy beat, he goes full Slim Shady by going into gruesome details about sexual acts involving Ivanka Trump and Jeff Sessions.
Also on “Raw Thoughts,” Webby lampoons mumble rap with one of the most patronizing verses of the entire album: “And if they aren’t nervous then they don’t know what I’m sayin.’ Maybe they can’t understand it with that first-grade education/Maybe they too fucking high off cough suppressant medication/As they wearing skirts with a matchin’ purse while they puttin’ braids in.”
Webby claims that using multiple syllable words makes him better than his contemporaries. When actually, there are plenty of rappers out there who don’t need to dust off a thesaurus to be innovative or clever. In addition, mumble rap shouldn’t be simply written off just because a few performers abuse cough syrup. Ironically, within the same song, Webby discusses taking an “Addy.” So, taking suburban prescription pills is okay while drinking “cough suppressant medication” is for losers? Such attempts at being “raw” come off as self-righteous and shallow.
From that entry point, things just plummet further. Over the course of eighteen tracks, Webby manically raps over clunky beats that chase current trends. On “Dazed & Confused,” the production is scattered and draws from dubstep. While disjointed records “Call On Me,” “Check The Vibe” and “Twist Again (La La),” find Webby struggling to emulate a lighthearted dancehall vibe. The Connecticut rapper only seems to truly be in his element when he’s taking a more serious route on an underdog anthem such as “Rookie Of The Year.”
On “Middle Ground,” he opens up about his professional woes, detailing the unique perils of having some internet notoriety but lacking major label support. The chorus’s melody is harsh and not necessarily enjoyable. But this homage to Eminem’s “Rock Bottom” succeeds in contrasting the two rappers’ predicaments. Instead of rapping about his personal struggles like Eminem, Webby discusses what happens when you have fans and yet are filled with self-doubt. This track achieves a level of complexity and humility that’s absent from most of Wednesday.
The guest spots on this album are a mixed bag as Webby throws every one against his wall to who got the juice. “The Stickup,” featuring New Jersey singer-songwriter Skrizzly Adams, has some intoxicating production that collapses into an underwhelming hook and redundant themes of being one hit away. And while the posse track “Slow Down,” showcases strong verses from fellow Connecticut rappers Anoyd and Jitta On The Track and “University of Life,” (featuring singer Madi Wolf), come off as cheap alleyway knockoffs on Eminem’s blockbuster duets with Rihanna. Overall, tracks like these are aimless and muddled.
There’s definitely something admirable about an independent artist bypassing corporate A&R teams to deliver their true vision to fans. Wednesday is a success if you’re wholeheartedly invested in Webby’s career and think that he’s bringing something fresh to the table. But for the casual listener who isn’t super pessimistic about the current state of Hip Hop and doesn’t necessarily buy into his self-aggrandizing claims, Wednesday is simply a headache.
So for the person who doesn’t understand hip hop it sucks but for the die hard rap fan it’s good? Dx u need to try harder. Terribly written
“But for the casual listener who isn’t super pessimistic about the current state of Hip Hop and doesn’t necessarily buy into his self-aggrandizing claims, Wednesday is simply a headache.” But you’re not a casual listener, you’re a hip-hop journalist….so that sentence is nonsensical given you clearly dislike the album.
Weak sauce
Who does these reviews, literally everyone I’ve seen so far is a joke. That jada and fab review was one of the worst I’ve ever seen. It’s lkke they didn’t even listen to th Em album and copied off some other twelve year olds review on the internet. That shit was one of the more lyrical albums I’ve seen in years. You can’t just review an album off one listen, you could listen to that bitch 20 times and still not pick up on all the sick ass word play. Every review I’ve ever read on this site is an absolute joke and they need to stop using these new jacks to write the shit. When I see them giving legends lower scores than lil pump and young thug I know they don’t belong writing these shits.
This album was dope AF.
Hiphopdx becoming haters. Finally defending mumble rap because the white boy criticized it? Smh
This review is absolute garbage. This man should be fired. Check the album. It’s fucking fire. Chris webby can easily out rap anyone in the game right now. Wednesday is far better than Eminems revival album and I’ve always been a die hard em fan.
It’s actually wild, webby is honestly going a similar direction that em tried to go with revival but it feels more genuine and I agree Wednesday is better than revival
First of all… it’s not an actual album it’s a compilation of all the tracks he released this year… second of all could we get some one who isn’t a clear Chris Webber’s hater to review this? Awful horrible review
G-eazy’s album is better than Webby’s and Eminem’s.
Yeah all the gals in junior high deemed it classic. 5 mics!!!
Great album, and a great premise. Having your fans pick the songs they like the most and making that an album is brilliant. Eminems new album makes me sad. As does this review. He takes an “addy” because it’s prescribed and then he talks about how it doesnt work. Do you even listen to music or do you just skim through it? 5/5
Horrible review, whoever wrote that should get fired. This album is absolute fire, especially if you’re a free thinker that likes real lyricists and not the trash that this website promotes
webby has been reusing the same punchlines for years.. this sounds like every project he has put out… dudes immaturity has lost him more then half his fanbase… sounds like his mgmt made a good move!
Honest Abe I believe youre puppet frontin and shitting on a dude whos makin better music than your fav Lil Potter..oops i means Logic.
this guy should never be allowed to review another album as long as lives!!! DX losing cred in my book…..
Whoever wrote this review needs to be fired and never allowed to ever talk about anything hiphop or rap related ever again. Fucking trash ass bullshit bias. Webby has been killing it for years and years and HipHopDX and all the other so called “Hip Hop” websites and blogs refuse to acknowledge him. I used to respect XXL and HipHopDX and you guys have put me on a lot of music but nowadays its just the same repetitive bullshit. This album gets a 5/5.
Fuck whoever wrote this. Webby is innovating every year.
This review is a stinky turd. Wednesday is a great album.
Horrible review.
This is a horrible review.
This review is sooo garbage. Wednesday was the best project of 2017 by far
This review is so biased and wack. Horrible review.
Absolute shit review.
Bad review.
Daniel Spielberger should be fired.
This album was innovative and the reviewer gave biased and hollow criticisms.
Great album. Terrible review. I’m unsubscribing.
This project was creative as hell. Almost every song on this album serves a purpose and has great meaning that the reviewer seemed to miss completely. The points made are so shallow and cringe.
Unsubscribed.
This album is clever, creative, heartfelt, and definitely deserved a better review.
SUCH A SHIT REVIEW
Completely closed minded and clearly entering with pre-conceived notions about the artist. You realize rappers had poppy hooks with female singers and talked about distain for the state of hiphop since the 90s right? At least hire real music enthusiasts to rate albums, not “journalists” who care about writing about the album more than actually reviewing i.
Completely closed minded and clearly entering with pre-conceived notions about the artist. You realize rappers had poppy hooks with female singers and talked about distain for the state of hiphop since the 90s right? At least hire real music enthusiasts to rate albums, not “journalists” who care about writing about the album more than actually reviewing i.