Album Review: No Pressure by Logic

Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, known professionally as Logic, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Logic announced his retirement via an Instagram post stating this his sixth studio album would be his last. After extensively immersing himself into his rapping career, logic has decided that it’s time to hang the boots and say goodbye to the rap game. ‘No Pressure’ comes as the sequel to the critically and commercial acclaimed record, ‘Under Pressure’. As the cover art to the record suggests, Logic doesn’t feel the pressure to cramp in the extra hours and is free from the weight of the undying expectations that people have from him. ‘No Pressure’ is a return to form for the rapper. On the new record Logic reunites with his friend and former producer No ID to trace by to familiar territories of boom-bap production infused with jazz rap elements. Logic’s flow is reminiscent of his peak as he flows smoothly on each and every track of the record and stays away from the corny bars that filled his last few projects.

Here are my favorites from the project:

• No Pressure (Intro): The intro starts with Thalia (the robot narrator from Under Pressure) welcoming us to the No Pressure program. Logic dives back into his home life in Maryland and provides multiple call backs for fans of Under Pressure. chopped up narration by filmmaker Orson Welles is introduced here which is later used throughout the album. This intro is the perfect start to this project.

• Hit My Line: the production is extremely familiar to last year’s ‘IGOR Theme’ by Tyler the Creator with the overpowering synths and the jamming keys. ‘Hit My Line’ involves Logic preaching to God about the troublesome things that he witnesses in his day to day life. While drawing from earlier life experiences during adolescence, he also speaks on his life since becoming famous. This track also serves as the fourth installment in Logic’s Growing Pains series

• GP4: This track serves as the fourth installment in Logic’s Growing Pains series and samples Outkast’s ‘Growing Pain II’. “GP4” finds Logic reminiscing on his come up and how he reached successes despite coming from a low-income background. On the chorus, Logic pays homage to OutKast as they are one of the major inspirations for Logic’s career.

• Celebration: this song is a perfect carnival song, full of life and embodies the name to the T. On “Celebration,” Logic compares his life growing up to the heights he has reached and celebrates by flexing his status. The song itself is an interpolation of “Celebration” by Kanye West. The songs features Silas a fellow Bobby Boy rapper, who raps about life under the tutelage of his mentor.

• One Mic//Aquarius III: Logic covers familiar topics on this open mic-themed song, such as his rapping skills, family history, and music career. Continuing with the concept of utilizing various elements from his debut like familiar bars and beat samples. The beat switch is so smooth that you just be nodding your head and vibing with the beat.

• Soul Food II: Continuing his Soul Food series, Logic pays homage to his discography and his grind to the top. The first half of the record sees Logic talking about his career and his idols becoming his peers. On the second verse Logic samples Luke Fiasco’s ‘Gold Watch’ and raps about the storyline of this second album, “The Incredible True Story,” where Thomas and Kai are on the quest for the planet Paradise.

• Perfect: the problem with this track is its short runtime because the beat goes HARD. This track sees Logic flexing about his incredible rap career and is only turn up track on this record.

• man i is: The production on “man i is” could absolutely not have been done better. The horns will take you to outer space as Logic thanks his idols  for shaping him and his music. On this cut, Logic talks about his youth and how he managed to find his way into rap over a soulful backdrop. A gem of a track.

• DadBod: This is the cut on which logic is just spitting bars and having fun. Logic talks about chilling with his hommies, his married life along with parenthood and his illustrious career. Logic sounds a lot like a laid-back version of Eminem on this track.

• Dark Places: There isn’t anything outrageous about the subtle production of “Dark Place,” but the lyrics are a different story. Logic gets down to the nitty-gritty of his deteriorating mindset, divulging that he’s not even motivated to make music anymore because of hateful comments online and his depression. The outro continues the narration by Orson Welles beautifully putting forth the messaging of the song.

• A2Z: a window into the life of the retired Logic, you can see his teaching his son Little Bobby the alphabet. In the first half each of his bars throughout the song hit on each letter in the alphabet whether it be direct or subliminal. Logic uses an old, embarrassing recording from his past in the later half, in an attempt to show people what he really started out as.

• Amen: the chord progression on this track sounds familiar to that of ‘Earfquake’ by Tyler the Creator. This cut is Logic’s final goodbye to the rap game. Ending his career on a high,  ‘Amen’ is about Logic praying for how lucky he has been to have such a loyal fan base.

What an incredible way to end his rap career, Logic does everything right on this solid project. For some this is redemption for an artist whose garnered criticism from fans and listeners of the genre alike for his recent projects. But for others, it is merely a coronation of what has been one of hiphop’s biggest risers in the last decade. It is to be determined down the road whether Bobby is truly done with hip-hop, or taking an extended sabbatical to raise his new family. Like mentioned before, the game doesn’t really ever leave you. But this looks to really be it, and ‘No Pressure’ is the grand finale that gives closure to a Maryland rapper’s story of struggle and his triumph. Nothing can ever take that away from him. This project gets an 8.5/10. Here’s a link to the album.