Larry June & The Alchemist - The Great Escape (Discussion Thread)

[yourgod]

I had low expectations for this not gonna lie but they delivered, I just copped the orange vinyl. I see ppl sayin larry is gettin out rapped on here, he just needs to find his pockets on beats. He struggles on art talk while boldy dances in and out on that, those slower tempo joints always beat Larry ass lol.

Turkish cotton and what happened to the world are my standouts and y’all weren’t lyin about Margie’s candy house. Whole album is just some fly shyt you can throw on during the spring and summer nights…good job Larry

 

[LevelUp]

 

[Supa]

It's time to put Al on some lists man.

fukk a list. He's one of the GOATs. That is all.

 

[RIPODB]

It's time to put Al on some lists man.

Yes he needs to be considered one of the greats among all genres. Not just rap

 

[Grizzly]

If I'm being objective, the tape is good. I see why people like it. I feel like he did this to get the respect of the hip-hop purist crowd and it's actually working. I salute him for stepping out of his comfort zone. This is not the bag I like hearing Larry in tho as a fan and I will probably never listen to this shyt again straight through. It's not one of those for me. Just being real. I'm putting my favorite songs on a playlist and waiting for the next shyt with Cardo, Sledgren, Cookin Soul, etc.

 

[Solomon Lurke]

This shxt is a snoozefest. I hate these slow beats and no drums. Someone call Cardo please. Bad job Larry.

 

[Nero Christ]

Having more money than we having clout...what's a drought

 

[Stir Fry]

If I'm being objective, the tape is good. I see why people like it. I feel like he did this to get the respect of the hip-hop purist crowd and it's actually working. I salute him for stepping out of his comfort zone. This is not the bag I like hearing Larry in tho as a fan and I will probably never listen to this shyt again straight through. It's not one of those for me. Just being real. I'm putting my favorite songs on a playlist and waiting for the next shyt with Cardo, Sledgren, Cookin Soul, etc.

Same here. They have a great chemistry, and alc has some dope beats, but I only got about halfway through it before turning it off and switching over to Big Bossin vol 2 during my commute to work this morning.

Action Bronson is terrible, he actually has a fan base? lol

Larry has lost that unpredictability to me, which is what initially drew me to him.

 

[Nero Christ]

Summer Reign wavy...Ty on the hook

and that ending transition Uncle Al not playing fair

 

[Grizzly]

Facts.

You get a whole project with Al, you kinda don’t have to say much. We're all vibing to the production, lol.

Thing is, it only gets exposed when other MC's hop on a track with you and they go CRAZY for 16 bars. Dudes showed out on this one. Boldy, Sean, Evidence, etc. They ain't come to play. So when you hear dudes rocking like that, and June is still doing the same June sh*t, it definitely stands out, lol. Dude is great to vibe out to, since way back, but with a project produced entirely by Al, it makes the music even better. So I'm supporting regardless, but I ain't gonna lie and act like he ain't just coasting on these joints. Dude is on his laid-back hammock sh*t again.

When a non-lyrical rapper tries to be lyrical, it never comes off natural. I feel like he was conforming a little too much. In that Okayplayer interview, Alchemist said that he had Larry listening to Jadakiss, Mobb Deep, and different East Coast artists. It definitely shows. He's a game spitter/shyt talker and he's not afraid to experiment with his cadence and voice inflection (like most Bay Area rappers, ie Mac Dre or E-40). When he stays in that bag, it hits most times and is usually more memorable than whoever he is featured with. I feel like he was doing a bad impersonation of a generic MC from NY on here.

When he raps over slower tempo, drumless beats he starts getting overly descriptive and it's lowkey annoying lol. I listen to Boldy and Roc Marci for that. They mastered that style. I'm tapped in. I hear when June tries to get lyrical and overuses certain words and phrases (make another play, bigger goals, bigger plans, better days, plottin etc). It's lowkey cringe. Like damn bruh, open a thesaurus. You just gonna say the same bar the same exact way that you said it on the other track and act like we didn't hear it? OK lol. When he raps on beats from Cardo, Cookin Soul, K. Fisha, Sledgren, DJ Fresh, etc, it's literally a perfect match. It doesn't sound forced. I would've loved more introspective songs like "Margie's Candy House" and "Porsches In Spanish" over these Alch beats. He really shined on those. Even more joints like "60 Days" and "Breakfast In Monaco" where he gets heavy into his harmonizing bag and experiments with song structure would've been great too.

 

[u mad son?]

Definitely fire as expected. It is what it is, great driving music.

The best tracks on the album are really really good, standouts for me is:
Palisades (Hands down best track for me it has a fukking crazy infectious bounce to it)
Art Talk - That spaced out futuristic wave
Margies Candy House - Come on.
Porches in Spanish
Orange Village

One track that did have me sit up and pay attention though was "Exito". What time signature is that? shyt doesn't sound like its 4/4 or 3/4.

After maybe a few more listens I could probably see it being on the same level as Continuance.

Nowhere near as good as the Roc album though imo. That album had some really innovative production and lyrics.

EDIT: I gotta admit though Larry dont really fit these beats flow wise as well as a Curren$y can for example. Curren$y is a real MC who can do these type of beats justice and really flow on them shyts, Larry sometimes just sounds off or like he came off kind of half assed on some of these beats.

 

[maxamusa]

If I'm being objective, the tape is good. I see why people like it. I feel like he did this to get the respect of the hip-hop purist crowd and it's actually working. I salute him for stepping out of his comfort zone. This is not the bag I like hearing Larry in tho as a fan and I will probably never listen to this shyt again straight through. It's not one of those for me. Just being real. I'm putting my favorite songs on a playlist and waiting for the next shyt with Cardo, Sledgren, Cookin Soul, etc.

Exactly. I'm usually in a Larry June Mood...and that encompasses the "typical" Larry June production. However, an artists needs growth. And this is still somehow in that wheelhouse.

When you have a niche fanbase or a REAL fanbase in general its almost like a double edged sword. If you keep giving the same recipe every time you're going to get the haters that will criticize not not switching it up; and if you do switch it up you'll get the haters who will say you fell off or sold out or whatever.

I think it was a smart move for Larry 2 do this. Locking in with alchemist on this sound will grow his fan base and expose him to the whole "underground" scene FR FR.

I've ran the tape back 2/3 times. As the sun was coming up driving; and its still cold up here. I felt the vybe. Larry's music is generally for when I'm in 1 vybe in certain seasons. This expansion makes him a more versatile better artist IMO. Its almost like Boldy Jamesish if that makes sense.

 

[maxamusa]

fukk a list. He's one of the GOATs. That is all.

Honestly people wouldn't want to be truthful. When you look at the catalogue of work its really undeniable. People would have to spin it for everything BUT the music. "Influence/sales" all that stuff.

 

[Nero Christ]

Palisades

Sean snapped...Al production elevates all rappers

 

[Remy LeBreh]

Slum Village and Evidence on here, high school me would be losing his shyt.
Boldy bodies everything he touches
Big Sean is the Kyrie of flows