Ever since I started this blog, I have always had a massive amount of appreciation for Flo Milli. She was one of the first artists I wrote about on Eastside Vibes; ever since I heard her viral track ‘Beef – Flomix,’ I have been trying to get everyone I know who loves Hip Hop to give Flo Milli a chance. Flo Milli just has a style and charisma that sets her apart. She is the kind of artist that can not be replicated, as her personality shines through her music in a way that makes her unique. The aforementioned ‘Beef – Flomix’ is the song that catapulted Flo Milli’s career. She followed up this remix of the iconic Ethereal and Playboi Carti track with her viral single ‘In The Party.’ This one did not see quite as much success as her debut, but it did cement her as one to watch in Hip Hop. Flo Milli dropped her first mixtape, Ho, Why Is You Here?, in the summer of 2020 to critical acclaim. She followed up this project with her debut album You Still Here, Ho?, which came out in the summer of 2022. Her debut album did not receive quite as much love as the preceding mixtape, but it was still very well-received for its eclectic and agreeable sound. After going viral again with her single ‘Never Lose Me’ at the beginning of 2024, Flo Milli has just released her second album, which is titled Fine Ho, Stay. If the lead single is any indication, this project should be just as fun as her previous two. With that being said, here is how I feel about Flo Milli’s Fine Ho, Stay. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite tracks are from Fine Ho, Stay, and also comment on how you feel about the album as a whole.
Flo Milli starts out this EP on a pretty dark yet lively note with ‘Understand.’ This is a brief and poignant banger that drives the energy level of the album to 10 from the very start. The 1990’s influence on Flo Milli’s music is prevalent from the start, as this song samples the underground hit from Gangsta Blac called ‘Gettin Real Buck.’ The instrumental from this one has such a 1990s Horrorcore-Trap feeling to it. The sample drives the feeling of the whole instrumental; if one were to tell me this instrumental was developed 25 years ago, I would not be surprised. Flo Milli’s rap performance on this track is just as boisterous as the instrumental. The tone she raps with is high-pitched and high-key, and her flow is very spirited. On ‘Understand,’ Flo Milli is rapping about how she knows she is different and better than her peers. She stands out from her peers in every way possible. ‘New Me,’ which features Anycia, chills things out and slows things down a considerable amount. There is something about this track that makes me think of old-school G-Funk music. Although the instrumental is mainly inspired by 2010’s Trap music(Flo Milli even shouts out Gucci Mane at one point in the track), the way the melody is mixed has elements of the music that Snoop Dogg and 213 made famous back in the day. The bass on this song is super buzzy, giving the song a level of intensity that it benefits from greatly. Flo Milli’s tone and flow on this track are considerably more subdued than they are on the opener. The way her softer tone contrasts with the gruff delivery from Anycia gives the song a tone of texture. On ‘New Me,’ Flo Milli and Anycia talk about finding themselves and becoming more confident after getting out of a relationship. ‘Got The Juice’ is a brief and menacing track that packs a hell of a punch. Even though this song is very short, it feels heavy and foreboding because of how huge its sound is. The melody for this one is driven by fat horns with a very mean feeling to them that are complemented by saturated and robotic-sounding synths. The beat on this track is just as big as the melody, and it adds to the larger-than-life feeling of the track. I have to say, I wish Flo Milli’s vocal performance was more energetic. Her tone on ‘Got The Juice’ is a bit soft, and it kind of brings the intensity of the song down a bit in a way that I do not love. Regardless, this instrumental is so cool that ‘Got The Juice’ is still enjoyable. On ‘Got The Juice,’ Flo Milli is rapping about how popular she knows she is getting and how she can get any man she wants because she knows she is the shit. ‘Neva,’ which features Monaleo, is a song that feels like it is going to be a hit. This song has major club-banger energy; I can just imagine being at a function and seeing the dance floor go crazy to this one because it goes so hard and is just so catchy. This song has a production credit from Juicy J, and I would say his influence is very evident on this track. ‘Neva’ has a sludgy and gloomy sound that reminds me so much of the solo music from Juicy J; when I hear this one, I think of songs like ‘Bands a Make Her Dance’ or Trippy. Like those tracks, ‘Neva’ is a song that is bound to hype anyone who hears it. Both Flo Milli and Monaleo match the raucous energy of the instrumental perfectly. Not only do they complement each other super well, but their performance takes the gritty energy of the song over the top. On ‘Neva,’ Flo Milli and Monaleo are rapping about how real they are and how they do not ever go back on their word or change who they are for someone else’s approval.
As good as the original version of ‘Never Lose Me’ is, I have to say that this new version of the track featuring SZA and Cardi B is even better. It is not tough to see why ‘Never Lose Me’ was so popular before this remix. The R&B-infused instrumental for this song is so smooth, light, and fresh, and Flo Milli’s performance on the song is addicting and excellent. I would assume if you are reading this, though, you already know how good the original version of ‘Never Lose Me’ is. SZA and Cardi B take this version of the song over the top. Both of them add so much texture and life to the track; they make an already great track even more awesome. On Never Lose Me,’ Flo Milli, Cardi B, and SZA are talking about how great they know they are and how their man will never want them to leave because they will not be able to find someone better. ‘Toast’ is a track that is quickly emerging as a fan favorite, and it is easy to see why this is the case. This is the kind of song that I did not know was even in Flo Milli’s bag. ‘Toast’ is a sultry and smooth R&B Trap track that has a sound that makes me think of artists like Don Toliver, 6lack, or Nav. The melody for this track is driven by breezy and warm synths with a fat mix that are reminiscent of 1990s R&B artists like TLC and Aaliyah. The beat for this track is laid-back and straightforward, and it fits nicely with the feeling of the melody. Flo Milli sings-raps on ‘Toast’ in a manner that she is not known for at all. I enjoy this style of delivery from her a ton, as it shows a different side to her artistry and proves her diversity. On ‘Toast,’ Flo Milli is singing about an ex that is doing everything they can to get her back because he is the best thing they have ever had. ‘Can’t Stay Mad’ is another track with a sound that is against the grain of what Flo Milli is typically known for. I can definitely see the appeal of this one, but there is something about it that is holding it back a bit for me. Frankly, ‘Can’t Stay Mad’ sounds a bit too much like Doja Cat. This song has a bubbly Pop-Trap sound that is very similar to songs like ‘Agora Hills’ or Juicy.’ Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad song, but in my opinion Doja Cat just does this sound better. Flo Milli sounds fine on ‘Can’t Stay Mad’ and the instrumental is pretty cool, but I would rather just hear Doja Cat do this kind of music. On ‘Can’t Stay Mad,’ Flo Milli sings about always going back to her partner regardless of how much they fight because, at the end of the day, this person is just magnetic for her.
‘Edible,’ which features Gunna, is a major standout from this record. I never would have expected to hear Gunna featured on a Flo Milli track, especially on a track like this, but here we are. ‘Edible’ is an R&B-Trap track with a super cozy and all-encompassing sound. The melody for this track is driven by a clean and crisp guitar riff with a 1980s feeling to it that is complemented by extremely saturated and groovy synths. The beat for this track is effortless and it goes with the melody so well. As cool as the instrumental is, the vocal performances on ‘Edible’ take it over the top. Flo Milli’s sing-rapping sounds so nice on this instrumental, and the higher pitch and rapid flow Gunna raps with gives the song so much life. On ‘Edible,’ Flo Milli and Gunna are rapping about an addicting sexual experience. The sound of the song matches its lyricism very well. ‘Lay Up’ is another R&B Trap track that is similar to the music of artists like Don Toliver and Nav. The melody for this one is celestial and bright; the synths and keyboard that drive this melody are so airy and floaty. The beat for this track is actually pretty intense and contrasts the melody in a cool way. I like how the bass rattles on ‘Lay Up,’ as it gives the song a texture that drives up its energy(if the beat was not this fierce, I may think this track is a bit boring). I will say that this is probably my least favorite vocal performance of the record from Flo Milli. Her flow and tone on ‘Lay Up’ are a bit sleepy and do not do a whole lot to make the song engaging. On ‘Lay Up,’ Flo Milli is rapping about relaxing and kicking back with her partner. ‘Life Hack’ is another Pop-Trap track that is very similar to some of the music that Doja Cat is known for. Even though I would still probably prefer to hear Doja Cat do this sound, I will say that I dig this one a bit more than ‘Can’t Stay Mad.’ ‘Life Hack’ has what is probably the most low-key instrumental on the project. The synth-driven melody for this one is sweet and feathery, and the beat is sort of quick but matches the peaceful energy of the melody. Flo Milli’s quirky personality shines through a bit more in this one through her flow and tone. Her vocal performance on this one is what sets it apart from ‘Life Hack’ for me. In ‘Life Hack,’ Flo Milli is singing about how she knows her desirability, so she will not let her partner treat her like their past significant others.
Similar to ‘Got The Juice,’ ‘Clap Sum’ is a short but powerful banger. Like that one, this is the kind of song that will get any dance floor going crazy when it comes on. The melody for this track is so fierce, driven by a harsh and mean piano riff complemented by violin-esque and organ-esque synths. This melody is put on top of an intense and hard-hitting beat that will rattle your speakers when it comes on. Flo Milli’s flow and tone on this song are excellent. She takes the energy of the melody and amplifies it, making this song feel enormous and dominant. On ‘Clap Sum,’ Flo Milli is rapping about tearing up the club and flexing her money on all of her rivals. ‘Tell Me What You Want’ is the most off-kilter song on this record. There is nothing else on Fine Ho, Stay that is similar to this one. Although it is nothing like the song that precedes it, ‘Tell Me What You Want’ is the second song in a row that will get any function going crazy when it plays. This is the kind of track that is impossible not to dance to when it comes on; it has the kind of energy that will get anyone moving. This song has a funky and eccentric sound that sort of feels like a fusion of the kind of Timbaland-produced Hip Hop Missy Elliott was big for in the early 2000s and 1990s Hi-NRG music. There are elements of both these very distinct styles in this track. This makes ‘Tell Me What You Want’ an addicting song with a sound that feels nostalgic but is also somehow fresh. As cool as the instrumental is for this one, Flo Milli’s vocal performance takes it over the top. Her rapid, dominant flow gives the song so much personality, and the higher pitch she raps with gives the track so much personality. On ‘Tell Me What You Want,’ Flo Milli is rapping about how great and desirable she is and how all of the girls who see her are jealous of her. Flo Milli slows things down and smooths things out with the song ‘Not Sorry.’ This is an additional track with an R&B Trap sound, albeit a different kind than what we have heard so far on this record. Instead of sounding like Don Toliver or Nav, I would say this song is more similar to the music from artists like SZA or Summer Walker. This instrumental is not very dynamic or unconventional, but it is still good for what it is. The melody for this song is so luscious, and the beat is mellow and clean. Out of all Flo Milli’s singing performances on this record, I would say that this one is probably my favorite. Flo Milli’s tone on ‘Not Sorry’ is crisp and sugary, making the track balmy and pleasant. On ‘Not Sorry,’ Flo Milli is singing about breaking hearts and not feeling bad about it. Flo Milli closes out Fine Ho, Stay with the original version of ‘Never Lose Me.’ I do not think there is much more for me to say about this one because I have already expressed my affinity for both versions of this track. Although we have already heard another edition of this one on the album, ‘Never Lose Me’ is still a nice closer because it rounds out the album nicely through its sound and it sends the record out on a familiar and amusing note.
Since bursting onto the scene a few years ago, Flo Milli has made a hell of an impact. She has been able to set herself apart with her sound and style, with her free spirit and bold personality shining through her music. Flo Milli is someone who has never been afraid to step outside the box; she has made sure that she does not fall in line with what everyone else is doing and she is not afraid to take risks. Fine Ho, Stay is a great addition to her discography, and it shows that she is really starting to find herself as an artist. On Fine Ho, Stay, Flo Milli goes in many different directions with her sound. She is extremely versatile and is seemingly always willing to try new things. There are a few moments where it feels like she plays it safe on the record, but for the most part, it is a super potent project with so much to love. The high points on Fine Ho, Stay greatly outweigh the low points, and there are quite a few very memorable moments on the album. Flo Milli is definitely one of the most exciting new rappers on the rise today, and she easily demonstrates that on Fine Ho, Stay.
EAST SIDE VIBES 