Vince Staples is a rapper that I’ve always felt should get more love. He is what I would call a “rapper’s rapper.” Vince Staples is someone who is beloved by other Hip Hop artists and by big Hip Hop heads, but he has never gotten the recognition he truly deserves for his talent. This is probably because he has always been on the outskirts of the mainstream. In fact, it seems like he kind of rejects the mainstream. Vince Staples has never been the kind of artist to lean into norms and trends, and when he has done so, he has always put his own twist on them. It is a shame that Vince Staples has never blown up more than he has considering he has put out some of the best Hip Hop music of the last several years. Do not get me wrong, he is still very popular; he still deserves more recognition, though. Vince Staples has always been a very good rapper(albums like 2017’s FM and 2019’s Big Fish Theory prove this point), but it really seems like he has come into his own during the 2020s. His 2021 self-titled album saw Vince Staples experiment with his sound, going in directions he has never gone before and completely nailing it. 2022’s Ramona Broke My Heart saw Vince Staples veer even further into the weirdness with his music, and once again he proved how talented and vast an artist he is. As well as being sonically riveting, both of these albums are as lyrically deep as anything he has ever put out, with Vince Staples diving into a variety of serious and controversial topics. Vince Staples has now returned with a new album called Dark Times, which is the last album he is releasing with Def Jam. Here is how I feel about this final major-label studio record from Vince Staples. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Dark Times, and also comment on how you feel about the record as a whole.
Dark Times begins with a brief intro track called ‘Close Your Eyes and Swing.’ This 30-second track mainly consists of wind blowing through chimes and birds chirping. The instrumental(if you can call it that) has a very ominous feeling, as if something bad is coming. This feeling is amplified when the only vocals come onto the track, which consists of Vince saying ‘To live is to be, like the n***a in the tree.’ I do not think I have to explain what this means. It totally sets the album off on an ominous note. I would have expected ‘Black&Blue’ to have a sparse, harsh, or foreboding instrumental, but it is actually very light and sweet. This instrumental has a groovy element that reminds me of old-school R&B. The bright and breezy melody for this track is driven by a soothing piano riff that is complemented by a guitar and various synths. This melody is put on top of a very deliberate Boom-Bap beat that is reminiscent of the underground Hip Hop of the early 2000s. I could imagine hearing artists like Atmosphere or El-P on this instrumental. Vince Staples’ vocal performance on ‘Black&Blue’ is just as calm as the instrumental. His flow on this track is intricate yet even-tempered, making it captivating and soothing at the same time. On ‘Black&Blue,’ Vince Staples is rapping to a potential significant other, warning them about the crazy life he has but also asserting that he needs them to complete. The laid-back old-school Hip Hop feeling continues on the song ‘Government Cheese.’ Instead of having an R&B-tinted Boom-Bap sound, though, this one has more of a G-Funk sound. This is the kind of instrumental I would expect to hear artists like 213 or even Tupac on back in the day. The melody for this one is sunny but also has a bit of a foreboding element to it. I really like the sound effects that complement the piano riff on this one, as they make the song so ethereal. The beat for this track is peaceful yet punchy, fitting the feeling of the melody very nicely. Vince Staples’ rap performance on this track is very similar to the preceding track. His flow is so silky, and his toned-down delivery sounds very nice on this instrumental. On ‘Government Cheese,’ Vince Staples is rapping about how he is forced to smile in the face of hardship because it is so tough to change your life when you are already at a disadvantage due to the circumstances you are put into. ‘Children’s Song’ is another very laid-back and groovy track with an old-school Hip Hop feel to it. There is something a little unsettling about this one, though. The guitar-driven melody is pleasant, but the beat is a little off-kilter. This beat creates an interesting juxtaposition with the melody. It is almost as if the melody is supposed to provide a sense of relief, but the beat is supposed to provide a sense of warning. Vince Staples’ rap performance on this one is a bit more hard-hitting and in-your-face than the first few tracks. He rides this strange beat nicely and gives the song a bit more emphasis. In ‘Children’s Song,’ Vince Staples is encouraging people to not play around in the streets and do nefarious things. He is asserting that it is not worth it, as he knows all about that life himself.
‘Shame On The Devil’ almost feels like a more tame version of the song before it. It does not have the exact same melody, but I have to say they are very close. I will say that the melody on this is even more charming than the one on the previous track; this may mainly be because of the beat, though. ‘Shame On The Devil’ has a very tame and light beat that almost feels inspired by old-school Jazz or R&B. Whereas the beat for ‘Children’s Song’ makes it a bit unnerving, the beat for ‘Shame On The Devil’ makes it inviting. I will say that this may be Vince Staples’ least noticeable rap performance of the record so far for me. His flow and tone are nice to listen to, but they do not add anything extra to the song for me. In ‘Shame On The Devil,’ Vince Staples is rapping about thanking God for his blessings and appreciating the life he has been able to live. If there is one song I could see blowing up from this record and potentially becoming a mainstream hit, it is definitely ‘Étoufée.’ This is a super fun Pop-Trap track that just makes me want to party when I hear it. ‘Étoufée’ is a super fun R&B Trap track with an old-school flair that is just so enjoyable. This song has a dance floor and party energy all over it. ‘Étoufée’ is the kind of song that will get any function jumping when it comes on. The synth-driven melody is luscious and endearing, and the fast-paced beat makes me want to get up and jump around my apartment. This is my favorite vocal performance of the record. Vince Staples’ flow on this one is so addicting and makes the track so entertaining and lively. On ‘Étouffée,’ Vince is rapping about his raps to riches story, referencing his gang-banging days and telling stories of all the ghetto craziness he has been involved with in his life. ‘Liars’ is a brief interlude that consists of a conversation between Nicki Giovanni and James Baldwin over a Jazzy instrumental. They are discussing honesty within a relationship and the importance of being there for your partner through thick and thin. This is a quirky little buffer in the of the record that sets us up for its second half.
‘Justin’ is another very laid-back Track with an old-school feeling to it. Like a few of the songs before it, this one has a classic Boom Bap sound that makes me think of the underground music from the early 2000s. This is probably the most atmospheric and hazy song of the record so far, which is saying a lot. The melody for this track literally makes me feel like I am floating, and the beat adds to this feeling. As floaty as the instrumental is, ‘Justin’ has one of the more incisive vocal performances from Vince Staples on this record. I really enjoy how poignant and decisive it is on this track, as it gets the point of the song across. On ‘Justin,’ Vince Staples rapped about an interaction he had with a woman. He feels like she is flirting with him throughout their whole interaction until her boyfriend comes up and she introduces Vince to him as her little cousin Justin. He feels hurt by this situation and reminds himself that women lie a lot. ‘“Radio”’ is another song with a very breezy and summery feeling to it. It honestly sort of feels like a modern version of the song before it. The melodies for ‘Justin’ and ‘“Radio”’ are very similar. The one for ‘“Radio”’ is a bit warmer and brighter, but they have a pretty similar tone. As I mentioned, though, this one feels more current. The beat for ‘“Radio”’ feels like a fusion of Trap and Boom-Bap, having a slightly old-school element but still feeling fresh. Vince Staples’ vocal performance on this one is pretty laid-back and so catchy. As nice as the instrumental is, Vince Staples’ rapping in ‘“Radio”’ is what really makes it pop. On ‘“Radio,”’ Vince Staples compares the progress in his life to a radio station, rapping about how the ups and downs are like the ebbs and flows of listening to the radio. ‘Nothing Matters’ has a more rigid and cold sound than pretty much anything before it on the record. This is easily the most downtrodden-sounding song on the record so far. The melody for this one is driven by a simple and direct piano riff that is complemented by various synths that come in and out. The drum pattern for this one is very robotic and rigid. The drums on ‘Nothing Matters’ give the song a bit of a harsh feeling that makes it provoking. Vince Staples rapping on this track is just as cold as the instrumental. He matches the energy of this song’s cold sound and makes it pop. Towards the end of the track, we get some singing vocals from Maddy Davis. I really enjoy her performance on this one, as the soft nature of her tone lightens up the track a bit. On ‘Nothing Matters,’ Vince Staples is rapping about a bad relationship and having his heart broken by a woman who lied about caring for him.
We go from what is probably the most downtrodden-sounding song of the record to the most uplifting one in ‘Little Homies.’ This is a fun and upbeat track that almost feels like a fusion of Disco-Pop music and R&B Trap music. The melody for this one is so funky and crisp. I enjoy the highly distorted bassline that drives this melody, as it makes the song so pleasant and sweet. The beat for ‘Little Homies’ does have a Trap element to it, but it also feels inspired by Disco music and House music. This beat is so entertaining and just makes me want to dance the night away. Vince gives one of his best vocal performances on ‘Little Homies.’ His flow on this one is addicting, and the hook for ‘Little Homies’ is a major earworm. Like ‘Étoufée,’ this one definitely has song of the summer energy. On ‘Little Homies,’ Vince Staples is rapping about staying on the grind and living your life to the fullest. Do not let anyone or anything get in the way of your goals and dreams. ‘Freeman’ is one of the quirkiest and toughest songs on the record. This song has a very off-kilter sound that is a bit unsettling but also captivating. It is not easy to describe the sound of ‘Freeman;’ it somehow feels very straightforward and complex at the same time. The melody for this one has a Jazzy sound that is super dark and strange. The mix of the melody for this one gives the song a futuristic element, but the tone of the melody makes it feel retro. The drums for ‘Freeman’ are just as weird as the melody; they also have a bit of a Jazz feel to them but also feel inspired by Boom Bap music. Vince Staples’ rap performance on this track is pretty stripped back and passive; this gentle delivery somehow makes the song feel heavier. On ‘Freeman’ Vince Staples is rapping about remaining true to yourself and sticking to your roots no matter what life throws at you. Vince Staples ends Dark Times on a super interesting note with ‘Why Won’t The Sun Come Out?’ To be frank, I can not even think of any other rapper in 2024 that would end an album like this. It is a testament to the artistry of Vince. ‘Why Won’t The Sun Come Out?’ is a spoken word monologue taken from a conversation he had with the singer Santigold. Over an ethereal, Jazzy instrumental that somehow sounds like it came out of the 1950s and 2150s at the same time, Santigold discusses her opinions on art, creativity, love, reaching her goals, and more. It is a very deep and thought-provoking way to end this record. This little piece from Santigold will have you contemplating your life and wondering if you are truly living to the level of your potential. Although most people probably would have wanted a traditional song to end this record, I think ‘Why Won’t The Sun Come Out?’ is a very cool way to close out Dark Times, as it will get the listener thinking about things they may typically push to the wayside.
Vince Staples is one of the most intriguing rappers in the game right now. There is no one like him at all. This is very evident in Dark Times. I can not think of one big rapper currently that could make an album like this. Everything about this record is interesting. Somehow, it feels old and new at the same time. There are so many elements of different types of classic Hip Hop, R&B, and Jazz throughout this record. In so many instances, though, these elements are arranged in a way that makes them fresh and helps them stick out in the best way. As cool as the sound of this record is, one of the best things about Dark Times is how Vince Staples opens up on this record. Throughout Dark Times, Vince Staples lets his feelings go, discussing topics of love, loss, and struggles in a way that is so relatable and palpable. I feel like this is an album that will age super well and grow better with time as people realize how important some of these songs are. Dark Times is yet another great addition to Vince Staples’ discography, and it is a high-quality send-off for his time at Def Jam Records.
EAST SIDE VIBES 