Since I was young, one of my favorite styles of Trap music has been the tough and harsh Trap sound that comes out of Memphis. Growing up, I loved the music by artists like Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, 8ball & MJG, and anyone associated with these artists. Their mean and bold take on Trap music was a breath of fresh air compared to the other Hip Hop that was big at the time, and they carved their own lane in Hip Hop because of how much more audacious their music was than what their peers were making. In the 2010s, Artists like Young Dolph and Yo Gotti carried the torch of original Memphis Trap sound into the mainstream. They helped cement Memphis as a huge hub in Hip Hop, with so many artists from around the country trying to copy this Memphis sound. Over the last few years, a few more Memphis rappers have come to the forefront. Along with GloRilla and Key Glock, Moneybagg Yo has become one of the biggest Hardcore Trap rappers in the game. These three are obviously very inspired by the original Memphis Trap sound created by the artists mentioned above, and they are doing a great job of taking that sound and making it palatable for modern Trap music fans. Moneybagg Yo has been on a hell of a run over the last few years. After signing with Yo Gotti’s CMG Records in 2016, he released a series of mixtapes and albums that steadily helped him grow from relatively unknown to a rising Trap superstar. Moneybagg Yo had his breakthrough in 2021 when he released his album A Gangsta’s Pain. This record saw a ton of critical and commercial success, garnering his first Billboard Top 20 single ‘Wockesha’ and cementing him as one of the Hardcore Trappers in the game. After doing a variety of very successful features over the last couple of years and releasing a highly entertaining mixtape in 2023 called Hard To Love. Moneybagg Yo is back with a new record called SPEAK NOW. This is a project I have been looking forward to, as I really enjoyed a couple of the singles and have always thought Moneybagg Yo has so much potential. Even though he is not the most descriptive lyricist and is not the most versatile artist you will ever hear, he has still always been really good at what he does. Below, I am going to highlight some of my favorite songs from SPEAK NOW, and then go into how I feel about the record as a whole at the end(I would normally cover every track, but I just do not know if you want to hear me vividly describe every song on a 17 song Hardcore Trap album with this kind of sound and theme). Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Moneybagg Yo’s SPEAK NOW, and also comment on how you feel about this project as a whole!
ALL YEAR
Moneybagg Yo get this album on the kind of raucous and intense note you would expect him to with the song ‘ALL YEAR.’ This is the kind of brash and mean track that one would expect to hear out of a Trap rapper from Memphis. The melody for this track is so foreboding and cold. The piano riff that drives it has the kind of sound that one would expect to hear in a violent scene of a horror movie, and the synths that complement it add to its frigid feeling. The beat for ‘All Year’ thumps; it definitely matches the massive feeling that the melody has. Moneybagg Yo’s rap performance on this track is great as well. I enjoy how he is constantly changing up his flow on this one, as it gives the song varying levels of texture that make it hit that much harder. ‘ALL YEAR’ is the perfect kind of song to begin this album with, as it has a larger-than-life sound that pulls me in as a listener right from the jump.
TRYNA MAKE SURE
‘TRYNA MAKE SURE’ was released as a single back on May 4. This is the song that made me excited to listen to this album when it came out. I was not super into the first single(‘Bussin’ with Rob49), but this song certainly drew me back to looking forward to this record. In terms of Moneybagg Yo’s general sound, ‘TRYNA MAKE SURE’ does not necessarily stand out in any way. This Tay Keith-produced instrumental is solid, but it is not the most intricate or interesting instrumental on this record. Moneybagg Yo does not do anything special on ‘TRYNA MAKE SURE’ as well, but he more than holds his own with his rapid and pushy delivery. Even though there is not one element of ‘TRYNA MAKE SURE’ that truly stands out, everything about it just works. The melody and vocal performance are catchy for what they are worth; this song has the kind of energy that just makes me want to turn up. ‘TRYNA MAKE SURE’ is not Moneybagg Yo’s most interesting single ever, but it is a fun banger that works for what it is.
TABOO MIAMI
One of the best things about this album is the transitions. ‘TABOO MIAMI’ directly follows ‘TRYNA MAKE SURE’ on this record, and the way that the latter song flows into the former is so cool and fun. The instrumental for ‘TABOO MIAMI’ just feels like a grittier and meaner version of the song that precedes it. ‘TABOO MIAMI’ has a pretty similar beat and melody to ‘TRYNA MAKE SURE.’ The melody and beat on this one are a bit harsher and grosser, which makes this song stand out. There is a weird chanting sound that goes on in the background of this instrumental; this sound effect is honestly sort of abrasive, but also weirdly makes this song more appealing. ‘TABOO MIAMI’ has my favorite rap performance from Moneybagg Yo on the album to this point. His flow on this song is so intricate, and the way it sits on the beat makes so many lyrics on this track such an earworm. ‘TABOO MIAMI’ is an admittedly very freaky song(lyrically) that may not be for everyone, but if you do not mind explicit lyricism, you will enjoy this banger.
I FEEL IT
‘I FEEL IT’ is the shortest song on the record, but it also may have the most catchy Pop-Trap sound. I am not going to lie, the first thing I thought when initially listening to this track was, “Man, this sounds like Future.” ‘I FEEL IT’ pretty much seems like Moneybagg Yo’s take on the Atmospheric Melodic Trap music that Future has made popular over the years. Everything about this one makes me think of Future, from the Trippy melody to the bouncy and sort of upbeat drum pattern. Moneybagg Yo’s vocal performance is even definitely heavily inspired by Future. So much so that if I played this track for a friend who does not know any better, they would probably just think it is Future. That said, ‘I FEEL IT’ is still so enjoyable. I do not care if it sounds so much like Future, it is still a very fun song. The only thing that holds ‘I FEEL IT’ back is its length. I just feel like it ends too early. If this one were another 30 seconds or so, I could see it end up being a major hit. ‘I FEEL IT’ may feel a bit too inspired by Future, but I still think it is highly entertaining.
DRUNK OFF U (FEAT. CHRIS BROWN)
If you know me, you know I am usually not one to support Chris Brown(I am just not a fan of his antics over the years, and I feel like there are less problematic and equally or more talented R&B artists to listen to). This is the second time I am going against this sentiment in 2024, though, because like his performance on Future & Metro Boomin’s ‘Drink N Dance,’ Chris Brown kills it on ‘DRUNK OFF U.’ Moneybagg Yo does his thing on this track as well, but Chris Brown is the person who takes this one over the top. His sultry and sweet tone fits this smooth R&B Trap instrumental so well. I really like the way his delicate and lofty pitch contrasts the gruffness of Moneybagg Yo’s rapping style, as it makes the track pop. One of the other songs I like about this song is the sound effects that complement the melody, as they give this track an Ethereal feeling that I enjoy a ton. ‘DRUNK OFF U’ is a balmy R&B Trap banger that I could see ending up being a hit from this record because it has a ton of Pop appeal but still goes pretty hard.
GANGSTAS RELATE (FEAT. LIL DURK)
If you know me, you probably would expect me to pick the song that has Lil Durk on it for this project. Not only do I think Lil Durk always kills it on anything he is on, but I have especially loved his collaborations with Memphis artists over the years(such as Pooh Sheisty) because his rapping style fits Memphis Trap so well. ‘GANGSTA’S RELATE’ is not the hardest song on the album. It is actually probably one of the more laid-back ones. The melody for this track is sweet and melancholy, driven by a forlorn piano riff that is complemented by some synths and vocal effects. The beat for this one is significantly lighter than a lot of the other tracks on the record as well, emphasizing the performances from Moneybagg Yo and Lil Durk. Both rappers certainly do their thing on this track. Lil Durk sounds great in his own right, but I would say Moneybagg Yo is the most impressive. I love how his raspy and gruff tone contrasts the melody, as it makes ‘GANGSTAS RELATE’ feel all the more impactful. ‘GANGSTAS RELATE’ is a downtrodden and high-quality track that has the potential to bring a tear to the eye of the hardest Trapper.
PLAY DA FOOL
‘PLAY DA FOOL’ was the last single that was released in anticipation of this record(it came out on June 7), and it certainly made me even more pumped to check this record out. Like ‘TRYNA MAKE SURE,’ there is not anything about ‘PLAY DA FOOL’ that pushes the envelope or sticks out for being quirky. It is another harsh and raucous Trap banger that is not the most inventive track you will hear but is just good for what it is. One thing I like about ‘PLAY DA FOOL’ that is a little different from the other songs in this style from this record is how it is a bit more upbeat. This track has a frantic energy because of how quick and intricate the drum pattern is. Moneybagg Yo certainly matches the intense and rapid energy of the instrumental. He raps with one of his most speedy and complex flows of the record on ‘PLAY DA FOOL,’ which contributes to this song’s enormous and severe demeanor. ‘PLAY DA FOOL’ is the kind of upbeat Trap track that makes me want to turn up and hit a lick at the same time.
RICH VIKING
‘RICH VIKING’ is one of the few times on this record where Moneybagg Yo really goes outside of his comfort zone and tries a sound one would not expect from him at all. This song has the kind of sweet Pop-Trap song that I would never expect from Moneybagg Yo. ‘RICH VIKING’ is produced by Pop-Trap titan Wheezy, and he certainly outdoes himself with this instrumental. The melody is foreboding yet inviting at the same time. It has a charming tone that also has an anxious element that makes it sound like dark things may be on the horizon. The beat for ‘RICH VIKING’ absolutely pounds, and it is bound to get any club or function popping when it comes on. I love Moneybagg Yo’s flow on this one. The hook on ‘RICH VIKING’ is such an earworm. This is the kind of song that can get stuck in my head for days(I mean that endearingly, of course). ‘RICH VIKING’ is a pleasant Pop-Trap banger where Moneybagg Yo shows a bit of diversity in his artistry.
As I stated in the introduction, SPEAK NOW is an album that I have definitely been looking forward to. I figured that Moneybagg Yo was not going to do anything too adventurous with this project, but he would perform very well at what he does best. I would say that for the most part, this is true, but there are a few moments where he goes outside of his comfort zone a bit and nails it. Songs like ‘DRUNK ON U,’ ‘RICH VIKING,’ and even ‘WHISKEY WHISKEY’ with Morgan Wallen(which I did not talk about but had to shout out because of its growing popularity, even if the song is not for me personally) show that Moneybagg Yo has a bit more in his bag than what most people would expect from him. SPEAK NOW does not have the deepest lyricism or most intricate vocal deliveries, but that is okay; it is adequate for what it is. One of the coolest things about SPEAK NOW by far is the actual mixing on this record. I briefly mentioned it while writing about a couple of the songs, but the transitions on this album are seamless. When you listen to SPEAK NOW all the way through, it almost feels like a DJ set because of the way the tracks transition into each other. Overall, SPEAK NOW is another more than solid addition to Moneybagg Yo’s discography that once again proves he is carrying the torch of Memphis Trap valiantly, which is certainly something to appreciate.
EAST SIDE VIBES 