Lexa Gates is an artist I have become increasingly fond of since discovering her a couple of years ago. Everything about her artistry stands out in the best way. From the sound of her music to her lyricism to the way she promoted herself, Lexa Gates is truly different. Like so many artists I enjoy these days, I first came across Lexa Gates on TikTok. She has had multiple songs gain significant traction on that app. Most artists who blow up on TikTok, however, do so because other users helped their songs go viral. This is where Lexa stands out. Instead, her weird and individualistic videos of her own music have made her go viral. Whether it’s from her quirky dances to her awkward interactions with people on the street, Lexa Gates has created a way to market her music that really sets her apart from her peers. As fun as her online persona is. Lexa Gates’ music is typically very deep and sincere. Her sound feels very underground and old school and it really stands out when compared to other Hip Hop artists who are blowing up right now. Lexa Gates has been honing her craft for a while, and works really hard; she has actually put out six albums since 2020. Her 2024 album, Elite Vessel, was easily one of my favorites of 2024(Please go read my review of that one when you are done reading this one). Last week, she just dropped a new album called I Am. Below, I am going to highlight my favorite songs from the record, then give some overall thoughts to close things out. Please let me know in the comments what your favorite songs are from I Am,  as well as how you feel about it as a whole!

IT GOES ON

Lexa Gates begins the record on a very welcoming and cool note with the song ‘It Goes On.’ This song has a very calm and laid-back feeling. The instrumental does not really have a beat. The instrumental is driven by a sample of the song ‘Come Home Soon’ by The Intruders. This soulful sample pretty much gives the whole basis for the track. The vocals from ‘Come Home Soon’ appear in the background throughout ‘It Goes On,’ and the melody keeps the same guitar-driven sound of the original as well. I really like the mix for this track; it keeps the 1950s feeling of the sample, making ‘It Goes On’ feel so old school. Lexa Gates’ vocals on ‘It Goes On’ are super cool. She goes back and forth from a sing-songy and cute flow to a bit more of a pushy tone, which creates a pretty cool variance in the track. On ‘It Goes On,’ Lexa Gates raps about her journey and her work ethic, while calling out anyone who has hated on her up until this point.  

I DON’T EVEN KNOW

‘I Don’t Even Know’ has a tougher feeling than the opening track of the record. Like that opening track, ‘I Don’t Even Know’ also begins with a soulful vocal bit(which is pitched up with a Chipmunk Soul element). The melody for ‘I Don’t Even Know’ is pretty funky. It is driven by a groovy bass line that is complemented by a guitar riff and horns that come in and out. The melody is very intricate and fun.  This track is also a bit faster-paced. The beat on ‘I Don’t Even Know’ reminds me of the 1990s. The pacing on the drums is definitely adjacent to Boom-Bap music. Honestly, it makes me want to get up and dance. Lexa Gates raps with a low tone and fast pace on the verses, but sings with a soft tone and slower pacing on the hook. This song is pretty unique in her discography, and it is already becoming an easy favorite song of hers for me. On ‘I Don’t Even Know,’ Lexa Gates raps about her tendencies as a loner and her love of herself. She knows that through everything, she will be okay if she believes in herself. 

ESTRANGED

‘Estranged’ was the final single released in anticipation of this record. I was already pretty excited for it to come out, but this one definitely raised that sentiment for me. This is another track that definitely had a 1990s feel. The melody for this one truly feels like it came from that time period. It had such a soulful R&B sound, which I love. The synths that drive this one are so luscious and warm, the beat is very slow and relaxed. This song has a sweet and loving sound; it is bound to make anyone feel good when they hear it. Lexa Gates’ delivery definitely fits the feeling of the instrumental. She sings-raps this track with a tone that slides so nicely on the instrumental, adding to its sweet and cute energy. ‘Estranged’ is a love song by someone who kind of resists it. Lexa Gates raps about her infatuation with her partner and how it makes her uncomfortable to have this kind of admiration for someone. 

YOU’RE BETTER OFF

Like ‘I Don’t Even Know,’ ‘You’re Better Off’ is a track with a little harsher and grittier sound than what one may expect from Lexa Gates based on her past couple of projects. In fact, this one really stands out among anything she’s put out recently in a lot of ways. The melody for this one has an old school Funk sound which I dig so much. The melody is driven by a dirty bass line that is complemented by a piano and by horns that vary in intensity throughout the track. There are also some backing vocals that come in and out which add to the song’s energy. There is a bit of a showtune element to it because of those backing vocals. ‘You’re Better Off’ has a quick and punchy beat that provides so much emphasis. This song gives me so much life when I hear it. ‘You’re Better Off’ has one of Lexa’s most dynamic vocal performances I have heard. Her singing on the hook is so fun and zany, and her rapping on the verses matches the grit of the instrumental. On ‘You’re Better Off,’ Lexa Gates goes back and forth on her opinions of her ex, calling them out for problems but also wanting them back. 

STOP ME

‘Stop Me’ is a track with similarities to a couple of previous tracks. Like ‘I Don’t Even Know’ and ‘You’re Better Off,’ this song is so undeniably Groovy.  The 1990s influences are very heavy on this one. This track is driven by the bright and boisterous horns that provide the melody. It also has a Soulful sample that appears in the background throughout the track. The drums for this track are pretty soft, but give just enough punch to add to the song’s energy. At 2:11, ‘Stop Me’ is one of the shorter songs here. Even though it is shorter, it feels like one of the biggest and most impactful songs here. I love the attitude in the tone that Lexa Gates raps with on this track. Her flow and inflection are sassy and forward, adding to the frantic energy of the song. On ‘Stop Me,’ Lexa Gates asserts that she can get anything she wants if she puts her mind to it, and that nothing or no one will impede her. 

REST OF MY LIFE

‘Rest Of My Life’ is another track from this record that I immediately downloaded after listening to it. Like many songs before(and after it), the 1990s Neo-Soul and Boom Bap music is definitely very noticeable here. This song is driven by one of the most interesting samples of the project. The vocals and melody come from the track ‘For A Little While’ by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. This song has such a soulful and funky sound, and it makes ‘Rest Of My Life’ so fun and groovy. The vocals from that original track actually provided the intro and outro for this track, and they are incorporated into the hook of the track. In fact, the title ‘Rest Of My Life’ also comes from the lyrics of that original track. The beat for this track does have a 1990s Boom Bap feel to it, which creates a cool juxtaposition with the energy of the sample. Lexa’s vocals on this song are so cool. She sings-raps the verses to the pacing of the beat nicely. In the hook, she sort of goes back and forth with the singing of the sample, which gives this song a pleasant energy. On ‘Rest Of My Life,’ Lexa Gates idealizes the perfect relationship with her partner. 

ALL WORK NO PLAY 

‘All Work No Play’ is another one that really stands out, but for a slightly different reason than songs like ‘Stop Me,’ ‘You’re Better Off’ or ‘I Don’t Even Know.’ It does relate to those in a couple of ways. For one, it feels inspired by the 1990s, and also, it does have a groovier and darker tone to it. ‘All Work No Play’ does have things that set it apart, though. This one actually feels a bit more traditionally Hip Hop than those tracks. Whereas the previous two have more of an R&B feeling, this one reminds me of Soulful 1990s Rap music. In fact. I could totally see an artist like Outkast rapping on this one back in the day. The melody is so pretty and intricate. The way the bass line contrasts with the other strings gives this track so much texture. I really dig the way Lexa Gates sings and raps on this one. Her delivery throughout this track is mesmerizing. Both her rapping and singing have a hypnotic feeling. On ‘All Work No Play,’ Lexa Gates raps about wanting to stay with her partner forever and not have to work to get what she wants and needs.

NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT

‘Nothing To Worry About’ was another one of the singles released before this record came out. This one had a bit of a viral moment last year. It is easy to see why people were attracted to this one. It has a very typical Lexa Gates kind of sound, which is pretty individual among what most rap music is like today. Like the opening track, the instrumental for this one is really driven by the sample. This sample comes from the Jazz Fusion track ‘Where Is The Sunshine’ by Kalima. This sample has a fitting title, because the instrumental has a sound that reminds me of sunshine. The synths and bass line that drive this one literally make me think of a warm, sunny summer day. The beat for this track is light and soft, matching the energy of the melody well. Lexa Gates demonstrates all her vocal abilities on this one. Her rapping is so low-key and rhythmic, and she really demonstrates her range when she sings on the chorus. On ‘Nothing To Worry About,’ Lexa Gates raps about her grind and her career, stating that nothing and no one is stopping her. 

Going into this record, I have to say that I had pretty high expectations. As I mentioned, I was a huge fan of Elite Vessel. To this day, that is an album I try to get people to check out if they want fresh Hip Hop that is unlike the norm. The singles for I Am got me pretty hyped up for the release of the record. Not only did ‘Nothing To Worry About’ make me excited, but ‘Estranged,’ ‘Past It,’ and ‘Latency’ were reasons to be pumped up as well. I’m happy to say I think I have another cool Hip Hop album to bug people to listen to, now. If you are looking for something really entertaining that goes against the norm, I Am is a record you need to check out. This project felt like Lexa Gates’ most adventurous sonically to date. Of course, there are several songs with those whimsical 1950s/60s-esque Soulful Pop sort of instrumentals she has become known for. All of the singles had that sound for sure, as well as a few other tracks. But Lexa Gates went in a different direction on quite a few songs as well. On many of the songs I picked, I stated they either had a Funk element to them, or felt influenced by 1990s Boom-Bap and R&B. I really love this style of music for Lexa, as it fits her style very well. I didn’t mention these people by name in the blurbs about the songs, but it seems like a lot of this project was very influenced by artists like Erykah Badu and The Fugees. I can especially hear the inspiration of Lauryn Hill all throughout the project, not only with the instrumentals but also Lexa’s vocals. Speaking of vocals, this is the most dynamic vocally I have heard from her so far. She demonstrates so many different flows on this album, and her singing is better than ever. The most captivating thing about this project is probably Lexa’s deliveries. Lyrically, this is the deepest and most heartfelt project she has made as well. She really lets the listeners into her mind, detailing issues with her mental health, relationships, and problems with her career. Overall, I Am is an improvement on Lexa’s last record in every way, which is saying a lot. Lexa Gates seems to really be coming into her own as an artist in every way. I Am is definitely a highlight for music to begin the year, and I hope Lexa gets the love she deserves for it.