Logic's "Welcome to Forever"

Track-by-Track Review:

People tend to wave him off initially because he seems like he could be a white guy, which is a shame since skin color and the ability to rap well have no correlation.  That said, however, Logic is considered black because he is mixed, much like rap peers J. Cole and Drake.  Regardless of what people think, this 23-year-old kid is on a mission to change the game and take his RattPack crew as far as possible.

Welcome to Forever- The beginning is purely piano, and it immediately lulls you in.  Percussion layers in to join the piano and these two loop together until the beat drops for the chorus.  Logic spits bars over the entire song and sets the tone for the mixtape.

925- Here, we have the typical boastful song that every rapper must have in their repertoire.  Logic talks about not wanting to work a real job, or a “nine-to-five”.  He wants to continue making quality music that people can relate to.  “925” is Logic repping his hometown in Maryland and his RattPack crew, while he gets excited about his future in the rap game.

Roll Call- Logic boldly samples the instrumental from Outkast’s classic, “Ms. Jackson”.  He gives it everything he’s got, though, and goes in.

5AM- This song’s title, “5AM”, is very similar to the title of the Drake song, “5AM In Toronto”.  At times, his flow is reminiscent of Drake’s, and at other times, Logic sounds like J. Cole.  They both likely have had a major impact on Logic’s style.

Break It Down- “Break It Down” has Logic spitting with a flow reminiscent of Kid Cudi, who is a huge influence of his.  It actually sounds like a song Kid Cudi would make because of the combination of the flow used, the feel of the chorus, and the meaning behind the lyrics.

Feel Good- Kanye’s song “G.O.O.D Friday”, which contains a chorus from Kid Cudi, is sampled in the sixth song on the mixtape.  This solidifies the fact that Cudi is someone who Logic looks up to, career-wise.

On The Low- This song contains features from both Kid Ink and Trinidad Jame$, whose versus are less than stellar.  Logic is trying to prove that he can venture out and make a song for the club, but although it has a nice beat, this one likely won’t be the first option for your average DJ.

Walk On By- If what you like is straight rap, you will love “Walk On By”.  He samples a song of Dionne Warwick that shares the same name.

The Come Up- When I listen to this, I cannot help but think to Drake’s “Started From The Bottom”.  However, unlike Drake, whose fan base is well-established, Logic is on the rise in popularity and is aiming to finally get noticed for his talent.  In addition to relatable song titles, the bass and tempo in the songs are eerily similar.  Check it out for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

Nasty- The three verses here justify Logic being selected to be on the 2013 XXL cover.  You can tell what he says is real because of the passion that is felt in his rhymes.

Life Is Good- This is a chill, laid-back song about the positive changes that have come about in Logic’s life as a result of working hard and trying to perfect his craft.  It will be a struggle to not sing along to.

Ballin- “Ballin” starts out with steady clapping, and then immediately breaks into heavy bass.  This is one that deserves a full blast, especially if you need to get hyped for any kind of physical activity.  Fun fact:  This song is featured on the NBA Live 2014 soundtrack, which is featuring artists ready to take over the music scene.  I’d say that is a solid compliment to say the least.

Young Jedi- With a feature from Dizzy Wright, this song is one of the realest on the mixtape.  Logic showcases some of his finest rapping… And what do you know:  He opens the song with a lyrical reference to Kid Cudi!

The High Life- The lyrics sang by Elijah Blake at the end sum this song up best:  “Mama I made it.”  Logic analyzes his current situation.  Life is great and music has provided many great opportunities for him.  He is finally headed into the mainstream, where he will receive his proper recognition as a skillful rapper.

Common Logic / Midnight Marauder- In the first part of the song, Logic gives us a quick verse over one of the darkest beats on the mixtape.  In the chorus of “Midnight Marauder”, Logic spits “from nasty Nas, Big L, to Tribe Called Quest, we the RattPack.  In other words the tribe that’s next.”  Logic’s thought-provoking lyrics over the saxophone and trumpet instrumentals make this song.  So chill.

Just A Man- Everything from the flow to the beat used in “Just A Man” is reminiscent of the work of J. Cole.  Logic’s words are deeply introspective.

Man Of The Year- Any song that contains piano chords is a winner to me!  I love this song because it is full of melodic elements that immediately capture the listener’s attention.  “Man Of The Year” is mesmerizing.

 

The End- “The End” samples Adele’s song “Skyfall” from the latest James Bond movie, which is a beautiful song in and of itself.  This is a very fitting end to a solid mixtape.

A feature on the 2013 XXL “Top Ten Freshmen List”, a contract with the most iconic hip-hop label of all time in Def Jam, a fourth official mixtape release, and an invite to rap alongside Kid Cudi, Big Sean, and Tyler, The Creator on “The Cud Life Tour 2013”.  These major accomplishes that happened within the span of a year are building the anticipation for Logic’s debut album, tentatively scheduled for a 2014 release.  Stay tuned.