CrasH Talk by ScHoolboy Q
CrasH Talk has the reputation of being the black sheep of ScHoolboy Q’s discography, but I don’t think it deserves the criticism. CrasH Talk is a good album that feels like it just missed the potential to be great. There are some very solid songs on here, but there are also multiple skips (CHopstix is terrible). I think the album would have benefited from being shortened from 14 to 10 songs, and having those 10 songs extended a bit. The fact that the best song on the album, “Numb Numb Juice,” is only 1:47 is a tragedy. There are other good songs under 3:00 which is much too short. The album also feels more surface level than what Q can do. This is most notable on the track “Attention,” where his storytelling skills really shine and put the rest of the lyricism on the album to shame: “I can finally understand why my uncles was never sober / Deadbeat dad on the gas, that gas my motor.”
However, that doesn’t mean this is a bad album by any means. I really enjoyed most of it, and there is a reason why this album is simple and light-hearted. Q postponed the album due to the death of Mac Miller and struggled through this time. He battled with drug addiction and other personal struggles, which he discusses in brief on this album. When April 2019 came, he was finally ready to release and was in a much happier mindset. He scrapped other versions of the album for the one that was released. So, it makes sense why he probably wanted to put forth a less profound (possibly depressing) version of the album.
For what it is — a lighthearted display of ScHoolboy Q having fun rapping over trap-like production — CrasH Talk is good. Its high energy songs are great (Floating, Water), its got good features (Kid Cudi, 21 Savage, Lil Baby, YG) and you can tell Q is having a great time. It’s got great production and replay value, I’ve come back to it multiple times since its release. CrasH Talk is an enjoyable album that is hurt just a little by its filler and simple lyricism and themes.
Favorite songs: Numb Numb Juice, Dangerous, CrasH
Rating: 7/10
