Ab-Soul makes a comeback after 6 years with his new album “Herbert.”
The Black Lip Pastor makes a comeback after a six-year absence with his most solid and riveting record since Control System. Ab-Soul has mostly been cut off from the hip-hop scene since the release of his 2016 album Do What Thou Wilt. Just after the death of his buddy Mac Miller in 2018, with someone with whom he frequently worked and had a strong bond that he created the record Do What Thou Wilt at the late rap star’s home studio, he disappeared from the spotlight for a number of years. In this period, he also lost his close buddy Doe Burger, which sent him into such deep melancholy that, as mentioned in DJ Premier’s sleazy, grandiose conclusion “Gotta Rap,” he even attempted suicide.
Ab-Soul has experienced a life path that would stiffen most people’s hearts after working in the profession for 2 decades. Ab-Soul has decided to concentrate on the positive aspects, which he has accumulated into a thoughtful composition called HERBERT. With guests appearances from artists such Joey Bada$$, Russ, Big Sean, Jhené Aiko, SiR, and Zacari, Ab-Soul has crafted a diverse journal on his most recent album that’s also saturated in the easygoing flow of his distinctive west-coast style. HERBERT witnesses Ab-Soul using sadness as a stimulus for rebalancing. HERBERT, his fifth studio album, is filled with periods of introspection. We get to comprehend all of the facets of what creates Ab-Soul’s personality. He exposes his complete face sans frills, sharing his fears, innermost wants, pleasures, and sorrows.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmN6GkQrZeh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
On “MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE,” the album begins with a voice message from Ab-grandmother, Soul’s recitation at 8:36: The passage effectively establishes the album’s mood. Ab-Soul brings us into his head and leaves no emotion. He critically explores the things that have helped him remain afloat, in addition to the character flaws that have sunk him while balancing religion, despair, relatives, and his inability.
Ab-Soul’s thoughts are filled with both the contemplative grade of poetry one might for the person who has seen everything, utilizing the word as therapy for an insightful growing up. On “FALLACY,” he expresses his desire to leave a heritage with his songs that would transcend him, showing respect to hip-hop icon Nas.
Along with the main songs “DO BETTER” featuring Zacari and “GANG’NEM” featuring Fre$H, “GO OFF” has significant features Russ and Big Sean. In this intensely driven piece, the group uses suffering as a witness to convert unbelievers into disciples. Faith is a recurring subject all through the record. On “GOODMAN,” Ab-Soul confronts his own morals, wondering what it actually entails to live justly. “Goodman” features a fantastic Ab-Soul, which is why we dig with the song. Ab showers us with amazing zingers, great lyricism, and explosive moves over a rhythm that I’d anticipate a New York mc to butcher. He also walks the line between combative and educational, demonstrating that his bite and bark are as powerful as his loving side. This album only has one true love song, “The Art Of Seduction.”
This song is really not your standard happy song since Ab-Soul doesn’t do basic. Although it has the customary silky groove and sensual chorus seen in R&B and hip-hop fusions, Ab’s lyrics are what really catch my attention in this song. He goes into great length in his lyrics about how he got his girl, keeps her happy, and now almost put her in the hospital (in a nice way).
Soul is up for all of it, fusing “Message in a Bottle’s” breezy wham with “FOMF’s” upbeat sound. On “Bucket,” by Jacob Rochester and Beach Noise, he seems equally at home diving through rhythms as he does above the artificial roar of DJ Dahi’s “Church on the Move.” Soul’s delivery on “Go Off” is smooth and thrilling, with his voice roaring unlike it did in the past, despite the awkward sex rap lyrics.
The sobering evaluation about why he believes that period of his existence occurred the way it did and how the market needs him in the latter half of the film. On several of the songs listed, Soul avoids sounding as judgmental as he might; rather, it’s as if you’re seeing things from the perspective of one who already understands them.
For the past few months, “Moonshooter” has been bumped virtually daily. You can only imagine how pumped I was to learn that Ab had brought Joey into the mix.
Ab-Soul’s “Moonshooter” seems like simple labor. In the song, he plays around with abrupt rhymes and discusses his unflappable mindset, his fierce attitude, his need for education, and the situation of the hip-hop industry today. Ab could have definitely used a few more energetic shifts, but I believe he meant to seem like this was practiced on purpose. Joey Bada$$ seemed to be completely concentrated on the song. His poem, which talks about being uncatchable, is propelled by a deft flow and assured tone.
Ab-Soul’s “HERBERT” embraces a contemporary, even warped atmosphere, deviating to the left musically. Ab-Soul raises our vibrations with his unique memoir by discussing the transient character of life and paying respect to departed loved ones.
The output of Ab, Kendrick, and Isaiah Rashad is identical. They all enjoy experimenting with rhythms that have a staked basis and a little knock to them. You may find such rhythms in Herbert. Ab-Soul finishes the album with a tribute to ego on the last track, “GOTTA RAP.” The track comes as a specific message for fans who may have believed the artist was giving up following his 6-year break. It is a triumphant declaration that his goal is still unfinished.
Ab-Soul speaks about how his extremes were well the peaks he has encountered among the joyful symphony of brass instruments. In “GOTTA RAP,” Ab-Soul provides confidence in response to sentiments of being understood, giving the impression that we are receiving a unique look into his interior thoughts. On Herbert, Soulo wants to demonstrate to you very far he has progressed and what he’s learned through some of the hardest disasters he has faced in the past six years. Joey Badass, Jhene Aiko, Fre$h (formerly known as Short Dawg), and Big Sean, who unleashes his strongest verse in years on the single “Go Off,” are some of the people he enlists to assist tell this narrative. The difficulties the Black Lip Pastor faces might not be as significant as Mr. Morale would have you believe, however, the album’s version makes it a simpler and more approachable tale to comprehend.
