#also bap in general is amazing so :)

[s-ccaam-era-crepe]

whats ur favorite attraction that you have planned for bap? /nf

BAP QUESTION !?!! i love you <3

okay hmmm im like really reallly excited for the mirror maze that shows alternate futures/pasts (or something along the lines of that) of the characters bc i have some super fun ideas for that stuff :))

but i also Really like the area i have planned that basically takes them through their childhood (as part of the ride lol) and its personally one of my favorites bc its how they find out about sunnis whole thing (carter etc) and also new lore TM on characters like sophia who aren't really trying to tell the whole group that they lead a cult whoops

oh but also general like. More Normal attraction for a park i really like the ferris wheel and the clock bear :)

[krewekreep]

Introduction of Sorts + Interests

This page will really be for me to get back into writing, develop my writing and indulge myself. I’m open to requests though but ask people to definitely contextualize your Bias (person you’re requesting for—yes I’m gonna use K-pop lingo oh well) and/or the scenario cause otherwise I’d simply write for myself. Which is why I also am making this page because I’ve been on tumblr for 10 years (my main account turned ten this year) and I’m worn out of the smut fest no prose or story fics. Definitely has its place in the community but the older I get the more I need actual full blown delusion. I need scene, setting, set up, climax, denouement…and so I’ll fulfill the order myself. 🫡

My interests:

(Im a 2010s coded Tumblr user so uh, I mean I suppose Dr Who and Supernatural aren’t 😂😂😂😂lmao ew anyway (I was into supernatural I’m ewwing at you and myself) .

Too I usually am not following everything that’s mainstream (I know im so cool) so also if something isn’t listed I most likely know of it—but went no further. I also like older anime and media so if you have something super specific that feels out of place no worries. Im gonna end up writing Greek smut about Dionysus so…🤷🏾‍♀️

Anime: (I’ve seen actually too much anime to name so here’s the ones I have a bias or have an affinity for the characters)

JJK,

Chainsaw Man

Bleach

Naruto

Demon Slayer

Attack on Titan

Fate Series

Etc

Manga:

JJK

Chainsaw Man

Bleach

Attack on Titan

Spy x Family

DanDanDan

Berserk

Etc

Fave genres are horror/seinen, shoujo, and slice of life.

KPOP: (1st-mid 3rd Gen main but still aware of 4th gen pretty deeply)

I dont really want to do requests for idols but I don’t mind overall, explained further below

My fave boy groups (somewhat in order): Big Bang, Shinee, BAP, BTS (ex-army, long story**, don’t come to my page with that bullshit 💕) B1A4, IKON, EXO, 2PM, GOT7…I could go on. (I’m not gonna list them in an order but my heart can’t not include MBLAQ, Teen Top, U-Kiss, etc ugh those were the days😭)

Girl Groups (in definitive order): 2NE1, Brown Eyed Girls, F(x), Girls Generation, TWICE, 4Minute/Hyuna, Wonder Girls, Secret, After School, Global Icon (short lived), Tiny G ( VERY short lived), EXID, Ladies Code, etc.

Now 4th Gen…is cute…they got CUTE people that’s for sure. This list will be co-ed simply because I’m not feral for boy groups like I was younger. Really the boy groups don’t do it for me (4th gen overall criticism tbh) cause it’s really looks and kinda arrogant personalities I find obnoxious given y’all can’t even publicly date or be seen smoking…tone down the elitist vibe lol. But shade aside I do jam some things and have a playlist for my fave 4th gen songs so for sure no hate just a BOMBASTIC side eye sometimes. Anyway…

Stray Kids

Aespa

Lessaraffim (I’m gonna leave it like my mind spells it, enjoy)

NCT 127 (specifically them ((in reference to the units)) cause I enjoy R&B coded K-pop, they do too much Niggaboo shit (looking at Mark and Taeyong DIRECTLY in the eyes 👁️👄👁️)((BUT it’s a Soo Man thing cause him, YG, and JYP competing over who wish they were a born a Black man the most…Soo Man and JYP ✨fist fighting✨over the top spot IYKYK)

New jeans (they’re minors and if they all aren’t their def much younger than me so no requests for minors please this is for taste assessment only)

BIBI and other female soloists (Hyuna, Sunmi, Ga-in, Lee Hyori, etc)

IVE (they really got some bops tbh, this is another TWICE case of let these young women talk and sing how they naturally would…music and live performances will thank them for it)

Nobody really else I guess honorable mentions are Ateez, Fifty-fifty,

———————————————————————

*im gonna add that for Anime/Manga the double dipping means some combination of me knowing the material in both forms of media. Like Jujutsu Kaizen is an amazing example currently as of course the anime is ongoing but the manga is far ahead by a large portion of plot. So if your anime only, manga only, or something be sure to let me know so I’m not spoiling by accident. Don’t want the smut to spoil a character death or something….right? 😅

**the long story short and overall caveat of why I’ve fallen out of love for groups and K-pop are the fact that yeah as a Black person I genuinely started getting pissed off with colorism, n-word usage, appropriation, and mockery. The shit gets old and as a poor old super fan I’m happy I didn’t spend the money people do for folks who would literally refuse my hand…🫤 be fr. Likewise, the deaths of idols who were literally my biases really (of course) bothered me and took a toll on my enjoyment of the genre too. The more you love it the more you learn and that’s usually where the fun ends and now it’s numbers charts and placements. Lame 😭. I let the time I was fan be that but otherwise ? Eh I��m good I’ll bop from time to time and catch the tea but my bread in my pocket (besides my B1A4 What’s Happening and Twice Scientist albums😂)((and the other old albums I’ll get before they disappear forever or get destroyed🫠))

But yeah that’s that on that. I’ll be posting whatever ends up decent enough to be read by others. Otherwise wherever this ends up hope you drop a message🥸!

[jenkinstheartis]

Noname Sundial

August 11, 2023 | 11 songs ; 32 minutes

so lovely, makes me feel black, pink and pretty. album cover looks ai generated? why?

she’s honing her sound now, perfecting it might i say!

★ = faves

one.black mirror: 8 out 10

so smooth, such a smooth way to pull me in. speaks to me in riddles. even smoother on the way out! sweet lil introduction, i always feel like she’s introducing herself to us at the beginning of her albums.

"am i supposed to feel this different? / like my rent's paid? / the devil's dead"

two.hold me down: 8.7 out of 10

(feat. Jimetta Rose & Voices of Creation)

nothing could compare to a black choir. her voice and alliteration, she kinda bragging on her skills, she's just too good sometimes.

"we too can cause harm, we should really link arms / they already take arms, a factory, fake farms / they killers, why we help them kills us?"

★ three.balloons: 9 out of 10

(feat. Jay Electronica & Eryn Allen Kane)

wanna listen to this while wearing leather and those skinny red sunglasses. and i wanna sit across from you with a cup of tea and over-analyze this song to you. her voice is something real iykyk.

"casual white fans / who invented the voyeur? / fascinated with mourning, they hope her trauma destroy her "

four.boomboom: 6 out of 10

(feat. ayoni)

im not a real fan of her earlier attempts at this genre (montego bae) but i do like this the more I listen to it so it’s an ever growing 6.

"i’m black, i’ve been black, fuck what you thought"

★ five.potentially the interlude: 9 out 10

y’all know jon bap? him and her, just like this <3. the flow of this is strong n slight. i love words and potential is threatening here, my potential is threatening to myself in this mindset. (this song feels slanted, don’t ask)

"if you were just a little bit more pretty / wrote a bit like kenny / you would have a life worth livin"

★ six.namesake: 10 out of 10

futuristic jazz spoken word. dread but encouraging. (jon bap born into this) reminds me of the 20s when they had those short lil bumped bobs and those planes flying over they heads with the smoke and perfectly tailored dresses.

"watch the fighter jet fly high / war machine gets glamorized / we play the game to pass the time / go noname go"

seven.beauty supply: 7 out of 10

great song, one of those that make me go “why do yt people listen to noname” (i know why I’m not stupid). makes me think of all the shitting that was done on the natural hair movement and how we went no where fr. bc it was taken over by yt folks

"cosplay a new identity, same enemy, / me / when I believe i’m prettier with my weave / when i could see the forest behind the trees / i’ll be free"

eight.toxic: 8 out of 10

triumph, healing, prosperity, and noname. what do all these things have in common? this song! this brings me back to window (my fave noname song fr)

"Never again in my new, new life, I treat me well"

nine.afro futurism: 7.5 out of 10

short but sweet. "how can you be getting it and innocent at the same time?" a little ode to the work she does outside of music and why she does it.

"this a dog eat dog world / she got family to hunt"

ten.gospel?: 4 out of 10

(feat. $ilkMoney, billy woods & STOUT)

love that she asked! The answer is no! i mean like her verse eats but the rest isn't for me. it can grow on me but i can't make it pass her verse and if i do i skip the last one. not for me but not everything is!

"wherever black people sleep, pray for them / pray for me, pray for me, pray for me"

★ twelve.oblivion: 10 out of 10

(feat common & ayoni)

okay common! great way to end the album. i love the word oblivion, no one’s around: oblivion, no one’s listening: oblivion. ayoni's voice is also amazing, she has a new fan and we can all thank noname.

"when the world blows up, that’s it / muthafucker I don’t care imma talk my shit / into oblivion."

Final (Serious) Thoughts noname brings attention to the commercial consumption of black people, explicitly black woman at times, in the media and how it feeds into capitalism. she calls out all the musicians in the spotlight profiting off black woe and black sorrow while living lavish, far away from it. she brings light to the destruction of consumerism that's happening within the black community. noname's enemy is capitalism and she's telling us, begging us to make it ours too. overall, this is a very well put together album and was so worth the wait.

lyrics from azlyrics and apple music.

[smalltownslasher]

Serious Post.

As I'm sure you know, Technoblade passed recently. (I won't be referring to him by his name, because in the video it was requested to continue with his anonymity.)

Technoblade was an amazing content creator, as well as an amazing person. His streams and videos were one of the only things that got me through the last two years. Whenever things got too bad, or I felt overwhelmed, I'd turn to his channel. It was probably one of my greatest sources of comfort for a while. I rewatched some old videos last night, and I don't think I ever thought hearing him go bap bap bap would bring me to tears, hah.

As I branch out my content, I also branch out for new potential followers who may not enjoy Minecraft youtubers, or who may dislike the Dream SMP and the content creators on it. I welcome you all to my page.

However, do not make jokes about this. I've seen multiple today from people I considered friends, and it's genuinely sickening. I don't care what your opinion was of him in life, but that doesn't mean you can make jokes about this tragedy. If I see anyone in general making jokes about this tragic loss, I will block you immediately, take screenshots, and post it so others may block you as well. It is in poor taste, and I'm incredibly disappointed in anyone who makes these 'jokes.'

If you haven't already, I recommend that you watch the video his family posted, here.

Goodbye for now, I'll be back soon, of course, but I will briefly on hiatus. If you follow my ao3 account, cloudiestskies, you'll know I also post a Walten Files x DSMP fanfic. This will be going on temporary hiatus, as I think any recent updates would be in poor taste.

[everythingbap]

🎤 KpopSeven: A 4-question look into B.A.P’s incredible success

Six-member rookie group B.A.P has charged into the idol scene with amazing momentum.

B.A.P is the newly-debuted boy group from TS Entertainment, the same entertainment agency responsible for Secret. They’re a group made of handsome boys with strong images, and their music is closer to electronica than it is to the trendier hip-hop sound. B.A.P success is drawing attention due to their unique approach to idoldom.

It seems that doubts were shattered when B.A.P’s debut showcase drew more than 3,000 people in to see their strong performance even from the very first stage. Far from being the typical “pretty boy” idols, B.A.P’s music and fashion are rebellious, with a strong message—and now curiosity is being raised about the hidden story and strategy behind making B.A.P stand out from the crowd.

“The sound of a whistle throughout the song and a vuvuzela”

B.A.P’s music, fashion, character, and team is in many ways very tightly calculated. The story told about B.A.P is that the members, who live on an asteroid, come to Earth in order to become idols take over the planet through their high-impact “warrior” images.

Their title track, “Warrior,” utilizes the members’ warrior-like image. The song references a popular ’90s WWF program called “Warrior,” but also strives to stay independent of that image—and part of the way that is done is by hiding strong and unique elements throughout the song. One of these elements, which is consistent from beginning to end, is the sound of a whistle.

The regular rhythm with which the whistle’s sound is inserted calls to mind the idea of the World Cup vuvuzela. Throughout a soccer game the vuvuzela’s sound can be heard loudly, but that sense of excitement has been evenly inserted throughout the entirety of the song. The idea is that everyone who hears the sound will call to mind that exciting time, and indeed it seems that the fans who came to watch B.A.P’s stage were greatly encouraged to cheer by the sound of the whistle.

TS Entertainment’s Won Geun-youn, general director of music and producer in charge of B.A.P’s debut, told Star News, “Vuvuzelas have a very obvious and loud sound, but a direct blows is the best way to allow people to experience that thrill. With an intense hip-hop song like ‘Warrior,’ we needed to use it sparingly to be in accordance with the song’s image.”

“Six blond people in a group, is the concept no personality?”

With the debuts of previous idol groups, members have drawn on their own personalities for hair and costume ideas. But B.A.P is different. Every member has the same blond hair, giving them a unified appearance.

And the high-impact “Warrior” stages have certainly impressed fans so far. Rather than emphasizing individual member introductions, B.A.P have chosen to calculatedly emphasize “unity”. Rather than the intimate focus on radical style that is characteristic of recently-debuted idol groups, B.A.P has employed an opposite tactic, differentiating them from the crowd.

Idol groups tend to gravitate towards attracting noona fans, whereas B.A.P has the same strategy for adult fans as they do for teenage fans.

“Why B.A.P? The team names behind story”

B.A.P stands for “Best. Absolute. Perfect” The news as well as fans sometimes refer to them as “bap” (as in bibimbap), but the story behind the team name is interesting as well.

The name “B.A.P” was born when the producers consulted a prominent naming personnel within the company. However, the team’s fate seemed to be that the word would always be pronounced incorrectly as “bap” and eventually the decision was made to keep it. Now, in everyday life “bap” has come to refer to the friendliness and camaraderie that is responsible for B.A.P’s success, and also makes for a very interesting story.

“The rabbit mascot character utilization potential”

At B.A.P’s debut showcase and broadcast, a large set of rabbit characters had been installed. The character is named “Mato”, short for “masked rabbit” (in Korean, “마스크 쓴 토끼”), and has been used in a variety of activities to widen B.A.P’s radius.

For example, member Bang Yongguk’s rabbit is a terrorist and a ninja, and other characters have also been shown. Since debut, the character has been utilized in B.A.P’s music and concerts, as well as MD projects and in their music video. The characters have also been used to decorate their music show stages.

B.A.P’s momentum is unusual, considering that they only debuted on music shows this past week. If B.A.P is ready to read the atmosphere of the current idol trends and go against the flow, the attention they’ve already attracted might just be the beginning.

[whatsonmedia]

Music Monday: Music Tracks of the Week!

Sweep away the Monday blues, with the amazing music collection this week. Tune in to some newly released music and wait for some coming this week. WhatsOn editor Tama, has come up with new hit tracks list for the week. Add these songs to your playlist and get grooving! NO THANK YOU by Little Simz In a song titled "Accolades are damned," a UK star criticizes the music industry for draining her and joins a chorus of Black British musicians who are challenging the current quo. Little Simz followed all the necessary instructions. She put in a lot of effort, kept to herself, and amassed a following through a series of critically praised albums. When the moment was right, she focused and produced a daring, thematic record with a distinct arc, making her a lock for the prized Mercury Prize, which she won in October. All 10 tracks are directed by Inflo, a childhood friend and lifelong partner. He had a brush with fame when he was chosen to work on Adele's 30, and his deft touches were woven throughout 2019's GREY Area and Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, but he's generated the most intrigue for his work at the center of the melodic—and enigmatic—musical collective SAULT, who have captivated an increasingly cult-like audience with their run of rangy R&B albums and apparent willingness to disregard industry playbooks (dropping five free, password-protected LPs with no more fanfare than a tweet being just the latest example). https://youtu.be/syaYvz2PCL0 https://open.spotify.com/album/57263zG8Md6XZ9lBUPPYCm?si=k2LDs9-TQcqGy67jK9m0xg SOS by SZA SZA's lengthy, ambitious, and opulent new album enhances her standing as a generational genius and a creator of unforgettable moments. SZA has mastered the technique of the inner monologue, turning her private views into glittering songs that simultaneously feel close-knit, sympathetic, and untouchable. On her remarkable debut album, CTRL, she narrated these contradictions through warbled melodies that disregarded contemporary R&B and pop song structure, letting her voice weave in, over, and through the beats in a manner that was reminiscent of Joni Mitchell's jazzy structure and Minnie Riperton's technical prowess. She sings in a rap cadence and breath-control flex about how she's simply over the "fuckshit" as the album opens with a Morse code distress call and a sample of the Gabriel Hardeman Delegation's 1976 gospel anthem "Until I Found the Lord (My Soul Couldn't Rest)." This album's opening title track establishes a sort of thesis: that despite self-doubt, she is gloved up and fighting for the title in the ring. https://youtu.be/WxflcXmtVTM https://open.spotify.com/album/07w0rG5TETcyihsEIZR3qG?si=DQ6aqj17SZiE04KXpWupNw INDIGO by RM The packaging for "Indigo," the lead singer of BTS RM's debut solo album, reads. "Use it: while taking a walk, showering, driving." Each new point adds more daily moments that the music can soundtrack. These guidelines on how, where, and when to listen to the record continue. It's a suitable guide, not only because "Indigo" will rapidly become a part of listeners' daily lives. But also because this record has the impression of reflecting life itself. It opens with "Yun," a reflective homage to boom-bap from the 1990s that poses queries about identity, art, and purpose. Uncertainty abounds despite RM's declaration that "I want to be a human / 'Fore I do some art / . But there's gon' be my part." The rapper seeks Korean painter Yun Hyong-keun. After whom the song is titled, to guide him along "the path to finding out." At the record's conclusion, Korean singer parkjiyoon tenderly counsels him, "Dear, don't look back anymore All you did was just to do your best," on the cozy "No. 2," adding, "All you did was just to do your best." https://youtu.be/OxdgwUncvqA https://open.spotify.com/album/2wGinO7YWLHN2sULIr4a7v?si=U5CHDuYmSpGldcm9WAV-MA Read the full article

[ray-ray-writings]

Why is your writing so gooooooood. I just loved the tiny techno. He’s so smol and so cute, tiny pig, and while I don’t typically deviate from Techno requests I gotta put in more ideas for Y/N the tiny animal tamer.

Schlatt/Glatt will get too drunk or will spend a little too much time in a river and transform into his tiny goat form. You know the one. And you’ll just see him lying around either passed out from the alcohol or lying in the water face up and you just pick him up and take him home and let him sleep by the fire until he wakes up. He secretly loves when this happens, one of the few times he can be happy and sober because he doesn’t have an responsibilities on his shoulders as a tiny goat. Very gentle, will rest his head on your lap (or not so gentle snuggle into your boobs (be you dude or not) if he’s got the chance why not take it)

Tubbo transforms into a goat much more rarely. He’s not as often on low health but if he stays up too long with president duties or experimenting with redstone he’ll transform from tiredness. He’s much smaller than Schlatt and you just gently pet him. Typically he wakes up human again with his head in your lap and your fingers in his hair humming a song and he’ll just,,, close his eyes. Let himself sleep just a little longer.

Fundy turns into this tiny cute fox when he’s particularly upset, though he’s gotten better at handling the transformations through the years. He used to run to his dad, then to philza, but now he’s got no one left and he’ll just curl up in the forest. You find him and be it your senses or just a gut feeling you pick him up and take him home and give him some nice cuddles and love. He always leaves before he transforms human again to try and keep it a secret who he is from you, even though you are completely aware of who he is, but he always returns in his tiny Fox form to be held and just feel okay.

Dream turns into a blob and he really can’t control it, so every now and then you’ll see a steaming tiny little blob who just squeaks and is upset. You’ll pick him up and hold him in your hands and take him around and /very/ seriously deliver threats for him. You’ll mess up one of his threats and he’ll squeak at you indignantly until you lean closer, nod as if you understand and amend your threat. It always devolves into laughter though and you spend the rest of the time prancing people or goofing off. Being happy in general.

At some point you find the white little blob balancing on the walkway through prime and you just pick him up expecting him to be a silently pouting Dream only for you to look directly into XD Dreams face (the one with the crossed out eye on one side, sadists design I’d think but blob) and he just silently accompanied you everywhere spooking people.

Quackity of course turns into a tiny duck from time to time, you get a lot of quacking and a lot of rowdy little noises until your petting his fluffed up feathers. Once Philza even stopped by in his bird form and papa bird took over and just preened the tiny chick and Quackity has never been the same since. He will never admit he loved it.

Anyways this is meant to be less of an ask and more of an addition to my last idea I just love the idea of being the most liked person in the SMP because you give everyone a place to be small and soft and themselves. A way to kind of hideout from the SMP and just enjoy being friends and feeling loved. It’s just very soft and very sweet and it makes me very happy.

Might send in an actual ask later lolol.

With lots of love- 🌻

(Honorable mention, Charlie turns into a slime and bounces around all over the place, he only settles when you’ve carefully set him on your shoulder and he kinda just melts. It always stains your shirt but you never bother him about it.)

(SECOND HONORABLE MENTION FROM MY PERSONAL HEADCANONS: Tommy and Wilbur both have bird forms as well. Tommy is this tiny white falcon chick, can barely fly on his own and he sits on your head or shoulder and acts all regal until Dadza stops by snd preens his feathers and treats him like his tiny boy, his little son, until Tommy baps him away with his wings. He’s so loud and just constantly squeaks from your shoulder until he has you all to himself, and then he half falls half glides into your lap and requests pets.

(Wilbur is this pretty hawk, like a red tailed hawk maybe, and he nuzzled along your cheek while he sits on your shoulder or preens your hair as if it were feathers and is just an all around cuddle bug. If he’s not on your shoulder then he moves to Fundys and just affectionately nuzzles and preens his son until Fundy picks him up a nod drops him unceremoniously into your lap.)

Ummmmmm  🌻??????? This is SO GOOD!!!!! I love these so so so so much!!! Fundy, not wanting you know know who he is so he runs away before he shifts back as if he isn’t the only fox hybrid on the server??? Amazing!!!

Blob Dream being extremely upset about his predicament but you just vibe with him and deliver his threats for him???? Hilarious!

Tiny duck Quackity? Oh my heart! Especially after JSchlatt I feel he would have a hard time being that open and vulnerable around people in that tiny of a form. So the fact he trusts you to take care of him is so heart warming. And then big poppa Phil preening him and taking even more care of him???? I’m melting!!

Little slime Charlie who stains your shirt because the only way he’ll settle is on your shoulder? That’s so cute oh gosh, especially because I’ve revealed I love setting things on my shoulders haha I’m obsessed. 

And the thoughts that maybe Tommy and Wilbur can also turn into birds is so adorable and so gooooooooood!!! I would picture Tommy as thinking that he’s a total badass as a bird but then Phil comes in and ruins that vibe by trying to preen him and Tommy tries to smack him away but Phil glares at him and Tommy grumbles and settles down and allows it to happen. And you definitely would be going deaf in the ear because of how loud Tommy is when he’s a bird sitting on your shoulder. He screams and squawks at every little thing. You would think that because this was a form he had to take because he needed to heal up that he would be a lot more calm... Hell no. 

And WIlbur? Oh gosh! He def would be so cuddly and would not go anywhere without being on someone else’s body. I think he would absolutely love it when you called him “Pretty Bird” and would squawk and coo in affection, nuzzling your face and preening your hair when you give him that compliment. And Fundy having enough and dumping him on you would be so funny because it makes you laugh every time and sometimes bird Wilbur lets out a gasp of offense, but he is quickly settled by your hand running down his body and smoothing his feathers. 

This is amazing. Thank you so much for this!!!!

[keiyoomi]

confusion.

⤜ details: half-filo!i. hajime × reader, ft. reiko; 813 words; fluff

⤜ warnings! : none. unless you know the meaning of the word. 👀

⤜ note: to my filo moots, don't kill me. ahahahahahahahahha! this is fucking funny to be honest. ah, and for clarification, the word supposedly mean as seed or bone, but Reiko's pronunciation means 🍆 (the green meaning). i accidentally clicked post.

⤜ now playing: perfect day by holley maher

⤜ masterlist | hq!! characters with babies

You pursed your lips as soon as you see your husband wearing his tailored tutu. He reminds you of Dwayne Johnson in the Toothfairy movie that you've watch recently. "Princess Reiko, may I ask for your permission to tie your hair?" he asked using a high-pitch voice, his pinky sticking out while holding the teacup. "We wouldn't want your hair to dip on the cake."

While stirring your lunch, you watch the scene unfold. Reiko stopped preparing ther 'tea party' and stared at her father in silent. About a minute later, you saw her noddng her head. "Great!" Hajime exclaimed in glee. "Would you mind fetching your treasures in your playroom?"

Reiko played with the hem of her peach tutu before waddling towards her playroom. Hajime turned to your direction, chuckling at your reaction (wide sparkling eyes, lips pressed tightly, but your cheeks were about to pop by how wide your smile could've been if you're not suppressing it.) "I look pretty in this, don't you think?" he asks, this time using his deep voice.

Your heartly laugh filled the kitchen. "I'm glad you found a way to make her—" He pressed his forefinger against his lips. "—Oh, right." Reiko prefers her hair down, but it wasn't ideal during summer time. "Anyway, are you going to do it today?" you asked.

For the past few days, he's been teaching Reiko how to read basic Japanese characters. And she's nailing it! So, he thought he could also teach her how to read Filipino words. Or at least, the syllables. He asked a relative from the Philippines to buy an Abakada booklet before going back to Japan.

The booklet arrived last night, when Reiko's fast asleep in your room and Hajime couldn't keep still since then. "Yes! I don't have to teach her about the alphabet since she already knows that. What I have to teach her is how to read the basic syllables." You swore you saw him shiver in excitement while sitting on the floor. "Honestly, when I was around Reiko's age, I messed it up. Reading the words in this booklet, I mean. I can't wait to hear her read them."

Then, you both heard the pitter-patter of her tiny feet. You turn off the stove before walking towards them. You sat on the couch while Reiko slot herself between Hajime's legs. While he was combing her hair, she was fuzzing. You couldn't tell if she was annoyed or tickled everytime the comb runs through her hair.

So, you reached out for the snow globe that Tōru sent last Christmas before handing it to your little girl. Hajime whispered 'thanks' while tying Reiko's hair. You smiled while watching their interaction. Most people would probably not believe you if you tell them that Hajime actually knows how to tie someone else's hair. Or that he would wear a mint colored tutu just to play with his little princess.

Anyway, it didn't take long until he finished his task at hand. "Princess?"

"Hn?" Reiko's eyes never leaved the snow globe she was holding. "—at sit apa?"

You bit your lower lip upon hearing her question. While Hajime? Ha! Tear slipped from the corner of his eye. He sniffed before grabbing the yellow booklet that he hid under the throwpillow. "Would you mind if I ask you to read with me?"

She immediately placed the snow globe on the floor before looking at her father in anticipation. "Mm. . . Eiko read!" she cheered. You wanted to pinch her chubby cheeks so bad at that point!

"Great!" he responded before showing the booklet. Reiko looks at it with amazement as if she has never seen anything like it before. "Repeat after me, okay?" Hajime asks softly which earned a clap and nod from Reiko.

The booklet contains set of syllables that are commonly used in Filipino words. The first page features the Filipino alphabet (From A-Z plus Ñ and NG.)

Lesson one contains the vowels, which Reiko enjoys so much. Especially when she had to repeat the vowels but after two sets, the drill starts with 'e' and ends with 'a' until the drill begins with 'u' and ends with 'o'. Both of them cheered before heading to the next lesson.

Lesson two featured the 'b' plus vowels. Reiko was delighted to speak the words/syllables that she uses on daily basis.

Lesson three, with the consonant 'k' followed by the vowels. When Hajime turned to lesson four, you heard him hum before chuckling. It was letter 't' followed by vowels. He claps his hand before his pointer finger pointed on the first word of the practice set.

"Reiko, would you read this word for me?"

"Bu. . .to. Bu-to!"

Hajime lost it. To the point that he collapsed on the ground laughing.

You looked at him in confusion.

'What's funny?'

⤜ general taglist — @haikyuu-ink ; @kenchiko ; @agaassi ; @lovetsuki ; @sadsugarplumm ; @yams046 ; @namyari ; @thatnikkixx ; @k-eijiakaashi ; @dearest-kiyoomi ; @thatasiang1rl ; @starfleetakaashi ; @stcrryskies ; @kunimwuah ; @shou-kunn ; @sugacookiies ; @ushissugarcube ; @bap-kingdom ; @lilidrawz ; @crypto-s ; @sanitisegermsfree ; @idiot-juice-enthusiast ; @moonlightaangel ; @zephyrria ; @humancasket ; @bbakougo ; @attsm ; @kouffee-ink ; @hqsks ; @osamusamusamu ; @daichiforsure

[therappundit]

Top 10 Rappers of 2020

The finish line of this long, surreal year is finally upon us...which means that it’s time for me to throw down the gauntlet in the ‘Best of 2020’ frivolous list race!  🙌

*Just to be clear*: this is a list of MCs who I believe turned in the best overall performances in 2020. ***This is NOT a list of the my top 10 favorite MCs***, or even who I believe to be the best MCs in the world at the moment...these are simply dope artists that put forth the strongest, most consistently interesting and important (to the genre) high-quality work in the perilous year that was 2020. 

If you think your favorite MC was slighted....well, Michael Jordan is the greatest to ever play the game of basketball but even he didn’t win MVP every year, right? I encourage you to write your own list - it’s a cool way to dap artists that are too often overlooked by industry websites, and share the music you enjoy with others that may not have given the record a spin otherwise.

Even if 2020 didn’t bring you the “instant classic” you had been hoping for, I think it’s hard to deny that this year really had impressive depth when it came to showcasing some of the most diverse music that the genre has to offer.  I can’t speak for music in general - sadly I’m just The Rap Pundit, not The Music Pundit - but I can say that it has been an impossible task to keep a playlist less than 500 songs deep at a time, because for every truly great release in 2020 there seemed to be 30 very good releases. 👌

So how did I come about these 10 MCs (and Honorable Mentions)? Before you get huffy about who I snubbed (and that is pointed directly at my jury of older head peers that consider themselves tastemakers, but also haven’t opened their minds up to any new takes on rap styles since the year 2000)...here are the five chief pieces of criteria that I put into finalizing my list:

- quality (whatever lane you’re in, how often did you ‘own it’?)

- quantity (at least 10 very good-to-great songs released, and 3-4 verses that stand out as a ‘must-hear’ for any rap music fan)

- consistency (not just 4-5 great features and a few forgettable solo tracks, will I want to keep at least 7 or 8 of your own new songs released in 2020 in my rotation for 2021?)

- impact (are you so vital to the type of rap music you make that if you stopped rapping tomorrow, there’s no one else in the game that could fill that void?)

- “it” factor (are you carried by a co-sign or an elite production team, or did you bring a style/talent to the table that could carry a record in and of itself?)

Got it? Then here we go...

1. Conway the Machine

I hope 2020 was the type of year that Conway the Machine had been hoping for since he first began his journey with rap music. After years of scraping and hustling towards music industry recognition (and not just cult figure status), at year’s end we see Griselda’s top Lieutenant holding down a rare balancing act: champion of underground hip-hop, and most requested feature by any mainstream rap star looking to add some tough-talking muscle to their album.

While much of Conway’s content has always been driven by surviving an attempt on his life in 2012, much like 50 Cent, Conway’s way with words and perspective manage to elevate the quality of his material to a higher tier than most. And where - at least in his heyday - 50 Cent benefited from an indestructible super-villain persona, Conway’s success can be greatly attributed to a larger-than-life heart.  With every braggadocious act of gunplay, there are moments of gratefulness to still being alive to share success with his brethren, as well as a painful longing to be with close allies that are no longer with him (at least not in the physical form).

Above all else, in 2020 Conway the Machine did what he has always done throughout his career: delivered well written, passionate bars about coming up in an impossibly challenging environment and coping with loss...only now his craftsmanship and understanding of how to channel all of those feelings into a more polished final product have yielded the most well-rounded solo project of his career in From King to a God. Progress is a slow process, but the long and winding road has finally taken Conway a step closer to that G.O.A.T. status he will hopefully continue to reach for...

Best Evidence: FKTG, and a countless number of scene-stealing verses alongside rap acts ranging from deep underground to household names

2. Freddie Gibbs

I don't use the word "sauce" all too often (this may actually be the first time), but if there was any MC guaranteed to bring sauce to any rap record right now, it's Freddie Gibbs. 

Forever existing somewhere between gritty gangsta and syrupy old soul, the flavor that Freddie brings to every verse is malleable enough to work on virtually any type of record, which was certainly proven in 2020. Anyone foresee a Gibbs & Alchemist Grammy nomination heading into 2020? It’s a testament to how high quality work, through consistent reliability and dues paid, can elevate a project from underground niche following to critical acclaim. While his work with Alchemist may not reach the lofty levels of his heralded collaborations with Madlib, Alfredo represents the best that “quarantine music” can offer...two talented friends saying one day, “hey we should finally drop a full tape together, why not?” - and then BOOM, it happens.

Too many fail to remember that Gibbs already has a long accomplished body of work behind him...so the fact that he may just be entering his prime now, is scary.

Best Evidence: Alfredo, Machinedrum’s “Kane Train”

3. Boldy James

Comeback MC of the year, and no it is not close (but big shout-out to Grafh, another dope MC who had an amazing year).

I'm old enough to remember when folks like Roc Marciano and Ka were seen as sleepy, monotone rappers with little hope of reaching permanent rap icon status (flash-forward to today, and they are widely consider geniuses). For some, the quieter, less hook-dependent approach to making rap songs, was....well, not great rap music. They were wrong then and they’re wrong now, but similar to how the coolest, smartest cat in the room is rarely the loudest, it can take some time and patience before everyone learns what’s what. Time is what is required to appreciate Detroit’s Boldy James, a veteran that has been through it - both in terms of the ups and downs of the music business, as well as the streets through which he draws his stories and inspiration.

Boldy makes it seem all too easy, rapping his verses with the cool, casual tone of telling old stories to a close friend over drinks. Dropping multiple projects (with one still to come) in one year can often lead to over-saturation. Even the most dedicated fans/stans can begin to feel less enthusiastic about new releases when they have already received a healthy portion of more of the same...but most rap fans are not necessarily Boldy James fans. Boldy fans (much like Roc Marciano and Ka fans) are already aware that knowing what type of material to expect from your favorite MC can be a blessing if that MC takes pride in the execution of the final product, rather than the noise leading up to it. 

The beauty of his collaboration with The Alchemist (big year for that guy, huh?), The Price of Tea in China, is that it celebrates the more subtle nuances of boom-bap, proving that great MC and producer chemistry can trump the “shock & awe” of more uptempo rap music. The shock in Boldy James’ lyrics sits within the detailed descriptions of the cold world he grew up in...so monotone or not, how can any music could be more gripping than that?

Best Evidence: TPOTIC, Manger On McNichols, a long list of consistently perfect feature verses

4. 42 Dugg

I would say this is more of a longterm investment rather than the celebration of a rapper already within rap’s inner circle, but 42 Dugg didn’t just steal the show on every feature this year, he also displayed maturity in his ability to craft well-rounded, high quality rap singles. I’m talking joints that work just as well on the street tape level as they would at the radio level. That is especially rare to see from a rapper that is still relatively new to national conversations. 

So much more than just a co-sign of Lil Baby and Yo Gotti, the Detroit eastsider has already proven that he can craft a full solo album with the swagger of a far more seasoned MC. 42 Dugg combines a Boosie-esque, "oh you think you’re better than me??” chip on his shoulder with the unpredictable bombast of Lil Wayne. What he may lack in punchlines he makes up for in musicianship, his voice bringing one of the most nimble touches to trap music that I have heard in a long time. 42 Dugg music is hard and soulful, with the natural hunger of a rapper that knows me might be one smash away from superstardom. By this time next year, I’m betting he will be. 

Best Evidence: Young & Turnt 2 (Deluxe), features on high profile records like Lil Baby’s “Grace” and “We Paid”, and a growing stream of attention grabbing solo loosies

5. Rome Streetz

In 2020 it was almost impossible to be an underground MC with a great project unless you landed a Rome Streetz verse. 

Rome has been bubbling for a while now, but in 2020 he unleashed an onslaught on the game. At times he seemed like the hardest working MC in underground circles, busting his ass to not only make as many appearances as possible, but also to own any song he guested on. He raps like every verse might be “the one” that gets him a huge contract, and that’s a level of hunger and consistency that will likely land him more than one huge contract someday. In spite of that laundry list of strong features, the young Brooklyn MC still managed to release multiple dope solo projects, all flashing a rap style that feels at once a throwback and the fresh voice NYC rap needs. 

Rome is clearly from the same school as many of the New York City greats, because he has the capacity to deliver dark, potent bars with the sharp intellect of a Harvard lecture (think AZ before “Sugar Hill”). While he sounds most at home when he’s rhyming over instrumentals that run more coldblooded than a horror flick, it’s easy to picture him popping up in more places in 2021...if that’s even possible.

Best Evidence: Noise Kandy 4, Kontraband, The Residue, and at least 50 incredible features with a who’s-who of the underground’s finest

6. Stove God Cook$

No one saw this coming....well, maybe Roc Marciano, Lord Jamar, Busta Rhymes and a few more NYC heads in the know - but I guarantee you, no one else saw the Stove God coming!

Bar for bar, no MC owned more rewind-worthy rap quotables in 2020 than Stove God Cook$. Dropping a solo debut with VERY little fanfare and zero features (apart from the steady, reliable guidance of Roc Marciano - low key one of hip-hop’s most reliable producers), a slow bubbling word of mouth campaign on social media eventually got Stove God verses exposed to more and more high profile ears. Such a grass roots campaign is rarely seen...I mean, a rap album slowly becoming a critical darling simply off the strength of more and more random folks discovering the music and Tweeting about it, as opposed to the buzz being calculated before the product??? It feels almost too good to be true these days, as early reviews of Reasonable Drought typically lead with something along the lines of, “hey, have you heard of this album? I have no idea who this is, but it is 🔥🔥🔥”

It has often been said that Roc Marciano has a lot of “sons” in the game, implying that Roc Marci gave birth to a style that a whole generation of underground MCs run with today. So it’s ironic (or perhaps highly appropriate?) that the next level of progression for Roc might be to have a protege, a young Jedi to carry on the tradition on Roc’s own terms, and become the next new star to be embraced by the old heads. But Stove God isn’t a clone of Roc, or anyone else, he’s simply one of the most exciting artists to hit the NYC underground in a generation. Everything from his word choice, to his fresh references and sense of humor, to his delivery and the way he structures his verses, feels like a collection of “firsts”, there’s simply no one sounding like him. And if his work in 2020 is any indication, he will continue to be in a league of his own for years to come.

Best Evidence: Reasonable Drought, spotlight snatching features alongside Roc Marciano and Griselda’s finest

7. Lil Baby

Once viewed by some as just another “Lil”, Lil Baby had been rollin’ coming into 2020, but by the end of 2020 it’s clear that he has arrived at the forefront of rap music’s most reliable hitmakers right now. 

A must-have feature on any rap album reaching for max exposure, Lil Baby’s dexterous flow, charisma, and pen that is significantly sharper than early reports indicated, made him one of the few shining stars in 2020 to consistently deliver good rap music to what in any other year would have been considered smash hits in any club.

What makes Lil Baby’s music standout is that he could easily be a “cookie cutter” MC, phoning in verse after verse just to get another check, but instead he continues to bring it - trying to squeeze in an extra catchy lyric, maybe flow in a way that breaks up a verse to make it stand out from the pack a little more - and even when he is featured over cookie cutter beats that sound like every other trap inspired beats that came before it, Baby seems eager to prove something. I think that’s what I like about him - he’s on a short list of mainstream-bred Young Thug disciples that seem to really want to put the work in to becoming one of the greats. 

Best Evidence: I mean...did any rap star have more songs in circulation this year? Dude was everywhere, but “The Bigger Picture” got his name officially into the lyricist conversation (even though personally I don’t even think it’s one of his more impressive records - at least not stylistically)

8. Westside Gunn

No one denies that the Griselda Records team had a banner year, yet somehow the vocal leader of the group managed to drop a handful of dope projects without receiving credit for being a great MC in his own right. Great artist, great album curator, great business man - sure, but great MC?? That credit is rarely given to the FLYGOD. He might not even understand how natural he is as a solo MC, waxing unpredictable flows and half-bars that stick in your mind in place of catchy hooks or predictable song structure. He might call himself an artist first, but I still call him one of the most prolific rappers today (regardless of whether he retires after the ball drops).

I can’t believe I have to tell rap fans this in the year 2020...but......you all know that message and punchlines are just part of the art of rapping, right...and not the only thing that defines who is a dope MC and who isn’t?? Play any solo cut from Westside Gunn and filter out the “doot-doot-doots” and stream of conscious hooks and what you are left with is one of the most distinctive voices in rap music, attempting off-kilter flows and phrases over some of the most impressive production in rap music today, and to me that sounds like my kind of rap music. What the Buffalo floor general lacks in diversity of subject matter he makes up for with a relentless imagination.

That’s why it’s not all that surprising to me that Westside Gunn enjoyed more mainstream attention in 2020 than he ever has before. All he needed was a window of exposure and he certainly capitalized on it, pitching his sound and his vision in all the right places, without compromising his style or vacating his lane. So strictly as a MC, I would consider him the Young Thug of the east coast underground scene, and if 2020 does turn out to be his final year of recording solo projects, I am thankful that he already has a long list of quality projects with high replay value to revisit again and again. But don’t wait - give this man his flowers now.

Best Evidence: “Euro Step”, “Rebirth”, “327″, “Shawn vs. Flair”, “Michael Irvin”, and YES he even had a more than worthy verse on “$500 Ounces” alongside Freddie Gibbs and Roc Marciano

9. Benny the Butcher

Who else is more reliable to deliver a dope feature verse than Benny?

By now you must be muttering at least a few things about me, so let me just make two points: YES, I am a big fan of Griselda records, but NO I do not consider that an unreasonable bias because even on paper according to a large variety of sources, it’s clear that Conway, Boldy James, Westside Gunn and Benny are true specialists when it comes to the quality of the work they distribute. Its not a fluke or a trend, they’re just that good at what they do...I have been saying this for almost 5 years now, but in 2020 the rest of you sleepy heads finally just stopped hitting snooze.

Benny the Butcher already possesses the writing capacity, attention to detail, and skills of observation/personal reflection to put himself within special company as one of the nicest pens in the business today. But in 2020, he dialed things up even higher...or perhaps word of mouth just finally caught up with the rest of his peers? The tribute to the classic Roc-A-Fella era that was his Burden of Proof project with Hit-Boy helped expose Benny to a much larger audience, and it has been beautiful to see so many more folks quoting and sharing his lyrics on Twitter, because I recall when he had about the same amount of Followers that I do, because it wasn’t all that long ago (I just hope they go back to experience all of his prior work - I’m still partial to his incredible verses on “Shower Shoe Lords” and “Pissy Work”)! 

In my not so humble opinion, I do think some of the more dramatic pomp and circumstance on the BOP album was more suited to a Rick Ross or Meek Mill than Benny, so I’m actually more excited to hear what Benny has in store for 2021. He truly sounds at his best over more minimalistic production that lets his lyrics fill the spotlight...but still, tracks like “Timeless” and “Legend” do remind me of some of my favorite moments from old JAY-Z albums...blasphemous, maybe, but true.

A shot to the leg last month seems to have done nothing to slow his momentum, so if you didn’t board the bandwagon by now, you are inexcusably late.

Best Evidence: Burden of Proof, mercilessly slaughtering every verse on every Griselda projects, and a ton of show-stealing features

10. Drakeo the Ruler

What a journey it's been for the L.A. rising star. 

Flexing a penchant for placing local slang into his music and delivering dark verses with a clear sense of humor, it's easy to see the appeal of Drakeo's style. If Thank You For Using GTL was an inspiring attempt to do anything possible to keep his buzz going (in that case, recording his verses over a prison phone), the quick release of We Know The Truth shortly after he regained his freedom seems to have given him a 50 Cent-esque teflon aura at the moment. 

But this is about more than just Drakeo himself, it’s about what he represented before incarceration, and what he represents now. As one of the more visible forces in a new generation of west coast hip-hop, Drakeo was a few key features away from exploding onto the national scene. Now after surviving his ordeal, likely with a great deal more to write about, his ceiling has only been raised - and along with his growth potential, so rises the potential for the current rap scene out in L.A. right now. Mark my words: by this time next year Drakeo’s flow will be one of the most flagrantly jacked flows in rap music coast to coast.

A sincere welcome home from the rap world, Drakeo the Ruler. Hopefully the worst is now behind you. 🙏

Best Evidence: We Know The Truth, Free Drakeo, Thank You For Using GTL

*Honorable Mentions*:

Che Noir, Ka, Ransom, Billy Woods, Royce Da 5′9″, Jay Electronica, Fly Anakin, Curren$y, Lil Uzi Vert, Roc Marciano, Skyzoo, Black Thought, Tee Grizzley, Your Old Droog, Flee Lord, Lil Wayne

[s-ccaam-era-crepe]

ooo can I hear about the bap crew?

OF COURSE <333 i loveeee talking about the bap crew thank youuuu

okay so first off general warnings for the podcasts and all my posts about it for the most part <3 there are mentions of cults, death/murder, religion (and the like) and i think thats it mostly? (as a general) but sometimes it can be a lot, take care of yourself yall <33 and the rest is under the cut there is a lot <3

with that out of the way i guess if you didn't know already lol !! they are my podcast ocs !!! i'm in the works of creating a horror <3 podcast that takes place in an amusement park with 5 main characters and a god <3

so this post here explains a lot about the main characters personalities and stuff and the tags #brickwoods and #bap on my tumblr have some other posts related to the crew <3 recently i've been doing some extra stuff for fleshing out their families who will eventually be showing up in podcast and i can do a quick over view of them here tho <3

oh and not necessarily crew related but the length of podcast <333 imma ramble about that for a sec <3 so season 1 is going to be all amusement park stuff and the last episode of that season will be a major plot point/death (sorta setting the darker/more dramatic scene for s2) s2 is also amusement park shenanigans however now that the stakes have been raised the rest of the cast is pretty scared now yk. but they have still their motivations for wanting to get out and so <3

s3 is going to be after our final girl rebecca escapes the park and tries to a) sorta solve why that happened in the first place (why them. who is the god etc etc) and b) try to give closure to the others families so yeah. plus some other plots things yk <3

and then s4 will most likely be rebecca trying to stop/take down the cult because she doesn't want something like this to happen again and the ending is in workshop <33 (aka i can't decide between like. a couple possible endings i have planned but main plot won't change despite which one i eventually choose :))

okay so back to the crew lol <33 since that other post explains a lot of basic stuff about them feel free to ask specific questions about them now that you have info about them <3 but for now family time !!!

(specific warnings for this area some bad parents mentioned)

so david <3 ae is an only child with 2 moms, they are very sweet and amazing and extremely Extremely heartbroken when david never comes home after the park and stuff. they definitely had like plans for college visits and they had a car ready for when david was going to get aer license. the two of them are going to be pretty sad to write for in s3 i think but also i love them as characters (i was posting about them like last week lol they are very cute and fun when they arent sad </3)

hmm sophia's family <3 so her dad was born into the cult when it was a bit less strict (he was 'home-schooled' by the cult but also was allowed out bc his family is a main influential family) and her mom married in. they aren't the nicest parents by a long shot, and they only respect sophia because she became the leader. sophia does have a sibling however she doesn't know about them bc their parents kept them separate in order not to 'taint' sophia's godly touch

rebecca's family doesn't have too much going on, it is also an only child and her parents have been active in her life, not as great/caring as davids parents yet not uncaring either. rebecca really just lived with them her whole life and doesn't totally feel like it connected with its parents in any important way tbh

sunni ! so sunni grew up with only his mom and his sister and after the incident with carter (wait did i tell yall that was her name yet. thats the mutual best friends name in case i Didnt say that already <3) sunni's sister Mary ended up moving out with a friend and not keeping in touch with sunni or their mom again. she also changed her last name as soon as she legally could. but yeah so sunni doesn't have a very close relationship with his mom either and he has no relationship with his sister anymore which upests him a lot but he also keeps this close to him

and blair <3 so blair has 2 brothers (twins age 10 (i think)) named ben and bruno (named by My twin siblings so) and their parents are pretty bad. blair is very protective of their younger brothers and has been trying for a while to save up enough to move all of them out but hasn't quite yet. they fight really hard in the park to try and get out because they do not want to leave their brothers with out someone else to help and be there with them.

and i think thats it for a basic run over of all their families and the characters in general a bit <3 :)) feel free to ask any questions based on this post, the last post or like. literally anything <33 they are my passion project and i love BAP sooo very much <3

[vyylet]

Personal Recommendations Logic - Under Pressure Review

Logic finally reaches his full potential on Under Pressure.

To me at least, Logic’s career has always been one of missed potential. Ever since Under Pressure and the Young Sinatra mixtapes, Logic has always demonstrated the pen game and instrumental pallet to make a great record. He also has some truly amazing songs that I find myself coming back to often, such as Growing Pains III, Dear God, Soul Food, Everybody, the list goes on. However, on every record Logic’s released up until this point, he always seems to be stuck in mediocrity that keeps him from releasing a great album. He had an especially bad 2019, coming off of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, easily the worst rap album of his entire career, and Supermarket, a record I haven’t listened to yet, solely because of the reviews of this album making it sound so terrible that I don’t want to stomach even a second of it. Coming into this record, I wasn’t really sure what to think. I’m always interested and hopeful for every subsequent Logic release, however at this point I’ve kind of come accustomed to be disappointed. However, the album’s title being a clear homage to his first album, as well as him bringing back legendary producer No I.D. into the fray seemed to signal that this album wouldn’t be like most of the other albums that Logic has released up until this point.

Thankfully, I can say that this album does not disappoint, and actually blew my expectations out of the water. While this certainly isn’t the most revolutionary hip hop album of all time, its tracklist is filled with great song after great song. The appeal of this album is shown perfectly on the first track, No Pressure Intro, with its crispy boom bap drums, jazzy chords, and a nice flow and energy that Logic brings to the table. Logic’s pen game has also taken a step up since his past few records, with some funny and memorable quotables like “Gangsters put that heat to your head like a hairdresser”, and “On my Rosa Parks, in the back writin' like B-Rabbit”. 

All of these things combined make this track extremely enjoyable, and it continues onto the next track, Hit My Line. While I don’t think Logic’s melodic chorus on this track is all that stand-out, everything else about the track is great. The production is grand and gorgeous, with some heavy drums and warped piano samples, mixed with some grand synth bass hits at some points. The verses are also another part of the track that I love, with Logic rapping about just general injustices in the world, pleading to God to help solve and fix these issues. While this certainly isn’t the most revolutionary song topic, it’s made up for by some great lyricism, as well as Logic’s verse almost being a little anthemic with how passionate he sounds. 

The track GP4 is one that I have sort of grown to love over time. The song is a clear homage to the track Elevators by OutKast, with many elements of the track such as instrumental and the hook clearly being heavily inspired by that song. While I don’t love the fact that this song is pretty much a rip off of the OutKast track, in a vacuum I can’t help but love the song. Logic displays a lot of personality and penmanship on this song, with some stand-out moments, like the pretty funny Erykah Badu impression, as well as that Biggie Kick In the Door line, which completely blew my mind when I finally found out what it meant. 

Next on the album, the track Celebration is a fun banger, with Logic sounding confident as hell, and a beat that genuinely sounds like a Celebration. I also really love the track Open Mic//Aquarius III, with a nice beat and a performance that sounds kind of like a quick freestyle. One small part of the track that I really love is the way Logic’s voice is mixed, where Logic genuinely sounds like he’s performing at an open mic night.. After that part of the track, the Aquarius III part of the song starts, which is a fun, celebratory way to end the song, with some great production to boot. 

The track Soul Food II is another highlight, taking the beat from the first soul food with some great bars from Logic, talking about how he’s changed as an artist and as a person after the release of the first Soul Food song. My favorite part of the track is probably the flip of the first line on the first Soul Food, where instead of saying “Goddamn, goddamn, conversations with legends, Crazy how one day your idols can turn into your brethren”, he says “Goddamn, goddamn, conversations with people, Crazy how one day, the legends forget that they equal”

The second half of the song is Logic talking about this whole overarching story that’s been going on across his albums. While it may be cool to someone who’s super invested in that part of Logic’s career to hear this, I never much cared for the whole story aspect of his albums, so I didn’t really get much out of it. Still, though, Logic has a great delivery and flow throughout that entire part, and the beat is nice enough to the point where I can still thoroughly enjoy it. 

The track Perfect is a fun banger in the tracklist, with some trap-style hi hats, loud kicks, and 808 cowbell melodies. Logic sounds zany, funny, and confident on the track, and my only real complaint about the song is that it’s only 1:40. 

After that track, we get two more lowkey cuts, man i is and DadBod. The track man i is is a track that I have mixed feelings about. While I do appreciate the instrumental on the song, the song feels a bit long-winded, with the horn sections taking up an extremely long amount of time. Additionally, I feel like Logic could’ve done a little bit better with the lyrics here. While I most certainly like them, it doesn’t really seem like Logic truly hits any super salient realization about who he is, and the track kind of devolves into rambling at a certain point. The track DadBod is a track that I like much more. The drums on this track are probably my favorite part of the instrumental, as I just find the way they hit and all sound to be extremely satisfying. While the track has a painfully simple chord progression in the sample, it’s more than made up for by the catchy chorus on the song, as well as the lyrics on this song. While some might find the song a bit annoying, it’s rare to see someone like Logic admit how truly boring some aspects of his life are now that he is a dad, rapping about cleaning baby shit and complaining about the bad hotel wifi when he’s touring, and I find seeing this part of the song to be really admirable. 

After those two tracks, there’s a much-needed pickup with the track 5 Hooks. While I think the song’s decent, I feel like there isn’t really all that much to the track. There’s not many quotables that I can remember from it, and while the beat is fine, it’s certainly not one of the best on the project.

The track Dark Place is honestly one of my favorites on the album. While the instrumental is very stark, I think Logic lays down one of his best verses on this song, talking about his mental health and a lot of things that are honestly really sad to hear. I really love the message of the song, admitting that you are sad and realizing that it’s ok- everyone gets sad from time to time.

After that is probably the worst track on the album, A2Z, which is an ABC rap. It’s one of the only songs on the album with an instrumental I genuinely dislike, and the lyrics aren’t all that impressive either.

The song Heard Em Say is another highlight on the album, with one of my favorite instrumentals. There’s a huge Kanye influence that I hear on this song, whether that be the drum pattern of the instrumental, or a lot of the inflections that Logic uses during his verses.

Overall, I’m really happy with this album. Do I think it’s going to convince any Logic haters to appreciate his music? No. Do I think this is going to go down as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time? No. However, this is still a very quality release from an artist that has always had the potential to release something this good. It’s nice to see Logic happy in retirement, and I love this record lots. I don’t think he could have released a better sendoff to his career than this.

8.7/10

Favorite Tracks: No Pressure Intro, Hit My Line, GP4, Celebration, Open Mic//Aquarius III, Soul Food II, Perfect, DadBod, Dark Place, Heard Em Say

Least Fav Track: A2Z

[punsandfuturekingsmen-archive]

|| Hi, you’ve been hit by the positivity train! The person who sent this thinks you’re amazing, beautiful, worthy, and sweet. You are automatically encouraged to send this to a minimum of five people, even if they have gotten it before. There can never be too much positivity! - GLAD YOU'RE BACK! You have always been creative and a meme lord, and I for one am happy to be able to plot with you again. Bright heart and fantastic vibes.

/I’ve been sitting here for over an hour trying to think of how to respond to this besides just ‘no u’ that my brain wanted to throw back. So instead u get stream of conscious being Decidedly Gay

I think you’re incredibly kind and funny and sweet. I love your characters and how much thought and effort you put into each one, and I really enjoy getting to talk to you. I really really missed everyone, and I thought about you guys all pretty much every to every other day and hoped you were all doing alright. Being around everyone makes me incredibly happy, even if I know I can be quiet or don’t have the words to properly convey it or be as funny and engaging back. Even just listening makes me feel warm.

And you!! I already said you make great characters, but they’re so fun and I love them!! I’ve really enjoyed the interactions we’ve talked about happening, and listening to some of your world-building has been awesome! I love how you’ve thought of things so extensively like for Alice, and even just listening makes me want to interact with you as much as possible and do all the things, even for things I know little to nothing about haha

I love the shenanigans our characters get up to, and I’m looking forward to meeting any and all of yours you’re willing to throw my way (or that are willing to engage Arthur should I throw them theirs haha). I really enjoy writing with you because the stories always end up being so neat and interesting and how the characters interact is always fun! It’s been incredibly entertaining the short time I’ve been writing Arthur again. I’m looking forward to seeing how things continue to go and how things may go with any character he meets of yours!

Also you are in general a very sweet person. You get so excited about things and you take the time to check in with friends and make sure things are okay. You have fun goofing off with others and sending terrible memes or cursed things and you support your friends however you can. It’s sweet and endearing and you’re just-- a good soul that I’m grateful to know. 

You deserve a lot better than the luck you’ve gotten. But I’m so grateful you’re here and creating and have a space to have fun in. If you ever feel like you’re not good enough or that you don’t do a good job, I will bap those feelings with a newspaper because it couldn’t be further from the truth. You make great things that are so engaging and interest-grabbing and I always want to know more, do more. I think you and a few others are one of the few reasons I come back to tumblr and want to be around as much as I am. You’re kind and compassionate and excited about things and it just draws people in. People enjoy being around you, even when you’re being a terrible meme haha. You’re hilarious and silly and thoughtful and you are excellent friend material

And I feel so much gratitude that when I think of you I get to call you a friend in my head haha. You’re very important to me and make me go !!! when I see you replied or sent a thing and I always want to do as much as possible and interact as much as I can. It makes me ridiculously happy you interact with me and even want to, and I’m just very grateful to know you’re here and think of you as a friend. I’m glad to be back when i get to spend time with you and everyone else, and I’m stuffing ur mailbox with friendship and cookies i swear

Also, no u

[ask-iamnotanalicorn]

WEEELL WEEELL WEEELLLLL... what do we have here? A hint of BLACKSTORY perhaps? 

(raises forcefield against a rain of baps) ANYhoo, feel free to speculate on this new information. :D

We’re finally back into the story, ya’ll! And I’d like to give a special shoutout thanks to Gloomy of the EXCELLENT comic @askqueenmoon for generously offering to lay the flats for the first 6 panels!!! It saved me so much time AND THEY LOOK GREAT!!! (I added a little shading per my style and that gray panel, and I colored the characters, but she did all the awesome pretty background colors, which usually take me a small eternity. So she’s basically why this is up this week and not next week. Go shower her with praise and read her amazing comic which is much older and in many ways superior to mine.)

ALSO, we’s got some CAMEOS!!! My Patreon patrons have been waiting patiently for me to finally find spots that made sense for the cameos they earned as rewards. The three chosen for today are all shown in Panel 7 and also elsewhere:

- @thehyperumbreon‘s kirin Anjin! I included a show-style kirin to show that those also exist in Sales’ AU, but my general policy on these things is that variations among tribes exist, so they’re just from different kirin tribes. Anjin is a good bean and probably from Neighpon as opposed to the more Equestria-adjacent kirin tribes.

- @lionsong448‘s changeling Antlion! She got a speaking role because of Lion’s Patreon tier. She is actually a reformed changeling, just something went wrong with her transformation so she still looks partly like an UNreformed changeling. Those with good memories may recognize her from a patreon reward art I did a while back of Black and Antlion enjoying some time in out of the rain.

- @thestratovarian‘s zebra Maluhia, also a higher-tier patron who gets a speaking role! It was fun putting all of the non-ponies into this comic, since I couldn’t think of a good reason to put them all in Sales’ hometown for a while. He gave me some ideas for what to put in the rhyming line. :D Thanks for reading, guys! We’ll be switching back to Sales & Co next time! Until then, have a lovely evening!

~River Babble

[bookwyrmbran]

It has been a year since Loki bapped me on the head with the first dream and I am feeling super sentimental, so y’all get some UPG of the probably ridiculously affectionate variety! Feel free to ignore, obviously, this is strictly my gnosis and does not need to be applicable to anyone else.

-Likes mint and cinnamon. Loves licorice. Likes most alcohol but especially ridiculous and terrible sugarbombs of cocktails (gross!). And whiskey (better). Likes homebrew mead and cyser better than store-bought. 

-Absolute magpie for anything that reminds him of himself. Or me of him. Or that is literally just shiny. Tacky? Great. Glittery? Even better! All of it gets tacked up as fridge art -- or, if it’s something that can be reasonably displayed or worn, I get Strongly Encouraged to do just that. 

-All emotions are turned up to at least 7. 

-Isn’t possessive... unless he gets protective, at which point all bets are off. 

-Is really really really amazing at helping with anxiety, panic attacks, self-worth issues, impostor syndrome, and not beating myself up over ADHD shit. 

-Inveterate snuggler -- when he can sit still. 

-So. Many. Sex jokes. 

-Is the absolute most likely to suddenly distract me with a finger in my ear or a terrible joke when I am trying to concentrate or supposed to be working.

-Genius. Sense of self-preservation not included. Impulse control not included. Acknowledgment of social norms DEFINITELY not included. 

-Despite the love for sugarbombs, generally prefers to share whatever I’m eating (I offer the taste/experience straight from my tongue) than have, say, cheap candy left uneaten on a slate.

-One Kinky Fucker.

-Is actually quite capable of being still and focused. This gets directed at me for a variety of reasons and can be legit terrifying -- that is a lot of hyperfocus, and, well....

-...while he’s usually fairly gentle and careful of my jagged spots, he can be utterly ruthless when he thinks it’s necessary. He tends to be right about it, too, damn him. 

-Also, “him”? is really only what I use when talking to other people. I have never gotten a single mostly-consistent image or gender for that particular lovely bastard; taller than me, usually, and tends towards the humanoid, but that’s about it. 

-Coos over my puppy, laughs at my spouse, makes faces at the cats, listens to me talk about my friends: relational af.

-Doesn’t care about me spinning or painting, does like to hang out if I’m crocheting and watches the yarn like he’s a cat. Sometimes tangles it and I snark at him. Sometimes watches me drop a stitch and points it out when he feels like it -- after a few stitches, if I’m lucky. Other times it’s a few rows.

-Is a lot more drunk butterfly flitting everywhere if Odin or Freyr is also around, like he can be less careful because someone more responsible is present.

-Gets REALLY LOUD if I try to pour Odin something without giving him any. Mostly joking most of the time but he gets more offended if the drink in question is whiskey or mead.

May add more. Right now, though? Dinner and spiced cyser to share with one lovely jerk, coming right up.

[prettywordsyouleft]

i just wanna say thank u for writing for daehyun/BAP! they are such an amazing group and i really don't know why they're so underrated. i'm so so so so happy to read your series!!! also thank u for posting daily. i don't really know any other writers who post daily so thank u for being so generous. 🙌💙

Thank you for your kind support anon! It truly means a lot to me that you appreciate the effort I put in each week for this blog!

I love B.A.P a lot and want to write a lot of different things for them. I hope those who enjoy my stories will check out my B.A.P content sometime! And for fellow BABY, I hope they enjoy it too!!

Things will be changing on my blog in the coming weeks, and I hope that despite these changes, I can be a place that people come to get lost in my fictional worlds still 💖

[lisinfleur]

Lost?

Author’s Notes | Haha don’t worry babe! I also lose myself PRETTY EASILY into these places! Why they just CAN’T place platform C and D close to one another??? Universe | Vikings Pairing | Sigurd x Reader Info | Modern Age AU, requested by @lyanna-the-giantsbane for 5CW6 | Sigurd’s curses are in Norwegian according to Google Translator! Words | 1414 ⁑ Warnings: Some cursing.

With tons of days for consecutive unforeseen, it had to happen on your first vacation day. Of course!

First, the electrical system of your house had a problem at night and what was the only affected plug that stopped working? What was??? Your phone charger! Bingo!

No battery in the morning, therefore no wake-up alarms! Yay!

Lucky of yours you were used to waking up early in the morning so you just lost one hour from your plans: swallowing breakfast faster would replace the time lost and maybe take a shortcut to the airport would warrant you would be there on time for your plane.

It was a perfect backup plan... If the damn airport platforms weren't organized in any way but alphabetical order!

You have heard the last call to your plane and you just simply couldn't find the damn platform! Your ticket in hands, you were walking with your eyes on every single signal - and maybe that's the reason why you didn't see the blonde man coming in your direction.

He was looking around - probably searching for his platform as well! That place was an endless maze!! - so he didn't see you either. Bazinga!

"Oh, damn, I'm sorry!" his voice sounded first.

The sound of your hand suitcase splatting open on the ground came right after. Fucking great! You would surely have cursed his mother and four generations of his family after him if it wasn't his hands, both of them, preventing you from falling straight after your suitcase.

And the sound of HIS bag going straight to the ground after yours...

"I'm so sorry," he said, helping you to get your balance back and starting to pick your things from the ground, bringing them back to you. "I'm so, so sorry! This place is an endless maze! I can't find my platform... I was searching for it and I didn't see you coming. You're so smaller than me and I was looking up and..."

Wait... Smaller than him? You placed both of your hands on your waist.

"Are you calling me a midget?" you asked, pretending to be offended.

Somehow, he was sounding so... Cute. You couldn't avoid making a joke trying to relax a little.

"NO! No, I... I'm just... Å, dritt!" he cursed, and you frowned at that strange language.

"Hey, that's fine. I was just joking, I mean... It was an accident but... You're not from here, are you?" you said, closing your suitcase again as he got up checking on his own bag and smiling at you a little clumsy.

"No... In fact, I am..." his eyes saw the planes screen changing and he sighed, disappointed, changing his sentence with frustration in his voice. "I WAS going home today. Jævla det, Ivar will kill me for being late..."

Again, that strange accent and expressions that made you smile.

"I don't know what does it means, but it seems both of us will have to stay a little more..." you sighed, noticing your plane was just gone as well. "Shitty platforms."

"Lost your plane?" he said, smiling at you.

"Vacation trip is going to start later and be more expensive. Yay!" you said, shaking your ticket in front of him.

Noticing his eye was different when he came closer to look at your ticket. It was stained, different...

Maybe he didn't see you properly because of that. You kinda felt ashamed of cursing him mentally because of the accident.

"Wait, can I see your ticket?" he asked and you handled it to him who took a similar paper from his jacket, comparing and giggling. "The third person in this line will make the trip of her life: you were supposed to be sitting right beside me!" He said, showing your seat.

12A. He was 12B.

You giggled.

"Fated to find each other," you joked, "I'm Y/N," you introduced yourself extending your hand towards him and he shook your hand with a smile.

"I'm Sigurd Ragnarsson," he smiled. "It seems you were going to my country and now I'm stuck in yours." he joked.

And you smiled bigger.

"We can try to remake our check-ins and reset the tickets. If we're lucky, we can sit side by side again," you suggested and he took your ticket once again, together with his.

"Taxes on me," he surprised you, fully gentle.

"But... No... Sigurd, this will be super expensive and..."

Sigurd's hand touched your shoulder.

"Hey... I dropped your case, got you late to our flight, and yet you were fully gentle with me. Taxes on me and you can tell me where we can find a good coffee around ok?"

His smile was so sweet, you couldn't say no to that smile.

The two of you went to the company ticket office and settled the new tickets, also communicating the company your luggage was already dispatched on the first flight, so they would save the cases for you and Sigurd when the two of you arrived in Norway.

Through the whole time, you saw him being utterly gentle to the company employees, earning a lot of smiles and everything solved fast for him.

In less than an hour, everything was placed for your vacation and his trip back home.

"You're very good with words, aren't you, Sigurd?" you praised, and Sigurd smiled back at you.

"Well, I'm good at dealing with people," he answered back, with a smile.

"I still owe you a good coffee," you smiled back. "Come with me!"

You took him to a coffee shop near the airport, a place you loved to eat in your free time. And the two of you sat to exchange some words while waiting and appreciating your drinks.

He told you he was an artist in ascension yet his family owned a company in which he was also working beside his brothers. You told him about your work and the fact that those were the first vacations you were taking in a long time.

He asked you why you decided to go to Norway and the two of you engaged in a long conversation about the Viking culture and the roots of his people. There was a long time since you shared such good moments with someone that seemed to know so much about the place you wanted to visit!

Sigurd even offered himself to guide you through some places in Norway if you wanted some company and you readily accepted his invitation: it would be lovely to have the chance to know him better. Why not?

What was a terrible day was starting to become something amazing when his phone started ringing and he asked you a moment to answer the call, which he did in his own language.

You took yourself watching as he seemed to be arguing with someone on the other side of the phone. His accent was so charming... And even the way his eyebrows were frowning with some angry was beautiful.

But crossing your fingers under your chin to keep looking at him, you turned your eyes to the clock for a second.

The most blessed second on Earth: the two of you were so distracted with one another that the time for your plane had come again and both of you would lose the flight one more time.

"Sigurd!" you called him, showing the clock and he said something to the other person on the phone, hanging up the call. "Our plane!"

"Dritt! Something really wants us to lose our flights, uh, søtnos?" he said, calling you something you couldn't understand.

Sigurd laughed at your frowned face, touching the wrinkles of your forehead with his index and a smile.

"When we arrive in Norway, we set a new day for us to meet each other. And then, I tell you what it means, søtnos. Now come! We must hurry!"

A good way to set a reason for you to accept a new meeting with him. Not that he really needed it: You were already charmed by those stained eyes and meeting him again would be really a pleasure.

But having an excuse to pretend he didn't catch you wrapped around his finger was a good idea.

The two of you ran into the airport, this time checking out where was your correct platform and taking your seats on the last minute before the departure.

But all you could think was that those vacations would surely be the best you ever had...

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