There’s perhaps never been a larger outlier in hip-hop than the one from Gaithersburg, Maryland, named Sir Robert Bryson Hall II better known as Logic, who’s also perhaps one of the most talented MC’s to ever touch a microphone… no hyperbole… this oddity who stans for Seinfeld, Star Wars, and anything Quentin Tarantino is an absolute beast of an MC who can rap circles around pretty much anybody, lending further credence to the idea that the best hip-hop is often found where you least expect it.
Nonetheless the one most misunderstood is also likely to be the one that’s most relatable, and now upon the release of his third studio album Logic has a legion of fans who hang on every word and support with their wallet, making this enigma officially one of the most successful artists of the time period [much to the chagrin of all the artists who supposedly have bigger names]. All the same they can hate all they want but the numbers don’t lie… Logic is the truth and his new album Everybody is the gospel, highlighted by the 13 records below that define the human spirit better than pretty much 90% of the genre.
Without further ado Everybody is critiqued track by track below, and from beginning to end it’s definitely an enjoyable listen and a meaningful body of work.
Hallelujah
“I just wanna do it but I can’t, world wanna tell me what I ain’t, far from a saint, come now just let that boy paintl (let a mothafucka like this live) yeah, lemme show em what I gotta give (let a mothafucka like this live) like, like, made in the image of God, can you feel the vibe?...” I can feel it and it’s a solid introduction yet it may feel somewhat overproduced, similar to how Cole’s Dollar & A Dream III plays out, where it’s still quality but it's almost doing too much - yet even still Logic’s voice and delivery is enough to make it a good tone setter and a decent album cut.
Everybody
“If it was 1717, black daddy, white momma wouldn't change a thing, light skin mothafucka certified as a house *****, well I'll be God damned, go figure, in my blood is the slave and the master, it's like the devil playin spades with the pastor, but he was born with the white privilege! man what the fuck is that? white people told me as a child, as a little boy playin with his toys I should be ashamed to be black, and some black people look ashamed when I rap, like my great granddaddy didn’t take a whip to the back”Login absolutely annihilates this verse from the first single, and although it’s hardly any deviation from any other Logic records, it’s effectively more of the same which in Logic’s case is certainly just fine - he’s legitimately one of the best spitters in the game just doin him, therefore it would be short-sighted to be critical of him doing what he does best.
Confess ft Killer Mike
“So, if you real, if you're out there for real, please explain to me why, why do we suffer? why do we die?” More crazy production from 6ix and Logic [major points go to Logic for co-producing his own records, and much respect due to 6ix whose lowkey as good as Drake’s 40 yet without the recognition] and Logic holds it down on the mic per usual - though the highlight of this track is the sermon from Killer Mike, that for spoken word has an unprecedented amount of replay value that could definitely fuck up your rewind button all by itself.
Killing Spree ft Ansel Elgort
“Real shit goin' on in Lebanon, but I don’t give a fuck, my favorite show is coming on, hashtag pray for this, pray for that, but you ain’t doing shit, get away from that” As always Logic murders the track in terms of lyrics and delivery, yet this time around I’ll pass simply because the repetitive hook ruins the whole vibe of the song. This is unquestionably filler and a debatable skip.
Take It Back
“Take it back, take it way back, take it way, way back to the first black man, long ago before the white man, could paint the black man with a gun in his hand” now this production from 6ix and Bobby Campbell is crazy and Logic absolutely snaps on this… never mind the idea that the spoken word is a poor substitute for the raps themselves… Logic is talking that talk on this record and his story needs to be heard…. [meanwhile this was the record that Logic wanted Cole to be featured, yet in retrospect it was perfect how it played out].
America ft Black Thought, Chuck D, Big Lenbo & No I.D.
“In the shadow of a nation that it once was, all this false information I'ma unplug, young blood, it is not love, up at TrumpThugs, dot gov, the man in the high castle in a hot tub, we locked in a pine casket, it's botched up” Black Thought, Chuck D, and NO I.D. rapping on the same song… and he takes shots at Kanye? smh doesn’t get more hip-hop than that…
Inkblot ft Juicy J
“All of this shit is a facade, all of this shit is a fallacy, I ain’t me, I’m who you want me to be” Nevermind the creativity involved with Juicy J rapping from Logic or anyone else’s perspective, this is the only legitimate SKIP on the tape… this was not only unnecessary but also blatantly contradicts the general tone of the album, that simply didn’t need this record at all.
Mos Definitely
“I don't know what I’ma do, I don't know where I’ma live, cause it feel like I ain't got nothing to give, just wanna follow my dreams, just wanna follow my heart, but the world wanna tear me apart right from start” Produced by DJ Khalil & C-Sick this instrumental is amazing and Logic murders this… from a pure rapping perspective this is one of the standouts on the project, nothing else to do but press play.
Black SpiderMan ft Damian Lemar Hudson
“Son, say: black is beautiful, be black and proud, fuck everybody hatin on me right now, I’m black and proud, I’m just as white as that Mona Lisa, I’m just as black as my cousin Keisha, I’m biracial so bye Felicia, praise Black Jesus now call the preacher, maybe Jesus was black, maybe Jesus had dreads, Spiderman should be black, I vote for Glover instead” Continuing his passion and plight of dismissing racial stereotypes track by track and album by album, Logic breaks down the walls further with this monumental record produced by the Los Angeles artist Damian Lemar Hudson, who’s also the featured vocalist and one of the main protagonists in the appropriately very cinematic music video. Sure enough, that music video through the right lenses is honestly nothing short of legendary.
1-800-273-8255 ft Alessia Cara & Khalid
“I've been on the low, I been taking my time, I feel like I'm out of my mind, it feel like my life ain't mine, who can relate?” A suicide prevention record that’s simple and straight to the point as much as it’s smooth and good for the soul - Logic’s vulnerability is without a doubt one of his greatest assets. The title of this record is the actual number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline with whom the song was released in partnership with.
Anziety ft Lucy Rose
“This is my life, this is my all, this is my all, and now I’m happy... right now I’m happy... but sometimes...” As shown in the Everybody documentary that you can watch right here, British singer Lucy Rose sings her part effortlessly blind having never heard or seen the music beforehand, thus Logic is able to get the singer in her most vulnerable state, leading to perhaps the singular greatest moment of the album altogether. This one is both epic and cinematic, and musically a case can be made that it’s the best record on the project.
AfricAryan ft Neil deGrasse Tyson (& J Cole)
"Tell white people I’m black, feel the need to retreat, like I should be ashamed of my granddaddy Malik, but my beautiful black brothers and sisters, want to act like I’m adopted, go back in time to when my ***** daddy, impregnated my cracker momma and stopped it” On this outro he summarizes the album’s theme effectively and also hints that his next project will be his last, yet not before he gets a surprise (uncredited) verse from Cole that puts his legacy and impact all in perspective. Cole’s verse is legitimately taken off a voice memo sent from a cell phone, yet it’s the power of the words, words like… "All I wanted was acceptance, my latest lesson"… that puts Cole legitimately in a sensei category with more gems like “Are you running from something, with hopes of becoming someone that's finally worthy of love, let me tell you now you're worthy enough, fuck approval from strangers, that shit is dangerous as hell, find God, learn to accept yourself, and I'm gone, acceptance” In the end this collaboration (and the story behind it) is lowkey one of the best pure hip- hop moments in recent memory (all twitter tastemaker conventional wisdom aside, this is the genre at it’s very best).
Quality of the music aside (whereas it’s certainly high quality), it’s concepts like this where legends are born, as the collaboration between Logic and famed scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson throughout the album is what makes this listening experience far more meaningful than most. Keeping in mind that Logic’s main speciality at this point is his own sub-genre of hip-hop science fiction, this connection ultimately bridges the gap between so many different audiences and demographics, allowing people from multiple different backgrounds to come together and appreciate this art form in ways that have never been done before. It’s important to note that similar to his favorite rapper J Cole, as Logic transcends the genre he doesn’t compromise any of it’s best qualities, and inevitably he has the skills, production, and concepts to carry it new heights.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again... Logic is the Chance the Rapper who can fuck up your rewind button, and when you consider all the classics from his last studio album The Incredible True Story (records like Stainless, City of Stars, & Never Been) you’ll notice a growing body of work that can easily place him in the category of Top 10 spitters in the game.
