Superghetto: A Show of Versatility
The cover of Buddy’s latest album Superghetto.
Buddy demonstrates his range in his sophomore album, Superghetto, easily moving from genre to genre as he lays his inner thoughts bare.
By Elise Christopher
Four years after the release of his first album, Harlan & Alondra, Buddy is back with Superghetto. An amalgamation of different sounds, solos, and collaborations, the album is a lively journey that is unapologetically him. The rapper found inspiration in his own past, telling Zane Lowe in an interview, “It’s more about the essence of growing up in the hood”.
“Hoochie Mama” opens the album. Described by Buddy as “the most ghetto song on the album”, it encapsulates a sexual atmosphere we’re used to hearing in rap music. His shifts in flow are done with ease, going from steady to jumpy, almost rushed. What caught my ear were the iconic lines from Dr. Dre and DMX that pop up every now and then during the song.
“Ghetto 24” takes on a melancholic vibe, completely switching up the tone set by “Hoochie Mama”. Dead friends, drugs, poverty, and cop cars—-all these things Buddy references throughout the track come together to make up the “Ghetto 24”, a day in the ghetto. Underlying Buddy’s heavy verses are Tinashe’s sweet vocals. Her crooning rests in the background, only coming into the spotlight for the song’s chorus. The occasional noise of something akin to a gunshot adds to the somber feel of the track.
Blxst’s feature is what makes “Wait Too Long'' great. His smooth voice perfectly blends with the R&B feel of the song and his hook is a memorable one. Even though it was released as a single in February of this year, Buddy and Blxst recently delivered an amazing performance of it on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on March 29.
“Black 2” is blunt, taking aim at those that love to consume and imitate Black culture with no regard for Black issues. The song serves as a sequel to “Black” from his first album, which was a testimony to Blackness in its entirety. Packed with constant references to various elements of Black culture, life experiences, and accomplishments, the lyrics are brimming with empowerment. Buddy’s in the mood for gatekeeping brown skin, hairstyles, food, and Spike Lee, because “sorry, it’s a black thing”.
“High School Crush” might be my favorite song on the album. It’s light-hearted and romantic, full of Buddy’s warm vocals as he declares his love for his crush. He’s infatuated for sure—this crush is “the only one he’s ever needed”. It’s honestly sweet, he’s falling in love, but sadly, she’s using him for drugs and sex. His imitation of a sad trumpet that’s infused into the instrumental adds to the lovesick aura radiating from this song.
“Happy Hour” featuring T-Pain, is striking at first listen, a slow, sultry-sounding song that contrasts the upbeat track it follows. Of course, “Happy Hour” is about drinks—margaritas, Hennessy, the list goes on. Buddy might not be an opera singer, but his mellow vocals are certainly nothing to look over. T-Pain’s familiar autotune simultaneously melts into and pierces through the smooth, bass-driven instrumental. The vocal effect doesn’t take away from his capabilities, but rather augments the belts and runs he effortlessly pulls off.
While Ari Lennox is a wonderful complement to Buddy, she also fully brings her unique sound to “Coolest Things”. The song is littered with her harmonies and ad-libs. The outro of the song, seemingly a response to Buddy’s second verse, reminded me of the spoken outros of her own songs.
“Ain’t Fair” is driven by its percussive elements—the cymbal in particular—and Buddy’s bouncy flow. He plays around with things like echo and call-and-response, and it makes listening to the song fun. A testament to his current lifestyle, you can’t help but feel for him as he describes his emotional wounds.
“Bad News” is an amusing song, even if it’s about him possibly getting framed for murder. Funk and soft rock come together in the best way and Buddy’s vocals are showcased once again.
“Superghetto”, the final song on the album, feels empty, but this was on purpose, according to Buddy: “...it’s not that many sounds, so it’s a lot of space for people to just hear what I’m saying”. And he has a lot to say. He raps about his upbringing, riddled with family issues, drug use, and gang violence.
Genre-wise, the album isn’t quite cohesive. Going from song to song is a bumpy ride, full of twists and turns that initially leave you wondering what you’re going to hear next. Even so, the talent displayed by Buddy as he aces each sound cancels this flaw out. Rather than feeling like something that was clumsily put-together, Superghetto feels like an anthology, a series of stories and sentiments that make up a bigger picture.
If I were to have one complaint, it would be that the album felt too short—I want more. With only ten tracks and a 32-minute runtime, Superghetto leaves much to be desired. Could Buddy explore even more sounds? Who else could he collab with? The possibilities are endless. Hopefully, he won’t make us wait another four years before he answers these questions.