Lights. Camera. Action.

It’s been a year since Compton rapper Boogie signed with Eminem’s very own Shady Records. On Everything’s for Sale, he shows us exactly what made him such a sought-after prospect. He’s a storyteller at heart, working best when he’s able to describe events across a variety of sounds. He accomplishes this by dexterously shifting from jazzed-out R&B to hyped up hip hop, from the struggles of a relationships to the forced interactions of fame. But there’s a method to Boogie’s madness. If he were a director, he’d be similar to Quentin Tarantino – he frequently jumps through multiple points of his relationship with his partner. One song may be closer to the end, then the next may send you to a telling tale of loyalty. This unbridled unpredictability is the locus of Everything’s for Sale — a compelling and gripping story of unbridled honesty to a fault.

Aesthetics

Jazzy piano keys twinkle throughout Everything’s for Sale, adding emphasis to every somber confession and honest revelation. The jazz-rap fusion, Boogie’s calling card, works wonderfully on slower tracks. Each song smoothly transitions into the next, creating a cohesive project from start to finish. Each beat works with the development of the main character, too; songs like Silent Ride reflect the tense mood of the lyrics, while Self Destruction is backed by a beat as self-immolating as its lyrics. The production evokes imagery of lamp-lit cities, lonely streets, and foggy windows. Artists like Saba or even Kendrick Lamar would work wonderfully on a variety of these tracks.

Best Aesthetics: The entire album matches its theme with aplomb. It’s cohesive, consistent, and virtually airtight. Notably powerful production pieces include Silent Ride, Self Destruction, Skydive I & II, and Rainy Days. Skydive II is a standout for its acoustic-driven beat. Coupled with the crooning of Boogie and 6lack, it’s a lovelorn melody designed to tug at the heartstrings and linger long after it’s over.

Lyricism

Every song on Everything’s for Sale works as vignette, a quick perspective into a relationship that seems almost destined to fail. Take Skydive for example; he repeatedly asks his partner if they’re prepared to take the risk of the relationship while fully knowing that nothing is truly certain. This type of juxtaposition is Boogie at his best; masochistic, but incredibly insightful. But at his worst, Boogie can come off as a little corny (Live 95‘s lyrics about Instagram hoes and smoking blunts seem forced and don’t fit with the project), but it doesn’t take away from the overall message of the project. Having said that, Eminem’s verse on Rainy Days doesn’t help at all. (He compares his legacy to…bestiality. No, I’m not kidding.)

Best Lyrics: Silent Ride uses brevity to tell a story of the key event that sets off Everything’s For Sale. In the song, Boggie’s girlfriend, while driving the two home, uses Boogie’s phone to look for directions. Much to the chagrin of our narrator, though, his girlfriend quickly finds out about his disloyal tendencies. She uncovers texts, pictures, and ample piles of evidence to prove his disloyalty. The ride takes an emotional turn and quickly descends into silence — giving Silent Name a fitting story for a fitting name. The story continues after on Lolsmh (interlude) and leads into the entirety of the album’s second and third act.

Personality

The main character is a incredibly flawed — he’s disloyal, lustful, and cheap, but he’s honest. He doesn’t hold anything back while he self-crucifies over somber beats. This mea culpa helps to set the stage at the album’s introduction, Tired/Reflections, where Boogie laments on his personal, professional, and spiritual shortcomings in a world so driven to bring everybody else down. With that being said, life isn’t easy for Boogie. He struggles to not become a product of his environment, but it seems like it’s almost an inevitability. Fortunately for Boogie, he’s wonderfully self-aware. He realizes that most of his problems are self-created.

Where Personality Works: Whose Fault tells a tragic story of a broken house. When parents separate, the strain on the couples’ child is immense. Boogie weighs the consequences of his actions and his behavior on Whose Fault as his ex-girlfriend relentlessly berates him for his disloyal behavior. The song’s climax comes in the third verse. After Boogie snaps at his ex for spending time with another man, he realizes the error of his ways and tries to meet her in the middle for the sake of their child. It’s the turning point in the album; the moment when Boogie realizes he needs to own up for his mistakes and act like an adult.

Versatility

As cliche as the word is, this album is made to set a vibe. Its chilled-out, laid-back production provides a great backdrop for night drives, intimate moments, and sad, somber trips through the city alike. There are moments where Boogie’s arresting delivery may pull you away from your surroundings, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I would recommend listening to the songs a few times before you find which match your personal playlists; you might find some hidden gems.

Where to Listen: You’ve got your work cut out for you with Everything’s for Sale. Several of the songs seem to come tailored with instructions. Silent Ride, as the name suggests, is made for silent rides. Skydive is made for uncertainty. Rainy Days? You guessed it. Give each song a listen in its appropriate environment and find out if they impact you the way Boogie intended.

Quality

The cohesiveness is Everything’s for Sale‘s strongest suit. The airtight production and concise lyricism on each song help to build the bigger world of the album. For a debut album, it rarely runs into any setbacks. Few, if any songs are skippable, simply due to the fact that its story would be incomplete without them. Each song is important, adding a sense of urgency to every listen. As much as the main character seems honest and open about his shortcomings, though, it’s hard to find sympathy in his actions. His selfish attitude is the reason for all of his problems. It’s hard to feel bad for someone that cheats on the mother of their child.

Highest Quality: The album’s closer, Time, is a culmination of the album’s themes. In Time, Boogie and his partner come to terms with their relationship’s abrupt ending. They both only interact with one another for physical affection. It’s the end of the road for the couple, and they’ve both recognized the writing on the wall. Both want to make the relationship work, but they both recognize they need to work on themselves before they re-commit. It’s a fitting end to an album so focused on redemption and self-awareness.

Conclusions

Compton has consistently brought us incredible storytellers. From Tupac to Kendrick Lamar, we’ve seen the sinister underbelly of the inner city, the effects of poverty on children, and the cyclical nature of human habits. Boogie’s debut album, Everything’s for Sale, is another in a long line of story-driven artists, determined to tell their stories to the world. He’s able to step into the limelight and tell his tale with no holds barred, providing a hauntingly human look into the life of a deeply flawed man.

Final Score: 8.2 Confessions/10

Do you like story-based rap? If so, you should check out Earl Sweatshirt’s Some Rap Songs. Do you prefer jazzy production? JID’s DiCaprio 2 should do the trick. Subscribe to The True Blue Note’s newsletter to get the first look at new works today, and don’t forget to send any album suggestions you have for review!