The second studio album from Vince Staples, Big Fish Theory, has turned one year-old. Let’s look back at this body of work.

It’s widely known that Long Beach rapper, Vince Staples, is quite experimental with his music but the risk taken with Big Fish Theory was a rather large one but it certainly paid off.

Production choice is something Staples has excelled at in his short career, however the way he rapped over it was unique and caught many by surprise.

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Rather than a traditional verse-chorus-verse form, the 24 year-old let the beat play out in the opening track, Crabs in a Bucket. The album is begun with nearly a minute of just instrumental, building the tone for the project’s entirety.

After two straight verses from Staples, the track finishes the way it started, this time with vocals from Kilo Kish.The LP’s lead single, Big Fish, followed the low-key opener, bringing back vibes of Summertime ’06, the rapper’s debut album.

The track’s hook is taken over by a guest, something we see more than once on Big Fish Theory. Juicy J provides the vocals for the simple, yet fitting chorus. Big Fish is followed by one of the most interesting interludes I’ve heard. Alyssa Interlude begins with a beat that fits the album’s theme, however some very famous vocals were placed on top.

A monologue from an interview with Amy Winehouse gives the interlude a unique feel. Despite the instrumental giving off a dancing vibe, the words and their delivery from Winehouse express the opposite.

The decision to include this sample on his album a lot about Vince Staples both as an artist and as a man. We all know the rapper for being funny, sarcastic and intelligent but we rarely see much serious emotion from him. Not only did Winehouse make an appearance on his second studio album, but she influenced his 7 song EP, Prima Donna.

“I saw the Amy Winehouse documentary and I was like, this is sad. This happens a lot. Thought of all the other times it happened, and I was like, I wanna make a little movie thing about it. I’m gonna make a soundtrack. That was Prima Donna”

Love Can Be… also features someone Staples looks up to, however in a less serious fashion. Ray J provides vocals on the album’s fourth track – someone Vince claims “will never lose.”

Following the Ramona Park is Yankee Stadium Interlude, we get one of the most unique tracks on the album, Yeah Right. Produced by EDM producers, Sophie and Flume, the track features an aggressive beat over Staples’ calm and distorted voice.

Is your house big? Is your car nice?

Is your girl fine? F*** her all night?

Is you well paid? Are your shows packed?

If your song played, would they know that?

How the thug life? How the love life?

How the workload? Is your buzz right?

Do the trap jump? Is the plug right?

Got your head right? Boy, yeah right

Following the songs second hook, Australian artist, Kućka, lays down vocals to build up to a verse from a surprise guest. Pulitzer Prize winner, Kendrick Lamar, hopped on the track. Kung Fu Kenny floated over the beat perfectly, leaving one of his most memorable verses of 2017 on the track.

Lamar joined Staples for his performance of Yeah Right at Coachella this year, making it one of the standout moments of the festival.

A much faster beat follows in the track, Homage, but once again Staples kills it. This track is one that is made perfectly for live performances, something the rapper prides himself on. It’s lyrics create a perfect environment for fans to enjoy themselves at his show.

Go stupid

Don’t think too much, you gon’ lose it

Just lose yourself in the music

Get off your ass and move that thang, girl

Things slow down for the album’s 9th track, Samo. Once again produced by Sophie, this track features loud and high pitched sounds while Staples spits in a calm mood. The hook also features vocals from A$AP Rocky, who repeats “Same Thing” after Staples.

Party People and BagBak both return to the live performance vibe mentioned earlier. The former’s hook entices those in his crowd to break out of their comfort zone and enjoy themselves while at a Vince Staples show, speaking from experience.

Party people, yeah

Party people I like to see you dance

Party people, yeah

Party people I like to see you dance

Party people, move

Party people I like to see you groove

This is how we do, this is how we do

From how the latter song, BagBak, begins listeners know they’re in for something special. The track builds up for ten seconds prior to Staples’ first verse which is one of the best on the whole project. The beginning of the song’s hook also builds up nicely to an eventual drop.

The song’s second verse speaks on a topic that Staples is very passionate about, the empowerment of African-Americans in the United States.

Until the president get ashy, Vincent won’t be votin’

We need Tamikas and Shaniquas in that Oval Office

Obama ain’t enough for me, we only getting started

The next Bill Gates can be on Section 8 up in the projects

So ’til they love my dark skin

B*** I’m goin’ all in

The rapper expresses his desire for another Black president, saying he won’t vote for anyone else. He goes on further in his third verse, this time not holding anything back.

Clap your hands if the police ever profiled

You ain’t gotta worry, don’t be scary ’cause we on now

Ain’t no gentrifying us, we finna buy the whole town

Tell the one percent to suck a d***, because we on now

We on now, we on now

Tell the one percent to suck a d***, because we on now

Tell the government to suck a d***, because we on now

Tell the president to suck a d***, because we on now

The album concludes with a more low-key track, Rain Come Down. The first and second verse, which are identical, also feature a bigger message.

I’m the blood on the leaves, I’m the nose on the Sphinx

Where I’m from we don’t go to police

Where I’m from we don’t run, we just roll with the heat

I’m the back of the bus, take a seat

Take a ride on the side where we die in the street

And the cops don’t come for some weeks

No, the cops don’t come for some weeks

Staples speaks on what its like where he’s from, sharing the struggle with the police and violence in his area. Big Fish Theory sold over 24,000 copies in it’s first week and found it’s way at #16 on Billboard’s top 200 chart, a peak position for Staples.

The California rapper supported his album with a tour with Tyler, The Creator, an must-see event for hip-hop fans.

So there it is, Big Fish Theory, not only one of my favorite projects of 2017, but a huge step in the career of Vince Staples, and hip-hop for that matter. Proving you can combine hip-hop and EDM successfully can lead to a big change in the genre.

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