Tyga is an American rapper with attitude. He has made quite a following over the years with some interesting music to listen to. Born to Jamaican and Vietnamese parents, Tyga has had reasonable commercial music success over his lifetime. Being a symbolic sort of person that Tyga is, Tyga is actually a name that stands for: Thank You God Always. This album release was also well-received by critics, even though it was his second major album release. Prior to this album, Tyga was searching for a specific sound, and this is where he really entered his musical stride through Rap Music. This album went to #4 on the Billboard Charts and sold quite well, both physically and in music based streaming. Let’s take a listen to this music and we shall hear how it sounds.

Careless World begins with some high pitched harmonies, and quickly launches into an awesome tune that sounds very fresh, listenable and wonderful. This eventually shifts into a moody, melancholy piece. Soon enough, Tyga really launches into action musically and he sounds like a Rapper with some serious socially aware and excellent lyrics to match. The rapping gives away to a chorus with female harmonies and Tyga rapping nicely about the messed up postmodern world. In the second half, a drastic amount of musical changes occur that sounds seriously awesome, with Trap beats, piano, and great melodies and this sounds like an impressive piece of Rap Music. This is likely an autobiographical piece from Tyga lyrically, and it is matched by crisp, clear and enjoyable production that sounds really sweet. In any case, this is a legendary introduction that has some awesome editing throughout. The tune concludes with moody piano and static sounds, a bit like the material on the 1999 release, Nine Inch Nail’s The Fragile. This wraps up well. A good listen, to begin with.

Lil Homie features Pharrell Williams. It launches into some great Gangsta Rap-styled music with the guest singing extremely nicely and well on this album. This tune is a good example of Rap street talk, and the music does sound really fresh, fun and awesome throughout. This is a genuinely good listen, contrary to most of the Rap Music being put out these days. Pharrell Williams sings a high-octave harmony-based chorus, and this adds a bit of quirky flavour. This tune is a good example of a Rap artist who has decent Rapping and tuneful vocal delivery with some aggressive lyrics to match. The beats, sounds and textures sound catchy and enjoyable. Tyga is a man on a mission to create great Rap Music in the 21st century. A really awesome and fun listen, this sounds totally awesome. Worth hearing.

Muthafu**ka Up features Nicki Minaj. It launches off with a movie sample, indicating the listener to turn it up. This is followed by looped and high-pitched harmonies, which are extremely annoying. This leads to a banging tune that makes perfect sense to listen to and appreciate. The tune itself is a monster of a great musical piece to listen to. This tune is nonetheless easy to hear why it is one of the more popular tunes from this album. The editing and looping in particular is fantastic. Nicki Minaj enters, and unlike most cameo appearances on the album so far, sounds perfectly enjoyable on this tune. This has a feel for a mosh pit-styled piece. There is a brief breakdown in the second half, and Tyga does an underrated job on this album. This is a gritty, enjoyable yet somewhat repetitive tune. It still sounds great to this day, mind you. Other higher-profile artists have done much worse than this. It fades out with the backing track playing at the end.

Echoes Interlude surely is a Pink Floyd reference? It begins with delayed and rustling sounds, with some gorgeous singing and this launches into a sad yet sweet ballad with Tyga speaking about missing a lover long gone. A great topic to tackle, this ends after less than a minute. Nice though.

Do It All begins with some weird, old-fashioned sounding harmonies with a bit of autotune on them. Soon enough, this launches into a Tyga piece which is really cool. Some treated breakbeats enter, and we are underway on this musical trip. Nonetheless, this continues the freshness and consistency of previous tracks on the album. This song is about being burned by a lover, but instead of being hugely melancholic, this sounds like some great Rap Music to listen to deeply and enjoy. This music definitely deserves a lot more interest and intention, although it is very much a Rap album. The mixture of breakbeats, percussion and sweet editing give Tyga’s vocals a perfect backdrop throughout. A very good and interesting listen, there is a brief breakdown in the second half, before the main section of music returns. This has not dated at all, even though it was released back in 2012. Tyga obviously had a much better vision and focus on this album than before, and he comes across as a decent rapper. Towards the end are some weird guitar parts sampled, atmospheric crickets, piano and bongos galore. A very good listen from start to finish. Worth hearing. The outro is very catchy.

I’m Gone features Big Sean. It sounds rather interesting and Psychedelic, to begin with. Soon enough, this tune gets going into a great piece of music that continues to make this album shine. This lyrically addresses so-called haters against Tyga. Even with all the lyrical bragging, this is a really good listening experience that sounds very awesome. This is one of the more listenable and enjoyable pieces from this album, and it is a statement of viciousness. The music present is also absolutely gorgeous to listen to, and it is a really fascinating and awesome tune to enjoy. Rappers can either be unintelligent and useless, or very intellectually driven. Tyga is one of the latter, and he expresses hatred of those who just don’t get his music, easily into a song. Fortunately, this is a sensationally good listen. In the second half, there is an early fade-out. Soon enough, the last set of verses enter and this lively tune returns. If you like profane Rap Music with a realistic edge, look no further. A sweet listen, with aggression and attitude throughout. Great.

For The Fame features Chris Brown and Wynter Gordon. It has some spacey sounds and a string section to match at the beginning. This tune has a great mixture of multitracked vocals and trap beats and launches into an awesome Tyga tune about having a lover who isn’t following Tyga for fame or riches. A good listen, although the spotlight of fame is unbearable for many people in the music industry to deal with. This, nonetheless, sounds really energetic and awesome throughout. This tune is enjoyable and listenable musically, and this is quite an unusual listen, as it is delivered from a male’s perspective. A bit judgemental, but nonetheless, a good listening experience. The mixture of Tyga, Chris Brown and Wynter Gordon’s vocal appearances certainly are worth hearing. An energetic and listenable piece of music, this is a warped piece of lyricism set to great Rap Music. The outro has some repeated vocals, percussion and string sections to conclude with.

Birdman Interlude is a short listen with keyboard playing and some spoken word lyrics present. This is a very interesting listen lyrically, and the interlude is an interesting addition to the album, fading out after less than a minute.

Potty Mouth features Busta Rhymes. It begins with some unusual piano, and quickly launches into a good Rap tune, led by piano playing, string sections and beats. A good listening experience, this sounds super cool and interesting throughout about doing it with ladies, and other Gangsta Rap deeds. This tune is a good listen, although this is likely seen as a lesser track on this album. Despite that, it is still consistent and wonderful throughout. A very good and interesting listening experience, although this likely could have been cut down a bit in length. Even so, this is a super awesome listening experience that sounds good and continues the flow of the album nicely. Busta Rhymes’s appearance is not really fitting Tyga’s music all that well. Regardless, this is a good tune that isn’t a million miles away from Eminem’s legendary 8 Mile Soundtrack album. This eventually wraps up with lyrics faster than you can think. A good and somewhat entertaining listening experience.

Faded features Lil Wayne. It begins with an unusual chiming melody, cut up and awesome sounds and quickly launches into another solid Rap tune by Tyga. This is one of the more interesting and inspired listens from this album, and is also one of the most popular cuts off the album. Some interesting and inspired tunes are present in this song, and it flows and has great appeal musically and lyrically. Tyga fortunately is able to Rap and express himself in musical terms, and the listener benefits. This is an awesome listening experience about being wasted. A very awesome and quality tune with some out there male sexually oriented lyrics. Tyga certainly is a Gangsta Rap artist with a brutal difference. This ends with the backing track playing nicely along.

Rack City is the centrepiece track of this album and is well-known and infamous as a piece of music. It begins with some dark electronic sounds, and raspy whispering from Tyga and launches into a really cool tune that should really only be played at either a strip club or a brothel regularly. This is lyrically fierce, catchy and listenable throughout. This is so profane and very repetitive, but it is so catchy and awesome musically that you will be banging your head to this tune. If you need further clarification on this song, it is worth Googling the song title. In any case, this is a fantastic tune that you should definitely play to your parents or grandparents to get them freaking out about how immoral you are. If you have to listen to a particular song from this album, may it be this one. Great work Tyga, this is a notable tune in the history of music. Very, very cool. It ends with the backing track being faded out.

Black Crowns begins with some science fiction-styled theremin-type noises, and has some weird distorted singing throughout. This is more of a Poppy listen, and it doesn’t sound as good as the purely Rap tunes on this album. Tyga finally gets rapping, and he addresses life and the afterlife throughout. Against the odds, Tyga comes across as a rapper with intellect. Nonetheless, this tune is another good listen, perhaps not being a great one. This is interesting enough to listen to and enjoy throughout, it just sounds really pretty and image-evoking lyrically. Superiority is seemingly the concept of this album, and it sounds really cool for that purpose. Although this is Rap Music, surviving against the odds is seemingly the concept musically. The melodies, singing and rapping make this tune really come alive. The sounds and music are really image-evoking and fresh, just being a fresh breath of air throughout. Tyga illuminates the music at hand. A phone call message with a lady stating how God will bless Tyga for his album is at the end here. An interesting listen. The recorded phone call message goes on for a while, but it makes perfect sense to add it at the end of the track.

Celebration features T-Pain. It sounds quite poor from the start, with T-Pain’s digitised vocals. Soon enough, Tyga launches into a Rap about being young and in the spotlight. With many references to celebrities, this track is good except for the digitised vocals throughout. Nonetheless, this music is very good to listen to, for all its flaws. Tyga has a spirit and excellent vibe throughout this song, and the music is enjoyable and celebratory. A good listen, although the high-pitched autotune vocals in the chorus by T-Pain clearly could have been ditched.

Far Away features Chris Richardson. It begins with some moody piano and falsetto vocals. This eventually launches into a deep love song. Unfortunately, this kills the album’s momentum somewhat. Tyga is better off being a street kid-styled rapper than a Pop or R&B artist. The variety is welcome a little, but to be fair and honest, this is a bit disappointing to listen to as it feels odd on this album. Also, Tyga comes across as being a bit of a proverbial sort of lover. In any case, this would have been better not on this album. It just doesn’t fit the holistic album listening experience. It sounds much more like Tyga attempting the Far East Movement’s sort of music. Catchy, poppy and rather mixed intentions on this tune. It ends after nearly three and a half minutes, it’s okay but a disappointment compared to other songs on this album.

Mystic AKA Mado Kara Mieru Interlude runs for only 23 seconds. It begins with some awful pitch-shifted vocals, and has Tyga make a spoken word section over the top. Not a lot going on here.

This Is Like features Robin Thicke. Begins with some smooth vocals from the guest, and the tune launches into a deep and meaningful about comparing a lady to some beautiful things in the world. Tyga puts his heart on his sleeve on this track. Seemingly, even Rap artists have some deeply personal emotions that need to be expressed throughout music. The music is nicely crafted on this tune, and credit must go to the production team for making Tyga sound great in that way. In any case, this is a moody song to listen to that shows humanity the vulnerability of Tyga that most rappers would be afraid to show. In any case, this is a really cool tune. The guest rapper makes a great appearance on this album. A good and melodic tune, more R&B Pop than outright Gangsta Rap. Good, even if it isn’t that necessary on this album.

King & Queens features Wale and Nas. It begins with some loose guitar styled harmonics, and some chanted distorted lyrics enter. Soon enough, an impressive Rap Music piece enters and we are in Rap heaven. This, again, is a fairly consistent listen from Tyga. This tune is about Tyga’s life and dealing with women. Sure, it is sexist as anything, but this is Rap Music, after all. The chorus has repeated lyrics before the guest verses emerge. A decent Rap song, this is rather nonsensical lyrically. In any case, this is a good but probably not great tune about one’s life with girls and other Rap misendeavours present. Musically, it still sounds fresh to this very day. A good listen. It ends with some muffled breakbeats to fade out.

Let It Show features J. Cole. It starts off sounding like a lush pseudo-Disco Music tune and launches into a good mixture of male and female harmonies. Tyga raps well here, and this tune is quite a refreshing and magical listen. Sure, Disco Music may be mostly dead, but Tyga breathes some life into his music by embracing Disco influences on this particular track. The usual mixture of gang culture mentions and lyrical profanities are here, and Tyga pulls it all off nicely. A different listening experience, this is a very good quality song. Looking back to memories of friends gone by, this is quite a moving thought. Friends do come and go in this world, but the good memories of times spent together as friends remain. Nonetheless, this is a good piece of music by Tyga. Good to hear. The outro is anthemic and catchy, with the blissful backing track fading out.

Love Game begins with some piano and sounds quite emotional. Tyga enters into a tune about loving with a partner, which honestly although good, is quite a bit ridiculous to hear. It is very strange to hear a love-oriented ballad from a Gangsta rapper. Good but honestly weird. In any case, this is a reassuring listen about being together and bringing out the best of each other. A good song, but not the most special nor particularly worth taking seriously. Also, this track is quite long, with a running time of over seven minutes long. The love game itself refers to the fact that love is a rocky boat to be on. In any case, this is good to listen to. The second half has more verses and a percussion-heavy backing track to match it. The music present is good, but this should end after a few minutes in length. Therefore, it required editing in the first place. Tyga makes a spoken word lyrical statement about not wanting to lose a lover. The latter part of this track launches into a very weird Breakbeat/Dubstep hybrid tune to flog a dead horse here. In any case, this is a good listen but nothing special at this point. If you do need to skip ahead through this album, now might be a good point to do so. Eventually, this wraps up after seven and a half minutes long with harmonies galore and piano to match. Weird.

Lay You Down features Lil Wayne. It begins with some clean electric guitar and launches into a third-person introduction to Tyga’s song. Some acoustic guitar also enters. This is good but again, but sounds rather musically awkward on this tune. Tyga spits out some Rap lyrics and this tune again is decent but weird. Still, this is by no means outright bad, but it does sound a lot like filler material throughout. A weird listening experience with references to gang culture, this is very typical Rap Music. Still, the music is a decent listen but there is nothing hugely special about this tune. Even the guest Lil Wayne sounds out of place here. Somewhat catchy. It ends with strummed acoustic guitars and some profane lyricism to conclude.

Light Dreams features Marsha Ambrosius. It begins with some acoustic guitar strumming and some soft singing from the guest. This quickly launches into a weird tune with strings, bongos, piano and rapping. Very unusual. The lyrics are about spending a ton of money (not that realistic unless you are a billionaire) and it comes across as unnecessarily pretentious. Tyga still even at this point needed to make Rap Music that is closer to the core of Rap, rather than making pseudo-Disco love songs. A weird listen, but still quite good anyway. In any case, this is a powerful and enjoyable listen, for all its oddness and weirdness for a rapper to embrace. A relaxing listen if you cannot sleep properly at night and need a dose of Tyga to chill to. The outro is extended and sounds very smooth. This could have been edited a bit, however.

Still Got It features Drake. It continues on from the previous song and launches into a powerful and energetic song that is less about Disco textures and more along the lines of Gangsta Rap to listen to. The drum beat is punchy and catchy enough to drive this tune along well. A good tune to listen to towards the end of this rather lengthy album, Tyga and friends remain confident throughout this listening experience. Drake also puts in a decent vocal performance on this track. An enjoyable track, although this album could have been edited a little length-wise. This tune sounds fun, energetic and powerful anyway. The repeated chorus lyrics in the second half are annoying, however. It ends with some spacey electronic sounds.

Make It Nasty begins with some digital sounds and Roland-style drum beats. It finishes up the album on an average note and is sexual and misogynistic sounding. Rap Music is clearly not about treating women properly, and this is A Grade example of such sexist behaviour. This tune is also fairly average listening as well, with no humourous edge or anything similar like Kid Rock’s early forays into Rap Music did on a sexual basis. Anyway, this is okay but by this point, this album having run for well over an hour, doesn’t really need this tune. This is okay, but nothing sensational to listen to. It finally ends with a quick fade-out.

This is a good album that sounds fresh and energetic. Having said that, it just falls short of being a Rap Music classic. This is due primarily to the album’s length (well over an hour long) and some of the confused and awkward song stylings. Still, this is a good place for people to explore Tyga’s music more deeply. Rack City in particular has some nihilistic and hedonistic purposes for listening for young men today. Still, should you listen to this album? If you like most Rap Music, definitely give it a go, otherwise don’t bother. Non-Rap Music fans will find that this is difficult to appreciate.

An autobiographical tale of gang life and culture in the USA.

7/10