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Writer's pictureCharles Luberisse
Apr 28, 20214 min read

Album Review: Moneybagg Yo - A Gangsta's Pain


 

Grade = 90% or 4.5 ⭐️

Track List

  1. Memphganistan (Feat. Kaash Paige) 1:18

  2. Just Say Det 2:24 ⭐️

  3. GO! (Moneybagg Yo & BIG30) 2:03 ⭐️

  4. Wockesha 3:00 ✅

  5. Shottas (Lala) 2:02 ⭐️

  6. Hard for the Next (Moneybagg Yo & Future) 2:46 ⭐️

  7. If Pain Was a Person 4:00 ✅

  8. I Believe U (Feat. Tripstar) 2:39 ⭐️

  9. Time Today 2:16 ⭐️

  10. Interlude 1:18

  11. Free Promo (Feat. Polo G & Lil Durk) 2:59 ⭐️

  12. Hate It Here 1:45 ✅

  13. Love It Here 1:29 ✅

  14. Clear da Air 3:12 ✅

  15. Projects 2:48 ❌

  16. One of Dem Nights (Moneybagg Yo & Jhene Aiko) 2:23 ❌

  17. FR 2:27 ✅

  18. Certified Neptunes (Feat. Pharrell Williams) 2:34 ⭐️

  19. Change da Subject 1:47 ✅

  20. Least Ian Lie 1:46 ✅

  21. Bipolar Virgo 2:31 ⭐️

  22. A Gangsta’s Pain 1:53 ✅


For those who are unfamiliar with Moneybagg Yo he could be described as a combination of Yo Gotti and Gucci Mane. He’s got the same Memphis sound and lingo as Gotti but he raps and makes catchy hooks like Gucci. In his fourth LP Moneybagg Yo makes his most personal album to date and it ends up being his best full body of work. When first looking at the project 22 songs may seem like a lot but the running time is only 52 minutes with 2 of the 22 songs being skits. Bagg rarely makes a song longer than 3 minutes so this album is a quick listen if you're a fan of his. 7 of the 22 songs have guest appearances but Bagg carries the majority of the album himself. We see familiar faces like Future, Lil Durk, and his artist Big30 on the album but most of the features are artist he’s never worked with before. Those include Polo G, Pharrell, Jhene Aiko, Tripstar, and Kaash Paige.

The album has a Memphis theme from the very beginning. The intro is titled Memphganistan. We hear what Memphis was like from his perspective. Much of the content is centered around hustling, poverty, love, relationships, and the violence in his city. Bagg also gives a shout out to Memphis Grizzly Ja Morant. In the song Least Ian Lie he describes a time he saw Morant score 44 points. Grizzly legend Zach Randolph even appears on the interlude. Randolph (who is nicknamed “Z-Bo”) is a part owner of N Less Entertainment which represents Moneybagg Yo. Bagg is also signed to Yo Gotti’s label CMG and has his own label Bread Gang.

Moneybagg Yo’s first big signing was rapper Big30. Big30 is best known for collaborating with superstar Pooh Shiesty. 30 is even sometimes mistaken for Pooh Shiesty because they sound so much alike. Bagg really helped Big30 by putting him on the song GO!. A single and one of the best songs on the album.

Another favorite on the album is Wockesha. In this song he uses his addiction to lean as a metaphor for his current relationship. The song is played over Ashanti’s Foolish beat and starts with a skit of Lil Wayne talking about lean. Another rapper Bagg incorporated into his album was Kodak Black. He uses a simple sample of Kodak’s voice on the song “Projects”.

Moneybagg Yo made two songs titled Hate It Here and Love It Here. Both songs are about a love/hate relationship. With both songs being under two minutes and taking opposite perspectives, Bagg placed them back to Back on tracks 12 and 13. Although the beats are different it feels like the two songs are one. All the songs on this album flow into one another which makes it feel like an album rather than a mixtape. In the past Bagg has made good albums with a lot of good songs, but on this project you can tell he really made it a point to stick to a theme and give you more substance.

You can tell by his music that Moneybagg Yo isn’t lacking in confidence. However, in never hurts to get a little reassurance and praise from a legend in the game. On The Breakfast Club, Moneybagg Yo said that when he teamed up with Pharrell to make Certified Neptune’s and Pharrell told him that he was his favorite new rapper. If that doesn’t boost your confidence, I don’t know what will.

Moneybagg Yo isn’t only confident in himself but he is also confident in his girlfriend Ari Fletcher. She is featured in the video for Hard for the Next. This is a song with Future that might be the highest charting song on the album. While Moneybagg Yo might not have a number one record on this project I am certain he will have a number one album. He probably has 5 or 6 songs that have Billboard 100 potential.

Moneybagg Yo made the best album of his career with this project. He made enough records to please both his male and female audience. A song like I Believe U” (Feat. Tripstar) is a street record men will like where as One of Dem Nights with Jhene Aiko is a song women will love. My favorite song Shottas (Lala) if a fun record that everyone will like. There aren’t too many negatives on this album. If I’m being picky some of the songs were a little too short and felt incomplete. Also sometimes Moneybagg Yo isn’t at his best when he tries to sing on some of the slower songs. Other than that I think this is the best solo LP of 2021. I give it the nod over Slime Language 2 because this was an actual LP rather than a compilation album. Moneybagg Yo is known for making a lot of music so I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a deluxe. However, unless those tracks flow with the rest of the album I would keep them for his next project. As it stands, I give this project a 90% or 4.5 ⭐️


Best Song = “Shottas” (Lala)

Download: A Ganster's Pain


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