Rich Brian - The Sailor ALBUM REVIEW

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Rich Brian has always been an interesting figure in music to me. Only three years ago, he was learning English off of the internet, uploading YouTube videos like ‘how to microwave #bread,’ and making his breakout hit “Dat $tick.” That song put him on the map, and he was signed to 88Rising, the first label that’s mainly Asian artists. Since then, he’s put out his debut album Amen to much anticipation. While I enjoyed it for showcasing Brian’s talent and quick learning of the English language (along with the rest of 88Rising’s talent as features), it seemed like more generic trap music made by an internet personality, which his fans knew that he could do a lot better. Now, Rich Brian is back with The Sailor, which marks his transition to being a full-time musician. Let’s get into The Sailor and see how it turned out.

The Sailor is an alternative hip-hop album with pop influences. The entire album is produced by Bēkon, who first made waves with having a hand on multiple tracks off of Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning record DAMN., along with other producers peppered throughout the tracklist. The trap sound is still there, but there’s a lot more experimentation. There’s choirs and orchestras in the mix, and that’s something that you don’t hear often, and if you do hear them, they aren’t pulled off as well as this. The beats on here are lush and pillowy, it’s a very nice aesthetic for an album. The features take a more ‘less is more’ approach. An appearance from the legendary RZA, a vocal performance from Bēkon, and a Joji chorus are the only features here, and they compliment The Sailor pretty well. The concept of being homesick and being somewhere he’s not used to is like being lost at sea (get it?) is something that Brian has fleshed out very well, even if his writing still needs a tiny bit of polish.

If you told me that Rich Brian put out a better album than Chance the Rapper in 2019, I would have doubted you, but he did it. The Sailor is a step in the right direction for Rich Brian’s career. He knows how to work a song into his favor with ease, and along with that, it’s just a pleasure to listen to. Simply put, it’s a great, dare I say amazing, album. I can’t wait to see where Brian goes next.


8/10


Stream The Sailor here

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Apple Music

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