Across America, the basements of fraternities share the same characteristics as grimy floors, coolers filled with jungle juice and blaring pop rap that for one reason or another sounds catchy when inebriated.
Genre bending is not a new concept within hip-hop with acts such as the Beastie Boys incorporating punk and rock influences and others like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul incorporating jazz and soul samples.
More recently however, artists have shifted their focus on combining their hip-hop influences with more contemporary genres such as electro, techno, and pop.
Artists such as Sam Adams and 3OH!3 have been at the forefront of this recent movement. Hoping to capitalize on the trend however is Orange County's T.Mills with Ready, Fire, Aim!
Filled with apathetic themes chronicling his hedonistic life style, Mills has crafted a cringe-worthy album filled with irritating techno inspired beats and overuse of the auto-tune audio processor.
Lead single, "Stupid Boy," is reminiscent of Ke$ha's pop hit "Tik Tok," albeit told from a male's perspective. The hook on this track exemplifies the overall lyrical content of Ready, Fire, Aim!
"Get low, get loose, get down on the floor/ Drink up till you can't think anymore/ get low, get loose, get down on the floor/ I ain't gonna change, I'm not just a stupid boy," raps T. Mills.
Mills comes off as more generic than introspective. Rather than seeking reason for the path he chooses, he defiantly celebrates his morally reprehensible lifestyle of partying. There is very little depth throughout as the entire album is a shallow experience with Mills parading binge drinking, selfish behavior and materialism.
To Mills' credit, he has managed to create a very danceable record that flows well over his beats and creates memorable hooks. Unfortunately, his wordplay and lyrical content fall short with cringe-worthy metaphors and annoying lyrics.
Ready, Fire, Aim! is sure to hit MTV and pop radio with its mainstream appeal in no time. When that time comes, be sure to run for cover.
E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
