Following the momentum of his widely praised EP “B4EM” (“Before Emotions”), Nine Vicious returned high expectations for his new album “Emotions,” expected to be his breakthrough project to bring him to the next level, and sold 12,000 units in its first week. While the project showcases his growth and commercial appeal, its excessive length (23 songs, one hour and 11 minutes), repetitive sound and overall lack of direction ultimately dilute the experience, turning what could have been a breakout standout moment into a bloated and uneven listen.
Nine Vicious is no stranger to drama, as he is known for starting feuds and arguments with other rappers and artists in the scene. He is not afraid to speak his mind, and that leads to a lot of talk around his name. Leading up to the release of “Emotions,” there was no shortage of controversy, leading to more hype built up for his project.
With “B4EM” releasing on Jan. 31, Nine Vicious showcased his brand new sound, which included a mix of explosive rage-rap and classic Atlanta-styled trap. Production from the likes of 406ahmad, Patrick Garcia and R8 lead to the project feeling like something new and different, while still keeping elements of his older music. The best thing about the project is it’s short, allowing every song to stand out on its own.
Following “B4EM,” Nine Vicious was being praised critically and commercially, reaping the success of his music, receiving industry cosigns from trap godfather Young Thug and even landing two features on the newest Kanye West album “Bully,” a massive step for an artist the size of Nine Vicious. This created sky high expectations for “Emotions.” “Bully introduced me to his music. I think it’s very interesting,” junior Sid Shetty said.
“Emotions” released on April 3, and with it came disappointment. The album was — and still is — polarizing, as some people enjoyed it very much, while others found it long, repetitive and monotonous. Personally, I think the album has its moments. The standout tracks from the album tend to be the more unique songs, such as “Treyvon O’Ryan Echols,” “Vivienne Westwood / RIP,” and “Project4play/Svj,” all songs that feature creative and beautiful production. “I really like the production on this song, it feels different,” junior Deniz Wright said.
However, the album has its flaws. When listening front to back, it turns from a fun experience to a chore, as the back half of the project heavily drags on. The best part of the album is the middle part, but the build up to reach the middle can feel difficult to get through. Along with the horrendous lyricism, the repetitive production and the pure monstrous length of the album, the album becomes less of an experience, and more of a collection of songs.
With this in mind, the project did achieve its expectations on the commercial side of things, as Nine Vicious now stands among the top of his peers in the underground scene. Whether this is because of the Kanye West features or the commercial success of “Emotions” is difficult to say. “I think the Kanye feature played a massive role in the commercial success, as Bully was one of the biggest albums this year,” junior Hanjoon Kim said
With this in mind, the album feels like the definition of average. While it has its moments, the flaws of “Emotions” drag down the rating immensely, which is why it can be nothing more than a six out of 10. As previously mentioned, listening to the entire project itself can be difficult, but if you listen to singular tracks on their own, the album becomes much better.
