A PhD in Worthwhile R&B: The Dream Mixtape

Originally published at Passionweiss

The Dream can’t sing like Usher or dance like Chris Brown, but the music is better. In a genre harvested for disposable singles where performers adopt electronica-lite to crossover, Terius Nash is one of the few doing it differently. His songs are at times lewd, bitter and self-reflective. 

On the Mobb Deep sampling “Cold” from last year’s Royalty: The Prequel EP, Nash’s lover dances to his contemporaries and he’s jealous of their audio seduction. During “Turnt Out,” Dream mentions forgetting to sing in falsetto and throughout “Lake Michigan” admits to being a jaded ex-romantic. Even lighter work like “I Luv Your Girl” and “That’s My Shit” aren’t innocent love songs, but transparent references to Lil Wayne’s relationships with his ex partners. 

Among the assembly line ten-packs, The Dream conveys more than cliché. We’re not talking Shakespearean wordplay, but as 90% of mainstream R&B is more worried about consuming a refined carb than music, Dream’s imperfect personality is necessary.

Production is another of the self-proclaimed Radio Killa’s strengths. When Beyoncé and fellow hit syndicates aren’t tapping Nash's song writing with partner Tricky Stewart, his most interesting work stays in house. The majority of Dream's tracks aren't audio throwaways for a tweenage audience, but compelling finger-snappers. 

His catalogue is an instrumental master class with drums that knock and synths that trigger your internal dancing machine. Terius’ first three albums twisted the influence of R&B demigods with simple romantic themes. Later work is darker and experimental as he hardened his subject matter after two divorces. 

Not shy of exhibiting his influences, Nash is a music student. He’s paid tribute to R Kelly (“12 Play”), reworked lyrics from Ginuwine (“Ghetto”), channelled Prince (many tracks) and mimicked MJ (“Michael.”) Dream's also used enough of the "AY!" ad-lib to make even the most dedicated regionalist wish they were from Hotlanta.

Although his own influence is yet to be properly acknowledged, fellow singers undoubtedly pay attention and he's hinted The Weeknd listened to "Fancy" a bit too closely. Six track EP Crown was released earlier this month ahead of his July full length Crown Jewel. As with all Dream projects, there’s some tracks I’ll be listening to in a few months and some I’ll only return to occasionally. The aforementioned Royalty is the closest he’s come to a perfectly cohesive project with dynamic production, personal references, no unnecessary features and the most tasteful Outkast reference in recent memory. There have been concessions for radio and IV Play suffered from forced guest spots, but there’s rarely a release that doesn’t have a baby-making masterpiece. 

As someone with a PhD in The Dream's music, I've listened to his full catalogue and made the below playlist with my favourite songs. You might want to leave a comment about how a song you like isn’t featured or turn your nose up at R&B, otherwise you can two step with the rest of us.

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Passionweiss Top 50 Albums of 2014

Here's my two pieces from the Passionweiss Top 50 albums. Read the rest here, there's some quality writing on that thing.

49. Gangsta Boo and Beatking – Underground Cassette Tape Music

The speaker-knocking result of two renowned hard-asses combining their vulcanized fury, Underground Cassette Tape doesn’t fuck around. Memphis OG Gangsta Boo and Houston’s father of the year, Beatking, have laced this project with 15 bangers you can suplex #sadboys to. As Torii MacAdams said, it’s both unexpected and awesome to see the Triple Six Mafia’s former first lady catch a deserved second wind as one of the baddest MCs in the game. Props also due to Beatking for assembling top-notch production with a crew of relatively unknown beat chefs.

Underground Cassette Tape Music feels more like a studio album than a random assortment of mix tape tracks, and that’s largely due to the consistently speaker-crumpling beats. The guests are on point too: Paul Wall calls himself Slab God, 8 Ball delivers a brief sermon next to a Pimp C sample, and OJ Da Juiceman slurs sweetly. But it’s the natural chemistry between Beatking and Boo that makes this the de facto anthem for any exotic dancer worth a damn.

19. Migos – No Label II

With No Label 2, Migos proved “Versace” wouldn’t be their last heater to rock the bando. A sequel to their 2012 mix tape, the gold-obsessed trio stick to their unlicensed guns with more tales from the hood twilight-zone. Delivered in staccato, each line a repeatable phrase for the ADD listener. Migos continue to expand their delivery past rapping in triplets, but anyone familiar with the gonzo hood scholars should expect regular references to Motorola cell phones and infinite shouted ad-libs.

Quavo & Co. recently added “repeat hit makers” to their trap resume, producing plug-endorsed bangers, “Fight Night” and “Handsome and Wealthy.” The latter shows Migos tiptoeing into melodic hooks, which are also present on the popular “Freak no More” and the Zaytoven produced, “Add It Up.” Of course, it helps that they enlisted a production hit squad including the always-hungry Metro Boomin, 808 mobster Honorable C Note, and frequent collaborator, Phenom Da Don.

Using a hectic schedule modelled after Gucci Mane who was previously managed by current boss, Coach K, the trio have already released follow up, Rich Nigga Timeline. The quality of the two is comparable, but No Label 2 took them from from luxury garment name-droppers to new Atlanta’s very own John, Paul and George. At 25 tracks long, No Label 2 isn’t designed for a single headphone session unless you have a superhuman resistance to listener’s fatigue. Instead, condense your favorites into one riot-inducing mix and you’ll have suburban moms tweaking before you can say, “In the trap with two guns like I’m Tomb Raider.”