Chiddy Bang
Breakfast
Released: February 21, 2012
Label: Virgin, I.R.S.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/chiddybang/
Review By: Charlie Inim
The Pennsylvania Pa. alternative hip hop duo “Chiddy Bang” brings us their long waited debut, after releasing their opposite of Adults single. The album is titled “Breakfast.” Chidera “Chiddy” Anamege say its entitled breakfast because breakfast is the most important meal of the day and “Our breakfast is going to be the breakfast of champions. Who wouldn’t want that?” From what I heard the album is refreshing and its like that first bite of cereal in the morning. It’s not a gourmet breakfast but it something that’s pleasing and hits the spot. Before dropping their Virgin Records release they performed at Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, Bamboozle, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. Chiddy Bang is comprised of Noah “Xaphoon Jones” Bersin, the producer, and Chiddy as the rapper. The Duo has a lot of potential and the future is bright for them. Xaphoon Jones produced the album. The production on the LP is really impressive; it has a blend of pop, hip hop, electro, and indie. Since I think people should know this, recently Chiddy set the Guinness World Records title for the Longest Freestyle Rap by continuously rapping for 9 hours, 18 minutes and 22 seconds, which is a great accomplishment for the rookie rapper. Chiddy is quite clever with his lyrics. You can feel his confident patience; he’s a lion that has the hunger that would scare the fastest gazelle. The duo shy’s away from the typical hip hop recipe for an album. Their music is progressive and positive, and tracks like “Happening” and ”Mind your manners ft. Icona Pop,”(Which are probably the most pop radio ready tracks on the LP) shows that their setting a new benchmark for this new generation of hip hop artists. They don’t talk and stress about cars, clothes, hoes, or selling drugs, but Chiddy occasional does talk of Marijuana and girl issues but it’s not too repetitive. The album is not sweep you off your feet amazing but it’s a pretty good debut. It’s a playful album and you can tell their having fun do it.
Recently I noticed that a certain nationwide sports show had featured a few songs off the Chiddy bang album. They played songs such as “Mind your manners” and “4th quarter.”They spotlighted good songs but I don’t think it does the album justice. It’s a mainstream album but it has its more personal moments such as “Does she Love me?” and “Talking to myself.” Which reflect on Chiddy’s past relationships, how the couple wasn’t very compatible and how the other relationship was hard to maintain since a lot of things were happening since his music career was the main facet of his life. “Ray Charles” their latest single is kind of an average track that talks of how they’re Ray Charles because they got black shades, got smoke, their heads to the sky, and they look fly. Chiddy doesn’t say his music is like Ray Charles but they may hear evil but they won’t see it. “Run it back” has a hook that seems R&B with Shirazi singing it, but when the verse drops, the beat gets just spacey and mean. A very likeable track, I thought the line were he said” I ’ma wild out basically, that means that I probably don’t care what you say to me,” epitomizes the whole track and the rawness of it. “Out 2 Space” is a cool song that talks about how things are looking up and his career and his crew are heading in the right direction and that’s towards the sky.” Whatever we want” seems like the second part of “Out 2 space,” in how it talks about his life now. He’s Partying, doing shows, getting women, drinking, smoking and getting whatever he wants. One of the more notable songs is “Baby Roulette.” A very odd beat track with Train on the hook singing “I hope you know that I’m for real, my love is super-size aint no happy meal. But if I’m gonna stay, I don’t want to play Baby Roulette.” The song is entertaining by the telling how you roll the dice with some women, and how a glove can be all the love that’s needed. “4th Quarter” and “Breakfast” have a strong hip hop feel to them and Chiddy expresses himself and his view on hip hop by saying on “Breakfast “Could I ever be next to be Nas/ Hater is spying on me, I don’t f*** with espionage. Chiddy’s rap style is similar to B.O.B in a way, but B.O.B tries to be more hood in his approach, Chiddy’s style is more suburb friendly rap .In honesty I’m found myself really enjoying the poppy track on the Album a lot more than their attempts at regular hip hop. Overall the Debut album is good. I’d give it a 7.5 to 8. There’s a lot of promise from this duo and they’re not to be overlooked.