Saint JHN – TRAP (feat Lil Baby)
Released: 28 February 2019
You might remember Saint JHN for his 2018 Collection One offering. Some of my favorite songs from the LP were “3 Below” and “God Bless The Internet“. Or maybe you remember Saint JHN from his recent interview appearances with Rocafella affiliate Biggs Burke or as a guest on the Joe Budden Podcast. But if this is your first time seeing Saint JHN’s name, get used to it. His creative merger of rap, singing, and totally vibed-out records means you’ll be seeing him a lot more as a leader of the new school.
“TRAP” features atmospheric, worldly production, typical in Saint JHN music, with Saint JHN doubling as both a vocalist and instrument within the production itself. The hook is addictive “I trap, I trap” he wails in a falsetto-esque croon. But despite aesthetic, the content & subject matter is a bit redundant, and to be frank, a little disappointing coming from an artist as tactical & varied as Saint JHN.
On verse 1, Saint JHN spits:
“Trap, she do licks, she the one I forget/
She do coke, she do blow/
She do dope, make a list/
This the life, don’t forget/”
The song could certainly see radio spin due to its major label feature in Lil Baby (who delivers a respectable verse) and its trendy, mainstream content about “the trap”. But I’d be lying if I said “TRAP” didn’t feel underwhelming coming from Saint JHN.
The music, song structure, and vocal capability are all there, but I’m not sure we need another song about trapping. Especially one that doesn’t provide a creative or unique perspective of “the trap”, nor providing any personal point-of-views or conceptions. “TRAP“, while listenable, feels empty. Perhaps a second verse from Saint JHN (after Lil Baby’s) could help bring the song together.
VERDICT
★★★: Good; fans of the artist will find value here. The song structure is there and Lil Baby is a good fit for a feature, but other than that, “TRAP” feels like a song about the trap solely for the sake of having a trendy song about the trap (hustling). It’s feels good aesthetically, but doesn’t offer the listener much more beyond that.
Rating Categories:
★★★★★: Best in show; pinnacle release from an all-time great artist.
★★★★1/2: Stellar example of genre; peak potential.
★★★★: Excellent; recommended to all fans of artist or genre.
★★★1/2: Very good; a few bland songs or minor flaws throughout.
★★★: Good; fans of the artist will find value here.
★★1/2: Average; does little to establish the artist or maintain quality.
★★: Unexceptional; a few highlights but otherwise bland.
★1/2: Weak; unrecommended for anyone but major fans of the style and/or artist.
★: Seriously flawed; very poor work but relatively listenable.
1/2: Terrible; a true embarrassment and akin to audio masochism.