Confession: I am an A Boogie wit da Hoodie stan. When Artist 2.0 dropped I celebrated by wearing 10 hoodies. I fasted all week leading up to the release because I knew I’d be eating.
A Boogie is an incredibly dynamic artist with a range of different styles and a unique voice that works both rapping and singing. He shows off his eclecticism and evolution on Artist 2.0.
A Boogie’s sound is his biggest priority. Above everything, the song needs that right sound. As he’s done throughout his career, he explores this sound with beat switches, voice alterations, and lyrical repetition. While these themes stay consistent, his only constant style is change. Reshape the sound. Reshape the sound multiple times per song. A Boogie updates his style on Artist 2.0 to separate this work from previous projects.
In interviews, A Boogie said there’s a guitar theme on Artist 2.0 as compared with the piano theme on the first Artist album. We can easily see this shift from piano to guitar in the album art, song titles (Me and My Guitar), and lyrics (“With a guitar now, I’m a lane switcher”). What does this mean as we dig deeper into the album? As we’ll see, sometimes the guitar is woven into the beat. Other times, it’s his voice that’s mixed in to sound like a guitar.
Let’s dig into the analysis of Artist 2.0, using a few standout songs to further explain A Boogie with da Hoodie’s artistry. I’ll include links to each song — this article works better if you listen as you read.
Track 1: Thug Love (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music)
Right on queue, the theme of the album is immediately exposed with the guitar-driven instrumental on Thug Love. We also see beat switches, voice alterations, and lyrical repetition right out of the gate. For example, in the second verse of Thug Love the background changes after the line “Shooting like a Jumpman, 23 ’em” when he introduces repetition in his verse:
Shooting like a Jumpman, 23 ’em, yeah, yeah
Okay, yeah, that’s Boogie in your nightmares
Yeah, okay, I used to bust juggs with my right hand
Yeah, okay, I used to bag it up with my left hand
To this day I never read the Bible so I might sin, yeah
Okay, yeah, that’s Boogie in your nightmares
Switching to minimal beats to exemplify a set of lyrics is an A Boogie staple. He continues these beat changes throughout the rest of the song. This distinction allows each section of the track to stand out. The difference with the beat switches here compared with earlier A Boogie songs is that the minimal beats are guitar focused.
The lyrics also foreshadow the message on the rest of the album. A Boogie starts the album by dealing with a girl who is trying to control him while he is admitting he’s been an asshole.
She want that thug love
But this ain’t no fucking love song
It’s crazy you’re still pretty when you cry
Push your panty strings over to the side
Gon’ wake up and hit it, why you got your thong on?
You tellin’ me that you want thug love
But you don’t even kiss me when we making love
And that’s how I knew that you was a dog
He flips this part at the end of the song, changing pieces while keeping the structure.
But you say you want thug love
But this ain’t no fucking love song
Ah, ah, pretty when you cry, ah
Pullin’ on your panty strings, put ’em to the side
Wake up, hit it while you still got your thong on
You say you want thug love, you don’t
Even kiss me when we make love
You say that I’m a dog
Track 3: Me and My Guitar (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music)
Truly the standout, symbolic track of the album. Emo rap at it’s finest. Me and My Guitar is a quintessential view into the elements that make A Boogie. We see a strong control of the guitar theme, multiple beat switches, voice alterations, and lyrical repetition.
Me and My Guitar was made specifically for Juice WRLD to collaborate on. Unfortunately, we can only imagine the possibilities.
A Boogie reflects on how his past relationships have left him heartless and unable to engage in relationships. The lyrical repetition is apparent as he repeats the main segment three times.
You can tell something is wrong, just leave me alone
I don’t even know where to start, I’m just done
Used to being in my room with you
Now you’re gone, I only see you through the phone now, where did you go?
I should’ve never told you leave me alone, I guess you took it to the heart
The voice alterations and multiple beat switches are also apparent throughout. In his only verse, A Boogie swerves between multiple pitches and beat switches to spotlight his pain.
[LOW PITCH] You got my shoulder to lean on if you want to cry, fuck a tissue
[HIGH PITCH + ADDED DRUMS] In and out of love so many fucking times, I don’t get it
There’s no shortage of beat switches and voice alterations packed throughout this track.
On Me and My Guitar, it’s hard to not think he is paying homage to Lil’ Wayne. Weezy put out Rebirth, Wayne’s attempt at lane switching into rock music. Weezy also raps “It’s just me and my guitar, bitch, I’m heavy metal and you can get the fuckin Led Zeppelin”.
Within other tracks on Artist 2.0, A Boogie remembers his previous work and honors other artists that came before him. He recalls lines from the original Artist. “Still walkin’ through puddles full of pain” is a shout out to Jungle. He interpolates lines by 50 Cent (“I know many men wish death upon me like I’m 50 Cent”) and pays respect to Rihanna (Good Girls Gone Bad) and 2Pac (Thug Love and Hit Em Up).
Track 5: Numbers (Feat. Roddy Ricch, Gunna, & London on da Track) (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music)
Any back and forth song has a soft spot in my heart. Another standout track on Artist 2.0 — A Boogie, Roddy Ricch, and Gunna volley verses on Numbers.
Roddy Ricch is someone I view in a similar lane as A Boogie. With similar styles, Roddy also plays with voice alterations to add variety to his lyrics.
[LOW PITCH] And my lil’ brother turned to a drummer
[LOW PITCH] Walked him outside, now he got the llama
[HIGH PITCH] I took that Maybach where the J’s at
A Boogie’s lyrical repetition continues right after Roddy’s pitch alternating verse ends with “Fuck it, run up them numbers”.
Run up them numbers
OKC, you don’t want no thunder
The old Tracy McGrady, the one
OKC, you don’t want no thunder, yeah
Christian the sweater
Okay, Christian Dior the sweater
Track 8: DTB 4 Life (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music)
These songs are journeys in musical production. The follow up to the masterpiece D.T.B. (Intelude) is a prime example. DTB 4 Life displays a ridiculous amount of range.
First, A Boogie uses pitch alteration to give the perspective of someone else and then replies to this perspective.
[HIGH PITCH] She told me I’m not myself no more
And I swear I know exactly who I am
Girl, just love me for the differences
[HIGH PITCH] She told me she don’t want me around
How could you feel that way, baby?
Especially after all this time with you
On top of that, the beat continuously updates to shape the feeling of the moment. A Boogie moves from multiple instrumental layers to a minimal, low pitched piano as he brings up the death of his friends “My niggas Quado and Beasty, I be missin’ ‘em”. Immediately after, the beat and A Boogie’s rhythm picks back up. This ebb and flow continues throughout the rest of the song.
Lastly, more repetition — every section starts with some variation of “I’m DTB”.
[Chorus] I’m DTB for life, no, I can’t trust my bitches
[Verse 1] I’m DTB forever, on God, I don’t trust bitches
[Verse 2] I’m DTB and it’s ’cause what she, what she done to me
Track 9: Calm Down (Bittersweet) [Feat. Summer Walker] (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music)
Incredible moment between Summer Walker and A Boogie. London on da Track produced this one and he’s responsible for getting the two together to follow up the tantalizing Stretch You Out.
Summer Walker opens Calm Down (Bittersweet) with beautiful vocals that could fill two Georgia Domes. She adds that Atlanta flair as she sings “Can we calm down and make love? Get it poppin’ in the back of your Bentley truck”. A Boogie meets her with a remarkable high pitched opening verse.
You’re dangerous
Perfect hips in every single pic, you got your angles up
I admit that I am not the best for you, no lie, feel fake as fuck
And you don’t even smile no more, why so serious?
And you don’t even wanna come around no more
Can you just wait up?
Did these two graduate from the same music academy? They mesh better than peanut butter and banana with a glass of milk (had to throw my favorite food combo in there). The production on this opening verse is something else too. The modifications to the sound when A Boogie raps “Can you just wait up?” give the question seven more layers of meaning.
The sound at the start of the second verse completely changes course. The beat modulation makes the song almost come to halt as A Boogie says “When I come over, ride me just like I’m a Maserati | Go fast or go slow”. The build up on the slowdown makes the return of the normal flow even more pronounced, helping to exaggerate that A Boogie is “a nice guy”.
[SLOW] And if they ask, just say that I was [NORMAL] a nice guy
Then I touch you, a muh’fuckin’ thief in the nighttime
Make it scary like sci-fi
At the end of the track, A Boogie’s voice is manipulated to appear as a guitar, further building the guitar theme.
Track 12: Blood On My Denim (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music)
My favorite song on Artist 2.0. Deep piano intro. Who hurt A Boogie on this one? He comes out firing with some savage emo rap over a high pitched verse.
I thought every girl I had was the one, but she was not it
Ninety nine percent of bitches be thottin’
If I do the same thing, you’ll say I’m not shit
I could do the same thing, you’ll leave me cryin’
Electric guitar chords are woven throughout the opening verse to further add to the pain A Boogie is feeling from another ended relationship.
The beat changes as he enters the chorus. Gone are the drums and the rest of the sound is pitched down. This continues throughout the chorus and the second verse.
A Boogie uses literal repetition within the chorus by repeating words, a technique we’ve seen him use on Numbers and DTB 4 Life.
She was lookin’ O.D. from a side eye
Said she ain’t an eater, oh she lied, oh she lied-lied
Woke up to three bitches in my bed
Made me say it three times, “Oh you fine, oh you fine-fine”
However, A Boogie flips these lyrics just a bit on the second chorus.
She was lookin’ O.D. from a side eye
Said she ain’t an eater, but she lie all the time-time
I woke up to three bitches in my bed
Made me say it three times, like, “You fine, oh you fine-fine”
Another key difference here is the beat on the second chorus. The drums re-enter and continue throughout the rest of the track, helping to keep the sound fresh and diverse. As noted at the opening, “Reshape the sound. Reshape the sound multiple times per song.”
I’m starting to feel like a repeating drum, but Verse 2 is another great example of the arsenal of A Boogie’s pitch alteration. Of course the chorus ends with the same line that starts the verse. These themes of what makes the A Boogie sound are consistent and dispersed throughout the song.
The end of Verse 3 displays more repetition. This entire song is another journey in musical production. For the sake of brevity (what’s left of it anyways), I’m going to move on.
Track 13: R.O.D. (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music)
I lean slightly more rap than R&B. And that’s how A Boogie leans. In a Tim Westwood interview, A Boogie said Hoodie SZN would be the A Boogie wit da Hoodie rap side and Artist 2.0 would be the Artist softer side.
R.O.D. as a contrast to Beasty on Hoodie SZN is a perfect example. Beasty is a song where his rap flows consistently switch throughout the verses. He rides the rap wave on Beasty. R.O.D. is a song where his singy R&B flows consistently switch throughout the song, over an ever-evolving best.
Track 20: Streets Don’t Love You (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music)
Story time. Shit hits hard. This is a song to play for the homies to show A Boogie’s depth and versatility. Who else tells a story while changing up the pitches? The emotion is almost unbearable. Can we get more of these?
But then he seen his moms laid out on the floor
He dropped down to his knees, head high to the Lord
Ain’t the type to cry, but his mom, he really loved
Tears from his eyes dropped beside of the blood
He wishin’ it won’t hurt, but he cried ’cause it does
Then he put his own pump right to his mouth
Unbelievably, Artist 2.0 ends with A Boogie’s voice manipulated to sound like guitar tears. We’ve come full circle. Thug Love begins the album with a guitar-driven sound, using guitar as the instrument. Streets Don’t Love You ends the album with a guitar-driven sound, this time using A Boogie’s modulated voice as the instrument.
A Boogie wit da Hoodie — Artist 2.0: Final Thoughts
Some people will call for the old A Boogie wit da Hoodie. It can’t be like that. Musicians evolve. Especially A Boogie. So many artists are copying his sound. It’s on Artist Julius Dubose to pave the lane. His forte is staying creative by trying new styles.
The purpose of Artist 2.0 is a new, refreshed sound. A Boogie’s biggest priority has always been building creative sounds by applying unique thematic elements. We’ve seen that he achieves these distinctive sounds through beat switches, voice alterations, and lyrical repetition. I haven’t found anyone in the game that quite masters these specific elements at the same level as A Boogie wit da Hoodie. Every pitch change is a new hit of adrenaline.
A few songs could be slashed from Artist 2.0, but overall this project is masterful in its execution. Each track packs a strong punch while staying concise — no song is over 4 minutes. The sounds are fresh. Every feature works. Every single one of them. They all make sense and complement his style, case in point Numbers with Roddy Ricch and Gunna.
I am fully on board to witness the continued evolution of A Boogie wit da Hoodie. Give us the Deluxe version already!
Again, I’ll now be writing my reviews at AdamTrebs.com. Peep it to see new reviews and general Music musings.
Previous Posts (Note: These were less in-depth 1-Listen Album Reviews):
- Brent Faiyaz — Fuck The World (February 2020)
- Eminem — Music To Be Murdered By (January 2020)
- Quando Rondo — QPac (January 2020)
- Cam’ron — Purple Haze 2 (December 2019)
- Khalid — Free Spirit (April 2019)
- 2 Chainz — Rap or Go to the League (March 2019)
- Offset — Father of 4 (Feb 2019)
- Future — Future Hndrxx Presents: The WIZRD (Jan 2019)
- James Blake — Assume Form (Jan 2019)
- Boogie — Everythings for Sale (Jan 2019)
