PnB Rock’s Goin Thru The Motions Is Anything But

PnB Rock is a relatively new artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His debut album GTTM: Goin Thru The Motions dropped on January 13, 2017 and it is a formidable offering considering his newness in the game. It could be said that PnB Rock, whose real name is Rakim Hasheem Allen, got his start behind bars. He wrote the verses of his debut mixtape Real Nigga Bangaz while still incarcerated. He was then released and signed a deal with Atlantic Records. Rap is one of the few businesses that offers those kinds of opportunities.

The structure of the songs on the album is on point. Every track is an efficiently composed piece of art; not that every song is amazing, but there are times when artists depart from classic structure and it doesn’t always work to their benefit. GTTM has a few features, one in particular is “Attention” ft. Wiz Khalifa which is a pretty good track. It’s not the best on the song on the album, but Wiz’s feature is a cosign that nobody can deny. The album sees features from other high profile artists such as Quavo and Ty Dolla Sign.

The song “Notice Me” has interesting subject matter and a catchy hook which combines to make good music. Essentially, PnB Rock is asking the woman in the song if she notices his online presence on social media platforms like Instagram and twitter. He mentions, “I been showin love, showin love// Likin all ya pictures//repostin when you say things//sometimes I swear I think they all about me” which is a very accurate depiction of social interaction between millennials.

One critique is that PnB Rock tends to rely a little too heavily on auto tune in some of his songs. It almost overpowers the tone in songs like “Smile” which is a very heartfelt message that would have been just as good with a little less of the familiar electronic crooning he is known for. For a debut, it’s a legitimate show of strength and the future looks bright for the Pennsylvania native.

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