MTV Asks If G.O.O.D. Music's 'Cruel Summer' Album Was Worth The Wait? [Poll]
Written by Rob Markham (@RobMarkman) for MTV
Kanye West and his G.O.O.D. Music crew have finally released their first compilation album, and even though the title doesn't quite fit the season, Cruel Summer continues Kanye's quest to set a new standard for hip-hop.
Save for possibly Dr. Dre, who has tinkered with his still unreleased Detoxalbum for nearly a decade, no single artist in the genre is as meticulous in the studio as Yeezy. Needless to say, the bar for G.O.O.D. Music's Kanye-helmed Cruel Summeralbum is sky-high.
The 12-track LP, released on Tuesday (September 18), rounds up 'Ye's band of musical mercenaries. Big Sean, Pusha T, Common, Kid Cudi, Cyhi the Prynce and John Legend all make key contributions, while non-G.O.O.D. (but still great) artists like Jay-Z, 2 Chainz, Raekwon and Marsha Ambrosius appear as well. It's R. Kelly who steals the show on the first track, "To the World." The "I Believe I Can Fly" singer urges listeners to throw their middle fingers up in a surprisingly motivational tune, where he proclaims, "The whole world is a couch, bitch, I'm Rick James tonight," in a nod to Dave Chappelle's everlasting depiction of the legendary pop star.
As far as album openers go, "To the World" is a spotless first step, maybe too good, as it pushes the bar up another few notches before track two even begins. Though 'Ye's musical presence is felt throughout,Cruel Summer is unlike any of Yeezy's well-weaved solo affairs. The G.O.O.D. Music head honcho jumps on seven out of the 12 tracks, including previously heard songs "Mercy," "New God Flow," "Cold,""Clique" and Chief Keef's "I Don't Like"remix. In fact, if there is any knock against Cruel Summer it's that the LP provides few "new" moments, and we all know how much value 'Ye places on the wow-factor. It's certainly not uncommon for an artist to roll-out several tracks before an album's release, but after Kanye and Hov's leak-free Watch the Throne last year, hearing five out of Cruel Summer's 12 tracks prior to ripping off the CD's packaging robs fans of the discovery moments that they usually look to Kanye for.
That's not to say that the songs we've gotten beforehand aren't great. "Mercy" is still as catchy as ever and "Cold" is still a loud and boisterous banger. The Jay-Z-assisted "Clique," with its buzzing bass gets better with each listen even if the well-traveled "I Don't Like (Remix)" sounds like it would've been best left as a bonus cut.
The reggae-tinged "The Morning" brings together Raekwon, Pusha T, Common, Cyhi the Prynce, 2 Chainz, Kid Cudi, D'banj and Kanye for an unlikely get-money ode. "Higher" marks yet-another return of 1990's rap star Ma$e and "The One" is a sentimental rags-to-riches story. Cudi's solo track "Creepers" is just as good as the standouts off his 2009 Man on the Moon debut and John Legend and Teyana Taylor's "Bliss" is a quality R&B duet.
Cruel Summer shouldn't be confused with a Kanye West solo affair — this is no Dark Twistedfollow-up — but as compilations go, G.O.O.D.'s first shot is a strong one.
Do you think Cruel Summer was worth the wait? How would you rate it on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being excellent?
Poll
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Comment
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Comment by 11Brooklyn718 on September 19, 2012 at 12:32pm -
its disappointing. most of the songs have already been playing or played out and the other ones arent that good. i dont care what there name is and what they did for hip hop 'the morning' sucks
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Comment by ryan schryer on September 19, 2012 at 11:24am -
@marvinfunk your a dummy.
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Comment by Marvin Funk on September 19, 2012 at 6:12am -
I agree with that. The album is highly overrated. Some songs are good and some are really wack. There is no song I would call a hit or a classic. I don't like the fact that Kanye produced much of the album. T-Minus production would have been great imo. Mercy is one of the worst songs i have ever heard so far.
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Comment by NotoriousRambo on September 18, 2012 at 11:39pm -
GOOD ALBUM BUT HIGHLY OVERRATED LIKE WATCH THE THRONE
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Comment by THA_FINISHERzZz on September 18, 2012 at 9:52pm -
Mercy and new god flow are the only hot tracks,only reason i like mercy because the sick beat i hate hearing big aka lil sean he a r&b fag..and new god flow the one track that you can listen to years from now,fuckin trash 12 track album im glad i did not buy it...
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Comment by JG514 on September 18, 2012 at 8:42pm -
I was expecting more something like the G.O.O.D FRIDAYS!!! not a bad album but disappointing...
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Comment by Namaste on September 18, 2012 at 8:05pm -
Like my man @Tyris said I think it's a pretty G.O.O.D. album cept for the fact we heard most of the songs already. Just picture if you didn't hear Mercy or New god flow or even Cold b4 the album came out. It wouldve been a classic hands down! BUT with that being said I still gotta give it a 6 or 7 cause I heard every track off MBDTF and I still banged every track like I never heard it b4 and I can honestly say it didn't take nothing away from the album, but on this it did. So I guess it can't be that G.O.O.D. huh? The one, The morning, Higher, and To the world is my favs and thats only cuz I heard mercy and cold already. I only skip 2 songs and that's New god flow and the one singing jawn other than that I let the ish rock. I still love mercy btw
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Comment by True2HipHop on September 18, 2012 at 7:50pm -
From what i've heard so far this album wasn't worth the wait. There are a good handful of artist I don't care for because they're just industry whores that are being pimped out like their hot, when they don't even deserve to be. I am also not impressed with the lyrics really they all just sound like their bragging on each song, not even embrassing what Hip Hop & being an MC is about but most of the artist I can't even give the MC titled because they don't even deserve it.
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Comment by TOTCD on September 18, 2012 at 7:02pm -
The album is good. Worth the wait!
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Comment by tyris on September 18, 2012 at 5:55pm -
Its not a classic but its a good album they gave us half of the album over the summer anyway so alot of the songs seems old thats my only problem and I like how they added ghostface to the new god flow track and that song with raekwon is classic I think its gone sell between 160k-200k easly kanye always put up numbers and good music owned the summer oan the dynasty sold 3 mill and dipset sold a mill of diplomatic immunity veinydick tracy and gunit is a group not a completion and alot of groups sold over a mill
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