Megan Thee Stallion - Good News: Review
Some people have different reactions dependent on taste, sound, and view. Provocative, yet complex, lyricism in music (especially Hip-Hop) has always been met with shock and criticism. It didn't matter the gender, but as it is with progression, as a gender escalates due to it the blowback starts to come from the conservatives and squeamish people. For example artists like Eve, Lil Kim, and Remy Ma, are some who had it and still made it sell by being clever adding unique sounds to that delivery. Megan Thee Stallion adapting these influences into her own work based on her personality is what makes Good News deliver better than her previous works. Unlike them, Good News shows Megan strengthening everything about her music and more. The vigor behind many aspects of Megan's delivery, flows, and lyricism is matched only by the uncomfortable bluntness from some of her more provocative tracks.
There is a lot to unpack from Good News, as Megan Thee Stallion really blossoms in many ways, even when some tracks breach past a certain ratchet level that not every one is accustomed to. Like the sweat levels of fierceness from "Do It On The Top," featuring the City Girls, but one shouldn't expect less.
The differentiating approach to her lyricism and story telling grows more with tracks like “Intercourse,” that blooms as a reggae - island hip-hop beat with smooth soul undertones from reggae artist, Popcaan. Fortunately the album has more than just him him to add to the mix. “Freaky Girl,” and “Savage Remix,” featuring SZA and Beyonce respectively, have these lush instrumentals. Juicy J’s smooth bounce style elevates Megan’s introspective lyrics about taking life by the horns.
Unfortunately, other tracks like “Movie,” featuring Lil Dirk and “Cry Baby,” featuring DaBaby come off as lazy and overtly typical. They don’t really create ear popping moments and the latter could have benefitted without DaBaby. Through its ups and downs there has been one constant though, and that is the production.
The finite focus in production to adapt the sampledelia (production based around notes of another track aka sample) to Megan Thee Stallion's style just boasts the quality and time spent arranging these tracks. A few standouts from this style are “Girl In The Hood,” which takes the classic Eazy-E track and adds a rock flare with the rifting electric guitar and lowered percussion notes. And the opening to Good News samples “Who Shot Ya?” by The Notorious B.I.G., that Megan destroys as she takes the power with the diss at Tory Lanez.
Megan Thee Stallion’s way of destroying the media’s mask and letting us deep in to see this is really her way throughout the album hit highs and modest lows. Good News has shown that she is capable of delivering great and consistent music on a gold platter, even if it isn't everyone's favorite dish.
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