Most people readily accept that every artist’s process is different. Being honest, do we really care that our favourite band has decided that disappearing to a remote shack to take copious amounts of LSD is best for their creativity? What matters to listeners is the final product.
Oddly, people seem more bothered when artists appear to be overly productive. If there was one criticism that could be levelled at Vince Staples’ excellent breakout project, ‘Summertime '06’, it was that he gave us too much in one go. Working with acclaimed producers like No ID and Clams Casino, the Long Beach rapper delivered an intense hour-long double album of brief, grimy hip hop tracks.
Rather than get burnt out by such a colossal record, though, he’s back only a year later with a new EP. But the lack of breathing space between the two makes sense when you hear them in order.
‘Prima Donna’ is a logical follow up, taking his signature staccato flow and high octane style to new heights while also experimenting with fresh styles of production.
In fact, the only real respite comes in the form of grainy recordings of an exhausted Staples singing about giving up. The trappings and responsibilities of fame are a key theme on ‘Prima Donna’, which even features an ironic mock-up of him looking ‘big-headed’ on the cover.
For Staples, music is his escape and a canvas that he tries to fill with as much passion and energy as he can muster. With its rumbling rhythms, ominous keys and gang vocals, opening track War Ready immediately picks up where he previously left off. The warzone he paints has multiple fronts, referencing both the crime-ridden neighbourhood he grew up in and the challenges he now faces as an influential artist.
Elsewhere, the likes of Smile and the title track are compelling because they’re almost entirely rhetorical. Music is about the only thing that Staples is sure of, but rather than seek validation he plays devil’s advocate, often by counteracting everything he’s already said by the time his next verse gets going.
He does this most successfully on Loco, where Kilo Kish essentially plays a voice in his head, assuring him that “everybody gets a little crazy” as agitated synths buzz in the background. The guest features never last long, though, and even megastars like A$AP Rocky only pop up fleetingly. There’s usually no space left by the time Staples has blurted all his ideas out.
As entertaining a rapper as Staples is, the sheer density of his rhymes definitely make his projects hard to follow. Nevertheless, ‘Prima Donna’ feels just as exhilarating as his previous material while still benefiting from its own brevity. Staples covers a lot of thematic ground but always maintains the same hyperactive persona.
And it’s not just about work rate. In a way, he’s in the exact same headspace that he was when making ‘Summertime '06’. Judging by the rambling interludes here there’s a comedown on the way, but until that happens we might as well enjoy the ride.
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