#StiktothePoint on Post Malone's "Stoney"

When Post Malone burst onto the scene with "White Iverson," most people probably had the same consecutive reactions. The first was that this song was hot and for pun's sake, it was white hot. However, what followed that reaction was this sense there was no way this kid lasts any longer than a blip on the radar. In a world where every "woke" person wants to scream cultural appropriation when ever any white rapper hits the scene, Post was really pushing it. The braids, the dance moves, the grills...he basically could have been the poster boy for that movement. I'll be honest, I thought that Post Malone would be a fad and he would be gone quicker than he was here. And I thought I was right. When he dropped the August 26th mixtape, I thought it was over. I was not a fan of much of the tape and the sound wasn't for me. It let out all the excitement I had built up for his debut album Stoney. So when I heard he was dropping December 9th, I decided to give it a listen but with not nearly the excitement I thought I'd have. But from the moment the intro starts to the second the album ends, Post Malone took me on one of the most enjoyable musical rides of 2016.

Post Malone has got an impeccable ear for beats. There was never a song on this album where I questioned the production choice. I'm going to just say it: Stoney is, sonically, the best album of 2016. He infused so may differenct genres on the album and each one worked. Even songs like "Broken Whiskey Glass" and "Leave," which are heavily influenced by country rock were enjoyable and I am not a fan of country at all. He's a skilled guitarist as well and I assume he had a hand on a few of these tracks in that regard.

You can be a good rapper without being super lyrical. As long as you're saying something in your raps of substance, I'll normally give you a chance. Post is not going to blow you away with super lyrical content but he's able to drop good enough verses where the songs actually mean something. On my favorite song on the album Deja Vu, he crafts some solid verses, combined with some interesting flows and vocals, to keep the listener engaged with the song. And this just has to be said: Justin Bieber is magic on songs. He will take a song and just elevate to new heights. Just amazing from a guy I hated years ago.

As stated previously, Post Malone experiments with so many different genres in his music and everything makes sense. There's so much here. There's hip-hop, country, some RnB, electronica and reggae on this album and each decision makes sense. In this age, rappers are trying to be more artistic, venturing out of their comfortable lanes. For example, Childish Gambino, who I am a huge fan of, just dropped a funk inspired album that I did not care for. Post Malone found a way to balance keeping true to hip-hop but bring something new to the field.

Here's the thing: Post Malone shocked the world and arguably dropped the best album on a blockbuster December 9th. Kanye's album was probably best sounding album this year before Stoney and Post Malone blew that out the water. Furthermore, the album is fun to listen to from front to back and I think it appeals to so many different people. I hope that people don't try to chastise him for one reason or another because they are going to miss out on a guy who I think really loves what he does.

Pros: Beats+Sound is top notch, lot of bangers on here,

Cons: Some songs drag on a bit too long, even though they sound great, songs can sound similar.

3 Must hear songs: Deja Vu, Yours Truly, Austin Post, Leave