No Pressure (album)
No Pressure is the sixth and final studio album by American rapper Logic. The album was announced on July 16, 2020 on his Twitter, with Logic also announcing that he would be retiring from music soon due to the up taking of the father role of his recently born son. It was released on July 24, 2020 via Def Jam Recordings and Visionary Music Group. The album received acclaim from critics, many of whom commended Logic for returning to his roots.
Background and release
The album was announced by Logic on July 16, 2020, on his Twitter account, with Logic also announcing that the album would be his last as he would be retiring. In the tweet, he stated that it had been a "great decade", and it was time to "be a great father." The next day, he debuted photos of his son, "Little Bobby".To celebrate the release, Logic had a "release party extravaganza", where he cried, thanking other rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Drake for their support.
Composition and recording
Opening track "No Pressure" features a sample from Orson Welles's The Hitch-Hiker, with Logic cutting in the script with words and phrases. The track also features David Hayter, reprising his role as Solid Snake.The ending track, "Obediently Yours", uses a sample from the July 28, 1946 episode of Welles's Orson Welles Commentaries. Many listeners praised the usage of samples from Welles, including his commentary on the Isaac Woodard case. Beatrice Welles, his youngest daughter, commented that she "was pleased with the final product and thrilled that her father's message on racism from 76 years ago has struck a chord with a younger audience".
Critical reception
No Pressure was met with critical acclaim upon release with some calling it a return to form for the Maryland MC. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted average score of 82, based on 4 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". It is the highest score in Logic's discography.Will Lavin of NME gave the album four out of five stars, saying that the album "continues the trend even as he bids farewell to the art form that raised him and gave him a platform to speak his truth." A.D. Amorosi of Variety said that the album is a "solid, soulful finale" for his career, and that Logic was in his best, "kid-like Q-Tip mode." Tim Hoffman of RIFF magazine gave the album an 8/10, calling it a "masterful final release" for Logic.
In the review for AllMusic, Fred Thomas called it one of Logic's "best and most enjoyable albums, wrapping up an electrified run with his most clearheaded and honest material yet." Donna-Claire Chesman and Yoh Phillips of DJBooth both praised the rapper for having the album be "driven by love" of life, self, music, and "all the feel-good emotions", as well as finally "finding balance" with himself. Judah Charles Lotter of Meaww called the album a "powerful and infectiously catchy swansong album."
Track listing
Credits adapted from Tidal.Notes
- "Man I Is" is stylized in lowercase letters.
- "No Pressure " features additional vocals by Anna Elyse and David Hayter
- "Hit My Line" features additional vocals by Anna Elyse and Keenen Wayans
- "GP4" features additional vocals by Anna Elyse, No I.D., and Tramayne "TMan" Hudson
- "Celebration" features additional vocals by Anna Elyse, and uncredited vocals by Silas
- "Open Mic\\Aquarius III" features additional vocals by Damian Hudson
- "Soul Food II" features additional vocals by 6ix, Anna Elyse, Big Pep, Bobby Campbell, Brittney Noell Hall, Jordan "Bo" Harris, Josh Lippi, Kevin Randolph, Maui Marc, Rhetorik, Steve Wyreman, and The Homies
- "Perfect" features uncredited vocals by Juicy J and additional vocals by Anna Elyse
- "Man I Is" features additional vocals by Anna Elyse and Lil' Keke
- "A2Z" features additional vocals from Anna Elyse, Little Bobby, Steve Blum, and Tramayne "TMan" Hudson
- "Amen" features additional vocals from Kevin Randolph and Steve Blum
- "No Pressure" contains a sample from The Hitch-Hiker, written and performed by Orson Welles.
- "Hit My Line" contains a sample of "We Got Love", written by Alan Hawkshaw, and performed by Sunny; and uncredited elements of "Attention", written by Robert Hunt, and performed by Head West.
- "GP4" contains a sample from "Mood", written by Rui Wen Pan and Adam Feeney, and performed by VinnyxProd and Frank Dukes from Kingsway Music Library Presents - VinnyxProd Vol. 1; interpolations of "Elevators ", written by André Benjamin and Antwan Patton, and performed by Outkast; and samples of "Shut 'Em Down", written by Carlton Ridenhour, Gary Rinaldo and Hank Shocklee, and performed by Public Enemy.
- "Celebration" contains a sample from "A World Without You", written by Jeffrey Smith, Dana Middleton, Thomas Bell and Linda Epstein, and performed by Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr; and uncredited samples of "One Man Band", written by Milton Brand, and performed by Monk Higgins.
- "Open Mic\\Aquarius III" contains a sample of "A Peace of Light", written by Ahmir Thompson and Raymond Angry, and performed by The Roots; and samples of "Do That Stuff", written by George Clinton, George Worrell and Garry Shider, and performed by Parliament. The latter sample can later be found on "Dark Place".
- "Soul Food II" contains samples of "Soul Food", written by Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Khalil Abdul-Rahman, Alkebulan Williams and Arjun Ivatury, and performed by Logic; and samples of "Choose", written by Matthew Crabtree, and performed by MTK.
- "Perfect" contains elements of the video game Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.
- "Man I Is" contains a sample from "Dreamflower", written by Phillip Clendeninn, and performed by Tarika Blue; a sample of "Knockin' Doorz Down", written by Chad Butler, Marcus Edwards, Michael Shawn Robinson and Marvin Rucker, and performed by Pimp C; and a sample of "SpottieOttieDopaliscious", written by Benjamin, Patton, and Patrick Brown, and also performed by Outkast.
- "5 Hooks" contains samples of "Grown Up Calls", written by Chazwick Bundick, and performed by Toro y Moi.
- "Dark Place" contains samples of "Theme From the Planets", written and performed by Dexter Wansel; and a sample from Status of People, written and performed by Alan Watts.
- "Heard Em Say" contains samples of "Lies ", written by Denny Newman, and performed by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.
- "Amen" contains elements of "Running Out of Time", written and performed by Tyler, the Creator; and samples of "It's Your Thing", written by O'Kelly Isley Jr., Ronald Isley and Rudolph Isley, and performed by The Isley Brothers.
- "Obediently Yours" contains a sample from the July 28, 1946 episode of Orson Welles Commentaries, also written and performed by Welles.
Charts