For the most part I’ve seen Ty Dolla Sign as a feature guy, crafting hooks that would find their way into my category of “guilty pleasures”.
However, Free TC puts the pressure on Ty with softer, soulful beats giving his vocals the majority of the track space. The production is solid across the board, but with how prominent Ty is on the album, it really is his vocals that make or break the record. I’m surprised and glad to say not only does Ty hold his own, but on more than one occasion outshines the instrumentals.
Before listening to this LP I’d also considered Ty to be a vocalist whose aesthetic was very clean cut and smooth. While he does bring that on this record, (and executes it well on tracks like “Straight Up”) there are moments like his verse on “LA” where Ty has a tinge of grit in voice. That grit, layered atop smoothed out harmonizing, adds a level of emotion that is subtle but at the same time easily picked up upon.
The entire project hits a Hip Hop and R&B sweet spot. Ty working so closely with more lyrical rappers like Lupe has clearly influenced how he curates emcees. Pulling out strong verses from the majority of the guests on the records (the strongest easily being from Kendrick) Ty’s managed to work undeniably well with the pressure of controlling a full LP.
art by your homie, Arthur Banach
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