When people think of romantic music they usually think of ballads and R&B. Myself, however, I love hearing someone rap something real sexy over a chill beat. LROC just dropped a new album titled, Love Addiction, that thoroughly exemplifies that romantic hip-hop vibe.
Thoughts on the Tracks
Leading up to this drop, LROC made it clear this release was for the ladies. The opening track, “Best Of Me,” is full of everything that any woman would want to hear. “You be bringing out the best of me. I don’t know what it is, but I think you got the recipe. So, from here on out, I’m giving you the best of me.” The first track feels soft and beautiful like the petals on a rose. In contrast, “Tennessee Honey” has a bit of a harder edge. It’s the thorn you prick your finger on when you grab the stem.
One of the catchier get-stuck-in-your-head songs is “Thing For You.” The beat sounds wet while LROC drips saucy bars over it with a breathy staccato delivery. The transitions throughout this project are just as smooth as his rhymes are; going into “Mood Swings” feels so natural. It’s as if the production has a mood swing from the previous track to this one where it took the last beat and just slowed it down a bit. These kinds of elements throughout help to tell a story without having to write the novel.
Even though there are clear shifts in the beats from track to track, tonally LROC makes gradual changes over the course of the album. It’s beautiful the way he “intricately intertwines the spider’s web of space and time” to make it feel like one whole experience instead of just a collection of songs. The “Interlude” by Mosaic Mirage is a stellar addition that gives a touch of divine femininity to the project, reinforcing his intent to share this with women specifically in mind as his audience. If you’re truly paying attention, you’ll notice he wove the hook to the next song into the background of the track.
By the time I got to that hook during the next track “T Shirt,” I had managed to bite my lip so hard I almost broke the skin. Along with “Best Of Me,” this has to be my favorite track on the album. Featuring Cari Christmas, this song is definitely top notch grown and sexy, it’s about to get hot and heavy kind of music.
LROC closes out the album with the fluid track, “Sample.” The confidence with which he delivers his bars feels like he’s making direct eye contact with me and it’s intoxicating. Don’t get me wrong, flowers are nice, and chocolates are cool, but neither will last longer than a week. There are some emotions that only music can bring out in people, and that shit lasts forever. LROC’s Love Addiction will always be around to make you feel some type of way, and dare I say it, you may even get addicted to it.
