2 Chainz: Pretty Girls Like Trap Music Review

By John Autry
Music Journalist

Artist: 2 Chainz
Album: Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
Label: Def Jam Recordings
Release Date: June 16, 2017

2 Chainz released his third studio album, Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, on June 16th. Formerly known as Tity Boi and half of the rap group Playaz Circle, 2 Chainz has emerged as a solo rapper since 2011. With a slew of mixtapes and even a collaborative album with Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz has managed to solidify his spot in the rap game with witty metaphors and creative verses.

PGLTM is an album that was inspired by women who appreciate and love trap music. Laced with 16 tracks, 2 Chainz starts the album off strong and finishes it the same way. The album is heavy with features from Gucci Mane, Quavo, Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Pharrell, and more. Even with all the help from other phenomenal artists, 2 Chainz managed to take control of every track by doing what he is most known for, delivering his verses in a innovative way that no other rapper does.

2 Chainz does an impeccable job of making each track enjoyable, which shows improvement from his past projects that had tracks that did not necessarily serve a purpose, the tracks that do not flow with the other songs on the album or the album’s theme. Tracks such as “Bailan” (which features and is produced by Pharrell) and “Burglar Bars” (featuring Monica) both contain softer beats, which is the opposite of what most trap music entails. The Necklace Don calls it “spiritual trap music” and shows listeners that there is no musical limit to what he can rap on.

2 Chainz also delivers traditional trap songs with heavy 808 infused beats on tracks like “Riverdale Rd.”, “Door Swangin”, and “Big Amount”. “Good Drank” features Quavo and the trap legend himself, Gucci Mane, who has proven to be one of the most prominent and founding fathers of the hip-hop subgenre. Chainz also pays homage to some other trap musical legends of PGLTM. “Trap Check” features a sample from Young Jeezy’s famous song “Get Ya Mind Right” and “Sleep When U Die” features OJ Da Juiceman, one of Gucci Mane’s protégés.

Most rappers tend to hit a creative plateau with age, but at 39 years old, 2 Chainz has gotten better with time. The Pretty Girls Like Trap Music album is another great collection to add to the Hairweave Killer’s creative puzzle of projects. He is able to set himself apart and be an outlier as he has always done. Pretty Girls Like Trap Music comes with a lot of anthems for the pretty girls and any fan of trap/hip-hop music. This project is a vibe that only 2 Chainz himself can make.