Waka Flocka drops his second official studio album, Triple F Life (Friends, Fans & Family), with the same intensity and energy that we have known him to deliver in the past. Triple F Life offers gritty street-anthem style beats and lyrics alongside appearances from the likes of Meek Mill, Drake, Trey Songz, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, Flo Rida, Ludacris and Bun B. Fans will be pleased to know Waka doesn’t stray far from the style of music that made him the industry icon that he is today—new listeners expecting anything otherwise will be disappointed.
Prior to the album’s release, Waka noted in an interview that “being lyrical” is not a goal, and rather, will divert him from his path of being a “crunk,” energetic, street-anthem rapper. Lyrically, Waka remains consistent to this statement and his past work—each track is laced with several screams (“Flex!” “Squad!” “Flocka!” etc.), which boost the energy and entertainment value of Triple F Life. Lyrical content ranges from cars and women to his hometown (see Candy Paint and Gold Teeth, Clap, and Rooster in my Rari). Arguably, the two most notable songs on the album—Round of Applause ft. Drake, and I Don’t Really Care ft. Trey Songz, offers us both mainstream appeal and strong features from both Drake and Trey Songz.
That being said, there are a number of flaws that hurt the lasting appeal of this album in its entirety. While lyrical content is not a particular goal of the rapper, there are very few notable bars that make Waka even remotely shine on this release. The energy and excitement that Waka boasts grows incredibly repetitive, and creates a strong feeling of redundancy after only a few listens. The first two singles on the album are really only relevant because of their featured artists, both of whom outshine Waka on his own tracks.
I think fans (the keyword is fans) will generally be satisfied upon listening to Triple F Life. However, Waka offers us no surprises, which will leave listeners with the “haven’t I heard this song before?” feeling before every track. There is very little offered in this release to make a lasting impact on the rap game, and this album will be a forgotten afterthought for hip-hop this summer.
