Gold Mind by Friiday highlights the rappers growth and how its progressed on a daily basis. Legitimately, the album shows others that there are other ways to make ends meet. Rather than slinging drugs or hustling, Gold Mind encourages those tuned in to invest and to give it all to God. Notable tracks like “Back to da Field”, “Key Switch” and “Snow Cone” go to prove that all hard work pays off. From start to end, you can expect a speaker-knocking base, double timed flows, and crossovers of trap, gospel and jazz. Statistically speaking, Friiday is on the right path and it’s only right that listeners follow in pursuit. This project follows after his hit single, “Let It Go” which dropped a few months ago.
In the first track, “3rd Floor of Heaven" Friiday uses the white noise and a spoken word tone to tell a story. Granted that the backdrop provides a cash register sound effect, piano progression, and opaque synths, he uses the time to tell a story as if he's preaching at church, "One day I was walking through this rich, white neighborhood and I was hanging with the wrong crowd. This elderly lady walks up to me. She say, "Don't be like these other niggas." Then, the song lets a brief applaud come in before he continues, "I say, "you know what? you're right." And just like that, "3rd Floor of Heaven" gets things going with a choir and speaker-knocking 808. Some would go so far as to say that "3rd Floor of Heaven" has a "street life meets Christianity" vibe. As the track moves forward, Friiday wonders how to make it out of the mud and to live in the hills instead. Rather than slinging drugs, Friiday taps into his entrepreneurship to make ends meet. And despite the shade, Friiday lets his light shine on. Then, the track closes off with some reflective poetry.
"Back to da Field" is a crossover between jazz and trap, to say the least. As the self-proclaimed legend reps his hood and garners respect from OG’s on the East Coast, Friiday drops some gems like “don’t ever come in second, that shit will leave you second guessing.” in an oscillating flow. Besides this, Friiday goes to say that investing is a power move towards personal and financial growth. He also pays homage towards those who've helped him along the way. Its safe to say that he's pushing the gas, no brake. Unlike others, Friiday is making his way towards the finish line. By the 1:05 mark, "Back to da Field" transitions back to its distorted state of jazz and the base slowly wanes. He encourages the soundscape to give him "that base with the no base." Surprisingly enough, however, Friiday taps into his singing flair to execute this repetitive line "They don't even know what they be talking about/They just catch me in the field running around/Everytime I go, I see the same shit." Last but not least, "Back to da Field" uses the notable punchline, "Who else need a hero?/Bank fall into the zeros." Aside from speaking on his profound wealth and luxury from it, he says that one should always stay ten toes down. In the last few seconds, the dark, altered voice says that he's leaving his mark.
“Dope (Interlude)” plays off as a freestyle and reigns with boom-bap power. While his bars aren't so conscious, the structure speaks volume and if we're being honest, this track allows Friiday to show off his playful side. Lines like "Coming in this bitch, just like I'm Cardi/Blowing on some weed and drinking Cardi." take the concept home. Ultimately, Friiday has no time for cuffing because he's too focused on other endeavors. After all, he's here for a good time. The rapper is just enjoying the vibe (and high).
“Key Switch” in particular uses trumpet riffs and a bellowing 808 to show that he's locked and loaded. He's been ready to take the world by storm. His feature, Flood speaks on the same thing. The only difference, is that Friiday uses an altered synth to amplify his message.
The production from "Uncle Sam" takes influence from Logic's "Indica Badu" but comes out with more subtleness. Friiday talks about the blessings that have unfolded before his very eyes and its all thanks to money. Being the investor he is, Friiday puts his fortune towards businesses so that it can multiply. Additionally, the rapper speaks on lessons he's learned and what he just won't condone. For whom it may concern though, Friiday is just living and learning. Surprisingly enough, the track even lets an anonymous vocalist show off their harmonic ability in its chorus. To summarize, Friiday uses the root of all evil to do great things. In one line, he says "I wanna throw some bands, a couple grand/A half of million to my grands."
"Snow Cone" stresses that all of Friiday's hard work is paying off. Since he's worked around the clock, Friiday has garnered an massive fortune and can flex at an all time high. While it's repetitive chorus carries infectiousness, VHuncho's verse is an element that takes it home. Production wise, "Snow Cone" goes for a spacey-trap feel and adds in a speaker-knocking base.
"Let It Go" resonates with the concept found in Chris Brown's "Say Goodbye," but instead of beating around the bush like this generation's king of pop, Friiday gets straight to the gist of things(no matter how brutal it can be.) After all, they say that honesty is the best policy. At most a break-up anthem, "Let Go" transcends the calm before the stormy split in its production. Vocally, Friiday tackles on auto-tune for it's crazily infectious hook. But for the verses, Friiday enunciates through his Southern drawl and lets listener catch the East Side vibe. Down to the rhymes, Friiday says he has no time to waste on nonsense like clubbing or even clout chasing. And like clockwork, the synths conform by sampling a striking sequence only heard from a Grandfathers clock to prove that time flies (so it's best to choose what you do wisely.) At most, “Let it Go” is a somber-ish trap song that speaks on a sudden departure from negative energy with playful piano chords and sporadic hi-hats.
The second to last track, “Get Up” begins with an altered soundscape, but things clear up once it’s baseline starts booming. Coupled with an eerie piano progression and low hi-hats, Friiday speaks about he’s in the game for the long haul. After some life-changing experiences, Friiday decided to get things right and push himself to do better. Friiday even says in this line, “I had to leave that, get them demons off. I had to shake them/Now I’m making revenue/ An earthquake to make the world shake.”
Lastly, “Blue Chips” goes to say that passion pushed him to keep going. He’s had sleepless nights and days that’ve been numbered. But the rapper decided to keep pushing through and now, has infinite success. Production wise, it reigns with a hip-hop influence. Moving forward, the track throws in a memorable synth pattern, a echoey base and hi-hats. He hopes that through it all, he will have the means to support him and his children financially. Equally important, Friiday uses two different flows. To emphasize his seriousness, he presents a deep toned flow at the minute mark. Like he says in one verse, his life changed all because a message.
By: Natalee Gilbert
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