Portland rapper Aminé is setting his own standards with a nuanced take on melodic hip hop that is playful, dynamic, and completely unapologetic.
Flirtatious melodies, witty lyrics and an uncompromising honesty sets Aminé aside, his attitude and artistry gaining him commercial success, and a respect amongst contemporaries and music lovers alike that has earned him a major label signing, world tour and collaborations with the likes of AJ Tracey, Offset and Rejjie Snow.
Raised in a state best known for it’s roots in indie-rock, 24 year old Adam Daniel worked against the grain from the outset. Starting with diss raps aimed at rival high schools, Aminé juggled his musical ambitions with an academic career as he earnt a degree in marketing from Portland State University before going on to intern at prolific hip-hop publication Complex. But, the former soon prevailed as Aminé overcame the obstacles facing a rapper concerned with melody and social consciousness in a state defined by indie-rock, to establish himself as a unique and interesting talent with an unrelenting enthusiasm.
Having released a couple of successful mixtapes, Aminé’s breakthrough came in 2016 with the release of debut single ‘Caroline’. The track certified three-times platinum and peaked at number eleven on the US Billboard Hot 100, pushing Aminé into the spotlight and towards a signing with Republic Records. The track is flirtatious and irresistibly catchy; buoyant, chiming synths playfully lead us through the story of Aminé’s lust for Caroline, whilst his comical comparison between sex and a “gory” Quentin Tarantino film in the hook makes it all seem lighthearted and relatable with an almost teenage innocence. He doesn’t take it, or himself, too seriously – something often lacking in rap music. It’s fresh, colourful, and full of life; one listen to ‘Caroline’ and it’s easy to see why it established Aminé as such a likeable character and successful artist.
After the release of ‘Caroline’ and acclaimed collaborations with AJ Tracey and Kehlani on ‘REDMERCEDES’ and ‘Heebiejeebies’ respectively, the Portland rapper went on to release his debut album Good For You in July 2017. The album sold 13,000 copies in the first week and debuted at number thirty-one in the US Billboard 200 chart, confirming Aminé’s standing as a well-respected and commercially viable rapper. Fundamentally, Good For You is a socially aware album defined by its ability to deal with real issues like race and privilege in an insightful and hard-hitting way, made even more poignant and relatable by the vivacity and playfulness of the record. With Metro Boomin on board with production, and features from the likes of Nelly, Leon Bridges, Ty Dolla $ign and Offset, it’s an impressive debut from a young rapper who made his non-conformity and individualism clear from the start.
These characteristics are further enhanced by the visuals that accompany Aminé’s music. As well as the banana motif that seems to follow him everywhere (something confirmed as simply “decoration” in his self-directed video for ‘Caroline’), the album art for Good For You pictures the rapper sat naked on a toilet reading ‘The Good For You Post’ with a sunny yellow background . As with his music, the images playfulness and failure to take itself too seriously adds a depth and realness to the album’s content. For music that is so full of life and colour, such visuals are an important addition.
Despite this playful and light-hearted persona adopted by Aminé, he often casts himself in a more controversial light, unapologetically speaking his mind. Not only did he include a verse criticising Trump during his performance of ‘Caroline’ on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, but in the same year he released a hugely controversial video for single ‘REDMERCEDES’. Aminé used white-face make-up and drove around in an expensive car to make a point about privilege, reversing stereotypes to reinforce ideas about racism in a way only Aminé could. The track was so successful it spent twenty eight weeks in the US Billboard Hot 100 and received an official remix from Missy Elliott and AJ Tracey.
After the success of Good For You, Aminé had established himself as part of the new movement of melodic hip-hop alongside the likes of Frank Ocean and Tyler, The Creator, and seemed set to continue creating remarkably sincere, yet cheeky music designed to get your toe-tapping and brain ticking. However, the release of his second studio album ONEPOINTFIVE saw him move towards a slightly heavier sound, lacking the colour and richness of Good For You. It certainly wasn’t the follow up everyone had hoped for from the rapper, and was criticised as having lost perspective as Aminé ditched his sparky wit and feel-good bounce for a sharper focus on excess. The lifestyle he used to judge on tracks like ‘Money’ is now embraced as his own, tracks like ‘Hiccup’ and ‘DapperDan’ lacking the nuanced melodies and playful story-telling he was celebrated for. As rap albums go, it certainly wasn’t a bad one, it simply lacked the things we had come to love about Aminé – principally, his uniqueness.
Despite this disappointing second album, Aminé should still be considered a rising talent. Good For You was a notably unique and quirky take on melodic hip-hop; his witty, colourful lyrics and irresistibly catchy melodies making him an interesting and unpredictable talent. Everything from his clever visuals and colourful persona, to his unapologetic honesty makes Aminé an exciting artist to watch grow. His latest release ‘BLACKJACK’ with YBN Cordae even hints at a move back to some of the earlier material we have come to love.
In any case, any rapper who can come to the UK and bring a Spice Girl out on stage is alright in my books.
new wave 