Alde Nguyen
Online Manager
PnB Rock officially turns “popstar” by renovating his music with passionate melodies and high-pitched vocals that touch listeners’ emotions in “Trapstar Turnt Popstar.”
PnB Rock diversifies the sound of his music with the release of his sophomore album, “Trapstar Turnt Popstar.” PnB successfully transitions to harmonized, melodic vocals while impressing audiences with quality tracks which embody his new “popstar” approach to rap.
Rakim Hasheem Allen, professionally known as PnB Rock, is a rapper, singer and songwriter from Philadelphia who began to catch industry attention with the release of hit single “Selfish” in 2016. Since then, PnB Rock has gone on to his better his music career after being selected into the XXL 2017 Freshman Class and collaborating with hip-hop legends such as Meek Mill.
“Trapstar Turnt Popstar” is PnB Rock’s sophomore album released by Atlantic Records. The album contains an extensive eighteen tracks and holds multiple collaborations with artists such as Lil Skies, Tee Grizzley, Quavo, Lil Durk, Tory Lanez and the former XXXTENTACION. The album also incorporates the work of many reputable producers such as Diplo and Hitmaka.
PnB Rock’s delivery of his vocals is one of the many highlights of the album. PnB Rock successfully incorporates high-pitched vocals with soft melodies that evoke a “pop” style of rap. This innovative sound is an aspect that makes “Trapstar Turnt Popstar” unique compared to PnB’s former rap-focused flow. In the track, “Deez Streets” featuring Lil Durk, PnB Rock perfectly showcases this new melodic flow while creating a nostalgic sound that satisfies.
PnB Rock’s singing is most noticeable, as it enhances the smooth tone of the tracks and compliments his melodic sound. PnB Rock manages to create pleasing vocals through his singing while combining an emotional sound to the pitch of the voice. PnB Rock’s vocal talents can be seen in the track, “Stage Fright,” as he reminisces about an affection for a loved one.
The tracks “MIDDLE CHILD,” featuring the deceased XXXTENTACION, and “Nowadays” possess the most potential for hit songs. Both tracks are a perfect representation of PnB’s recrafted sound and please with quality production, catchy lyrics and memorable hooks.
The collaborations on “Trapstar Turnt Popstar” excel by incorporating talented artists that compliment PnB Rock’s melodic sound. For example, Lil Skies’s feature on “I Like Girls” completes the song by offering his unique sound that matches in tune with PnB’s verses.
Another strength of the album is the high quality production and beats that enhance PnB Rock’s vocals. The beats perfectly correspond with PnB’s voice while crafting rhythmic melodies. Diplo’s produced beat on the track, “Swervin’,” showcases a mellow, harmonic beat that allows listeners to feel many different emotions.
“Trapstar Turnt PopStar” was released on May 3rd and can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon. The album can also be streamed on platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal.
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