In March of 2016, rapper Aminé released his debut single, “Caroline”. Having already released two mixtapes, “Odyssey to Me” and “Calling Brío” and one EP, “En Vogue”, the twenty-one year old was not new to the music scene. However, it was not until “Caroline” that Aminé became popular. The single debuted at number 96 on _U.S Billboard Hot 100_, later climbing to number eleven. Aminé released his first album “Good For You” in July of 2017, ranking number 31 on the _Billboard 200_ chart the week it came out.

Now, the rapper has released his sophomore album, “OnePointFive”. It features 13 tracks with artists Gunna, G. Herbo, and Rico Nasty. The album itself, as well as its songs, have not yet gained relative popularity in the music industry.

When listening to the album for the first time, I found it extremely difficult to make it through the tracklist while remaining entertained. Where his previous singles and “Good For You” had a sound that was original for Aminé, the “OnePointFive” tracks were much heavier and sounded too much like the songs of most popular rappers. The easy, mellow feel of his previous songs was replaced by heavier beats, and his happier lyrics of love scrapped for those boasting his wealth.

Other than the fact that “OnePointFive” was extremely different than all Aminé music I had heard before, most of the songs on the album were bland and did not stand out to me, save for one or two.

One of the only songs I enjoyed was “Dr. Whoever,” the first track on the album. Backed by a light piano and harmonies, it contains commentary on issues such as mental health (“hey doc, do I tell em how I really feel?/ or do I see a therapist and numb the pain with the pills?”) and toxic masculinity (“can’t man up if masculinity is your only weapon”). Aminé connects with his audience and fans with lyrics such as “these intros ain’t meant to be bangers/ they meant for you and me so we’ll never end up as strangers/…tune in your speakers and be my Dr. Whoever.” Addressing his listeners on a personal level humbles his lyrics, in stark contrast of many of the album’s other tracks.

The only other song on “OnePointFive” that caught my attention was “Together,” a track dedicated to a lost love Aminé yearns for, desperately trying to apologize for his mistakes, while describing his commitment to whoever the lyrics are meant for. “You’ve waited long, forever/ a heart is worth the weather/ you should go out and get her/ and learn to love together,” sung by LA Priest (uncredited), gives the song a vintage feel, and stays true to what I would normally expect from an Aminé song.

As disappointed as I am in “OnePointFive”, I am still confident in Aminé’s capabilities as a songwriter and producer. I look forward to his future works, whether they be solo albums or collaborations with other talented artists.

_Edited by Siena DeBolt | sdebolt@themaneater.com_