PROJECT X BY KEN CARSON: THE CARTI PRODIGY

PROJECT X BY KEN CAR$ON: THE CARTI PRODIGY

In my post discussing the top 5 upcoming rappers, I discuss how many artists have been utilizing the likes of SoundCloud to grow a fanbase. This includes artists like KA$HDAMI, BabySantana, and Ken Car$on. The latter recently released his long-awaited project titled Project X. Named after the movie, the artwork of this album is also emulated in a way that recreated one of the scenes within the movie. It was released a bit earlier than most anticipated, as he stated in his Highsnobeity interview that he would be releasing in August.

After a Twitter feud with underground rapper KanKan, Ken Car$on released a group of tracks before the release of Project X. He then released Project X on July 23. Beforehand, I watched the movie, which discusses a party that becomes out of control and filled with alcohol and drugs. The main character’s house becomes destroyed as he is celebrating his birthday. Is this album the life of the party? This is a review of Ken Car$on’s Project X.

WHAT I LISTEN FOR IN PROJECTS

When listening to music, I listen for the vibe, lyrics, and production of the song, and as a listener, I expect artists to get out of their comfort zones and experiment. I will be discussing lyrics, production, features, sales, and I will give this project a rating, but, as with all art reviews, my review of Project X is based on personal opinion.

PROJECT X: LYRICS

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this project is the length. Project X was slightly shorter than 30 minutes. I think this is the perfect length for a project. Lyrically, I think this album was okay. That is not the style that Ken Car$on is going for. I would compare him to many melodic artists like Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, and Young Thug. His melodic vocals are unique to him because I think he doesn’t need to utilize autotune even though he uses it. I also think he has the potential to have more aggressive vocals. This can be seen in songs like “Hella,” where it sounds aggressive in some parts, but not to the extent of what it could be. Although Ken Car$on has worked under the tutelage of Playboi Carti, I wouldn’t compare this project to Whole Lotta Red or any of Carti’s projects. In terms of lyrics, I would say Project X is safer lyrically. In a way, this project is unique to Ken Car$on. I think his strengths are his flow and vocals, but he may lack or may not care about technical lyrics. I believe his goal is to create a vibe. I think the audience can see this throughout most of the album. Some of the topics discussed by him are women, guns, and his opposition. Some of my favorite lyrics include:

*Lyrics Provided By Genius*

I’m trippin’, I’m trippin’
I’m trippin’, I’m trippin’
This A-C-I-D got me trippin’
It feel like I’m in another dimension- Ken Carson on Rock N Roll

This a one-night stand (Oh yeah), yeah
You’ll never see me again, I got my bands up
I’m leaning, swear I need a kickstand, I cannot stand up
She fiending and she just popped a Xan’, nobody high as us- Ken Carson on So What

I go to the bank, I make a deposit
He broke and he stank, yeah, he ain’t about it
I can’t remember s**t, I was off molly
I’m rollin’, I’m rollin’, I can’t feel my body- Ken Carson on Till I Die

MY FAVORITE TRACKS

• “Rock N Roll”
• “Burnin Up”
• “So What”
• “Party all day”

LEAST FAVORITE TRACKS

• None

7/10

PROJECT X: FEATURES

This project has no features. I like that this project had no features because I think it gave the project a personal feel. I think Project X shows Ken Car$on as an artist. This was the project that was meant to grow his fanbase to new levels. In the near future, I would like to see more collaborators on his projects.

N/A

PROJECT X: PRODUCTION

The production on this album makes the album more worth the listen. I really enjoyed the production. It reminded me similarly to many of Pi’erre Bourne’s productions. I would compare the production of this project to his latest project The Life of Pierre 5. On this project, we receive production from Loesoe, KP Beats, Star Boy, Outtatown, and many other producers, many of which have worked with significant names in the industry. The production is very sparkly and colorful in sound. I also appreciate the heavy 808’s in contrast to the sparkly melodies. I feel like the overall sound is consistent in the genre of emo rap/trap, but within the genre, the production is diverse. This can be seen in tracks like “Rock N Roll” to “Hella,” and even “So What.” The construction of the songs is different, leading to a fresh feel, even if they may be the same instruments. I like how there were parts of the project in chronological order. This includes tracks like “Ran+Run” to “Shake.” I wish the whole project was created in that fashion.

10/10

PROJECT X: LISTENS AND OVERALL REVIEW

On SoundCloud, the highest viewed song is “Rock N Roll,” which racked up 150,000 views. This is very significant for underground artists, considering that he has 20,000 followers on the platform. This album possibly benefited from people sharing and advertisements. Hopefully, in the near future, Ken Car$on will be in the full mainstream, reaching numbers into the millions.

Overall, I really enjoyed the album. I like how refreshing the album was because he is from the underground scene. I think this project stands out the most in terms of production because the overall production is very unison in the genre, yet diverse and colorful. In terms of the title, I think this Project X does live up to its name. I can see this project being heard at parties, festivals, etc. With all this being said, Ken Car$on is definitely on the rise. In the next few years, I believe that he will reach the mainstream and sell out shows with millions of people. The real question is what is next for Ken Car$on? We will just have to tune in to find out!

8/10

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