Monaleo: Throwing Bows EP - Album Review
Houston-raised rapper Monaleo's punchy pen game suffers from stagnation
Overall Rating: 6.7 / 10
Lyric Tally: 6.0 / 10
I will admit, on the first listen, I was seduced by 808s and recognizable samples. Even more so, I found myself joyously grimacing to every instantiation of Monaleo’s staple adlib—”Ugh!” Technically, Monaleo is a good writer. She employs homophones, similes, metaphors, allusions, imagery, and punchlines, however after a few listens, redundancy becomes her Achilles Heel. I’ll still give her props, though; she has more tricks up her sleeve than some of our generation's other popular female rappers. But, there is an upper-bound: she’s a seven-trick pony (i.e., each of the aforementioned rhetorical devices plus ad-libbing). After two to three more listens, you no longer are enticed by the bait or the hook because you’ve heard her bars repeated several times over on nearly every other song. Moreover, the logical inconsistencies become glaring: how does a newly-engaged mother simultaneously make claims of being a pimp, simp, lover, and killer? While Monaleo is an independent artist, I wonder if the structure and resources of an established organization would benefit her growth and branding as an artist. In her recent EP, native Texan Monaleo delivers a witty yet repetitive tracklist that explores feminist themes of reclamation, confidence, fun, and bossiness.
Best Lyric: “Shoot at me; Imma wink and smile back. I’ll run up the hill and kidnap Jill, show you bitches how to hijack.”
Ranking Songs by Lyrics (Best to Worst):
Queen & Slime - Choosing the song that would top this list was the easiest part of curating this review. This song, which is a reference to the film Queen & Slim, far exceeds the level of artistry of any other song on the EP. Monaleo and her fiancé Stunna 4 Vegas deliver a narrative akin to the Queen & Slim storyline that makes for a blockbuster production and enthralling rap all wrapped into one.
Favorite Lyric: “I’m lookin’ up flights; I’m thinking United. I’m not even thinking ‘bout getting indicted. Then, I see a flash; I’m thinking it’s lightning (waaaahhhh). Nigga that’s 12 behind us. I’m lookin’ at Stunna; he lookin’ at me like ‘How in the fuck did they find us?’”
Don Who Leo - I see why this was Monaleo’s lead single for the EP. Titled as a double entendre making reference to Don Julio, Ms. Leo is pretty crafty in her wordplay on this record and solidifies the prima donna narrative that I think she wants to convey throughout the rest of this project.
Favorite Lyrics: “He see me as a pimp (what?). Seein’ is believin’.”
Drunk Freestyle - This song sits at the median of Monaleo’s discography: it’s not her strongest or weakest release. Considering it’s a freestyle (and maybe a drunken one), this is a great introduction into Monaleo the artist and sets the tone for the boss bitch/madam motif of this EP.
Favorite Lyric: “Super slut, open mouth, he keep saying feed me. He want me to bless him. He not even sneezing.”
Leo Luv The Sluts - Personally, this track is a sex-positive mantra that will definitely be in my rotation for the next few weeks. That said, this song does mark the beginning of a decline in quality lyricism for the remainder of this list. Still, the beat and lewd message is just fun enough to make me want to return to this song.
Favorite Lyric: “Treat a nigga like the bros; I say ‘no homo’ when we fuckin’.”
Passenger Princess (Jibbitz) - The soon-to-be-married duo again demonstrate a strong rapport that makes the silly premise—turning a hood nigga soft by having him put Jibbitz in his crocs—an enjoyable bass-bumper. After just three listens, however, the novelty of the song can no longer overwhelm the lackluster puns and punchlines.
Favorite Lyric: “I can never fake the funk, nigga; I can’t even fake a nut (slut).”
Wam Bam - There was so much potential for this horror-like record to reverberate through the winds of Elm Street, especially when sampling one of the best songs of all time. But, whatever promising prospects this song had are quickly killed by a repetitive, rudimentary chorus and superfluous feature from the genuinely frightening Baby Kia. I never want to hear “Wam Bam” uttered again, which is ironic considering this song features one of my favorite lyrics.
Favorite Lyric: “Shoot at me; Imma wink and smile back. I’ll run up the hill and kidnap Jill, show you bitches how to hijack.”
Flush Em - If there are any songs on this EP that have wordplay that just misses the mark, this is that record. Whatever game these words are playing, surely they are losing. But, I do like the message: stand up. A lot more simps (man or woman) need to hear this. Don’t let another person have so much control over you; be the boss you truly are!
Favorite Lyric: “No way you was losing the plot; you forgot this a nigga that’s strictly for fun. No way you was suckin’ that dick every night and puttin’ your hair in bun (slut).”
Ee-er - In an ideal world, we would all have our own munch, cleaner, ee(at)er or whatever you want to call them. But, I don’t know if Monaleo actually wants an eater or wants to be the eater herself after she ends her final verse with, “Aye, I fight over that dick; rest in peace to Jerry Springer.” The title is doing more work for the cunning double entendre than her actual verses.
Favorite Lyric: “Super head, thinker. The biggest bitch, my name ringing bells like Tinker.”
Pimpin’ Aint Dead - This ill-fated attempt to reclaim the title of pimp ultimately falls flat as it is rapped over a Beastie Boys sample that prima facie Monaleo is anathemic of. Then to completely render this song aimless and null, she features a male rap group who rather than supporting her reclamation uphold the misogyny that has reinforces the patriarchal establishment of pimping.
Favorite Lyric: “Imma put a nigga in a pickle; bet his bitch ass know the deal.”
Unphased - Monaleo chose the perfect title for this song because after the first listen I was unphased and unimpressed. There’s no interesting rhetorical devices here, the narrative/message is tired, and the beat is boring. As a closing track, it solidified the sharp decrease in song quality as you listen to the EP from top to bottom.
Favorite Lyric: “She was talking that shit ‘cause she got pissed off; we took her whole bladder (ugh).
Let me know what your thoughts were of the EP; I’ll be around in the comments :)