White Chocolate - From Cocoa Beans to Living Memes 2

White Chocolate

From Cocoa Beans to Living Memes 2
self-released; 2017

​3.5 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

White Chocolate is a hip-hop duo from North Carolina consisting of members MC Cookies N' Cream and Nilla WaFeRz. The young duo were friends who started the group as a spoof. After listening to From Cocoa Beans to Living Memes 2 it seems they are still treading on similar terrain. The songs are frivolous, often comical and luckily they don’t take themselves too seriously.

​The beats aren’t exactly the most inventive to come out this year. Suffice it to say they aren't exactly like Run The Jewels at this point. I thought the beats and music had an ’80s aesthetic. Even the inflection they use to rap had a late ’80s, early ’90s feel to my ears.

The charm in their music is the fact that it felt tongue in cheek. Take for instance the song “Pair of Kings Reboot, Pt. 1 (feat. Kyle Brady)” which I could have imagined being on one of the best shows ever “Flight of the Conchords.” A mechanical beat and eerie synths are the canvas in which the duo rap over. 

“The Radio (feat. Liv On)” has a decent hook while “The Episode After Next” has such hyperbolic vocal stylings the song can’t help but feel silly. “Fresh Lesson (feat. Liv On)” has a beat that LL Cool J would have been proud of. One of the most overtly humorous songs was “Garbage” where the song disintegrates into a comedic conversation.

“Digital Sunryze” is  song that revolves around making tons of cash off of music and making breakfast. One of my personal favorites. I have a soft spot for artists who are self-deprecating and don’t take themselves too seriously. White Chocolate might not have the most sick rhymes you hear this year but I found the songs unconventionally enjoyable.

I’d say this is a good style for them. The one thing I’d like to hear at some point is better production value in the vocal department. Some properly implemented EQ, compression and reverb could have helped out.

I look forward to where the duo goes from here.

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