By Samantha Storms
With a boldness typical to his matter-of-fact, audacious style of songwriting, blackbear returns with “digital druglord” – a 10-track record that tells the story of the artist, a man with the confidence of a king wrapped up in the pain and the glamor of the Los Angeles lifestyle.
In the months following its release in April, “digital druglord” has put blackbear at the forefront of the R&B music scene. With a confidence that is palpable within every track, the record offers listeners an inside look into the life of a superstar, revealing in harsh detail both the hardships and the triumphs.
Throughout the album, blackbear experiments with several different music genres reminiscent of those recognizable in previous records, mixing together elements of EDM, R&B and hip-hop to deliver a collection diverse in its style and storytelling.
The record’s most popular single, “do re mi,” is just one of many instances in which blackbear is able to use his artistic ability to empathize with his audience in a way that manages to evoke absolute vulgarity and yet be completely understandable. As of this month, the single has been certified gold and is often the first topic of discussion for many new blackbear fans.
Other popular tracks on the album include “make daddy proud” and “chateau,” songs that offer the traditional fan-familiar lyrics centered on chasing the Hollywood women that blackbear is all too used to falling for.
The tunes are catchy and energetic while at the same time managing to encompass in a mere three minutes the mindset of a man obsessed with persona and sexuality.
While the album may be filled with familiar lyrics of lust and stardom, several tracks stand out as a testament to the trial and suffering of life in the spotlight. Songs such as “if i could i would feel nothing” and “hell is where i dreamt of u and woke up alone” emphasize a yearning for connection, love and simple understanding – elements of the human experience that a man living a life on the road can easily miss out on.
Keeping in mind that the record was published without the promotional resources and expertise of a major record label, its success is monumental – since its release, the album has accumulated over 100,000,000 streams on Spotify.
Looking back on blackbear’s success in co-writing Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” in 2012, his recent musical endeavors are breathtaking. The lyrics that comprise “digitial druglord” not only tell a story of what it means to be broken beneath the heat of countless stage lights, but one of passion, youthfulness and complete, utter confidence.