Album Review: Fashawn’s “Boy Meets World”

Fashawn – Boy Meets World
2.5 stars out of 5

Ok, stop tryin to convince people of how hard yall go in the Frez (Fresno, CA). I only lived there for less than a year, but I can tell you that the biggest crimes in Fresno are not crack hustlin’ and attempted murder.  It’s meth labs and illegal immigration, perhaps cow tipping in a non-cow tipping zone.  Nah, haha.

More after the jump and listen to the whole album streaming as well…

Seriously though, Fashawn’s Boy Meets World is neither impressive nor exceptional, but I wouldn’t completely count it out.  Mostly produced by Exile (one half of Emanon) the album has a similar sound to Em’s The Waiting Room.  Ranging from jazzy to hardcore hip-hop, Fashawn does his best to represent life in “the F” (his version at least).

Although not quite the “kerosene flow” that he describes, the dude can rap.  And he gives us much more than the typical “money/cars/women/the club” that has sadly become synonymous with hip-hop.

On the boastful “Freedom” (which samples a line from Blackstar’s “Definition”) Fashawn gets grimey, then flips it and displays his storytelling abilities on “When She Calls”, a dark track about a cheating girlfriend and the resulting suicide.

Ironically, the most disappointing song is the title track “Boy Meets World” that is sure to put you to sleep (not unlike half of the album).  Because of the preoccupation with life in Central California, he should have instead opted for “Our Way” as the title, a standout track that features Evidence of Dilated Peoples.

Fashawn receives more help from additional features like Aloe Blacc, Blu, and Mistah Fab.  However, no amount of guest vocals can mask the monotonous feel of the album as a whole.

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