''YSIV'' (abbreviation of ''Young Sinatra IV'') is the fourth
studio album by American
rapper
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
Logic
Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premise ...
, released on September 28, 2018, by
Visionary Music Group
Visionary Music Group is an American independent record label & management company, founded by Christian Zarou. The label's roster includes Logic and Jon Bellion, among others. In 2018, Visionary Music Group partnered with management company Mut ...
and
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The l ...
. The album art, featuring a mugshot of Logic, is stylized similarly to the famous mugshot of
Frank Sinatra and reminiscent of the artwork for Logic's second
mixtape ''
Young Sinatra'', released in 2011. The album serves as a sequel to the mixtape ''
Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever'', released in 2013, and is the fourth and final installment of the ''Young Sinatra'' series. The album is notable for being credited as an ''album'' in the ''Young Sinatra'' series, as the previous titles were released as ''mixtapes''. It features guest appearances from all living members of
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close aff ...
,
Wale,
Jaden,
Ryan Tedder
Ryan Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As well as being the lead vocalist of the pop rock band OneRepublic, he has an independent career as a songwriter and producer for various artists since th ...
and
Hailee Steinfeld, among others.
Background
In July, August and September 2018, Logic released three singles "One Day" featuring
Ryan Tedder
Ryan Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As well as being the lead vocalist of the pop rock band OneRepublic, he has an independent career as a songwriter and producer for various artists since th ...
, "The Return", and "Everybody Dies".
The album features the song "Wu Tang Forever" which features all the surviving members of the
Wu Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affi ...
including
Method Man
Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half of ...
,
Raekwon
Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success ...
,
Inspectah Deck
Jason Richard Hunter (born July 6, 1970), better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He is a member of the groups Wu-Tang Clan and Czarface.
He has acquired critical praise for his intricate ly ...
,
U-God
Lamont Jody Hawkins (born November 10, 1970), better known as U-God, is an American rapper and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He has been with the group since its inception, and is known for his deep voice and rhythmic flow t ...
,
Masta Killa
Jamel Irief (born Elgin Turner; August 18, 1969), better known by his stage name Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Though one of the lesser-known members of the group (he was featured on only one track on their 19 ...
,
Cappadonna
Darryl Hill, better known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip-hop collective the Wu-Tang Clan and is a member of the rap group Theodore Unit together with Ghostface Killah.
Career
Cappadonna (also know ...
,
RZA,
GZA
''Gary Eldridge Grice'' (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage names GZA ( ) and The Genius, is an American rapper and songwriter. A founding member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is the group's "spiritual head", being both ...
,
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...
. The song "YSIV" has Logic paying tribute to rapper
Mac Miller, who died earlier in the year via accidental drug overdose.
Release and promotion
''YSIV'' was released on September 28, 2018. For the first single "One Day", Logic released a music video for the song. The music video caused controversy, as it sympathized with the plight of undocumented migrants in the United States. He later performed the song at the 2018 VMA Awards with collaborator Ryan Tedder, where he brought hundreds of migrant children onto the stage. Logic himself wore a shirt which read, "F**k The Wall", and the kids wore shirts reading, "We Are All Human Beings". On August 28, Logic released a video titled "YSIV Freestyle" and a social media post, finally announcing ''Young Sinatra IV'' along with its album cover. A few weeks prior to release of the album, Logic hosted an exclusive listening party with his fans, uploading a short movie about it to YouTube.
The album was released in the same week as another high-profile hip hop album, ''
Tha Carter V
''Tha Carter V'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. The album's features include Swizz Beatz, Kendrick Lamar, Sosamann, Lil Wayne' ...
'' by
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
.
Critical reception
''YSIV'' received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 71, based on 7 reviews.
Riley Wallace from ''
HipHopDX
''HipHopDX'' is an online magazine of hip hop music criticism and news. The website's current president and publisher is Sharath Cherian and the Head Of Content is Jerry L. Barrow. ''HipHopDX'' is the flagship publication of Cheri Media Group.
...
'' gave a positive review saying, "Overall, Bobby has bars for days — and days — and as a consistent top to bottom play, YSIV has vibrant energy. If you can listen to this LP the whole way through and doubt his pen game, then the question becomes: "what does he have to do to please you?" If getting the entire Wu-Tang Clan on a song doesn't impress you, nothing will."
Charles Holmes from ''
XXL'' said, "YSIV succeeds when it forgoes pretentious views on what hip-hop should be and instead focuses on what makes the self-proclaimed Young Sinatra unique. The trio of "Everybody Dies", "The Return", and "The Glorious Five" feature the Everybody MC at his most fluid and nimble."
Riley Wallace wrote another review for ''
Exclaim!'' where he said, "This is Logic at his best: making music that makes him happy. His comfort zone is infectious. If YSIV doesn't sell you on Logic, nothing will."
Jon Caramanica from ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' said, "YSIV — the conclusion of his Young Sinatra series of mixtapes — is his most confident and accomplished release to date, shaking off some of the awkwardness that has long peppered his music."
Trey Alston from ''
Highsnobiety'' praised the project, saying that "YSIV is gaudy, confident, and cocksure; Logic talks his shit without filter, crafting mesmerizing narratives, witty punchlines, and out-of-his-comfort-zone experiments – often on the same track. It amounts to an absorbing final installment of a series that already functions as an inordinate quantum of comfort food. We're finally stuffed."
Andy Kellman from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
said, "What comes through most is Logic's self-acknowledged eminence, an abundance of lyrical and sonic references to what he calls "real rap," and an insatiable eagerness"
Some critics gave the album mixed feedback. Alphonse Pierre from ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'' said, "Over some dusty boom-bap, the undoubtedly talented Logic spends just way too much time trying to forcibly cement his place in hip-hop history."
Christopher R. Weingarten from ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' said, "The chart-topping rapper positions himself as a scrappy underdog with go-getter ambition and complex bars. Logic rhymes in exciting ways, but the meanings can be a little strained."
Commercial performance
''YSIV'' debuted at number two on the US
''Billboard'' 200 with 167,000
album-equivalent unit
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditio ...
s, including 122,000 album sales in its first week.
It is Logic's fifth US top 10 album, and second in 2018.
Track listing
Credits adapted from
Tidal
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* Tidal (servic ...
.
Notes
* "Thank You" contains a sample of "Green Aphrodisiac", performed by
Corinne Bailey Rae
Corinne Jacqueline Bailey Rae (; born 26 February 1979) is an English singer and songwriter. She is best known for her 2006 single "Put Your Records On". Bailey Rae was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2006 in an annual BBC po ...
.
*"Everybody Dies" contains an interpolation of "Barry Bonds", performed by
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
.
* "The Return" contains a sample of "Crack Music", performed by Kanye West, and "Wild Is the Wind", performed by
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blu ...
.
* "Wu Tang Forever" contains dialogue from the martial arts films ''
Ten Tigers from Kwangtung
''Ten Tigers from Kwangtung'' () is a 1980 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chang Cheh and produced by Mona Fong. It is one of Chang Cheh's tales of Shaolin's historic rivalries with the Qing dynasty and the Canton Tigers. Along with the ' ...
'' (1979) and ''
Shaolin and Wu Tang
''Shaolin and Wu Tang'' is a 1983 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by and starring Gordon Liu. The film is about the rivalry between the Shaolin ( East Asian Mahayana) and Wu-Tang ( Taoist Religion) martial arts schools. It is also called ...
'' (1983); the same dialogue is used in
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close aff ...
's song "Bring da Ruckus" from their debut album ''
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 9, 1993, by Loud Records. Recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York Ci ...
'';
and interpolations of "
Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
"Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" is a song by American hip hop trio Digable Planets, released as the first single from their debut album, '' Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)'', in November 1992. The black-and-white music video was ...
", performed by
Digable Planets
Digable Planets () is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987. The trio is composed of rappers Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, Mariana "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira, and Craig "Doodlebug" Irving. The group is notable for their contributions to the subgenre ...
.
* "100 Miles and Running" contains a sample of "
Apache", performed by
The Incredible Bongo Band
The Incredible Bongo Band, also known as Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band, was a project started in 1972 by Michael Viner, a record artist manager and executive at MGM Records. Viner was called on to supplement the soundtrack to the B-film ' ...
, and interpolations of "Work", performed by
A$AP Ferg
Darold Durard Brown Ferguson Jr. (born October 20, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Ferg (stylized as A$AP Ferg), is an American rapper from New York City's Harlem neighborhood. Aside from his solo career, he is a member of the hip hop collec ...
.
* "YSIV" contains an interpolation of "
Life's a Bitch", performed by
Nas.
* "Iconic" contains an interpolation of "
Icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
", performed by
Jaden Smith
Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born July 8, 1998), also known mononymously as Jaden, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He has received various accolades, including a Teen Choice Award, an MTV Movie Award, a BET Award and a Young Artis ...
.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
{{Authority control
2018 albums
Concept albums
Def Jam Recordings albums
Logic (rapper) albums
Albums produced by Cubeatz
Albums produced by Ryan Tedder
Sequel albums