Foreign Exchange (album)
| Foreign Exchange | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 19, 2021 | |||
| Genre | Hip-hop | |||
| Length | 19:20 | |||
| Label | Year0001 | |||
| Producer | Gud | |||
| Rx Papi chronology | ||||
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| Gud chronology | ||||
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Foreign Exchange is a collaborative studio album by the American rapper Rx Papi and the Swedish record producer Gud. It was released by Year0001 on November 19, 2021. Due to his fascination for Rx Papi's work, Gud contacted Rx Papi to collaborate on an album by sending him beats. Rx Papi enjoyed the beats because of their raw feeling and began recording the album over the course of a month. He would start rapping when he hit a low point while going through a mental challenge.
Foreign Exchange is a hip-hop album that uses breathless and direct raps over synthesizer-driven production. The album explores topics such as strained relationships with family, the emotional impact of street life, and missed opportunities; Rx Papi also compares himself to notable criminals in its lyrics. The song "12 Stout Street" saw virality on the social platform TikTok. The album received positive reviews from music critics, many of whom enjoyed the contrast between Rx Papi's rapping and Gud's production and felt the collaboration was unexpected. Pitchfork included it in their mid-decade list of the best albums of the 2020s.
Background and recording
[edit]Throughout 2021, the American rapper Rx Papi gained attention by releasing the mixtapes 100 Miles & Walk'in and Pap vs. the World.[1] Gud is a Swedish record producer that primarily produces for the hip-hop groups Sad Boys and Drain Gang. He has also produced for musicians such as Halsey, Travis Scott, and Quavo, among others. Gud directly contacted Rx Papi to collaborate because of the fascination he had for Rx Papi's work.[2] Gud would send Rx Papi beats, which he rapped on while he felt like he was at a low point while going through something mentally. He was drawn to Gud's beats because of their raw feeling; he referred to the way Gud sent the beats as "the perfect setup". He recorded the song "12 Stout Street" at around 2:30 a.m. in his kitchen; he stated that "the beat just said some shit to [him]". The album was recorded over the course of a month.[3]
Composition
[edit]Overview
[edit]Foreign Exchange is a hip-hop album that does not utilize common song structures, hooks, or verses, and instead opts for breathless and direct raps.[2][4] The production is generally driven by synthesizers and a moody sonic palette, incorporating sound effects such as claps, rimshots, chimes, and hi-hats.[4] The lyricism covers topics such as strained relationships with family, the emotional impact of street life, and missed opportunities.[5] Multiple lines across the album display Rx Papi comparing himself to notable crime figures.[4] Yannik Gölz for laut.de likened multiple songs to therapy sessions, writing that the lyrics are "rhymed only by chance".[a][6] Rx Papi said the album "was just set up like a book" with different chapters; he described "12 Stout Street" as "real shit", "Teflon Don" as "turnt shit", and "Rahkel" as a "song for shawties".[3]
Songs
[edit]
The opening track of Foreign Exchange is "12 Stout Street", an introspective track which utilizes a simple melody and a buzz of sustain on every note to emphasize Rx Papi's personal lyricism. The lyrics revolve around themes of criminal behavior, drug use, and legal problems alongside references to future goals.[4] Additionally, Rx Papi addresses his mother, stepfather, and being exiled from his house, alongside the fact he did not want to life the lifestyle he lives.[6] They also express what is going on in his mind: "For so many years, I held it down / I never in my life wanted to sell drugs / I would've been cool with playing games and shit / But instead I'm running with the gang and shit."[5] Sputnikmusic's Benjamin Jack said the confessional lyrics make the song sound like "an exaggerated memoir" and a "template for emotional realisation".[4] Millan Verma of Pitchfork called the track haunting.[5] The following track, "N.L.M.B.", displays Rx Papi screaming the line "I grew up around fucking dead bodies!" atop a piano line reminiscent of ballads by New Edition or Ready for the World, according to Nadine Smith of Pitchfork.[2]
"Teflon Don", a song about aspirations and status, opens with soft keys and a breathless flow. Its instrumental is built around gentle chimes and deep bass, which Jack felt gave the song a more emotional feel. The instrumental emphasizes Rx Papi's rapping; the atmospheric sound of the instrumental contrasts with the song's strong themes. "Albino Steve" features overlapping lines, which Jack viewed as creating the impression of Rx Papi arguing with himself or "finishing his own sentences through a second persona".[4] The production, which revolves around a looping synthesizer and 808 drums, creates a sense of tension while creating a disturbing atmosphere.[4][6] "Split Decision" is driven by synthesizers. "Still in da Hood" makes references to popular culture in its lyrics: "Drako sound like Boomhauer" and "Spike Dudley with the leg drop." Smith viewed these lines as "small comforts" in a world containing constant threats of death.[2] Jack called the song "relatively simple yet vicious".[4] The penultimate track, "Rahkel", was written about Rx Papi's girlfriend.[3] Using a simple and atypical soundscape, it is built around distorted synthesizers and themes of optimism.[4][6] The closing track, "Liar", concludes with the line: "I walk in this bitch, I don't want to";[2] the line communicates the album's protagonist feels self-awareness.[4] Jack viewed the line as a reworking of the lines where Rx Papi compares himself to notable criminals. He further described it as a "sober ending" and said "both ego and conscience present themselves for a final curtain call".[4]
Release and reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| laut.de |   [6] |
| Pitchfork | 7.4/10[2] |
| Sputnikmusic | 4.5/5[4] |
Foreign Exchange was released by Year0001 on November 19, 2021.[7] "12 Stout Street" saw virality on the social media platform TikTok,[3][5] while BET stated that "Still in da Hood" appealed to listeners that consider themselves "misfits".[8] The album was released while Rx Papi was in prison; he was not aware of the album's success while incarcerated. People would send him articles about the album, which he said "just felt like any other regular shit [he] did".[8]
Upon its release, Foreign Exchange received a positive review from Pitchfork. Smith called it "tight and cohesive", which she attributed to Gud's "experienced pop precision". She also called it "more direct than Gud's work with Sad Boys" due to Rx Papi's flow, further stating that when Gud's production "emphasizes the grit and pain inherent in [Rx Papi's] voice" when his lyrics are not "transparently emotional".[2] Alphonse Pierre of the same website considered it Rx Papi's best release.[9] Sputnikmusic also reviewed the album positively; Jack highlighted the oddity of the collaboration and called the album a "thing of beauty". He enjoyed the boldness of the album's "creative hip-hop", "abrasive" lyricism, and instrumentals. He described "Liar" as "the perfect conclusion to Foreign Exchange in many respects", highlighting its final line.[4]
In a positive review of the album for laut.de, Gölz praised the contrast between Rx Papi's "grim street aesthetic"[b] and Gud's psychedelic production for making the music sound raw. He further expressed that Rx Papi can speak "so unfiltered that it can sometimes be uncomfortable",[c] citing "12 Stout Street" as an example. He concluded his review by stating that "even though this coming together of two weirdos is far too niche to be a major success",[d] it "still feels somewhat groundbreaking".[e][6] In October 2024, Pitchfork included Foreign Exchange in its mid-decade list of the best albums of the 2020s. Verma called it Rx Papi's opus and "his best and most fully realized project". He lauded the contrast between Gud's "dreamscapes" and Rx Papi's "grating verses about rocky family relationships".[5] Several critics felt the collaboration between Rx Papi and Gud was unexpected.[2][4][6]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Chester Roscoe (Rx Papi) and Carl-Mikael Berlander (Gud). All tracks are produced by Gud.[10]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "12 Stout Street" | 1:58 |
| 2. | "N.L.M.B." | 2:04 |
| 3. | "Teflon Don" | 2:12 |
| 4. | "Albino Steve" | 2:12 |
| 5. | "Split Decision" | 2:27 |
| 6. | "Still in da Hood" | 3:08 |
| 7. | "Rahkel" | 2:13 |
| 8. | "Liar" | 3:06 |
| Total length: | 19:20 | |
Personnel
[edit]Credits are adapted from Year0001's website and Tidal.[7][10]
Notes
[edit]- ^ This quote is a translation of the original text: "die nur zufällig gereimt wurden"
- ^ This quote is a translation of the original text: "grimmige Straßenästhetik"
- ^ This quote is a translation of the original text: "so filterlos, dass es teils unangenehm berühren kann"
- ^ This quote is a translation of the original text: "auch, wenn diese Zusammenkunft zweier Weirdos viel zu nischig für einen großen Wurf sein wird"
- ^ This quote is a translation of the original text: "doch irgendwie wegweisend an"
References
[edit]- ^ Darville, Jordan (November 19, 2021). "The 8 projects you should stream right now". The Fader. Archived from the original on December 14, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Smith, Nadine (December 6, 2021). "Rx Papi / Gud: Foreign Exchange Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 19, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Sundaresan, Mano (November 22, 2022). "Rx Papi has a lot on his mind". No Bells. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Jack, Benjamin (January 25, 2023). "Review: Rx Papi and Gud - Foreign Exchange". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Verma, Millan (October 1, 2024). "The 100 Best Albums of the 2020s So Far". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gölz, Yannik (November 19, 2021). "Cloudrap, wie aus allen Wolken gefallen" [Cloudrap, like a complete shock.]. laut.de (in German). Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b "RX Papi, Gud - Foreign Exchange". Year0001. November 19, 2021. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Meara, Paul (July 19, 2023). "#OnTheVerge: Rx Papi Is An Open Book In His Lyrics And In Real Life". BET. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ Pierre, Alphonse (January 7, 2022). "Turns Out Big Sean Is Extremely Mediocre at Acting, Too". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Rx Papi; Gud (November 19, 2021). "Foreign Exchange / Rx Papi & Gud / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved March 12, 2025.