It was a combination of raw talent and willingness to take his artistry to personal places that brought Baltimore rapper
Logic to the mainstream. Hyper-fast lyrical delivery, plush production, and vulnerable inspection of mental health issues and personal struggles were all key elements of his success. Shortly before the release of sixth studio album
No Pressure,
Logic announced the record would be his last and he'd be retiring from music afterward to focus on raising his family. There's no shortage of retirement announcements that don't stick, but
No Pressure is definitely underscored by a sense of conclusion,
Logic looking back on the last ten years with an awareness that he's moving closer toward the exit with every song. The album reunites the rapper with producer
No I.D. for the first time since his 2014 studio debut,
Under Pressure. The production plays as important a role as the rapping throughout, with
Logic making blatant references to some of his most important influences by reworking their beats or borrowing their styles, paying tribute as he delivers the closing statements of his career. From the robotic voice that walks the listener through the various songs (borrowed directly from
A Tribe Called Quest's
Midnight Marauders) to the beat from
OutKast's "Elevators (Me & You)" flipped on "GP4," the tips of the hat on
No Pressure are overt.
Kanye West's early catalog is a major reference point throughout the album as well, with songs like "Hit My Line," "Celebration," and "Heard Em Say" all recalling the chopped samples, cocky flows, and huge drums of the first few
Kanye records. In addition to the detailed homages to his inspirations,
Logic uses
No Pressure to outline his departure from rap. "Soul Food II" addresses frustrations with a fickle music industry and "DadBod" pulls no punches expressing how much more he gets out of everyday family life than the grind of keeping a high-profile music career afloat. As
Logic's fame grew, he made more songs about the criticism he got from detractors and former fans on social media. "Dark Place" is
No Pressure's entry for this often-visited theme, with a heavenly ambient beat made in collaboration with
Toro y Moi backdropping lyrics about insecurity and a lack of self-worth.
No Pressure is one part celebration, one part victory lap, and one part bittersweet farewell, with
Logic dismissing his haters, showing appreciation for his diehard supporters, and spilling every last personal detail of his story one more time before the curtain closes. The sense of finality removes some of the thin-skinned or overly self-aware lyricism that got in the way of earlier records.
No Pressure finds
Logic all grown up and ready to give himself over to a new chapter. It's one of his best and most enjoyable albums, wrapping up an electrified run with his most clearheaded and honest material yet. ~ Fred Thomas
![Salutations [LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0075597940183_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Salutations [LP]")
![All Eyez On Me [4 LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602448276261_p0_v3_s90x140.jpg "All Eyez On Me [4 LP]")
