Ramona Park Broke My Heart

by Vince Staples

Overview

Started around the same time as the sessions that yielded his 2021 self-titled album, Ramona Park Broke My Heart, the fifth studio album from California rapper Vince Staples, continues down a path of introspective and sometimes nostalgic tones. The Ramona Park name-checked in the album's title refers to the Long Beach, California neighborhood where Staples grew up, and he seems to flash between memories of his upbringing and how the present day was informed by his past throughout the album. The infectiously funky "Magic" finds Staples remembering the harder times of street hustling and public housing squabbles on his way to success, flowing over a mellow, bass-forward Mustard-produced beat. Tracks like the solemn, weary "East Point Prayer" and the booming "DJ Quik" are similar, as he remembers his early days of gang affiliation and reflects on how the pressures from those days never really lifted, they just took different shapes as Staples found fame. He spends some time dissecting his complex relationship with sex and love, as well, starting the sharp anti-love track "Rose Street" with the ad-lib "I don't sing no love songs, ain't never sang no love songs!" and transferring the sentiments of a romantic relationship onto his gun on the clever "When Sparks Fly." The production throughout Ramona Park Broke My Heart is metered and languid, with unrushed tempos and relaxed vocal deliveries on most of the material. Staples goes even deeper into memory and self-reflection on Ramona Park Broke My Heart, presenting his pain, glory, and contradictory emotions in sharper definition while turning in some of his most engaging music to date. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	11/04/2022
Label:	Motown
UPC:	0602445565542
Rank:	646

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Vince Staples   Primary Artist,Rap
Mustard   Primary Artist,Vocals
Ty Dolla $ign   Primary Artist,Rap
Lil Baby   Primary Artist
Corey Henry   Keyboards
Vision   Vocals
Nick Lee   Horn
Dylan Wiggins   Keyboards
Zack Sekoff   Guitar,Keyboards,Percussion
Jacob Reske   Vocals
Sean Matsukawa   Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Percussion
Nami   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Chris Gehringer   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Will Quinnell   Mastering,Assistant Mastering Engineer
Mark "Spike" Stent   Mixing,Audio Engineer,Mixing Engineer
R. Brooks   Composer,Composer
Quincy Banks   Design
DJ Quik   Musical Producer
Corinne Bailey Rae   Composer
Dexter Wansel   Composer
Johnny Juliano   Producer,Musical Producer
Tyrone Griffin   Composer
Mustard   Producer,Musical Producer
Ethiopia Habtemariam   Producer,Executive Producer
Tommy Parker   Producer,Musical Producer
Steve Cook   A&R
Midori Nishijima   A&R
Theodore Life   Composer
John Sims   Composer
Rico Smith   Composer
Jonas Koch   Composer,Producer
John Julian   Composer
Thomas Lumpkins   Composer
DJ Mustard   Musical Producer
Dijon McFarlane   Composer
Kenny Beats   Engineer,Producer,Recording,Musical Producer,Executive Producer
Vince Staples   Executive Producer
DJ Dahi   Producer,Musical Producer
Cooper McGill   Composer
Michael Uzowuru   Producer,Executive Producer
Earl E. Washington   Composer
Lindsey Lanier   A&R
Cardo   Producer,Musical Producer
Lewis Hughes   Composer,Producer
Nicholas Audino   Composer,Producer
David Blake   Composer
Shahrooz Raoofi   Composer
Dacoury Natche   Composer
Dylan Wiggins   Composer
Kish Robinson   Design
Vincent Staples   Design,Composer
Corey "Blacksmith" Smyth   Producer,Executive Producer
Ronald LaTour   Composer
Francesca Bergami   Composer
Kenneth Blume III   Composer
Zack Sekoff   Composer,Producer,Keyboard Arrangements
Tyler Page   Engineer,Recording
Jenna Vitolo   A&R
Jacob Reske   Composer,Producer
Paul Castelluzzo   Composer,Producer,Musical Producer
Dominique Jones   Composer
Matt Wolach   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Atupele Ndisale   Composer
Mike Hector   Composer,Producer
Sean Matsukawa   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Musical Producer
David Pizzimenti   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Coop the Truth   Producer,Musical Producer
Leken Taylor   Composer,Producer,Musical Producer
Frano Huett   Composer,Producer,Musical Producer
Saint Mino   Producer,Musical Producer
Mino Drerup   Composer
Jacob Wilkinson-Smith   Composer
Nami   Producer,Musical Producer
Dylan Ismael Teixeira   Composer
Armin Lopez   Assistant Engineer
Essence Carson   A&R
My Best Friend Jacob   Producer
Angie Randisi   Recording
Hayden Duncan   Assistant Engineer
Rell Roberts   A&R
Tlholo Moraka   Design
Arthur Ray   Composer
Brazzen   Producer,Musical Producer
Dewey Wilson   Composer
Thibault Dominguez   Composer
Grecia Alfaro   Composer
Hebrew Malachai Richardson   Composer
Joey Ramirez   Producer
Joseph Luis Ramirez III   Composer
LBAMBINO   Producer
Levi Miucci   Composer
Luther Cook   Composer
Mingo   Producer,Musical Producer
Yori Smith   Composer,Producer,Musical Producer