Peace, Love And Positivity Now Sold At The ‘Supermarket’

Shaina Blakesley, Managing Editor

The subtle rise of Logic began in 2009, and 10 years later, this lovable underdog has transitioned into a bonafide superstar. But his stardom is far from dwindling with his creativity and musicality exploring different realms within the music universe. The Los Angeles-based rapper recently dropped his newest album “Supermarket,” coinciding with the debut of his psychological thriller novel by the same name.

Logic, also known as Bobby Hall, typically transcends the ever-growing landscape of hip-hop and his rapid rhymes are briefly present on the majority of tracks such as, “Bohemian Trapsody,” “Baby” and “Pretty Young Girl.” The biggest jaw-dropper of this new album is the vocal range and musical talent Logic demonstrates, ranging from ballads, indie rock-style choruses and quick-spitted quips.

The album and the subsequent novel were both released on March 26, and within 24 hours the book breached the number one spot on Amazon’s Best-Selling Book List. Unlike his previous albums, “Supermarket” is more lyrical with hits of alternative rock with guitar-driven progressions contrasted with his rap repertoire.

The Maryland rapper joins the “unique fraternity of musicians who have released novels,” according to Apple Music. Following in the footsteps of Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Colin Meloy, Louise Wener, and Gil Scott-Heron, he is also the only artist to accompany their page-turner with a related album.

“I wanted to use my novel as an opportunity to challenge myself musically diving into a completely new genre,” Logic said via a press statement regarding the album and novel release.

In addition to his new sounds setting the stage for this new album, the “peace, love and positivity” rapper teamed up with an unlikely colleague, Canadian indie rock songwriter Mac DeMarco. Mac DeMarco’s songs resemble psychedelic rock with nodes of beachy rhythms; They also produced two songs together: “Probably Going To Rock Your World” and “Vacation From Myself.”

Every song on this album encapsulates the earth-shattering feeling your heart falls victim to when falling in love, but also the anger that comes with whole-heartedly believing you are not worth that kind of love. Some songs most notably take a bigger turn from his original rap career than others, really driving home the versatility of one of the most creative artists to step foot in this generation of generic talents.

The first two songs, “Bohemian Trapsody” and “Can I Kick It” are both a twist on Queen and A Tribe Called Quest, respectfully. The duo both blend the high-life philosophy and the typical love odyssey, and this motif transcends each song on this 13-track setlist. Logic in “Bohemian Trapsody” delivers a soft flowing sensation with “Every night / I grab a little piece of earth and make it ignite / I’m a satellite / Drifting through your nova at the speed of light,” and concludes with his typical rap flow about legalizing marijuana.

Like the majority of the lyrics on this multi-dimensional soundtrack, the third and most relatable song “Time Machine” is about the girl that got away. His sincerity in his hopeful words that a time machine would be the cure all, end all for his broken relationship can hold water for almost anyone living in a love funk. With lyrics like, “I see your face everywhere I go / I watch your blood melt through the snow” and the repeated line “Every time I go back /  I always seem to fail” outlines a missed opportunity at true love, but also equates to death — literally or figuratively. The 12th track, “DeLorean” mimics the back to the future feel similar to “Time Machine,” but instead of missing the opportunity he centers around the feeling of complete hopelessness in the love arena.

The first ballad Logic teased on in Boston during his ‘Bobby Tarantino vs. Everybody’ Tour, “Pretty Young Girl” is the perfect song for the insecurities floating when you plunge into love, but combatted with angry and desperate raps about being played. He vocalizes the reality that everyone is consumed with when they take a risk on a person and understanding that the past speaks truth that more often than not these flings end. This sentiment resonates in the line, “My heart can’t take no more, I’m sincerely sure / But if that shit was true, why in the hell am I singing for?”

The title song “Supermarket” directly correlates to Logic’s novel as more when compared to the other tracks. Each line mimics the thought process of his main character Flynn’s struggles towards his ex, his new love interest and his life veering off the edge. Flynn, according to a. press release, recently dumped and is driven to depressive state after he is hired at the local supermarket where his “world collapses as the secrets of his tortured mind are revealed.”