No Pressure (Logic album) explained

No Pressure
Type:studio
Artist:Logic
Cover:Logic No Pressure album cover.jpeg
Genre:Hip hop[1]
Length:59:48
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:YS Collection Vol. 1
Next Year:2021

No Pressure is the sixth studio album by American rapper Logic. It was released through Def Jam Recordings and Visionary Music Group on July 24, 2020. The production on the album was handled by Logic himself, No I.D., 6ix, and FnZ, among others. No Pressure contains samples from different classic radio shows, with the final track on the album being solely an excerpt from Orson Welles Commentaries. The album was marketed as Logic's final commercial release, however, this statement was retracted upon the release of Logic's following mixtape Bobby Tarantino III. It was supported by the single "Perfect", which was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on August 11, 2020.[2]

No Pressure received critical acclaim upon release and was considered a return to form for the Maryland MC following his 2019 studio effort Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which was met with mostly negative reviews. Many critics also commended him for his writing, vocal performances, and for returning to his roots. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, earning 221,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It debuted behind Taylor Swift's eighth studio album, Folklore. Shortly after his retirement, Logic embarked on a streaming career on Twitch. On June 16, 2021, Logic announced his comeback from retirement.

Background and release

On July 16, 2020, Logic announced the album and also announced that the album would be his last as he would be retiring. [3] [4] [5] [6] In the tweet, he stated that it had been a "great decade", and it was time to "be a great father."[7] The next day, he debuted photos of his son, "Little Bobby".[8] His son is also credited as a songwriter on the twelfth track, "A2Z".[9] However, Logic returned to rapping on June 16, 2021.

To celebrate the release, Logic had a "release party extravaganza" on Twitch, where, after playing the album, he became emotional while thanking his fans and other rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake for how their contributions as his contemporaries inspire him and support him, whether they know it or not.[10] [11] [12]

Music videos for the tracks "DadBod" and "Aquarius III" were released in the week following the album's release.[13]

Composition and recording

Opening track "No Pressure" features a sample from Orson Welles's The Hitch-Hiker, with Logic cutting in the script with words and phrases.[14] [15] The track also features David Hayter, reprising his role as Solid Snake.[16] [17]

The ending track, "Obediently Yours", uses a sample from the July 28, 1946 episode of Welles's Orson Welles Commentaries.[14] [15] Many listeners praised the usage of samples from Welles, including his commentary on the Isaac Woodard case. Beatrice Welles, his youngest daughter, commented that she "was pleased with the final product and thrilled that her father's message on racism from 76 years ago has struck a chord with a younger audience".[18]

Critical reception

No Pressure received generally positive reviews from critics, with some calling it a return to form for the Maryland MC. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted average score of 78, based on six reviews, indicating "Generally favorable reviews". It is the highest score in Logic's discography. Album of the Year gave the album a score of 73 based on six critic reviews.

Will Lavin of NME gave the album four out of five stars, saying that the album "continues the trend even as he bids farewell to the art form that raised him and gave him a platform to speak his truth." A.D. Amorosi of Variety said that the album is a "solid, soulful finale" for his career, and that Logic was in his best, "kid-like Q-Tip mode."[19] [20] Tim Hoffman of RIFF magazine gave the album an 8/10, calling it a "masterful final release" for Logic.[21]

In the review for AllMusic, Fred Thomas called it one of Logic's "best and most enjoyable albums, wrapping up an electrified run with his most clearheaded and honest material yet." Donna-Claire Chesman and Yoh Phillips of DJBooth both praised the rapper for having the album be "driven by love" of life, self, music, and "all the feel-good emotions",[22] as well as finally "finding balance" with himself.[23] Judah Charles Lotter of Meaww called the album a "powerful and infectiously catchy swansong album."[24]

Accolades

Year-end lists for No Pressure!Publication!Accolade!Rank!Ref
Riff MagazineThe Best Albums of 2020[25]
BillboardThe 20 Best Rap Albums of 2020[26]
YardBarkerThe 20 Best Hip-Hop albums of 2020[27]

Commercial performance

No Pressure debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 221,000 album-equivalent units (including 172,000 copies as pure album sales) in its first week.[28] This became Logic's seventh US top-ten debut.[28] The album also accumulated a total of 65.16 million on-demand streams of the set's tracks in the week ending August 8.[28]

Track listing

Credits adapted from Tidal.[29]

Notes

Sample credits

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart performance for No Pressure
Chart (2020)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] 14
French Albums (SNEP)[32] 158
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[33] 9
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[34] 14

Year-end charts

2020 year-end chart performance for No Pressure
Chart (2020)Position
US Billboard 200[35] 163
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[36] 59

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Grant. Shawn. Logic Releases His Retirement Album 'No Pressure'. The Source. July 24, 2020.
  2. Web site: Top 40 Rhythmic Crossover Radio Music News, Charts, Top Songs, Stations. All Access. August 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200812095725/https://www.allaccess.com/top40-rhythmic. August 12, 2020.
  3. Web site: Logic: Rapper announces retirement. July 17, 2020. BBC.
  4. Web site: Logic Announces His Retirement And New Album, 'No Pressure'. July 17, 2020. Armstrong, Sam. uDiscoverMusic.
  5. Web site: Logic announces retirement with 'No Pressure' album. CNN. France, Lisa. July 17, 2020.
  6. Web site: Logic Bids Goodbye to Hip-Hop With Final Studio Album 'No Pressure'. Hypebeast. July 17, 2020.
  7. 1283905251968536576. Logic301. Logic. Logic (rapper). July 16, 2020. Officially announcing my retirement with the release of "No Pressure" executive produced by No I.D. July 24th... It's been a great decade. Now it's time to be a great father. Art by @SamSpratt.
  8. Web site: Listen To Logic's Final Album 'No Pressure'. July 24, 2020. Vibe.
  9. 1287875929889415168. Logic301. Logic. Logic (rapper). July 27, 2020. Little bobby is actually credited as a writer on A2Z and has a percentage of the song. The money he makes from his publishing will go into an account I will surprise him with when he’s of age. Lol.
  10. Web site: Logic Breaks Down in Tears Saying His Farewell to Hip-Hop: Watch. July 24, 2020. Johnson, Joe. XXL.
  11. Web site: Logic tearfully thanks J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar and more in retirement speech. July 24, 2020. Moorwood, Victoria. Revolt TV.
  12. Web site: Logic Cries While Playing Final Album, Thanks Kendrick Lamar & Drake. July 24, 2020. Nelson, Daryl. Hip-Hop Lately.
  13. Web site: Logic drops new videos for "Aquarius III" and "DadBod". Revolt. Powell. Jon. July 28, 2020. August 2, 2020.
  14. Web site: Logic samples classic radio shows with Orson Welles on 'No Pressure' album. July 21, 2020. Kelly, Ray. MassLive.
  15. Web site: Logic samples Orson Welles radio shows on 'No Pressure' album. July 21, 2020. Wellesnet.
  16. Web site: New Logic album 'No Pressure' features David Hayter as Solid Snake. Adams, Robert. July 24, 2020. GameRevolution.
  17. Web site: Solid Snake Makes an Appearance on Logic's No Pressure Album. Moore, Logan. DualShockers.
  18. Web site: Rap fans give high marks to Orson Welles appearance on Logic album. July 24, 2020. Wellesnet.
  19. Web site: Logic's 'No Pressure': Album Review. July 24, 2020. Amorosi, A.D.. Variety.
  20. Web site: Logic's 'No Pressure': Album Review. July 24, 2020. Amorosi, A.D.. Yahoo! News.
  21. Web site: ALBUM REVIEW: Logic feels 'No Pressure' on masterful final release. Hoffman, Tim. July 24, 2020. RIFF Magazine.
  22. Web site: Read Our 1 Listen Review of Logic's 'No Pressure' Album. DJBooth. Phillips, Yoh. July 24, 2020.
  23. Web site: With 'No Pressure,' Logic Finally Finds Balance. DJBooth. Chesman, Donna-Claire. July 24, 2020.
  24. Web site: 'No Pressure' Review: Logic takes a dig at 'modern-day rap' in powerful and infectiously catchy swansong album. Lotter, Judah Charles. July 24, 2020. Meaww.
  25. Web site: 2020-12-02. The 75 best albums of 2020: 75-61. 2021-03-05. RIFF Magazine. en-US.
  26. Web site: The 20 Best Rap Albums of 2020: Staff Picks. 2021-03-05. Billboard. en.
  27. Web site: 2020-12-16. The 20 best hip-hop albums of 2020. 2021-03-05. Yardbarker. en.
  28. Web site: Taylor Swift Achieves Seventh No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart & Biggest Week of 2020 With 'Folklore'. Caulfield. Keith. Billboard. August 2, 2020. August 2, 2020.
  29. Web site: Credits / No Pressure / Logic. Tidal. July 25, 2020.
  30. Web site: Interview: FnZ & Keanu Talk About Producing Logic's "Perfect". Genius. Shy Ink. August 1, 2020. August 3, 2020.
  31. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 3, 2020. August 1, 2020.
  32. Web site: Top Albums (Week 31, 2020). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. fr. August 3, 2020.
  33. Web site: NZ Top 40 Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. August 3, 2020. August 2, 2020.
  34. Web site: VG-lista – Topp 40 Album uke 31, 2020. VG-lista. July 31, 2020.
  35. Web site: Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2020. Billboard. December 5, 2020.
  36. Web site: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2020. Billboard. December 14, 2020.

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