SURF finally came and it is going to be the soundtrack of everyone’s summer. The super-chill collaborative effort by Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment not only makes a serious case for 2015’s most valuable hip-hop album to date thus far, thanks to Chance the Rapper and the rest of DT & TSE, but it has some serious cameos that add to the fun.
Now that we've had time to digest every single uncredited feature (and credit the tracks appropriately), we decided to pick and choose some of the best guest appearances. What's your favorite feature? If you missed the free album, you can grab it below, then head on to read through for the top 7 features on SURF.
Erykah Badu on "Rememory"
Following a jarring static shock (literally), Erykah Badu helps us drift to shore in the dreamlike “Rememory.” She does a lot in a few words and manages to put her imprint on the track in a few lines, making “Rememory” a perfectly good addition to her impressive lexicon.
Joey Purp on "Go"
On this Pharell-y track that references the album’s title by exclaiming “Surf’s up,” Joey Purp comes along with a catchy little verse to sandwich in between the celebratory vocals and cool little guitar solo at the end. This is all accomplished in spite of the verse containing the narrative of the hopeless romantic. His flow, though simple, once married to the beat will get your head bopping right away.
Notable Bars:
"I don't really mean to look at you the wrong way
But did the cover free shots get you home babe?
When you woke up were you still in the wrong place?
Guess the little money that he spent on drinks done went a long way"
Busta Rhymes on "Slip Side"
Busta sets the table perfectly for the big family barbeque that is SURF. The first feature to present itself on the album, Busta cracks open his classic nonchalant flow like a beer on a warm summer day. His blazing bars accompanied by the bellowing horns that harken to the Baiyou make him a serviceable member in the rotation of guests involved with this project.
Notable Bars:
“Please get to turning on the fan cause it’s warm
While I build just a little 'bout the man I was born to be
This whole planet belongs to me
We all feel the same so it belongs to we
We talkin’ all night but this is my birth right
Please can you get to bringin’ the crown to me?”
Saba on "SmthnthtIwnt"
From Chicago street poet to emcee, Saba has slowly made waves as a conscientious master of wordplay. Previously impressing on Chance the Rapper’s acclaimed Acid Rap LP, Saba shows up here on SURF on a track that is basically his own. His flow is beautifully stained with the remnants of his spoken word past, creating a unique and intense aesthetic.
Notable Bars:
"I know the Lord give and Lord take
But he got me choosin' between church and the music, like Mase
Pray, that's what grandma said, I bow my head
You still alive, you are not dead, I'm your pallbearer
And that's the blood that I wrote this with"
Big Sean on "Wanna Be Cool"
Big Sean brings it back to reality in this song about self-identity. Detailing his rags to riches over New Orleans horns, you can practically imagine him performing directly on the French Quarter. His tale of struggling to find your role in the cast that is your family is relevant to many, but his success is obviously an inspiration to rise above being stuck in second gear.
Notable Bars:
"Only class I'm passing is English and Math
I don't know, maybe because they both got commas
Maybe because my older bro was on the honor roll
And the other one was always up in front of the honor
So I'm in the middle like the line in the divide signs"
J. Cole on "Warm Enough"
J. Cole’s verse provides a narrative of a man who didn’t know what he had until it was gone. In a mostly slow, serenading albeit contemplative track, Cole jumps in relentless with his flow. Analogizing his love to tending a garden, Cole manages to paint a poetic picture as well.
Notable Bars:
"Cause to me you’re a dime and I’m still a nickel
And you know niggas say that every coin got two sides"
NoName Gypsy on "Warm Enough"
Noname Gypsy delightfully channels the spirits of both Erykah Badu (who also guest stars on SURF) and Lauryn Hill, first offering a fleeting falsetto hook that’ll bring you back to the pique of Baduizm, and a verse reminiscent of the former Fugee. Not to be overshadowed, her verse is a standout on a track that also features an all-guns-blazing J.Cole.
Notable Bars:
“My black boy outer space looking like a rain child
But but my body move like the sun
Go run til I'm rainbow we painted the 50 shades of grey”
