Logic's hyperquick rapping ability and message of peace, love, and positivity have made him one of the most popular rappers in the country; his 2017 album Everybody sold a quarter million records in its first week.
Before Logic became a superstar, he was a industrious young slickster from Maryland who drew parallels between his smooth flow and the legendary crooner Frank Sinatra to concieve his alter ego Young Sinatra. He first made his name on three Young Sinatra mixtapes: 2011's Young Sinatra, 2012's Young Sinatra: Undeniable, and 2013 Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever.
Today, we revisit some of the best songs from the Young Sinatra trilogy. Click through the image gallery to read on.
"Young Sinatra I, II, III"
There are two Young Sinatra trilogies--the mixtape trilogy and the song trilogy. The first installment of the song trilogy appeared on Logic's 2010 mixtape Young Broke and Infamous. He would go on to pen two sequels for his subsequent two mixtapes.
All I Do
"All I Do" | Young Sinatra
"All I Do" probably introduced more fans to Logic than any other song in his mixtape catalog. His workmanlike, upbeat flow meshes nicely with the smooth beat, which samples James Brown's rendition of Bobby Hebb's "Sunny," which BMI rated the 25th biggest song of the 21st century.
Shoutout Bobby Hebb.
Mind of Logic
"Mind of Logic" | Young Sinatra
Logic's first video with Visionary Music Group opens with, of all things, a quote from Michel de Montaigne, the French dude from the 1500s who invented the concept of the personal essay. Logic raps from a New York City apartment rooftop, a symbol of solitude, grit, and ambition.
Numbers
"Numbers" | Young Sinatra: Undeniable
The Drake influence is evident in Logic's delivery on "Numbers." The song finds him cockier than ever, cocky to the point that he indulges in a Rick Ross-esque boast before checking himself and copping to the falsehood, atoning before anybody can judge him.
Yeah you know I do it like it ain't never been done
Hit the Vegas strip and blow a million euro just for fun
To be honest I may have embellished that last line
Chilling with a shorty that is so much more than fine
The Spotlight
"The Spotlight" | Young Sinatra: Undeniable
Young Sinatra: Undeniable elevated Logic from internet curio and regional sensation to nationally known rapper. On "The Spotlight," he acknowledges his rise while insisting on maintaining a semblance of humility.
The grind never stops, like I'm running from the cops
It's hard to stay humble when you're force-fed props
But I don't give a damn, I am just a man
I am not more important than any one of my fans
Dead Presidents III
"Dead Presidents III" | Young Sinatra: Undeniable
“Chanson D'un Jour D'hiver”-sampling "Dead Presidents III," Logic denounces the use of guns, proclaims FISTS the most virtuous weapon, then retires his fists of fury and proclaims himself a vessel of peace who will quarrel with no man.
Ain't no killer but don't push me
If you grab the heat you a pussy
Knuckle up and tell me how you feel, forget the steel
I have not a single enemy
Only evil entities that have some how befriended me, In they mind
Cuz I am just a mortal man of peace that can rhyme
Walk On By
"Walk on By" | Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever
C-Sick once again proved himself to be one of hip hop's most underrated producers with the Dionne Warwick sample he flipped for "Walk on By." Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever hit the digital streets one month after Logic appeared on the XXL 2013 freshman cover.
925
"925" | Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever
"925" is produced by another criminally underrated beatsmith in Logic's sphere: Swiff D. Read HNHH"s in-depth profile on Swiff D here.
On The Low
"On The Low" feat. Kid Ink & Trinidad James | Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever
ANOTHER SWIFF D MASTERPIECE, "On the Low" was early evidence that Logic fares well on trappier beats. His 2016 digital mixtape Bobby Tarantino veered into trap territory and plateaued on a pair of titanic bangers in "Flexicution" and "Wrist."
Young Jedi
Young Jedi Feat. Dizzy Wright | Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever
Logic on why he took up the mantle of Frank Sinatra, as told by The Boombox:
"I just thought about how much I love Sinatra, his music, the debonair [vibe] to him, the honor — he walks into a room and everyone wants to shake his hand. I wanted to be that dude and bring that to hip-hop. So then I got that alter ego, Young Sinatra — Like Slim Shady to Em or Hov to Jay [Z]. But then I wanted to take it a step further with the whole RattPack, which is spelled with two Ts and stand for 'Real All The Time.' All these things kind of came into play."