Hate him or love him, Waka Flocka Flame’s energy is hard to ignore. There is his intense delivery, the vigor in his yells and when matched with potent beats, it’s difficult to overlook his penchant for making street/club anthems. However, there is also another element that is hard to ignore. There is his “not into being lyrical” quote and his notion that being lyrical “ain’t finnin’ to get you no money.” As one might expect, all of that is present on his latest effort, but there are also some small surprises to be found on Triple F Life: Friends, Fans & Family.
For the most part, Flocka maintains his stance on lyricism. When repeating “Let them guns blam” on “Let Dem Guns Blam,” he showcases the elements that make him entertaining to his fans. Those intrigued by Flocka’s delivery will also enjoy “Power of My Pen” and “Candy Paint & Gold Teeth” or the Pop sensibilities of “I Don’t Really Care” and Boi-1da’s “Get Low.” These tracks, along with the Drake assisted “Round of Applause” bring the intensity and fun that is often anticipated with Flocka releases.
While all of that is expected, Flocka surprises with some insight on “Triple F Life Outro.” On the cut, he admits, “I’ve been going through so much. I’ve been thinking about so much. I don’t know who to trust or who to believe.” Later, he acknowledges the pain that comes with the death of friends and loved ones. Though this is a rare moment of clarity for Flocka, it stands out as a sincere one.
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With that said, it’s still hard not to note some of the glaring blemishes on the album. The aforementioned “Round of Applause” is redundant when paired with “Clap” as both the titles and themes on the songs are too similar to stand together. “Cash” and “Flex” are also quite similar (Flocka yells “Flex!” several times on “Cash”). His dismissive take on lyricism as unimportant is also noted as he relies much more on chanting adlibs than he does on meaningful or memorable verses, leaving much to be desired throughout, even on songs that are otherwise entertaining.
Listening to a Flocka album, one shouldn’t expect moving metaphors, intriguing similes and/or clever punhlines. If that is the listener’s aim, this isn’t the artist or album. Those wanting what can be expected from Waka will get that and a little bit more from Triple F Life. While there are some highlights on the album, they don’t nearly make up for the glaring flaws throughout, the lack of noteworthy lyrics or the redundancy in topics, flows, hooks and beats. That is all far too difficult to ignore.
