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Survivor’s Remorse: Review
10.10.22
G Herbo-Survivor’s Remorse-Album-Review
G Herbo has officially released both sides A and B for his new album, Survivor’s Remorse. This is G Herbo’s fifth studio album, and a double album, at that. He has taken the approach to release Side A on this past New Music Friday, and the second half today, three days later. This, is the Survivor’s Remorse review.
First off, the roll out of the project to me, was fantastic. The last two years have been the years of the “deluxe album” when artists would go away for months then drop the “Deluxe” to what they had just put out. G Herbo knew he had two albums worth of work, with a story to tell. Instead of waiting a few months, or even a week, he let us side with Side A throughout the weekend, and during the hype of a New Music Friday. I think if we waited until this upcoming Friday, a lot of the hype would have passed. It’s Monday, many people have today off, and we’re excited to bump the second half of this album, which always has a little bit extra to live up to.
On top of that, G Herbo has been doing his thing promoting this project. He’s been doing all the hottest interview shows, and even done an album release party in NYC. I thought this was cool since he is from Chicago, now stays in LA but wanted to come celebrity with his friends from the East Coast to support his latest project.
Not only has G Herbo been growing as an artist over the years, but we see him growing as a person, as well. He’s created Swervin Through Stress, as an outlet to get children free therapy and mental health opportunities, and he has purchased a school in Chicago to give the youth and younger generations places to comfortably run their local businesses, hang out with their friends, and overall have a positive place in the community for everyone to come together.
Herbo’s past two albums highlight his growth, and opening up to his fans through music. In PTSD, he shares something major in his life that he has been suffering from, due to traumatic events that have happened in the past. Throughout 25, we watch G Herbo navigate his life as an adult with a family now. In recent interviews promoting Survivor’s Remorse, he talks about battling depression after loosing his brother, he talks about looking out for his city, but from a far to protect himself and his family. He mentions he believes it is his best work, because as he continues to grow as a man, his music will naturally do the same.
After listening to the album on repeat for the past several days, that does shine through. G Herbo used to be the artist who “couldn’t rap on beat.” Or maybe was just going to make music for the streets of Chicago, but would he ever get radio play? This album currently has three radio hits, four music videos, and I am certain there are several more coming over the next weeks. He is able to articulate his rhymes better, is able to be vulnerable and still hang with the heavy hitter rap lyricists throughout. He shows versatility top to bottom and remains authentic throughout.
This should be an album of the year in this category. The features are heavy but I would never sleep on any of the solo records either. After That and Him are two of my favorites, and of course Real Rap, Shordie and Flashbacks. Below is the track list for each side with a quick snapshot of the track, from a For The Soule perspective.
Survivor’s Side:
G Herbo-Survivor’s-Side A
I always love a Yosohn feature, and what better way to start the album. Herbo gives Yosohn the phone to talk to his grandmother who explains Yosohn is an executive producer of the track. FWM is another one of my favorites on the project. He talks about putting on the youth to bigger opportunities, he touches on being such a successful artist without any major help thus far. Not to mention, he does this all through hard hitting bars, then uses a catchy break down to really ensure you’re taking the message in, and ties it all together with the love from his first born. He’s coming in hott to start off this album just (W)right.
Some artists you just want to hear rap. But G Herbo has something super interesting about his work when working with artists who can really sing. Many people will have noticed that one, this track is edited, even though on the explicit downloads. And two, this song indeed samples Kanye West’s Flashing Lights. Earlier this morning, G Herbo shared a Tweet that said Kanye West just cleared the sample, and the explicit version should be coming soon. Hopefully he does not change his mind before we get there. This track has been a fan favorite by many, including Wallo from Million Dollaz Worth of Game Podcast.
This was definitely a track that many were excited to hear. Offset being currently on the outskirts with the Migos has been a bit unsettling, but knowing he’s been doing his own work is exciting to hear, especially when it is a good as this. The bass is heavy and G Herbo goes in as soon as the beat drops - barely five seconds into the track. The two work well together and honestly put Offset ahead of the trio in my eyes with his ability to lay down some real lyrics on this one.
Blues grows on me with every listen. The quality in the music video is so good, so vibrant. It’s just as I explained earlier in the sound quality of how Herbo literally sounds when he’s rhyming. The lyrics are still experiential to his days in the streets, something radio play would not understand or easily go for. But it is executed in a way that is very much tailored to a Future track that kids will absolutely love, whether or not they really understand what their favorite artist is saying.
g-herbo-future-blues-music-video
5) Shaderoom
I remember listening to someone question G Herbo about this track on one of the interviews he did. To many, The Shaderoom is an Instagram Channel that may not speak about them in a positive light, since they are all about sharing the latest news and gossip on the town. Herbo mentioned it is all love between him and The Shaderoom, whom have actually commended G Herbo on multiple occasions for the good things that he has done for his hometown city of Chicago. The song does it’s job to either confirm or shut down rumors that are clearly un-bothersome to the artist.
OG Herb fans get excited for any 4 Minutes of Hell. With the first version dropping in 2012, G Herbo has previously mentioned that the would not do the lengthy freestyles anymore, but it does not sound like he is slowing up anytime soon. Bar for bar, this is one of the highest quality tracks on the project.
7) Real Rap (FT Benny the Butcher)
The wind chimes and eery whistling in the background remind me of a light piece of the beat from Blues earlier on in the project. The symbols and the bass drum remind me of a classic Benny the Butcher track. Basically, the beat could not be more perfect for the two to finally come together on a track. Real Rap, is their specialty. Though G Herbo is a much younger artist, he has been doing music, and doing it on his own, for a decade at this point. He certainly surprised many being able to hang with Benny. Certainly another fan favorite from the rap fans, and certainly keeping us on our toes for what is to come with Conway, later on, on Side B.
Baby Essex has the feature on this track, so you can only imagine Emmy will be making her debut on the next one. It is wholesome keeping the family involved, and interesting to hear where takes the song. It begins by all the trouble Herbo has been in over the past few years, but how his team has gotten him through it, and now he is able to be better man and provide for his family. He does this fun flow again, similarly to in FWM, where he his verses are intense and hit hard, but has a chorus-like-bridge with a little sass in voice to make the track super catchy to every-day listeners.
I will certainly remain Free YSL til they are free but I was not expecting for the Gunna feature to be one of my favorites, but, IT IS. I just feel like this song is so fun, super catchy, and one that you’ll just want to dance to no matter what mood you are in. Gunna’s chorus is light-hearted and fun, and then he goes back-and-forth with G Herbo on the second verse and that is just one of the coolest things in hip-hop. You have to have a real connection and work together as a unit to make something like that really work for a track and they absolutely did their thing, making this in my top five of the double album.
g-herbo-in-studio-with-gunna
10) After That
I am dubbing After That my favorite song of the album. It is very much G Herbo doing his own thing through and through and you can hear it. He sounds like he is having fun recording in the booth, even though this is mostly about a sensitive topic. He shows growth as an artist just by the quality of the bars, the sound and the execution of the track start to finish. Fans are going to catch on and know every single word to this song, and it is going to shock him when it comes time for tour and he does not even need to sing this.
So, songs like this have been done before - many times - but they never fail to give you the chills. He gives you perspective from a young boy growing up, who was so smart, and so loved, but experienced some traumatic things in life. Constantly got into trouble, went to jail at twelve years old, and lost a lot of important people along the way. At the end, he notes, that this was his own experiences he was sharing.
Open your eyes and see, that n**** was me
It is certainly one of the more deeper tracks on the album, but on one end, the artistry and brilliant and on the other, it is a track that gives us insights into some of the life of G Herbo that we may have assumed, but not really known prior to listening to this track.
12) Survivor’s Outro
It is the end of Side A and G Herbo is talking about how he does not like to write music anymore, because it makes him feel like someone who he is no longer. The person who experienced all of these violent and traumatic situations, is no longer the person that G Herbo is today, which is a good thing. It does sound like a bit of the PTSD which we know he goes through, and discussed on his 2020 album. I would like a bit more detail on the quote, because this is certainly not the end of G Herbo. But, I do not think he freestyles everything? Being an independent artist, I am also not penning a writer on him, I am just a bit curious what this really means, and what I would dig into him on if he did a For the Soule interview ;)
Remorse Side:
G Herbo-Remorse-Side B
Herb has a lot to get off his chest in this track. As the start to the Remorse side of the album, it opens the gates to a slightly new tone that we are about to embark in. This is one of the most serious tracks of the double with (still with a punchline or two) that leads us to the next chapter. Survivor Side, being how Herb got through the troubles of the past. Remorse Side, how Herb is doing dealing with all that he has lost, while he is, as many would think, on top of the world.
2) History
This was a fun track, because G Herbo talks about his history as an earlier artist. He talks about his methods of how he used to record, things he used to wish for, things he used to write about. Most of the album has been about his history in the streets, but this brought a bit of fun to listening to the history of him growing as an artist. Within this, he touched on one of his biggest features to date, which was the Chi-Raq feature with Nicki Minaj. G Herbo recently tweeted that he is working on something for Nicki, so there are now super high hopes that another collaboration between the two, could be coming to our speakers in the future.
This track definitely gives the feelings that Remorse Side B is suppose to give. There has been so much violence going on in hip-hop, and many times it is when artists you love, are not able to make a change in their lifestyle. We lost Nipsey, King Von, Young Dolph and PNB Rock when they were just hanging out on their old blocks/cities. Thank goodness Lil TJay is still alive after the incident he was recently a part of. People make songs like The Game’s Murda and YG’s How to Rob a Rapper, all the time. I think this was Herbo’s version of what he has seen, and why/how he chose to move differently, because without the Change, the rest becomes more available to become a possibility.
4) Me, Myself & I (FT A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie)
G Herbo and A Boogie also collaborated on the PTSD album, with single Glass in the Face. Love that track, and definitely somewhere on my most played list. I was super excited for this track, for sure. These two could not make more different sounding types of hip-hop music, and you can see it in the outfits they choose for the main scene of the music video on the basketball court. However, it’s almost as if G Herbo’s life in Chicago, and A Boogie’s life in Highbridge, was pretty similar. They’ve had similar experiences and vibe extremely well on any record. This song, is as the kids would call it, a BOP.
g-herbo-a-boogie-wit-da-hoodie-me-myself-i-music-video
5) Breathe Slow (FT Young Thug)
OK - not the sound of Jeffery I was expecting this song to start off with, but I can dig it. I cannot help but think this is not the song I want out if I am Thug’s lawyer and they are using all lyrics to make their case in court. But putting all that aside, it is so cool to have the different sounds and styles of Young Thug on the album. Thugger truly changed to game for so many artists in the industry, giving them to opportunity to test different sounds and be your full true self and whatever is that you’re putting down in the studio. I wish he did a bit more with the end of his verse, but it is still a great co-sign and moment for the project, nonetheless.
Just a few hours after dropping Side B, G Herbo also released the music video for No Guts, No Glory, mainly filmed within a Church. At first I was a little surprised that this was the one that they chose to do the video with next. But, he does have a lot of good messages and bars throughout the track, including mentioning his partnership with the Chicago Bulls, which I am sure made this one stick out on the soundtrack for a few different reasons. He also has friends throughout the video, most notably, Southside, who G Herbo has previously done a collaborative album with, and who has been supporting Herbo and his new album, consistently throughout this roll out.
g-herbo-southside
7) Machines (FT Conway the Machine)
“When Machine get on a beat, it’s assault and battery”
This beat was all the way a Conway the Machine beat, and G Herbo sounds a little too comfortable here. We all knew he could hang at this point, but he might just have to pull up on Team Griselda after this collab right here. Everyone in the group has been through some crazy things, but Herb really went there from the beginning to the end of his verse.
Now I'm major, but I still'll lay down for that murder rap …
God with me, 'cause I'm alive, devil on my side …
Based on the interviews that have been had, it seems like Herbo may have more in the works with Conway and Benny, and we for sure hope so.
8) Torn
This song sounds like G Herbo speaking internally to himself. He is going back and forth in his head, from his old and new life, and how to best move forward while honoring where we came from. He certainly does honor many that came before him, especially while name dropping some close friends in the industry, and paying homage to using one of 50 Cent’s most notorious lines:
And he got hit like I got hit but he ain't fucking breathin'
To me, it is really cool to learn the title of a song, then listen to it, and understand exactly where it came from. This track has one of those voices in the background, it kind of sounds like spiritual vocals you would hear at Church, but also gives off this eery vibe to it. So, it is like this voice is playing inside of you, while singing along to Herb’s lyrics. He name drops Kodak several times throughout the track, explaining he turned into a gremlin, (no Kodak). The way he tee’d up this track from the lyrics, the background noise and to even naming the song, showcases a real, talented artist.
10) Him
This was another favorite of mine. For all the same reasons I loved After That - it feels like the Remorse Side version of After That. I could see the music video going back and forth from Herbo in his old neighborhood, no chains and baggy clothes, to riding ‘The Lamb’ in LA with a whole new lifestyle that he has today. He did this track his own way, and I see it being a solo hit from the project.
I came out a drill rapper, before Call of Duty we been countin' kills (For real)
So Kodak Black gets a name drop two tracks prior, and now has a whole feature on the project. I am not Kodak’s biggest fan, but I love the energy on this track. G Herbo went crazy in the best way. I’d say Kodak went crazy in the worst way but i’ll let him be him and just leave this at - it’s a fun one.
12) Remorse Outro
The Outro to Side A left me asking questions about what is next for G Herbo. It’s interesting, because the sample for this Outro is saying “It’s Not Over.” While at first it sounded like an omen to answering my questions, this is of course referring to life. G Herbo had to get up and move on from a lot in his life. He pays special homage to his brother who he lost. While remorseful indeed, the sample also repeats “You’ve got to keep your head held high.” A great outro and message for this deep piece of work.
13) Letter to Juice
Over all the features and crazy hits I knew I would be getting from this album, I was most excited to listen to this song. After watching the Juice WRLD documentary, I learned how close G Herbo and Juice WRLD were. In multiple interviews leading up to the album, Herbo spoke about their relationship, and how real what we saw in the video was, and that it was constantly that fun and playful. The letter to Juice is certainly emotional. It is one of the longest tracks on the album. No matter how vulnerable we have heard both of these artists be on a record, this was really something else. It begins as a song, and ends as G Herbo truly just speaking from his heart of how great of a friend, artist and person Juice WRLD was.
g-herbo-in-studio-with-juice-wrld