Way Back: Under Pressure (2014)
After a string of strong mixtapes in the early 2010’s, Logic finally released his debut album, Under Pressure, in Fall 2014.
It was a solid debut for the Maryland-born MC. He spoke about his love for film, classic rap, and his tough upbringing among other things. He put together a nice alternative rap album, minimizing the glorification of drugs and violence. He broached those topics, but more in terms of how it impacted his community as opposed to how he participated.
The most revealing cut on the album is “Under Pressure”. Split into two parts, the first hears Logic talk about how much time he’s poured into his career. The chorus suggests that his phone only rings when people need something. The verses tell the story of a career that has taken off and has put our narrator around too many people that just don’t care.
The second half of the song is still some of the most introspective work that Logic has ever released. One by one, Logic plays voicemails from family members, then raps a verse to himself from their perspective. The messages are genuine, and almost too personal for the sensitive. Where the first half of the song is upbeat, this side is a tad slower and soulful.
Before he mentions most of the good parts of his budding career, but here we see that it has had a serious impact on personal relationships within his family. His sister speaks of being abused. His father asks him to stop rapping about his drug addiction and his absence during his youth. His brother asks him to call back after announcing that their father is getting a divorce.
“When I see kids around the way, I say how I'm your dad
It gets me thinkin' 'bout incredible moments we've had
And on the real, I'm tryin' so hard not to bug you
But do you think you could stop rappin' about my drug use?
Logic finally responds with apologies for missing calls (these were voicemails after all) and so many important life events along the way. He admits that his commitment to his work has made it increasingly difficult to keep in touch with loved ones. The success, while it is has been abundant, is also bittersweet.
“They say family is everything, I swear that shit the truth
I should spend it all with y'all, but I spend it in the booth
This is everything I love, this is everything I need
Never sacrifice this feelin' even though my heart it bleed”
Contemporary rap doesn’t give us many of these moments. This isn’t a flex, not even close. It’s a unfiltered glimpse into Logic’s personal life. We should be thankful that he shared it us via rhymes and a dope beat.
