Run Wild Run Free is the first official project from the up and coming TDE artist Zacari. He is mainly known for his fantastic feature on the song “LOVE.” by Kendrick Lamar. This project is full of highs and lows, and I’m excited to share my opinions with you. Let’s take it track by track.
1. You Can Do Anything
First off I must say production on this project is stellar. It serves it’s purpose and fits Zacari’s ominous style perfectly. But this opening track is one of the biggest lows on this album for me. It’s honestly the content in this song that bothers me. He says “There’s no need for you to go through what I’m going through.” But he never expresses what he’s “going through” at all throughout this song. Although I will say, his singing on this song is perfection. But he says absolutely nothing. Not the best start for a project that is trying to show off a new and upcoming artist.
2. Midas Touch
This is where the project really kicks off for me. His flow and fluidity bring the track together on this boom bap type beat. It really did feel like he had the “Midas Touch” on this track. The entire theme of this song is Zacari having the idea that he has the “Midas Touch”, believing that everything he touches turns to gold. Very playlist worthy.
3. Ten Outta Ten
Also a playlist worthy song, Ten Outta Ten implements more trap-ish sounds to the instrumental and it works really well. This song essentially is Zacari telling a girl that she’s a “10/10” and that she’s everything he’s ever wanted. Not much more to say. His cadence and style work well here and there’s enough substance involved that it isn’t too bad at all.
4. Don’t Trip
Yes, yes, yes. Just yes. Yes, yes. This song is great. The beat, the substance, the voice. Yes!! Let’s begin with the instrumental. It’s ominous yet exciting. It’s dark but beautiful. It’s almost as if the instrumental contradicts itself constantly. Also, this song slowly tells a good love story about a girl who believes Zacari is having an affair or is involved with someone else. That may not seem exciting, but he says it in such an interesting way. The story slowly unfolds throughout the song. He begins by saying “Why you always go back on the same old shit? Like nothing that I ever said was really what I meant. Like none of my promises were ever honest. I never lie, I never lie.” It gives the listener room to think and try to come up with their own reasoning for the problems between Zacari and this girl. He subtlety drops hints throughout the song and finishes with “How many times I gotta prove it? If I don’t want you, I’ll tell you I don’t want you. If I don’t love you, I’ll tell you that I don’t love you. If there was someone above you then I’d let you know. But that ain’t the case.” This essentially confirms and sums up the story. This song is great and definitely one of the best if not the best on the album.
5. Young & Invincible (feat. Lil Yachty)
Having Lil Yachty on your song is a huge risk considering that he’s almost an immediate worst verse of the year candidate whenever he raps, but I honestly didn’t totally hate his verse here. It seems that he may have slightly matured. He also may have one of the greatest and worst lyrics of all time with “Fuck Trump, get rich”. But we’ll get to his verse in a second. Let’s start with the theme of the song. This song is essentially kids being stupid, believing that they’re invincible. They bump their music loud and empty their bank accounts, thinking they’ll never die. Zacari doesn’t say much on this song but the instrumental as usual compliments him very well. But there is a part in the middle of this song where Zacari’s voice becomes high pitch and he repeats “Who are you to tell me if I’m living wrong or right?” and it’s honestly god awful. It’s the only part of this entire project that genuinely makes me cringe. Now on to Lil Yachty’s verse. He actually makes some good points here. He says “I got rich without a tie” essentially meaning that he didn’t have to be like everyone else and work his way up in the business world or have a boring life. He got rich having fun and being himself. He also says “I’d prolly be broke if I listened to my principal” which is true because by being reckless and living his “best life” he became who he is today. I also previously noted that he says “Fuck Trump, get rich” which is such an amazing but also unbelievably horrible line. It’s quite laughable. Pretty decent track altogether.
6. Lone Wolf
Lone wolf is by far the biggest disappointment on this album. It begins with a menacing sound which almost sounds like a mix of a voice yelling or screaming, and an electric guitar, but then it makes an awkward transition to a generic trap beat. Already a bad start. Then it gets even worse. He says absolutely nothing in his verse and the chorus is repeated way too much in the song, and the chorus itself is already way too repetitive. But there is some cool samples in the instrumental as the song goes on. But this track is just not it for me.
7. Run Wild Run Free
Again, not great. As the outro track I would hope he’d go out with a bang, but it falls short yet again. I don’t know under what circumstance you would listen to this song. It barely has any substance, it’s repetitive, and does absolutely nothing to contribute to this project. But again the beat is fantastic. Without these beats this project may fall short.
Overview:
This project brought us a taste of what Zacari is capable of, but it definitely needed more. Only being a seven song project I would hope there would be no filler tracks, but there is a few here. These songs waste the opportunity for Zacari to really get that big boost. He definitely delivered on a few of these tracks though.
6.5/10
Great instrumentals, a few good songs, repetitive hooks, and non essential tracks created a mediocre project that didn’t fully capitalize on the opportunity to show what Zacari can do.
Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think about this project!
Health Points Music 