2 Chainz debut solo album Based On A T.R.U. Story arrived this past Tuesday (August 14). This week the album will top the Billboard 200 with sales in the 130-140k range, according to Hits Daily Double. This makes Def Jam third number one Hip-Hop album in one month and fourth number one album this summer. Nas Life Is Good, Rick Ross’ God Forgives, I Don’t and Justin Bieber’s Believe albums all debuted at number one on the Billboard top 200, while Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange debuted at number two. Combined they all helped the label sale over 1.6 million albums so far this summer.
2 Chainz album features a star-studded line-up including Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Drake and The Dream. The album’s lead single “No Lie” Ft. Drake sold over 525,000 copies digitally and reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/hip-Hop Songs. But was this enough to please the critics? Find out below:
Rolling Stone: His commercial solo debut is packed with A-list cameos and producers, but 2 Chainz commands the spotlight—rapping about success and sex with the irrepressible enthusiasm of the upstart he isn’t. 3.5/5
Los Angeles Times: Even guest appearances by Kanye West and Nicki Minaj don’t provide much boost. Other cameos include Drake, The-Dream, and John Legend, and they’re all so much better at their art that rather than their host stepping up to their level, 2 Chainz drags them down. 1/4
USA Today: His major label solo debut offers little more than the typical club anthems and swaggering boasts. Guests provide the best moments. “No Lie” with Drake and “Birthday Song” with Kanye West are as good as it gets. 2/4
The Boston Globe: A highly buzzed about hip-hop artist should make a debut that moves the genre’s dial ahead a notch. Unfortunately, this long-awaited CD from the Georgia MC relies on too many cliches to be a revelation.
The Washington Post: It’s hard to resist repetitive hooks that aren’t exactly catchy or well-constructed but still get stuck in one’s head even after a single listen. … There are laughably simple declarations (“She got a big booty / So I call her Big Booty,” from “Birthday”), but also clever punch lines.
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