RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART Vince Staples

• 1 THE BEACH 01:07
• 2 AYE! (FREE THE HOMIES) 03:06
• 3 DJ QUIK 02:20
• 4 MAGIC 03:46
• 5 NAMELESS 00:48
• 6 WHEN SPARKS FLY 03:48
• 7 EAST POINT PRAYER 03:38
• 8 SLIDE 02:18
• 9 PAPERCUTS 03:01
• 10 LEMONADE 03:00
• 11 PLAYER WAYS 03:29
• 12 MAMA'S BOY 02:20
• 13 BANG THAT 02:40
• 14 THE SPIRIT OF MONSTER KODY 00:45
• 15 ROSE STREET 02:33
• 16 THE BLUES 02:22
• Total Runtime 41:01

Info for RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART

Ramona Park Broke My Heart follows Staples’ 2021 critically acclaimed self-titled album that welcomed fans to his hometown (the Ramona Park neighborhood of Long Beach, CA) in addition to introducing personal friends and family. Entirely produced by Kenny Beats, Rolling Stone praised Staples’ for his “brilliantly concise songwriting” and “knack for combining brevity and sly wordplay” while Pitchfork called Staples and Beats “unstoppable forces” saying, “there’s fire to be found even in the duo’s quietest moments.” The project was hailed as one of the best albums of 2021 by the LOS ANGELES TIMES, BILLBOARD, NPR MUSIC, TIME, NME, COMPLEX, and THE FADER among others.

California rapper Vince Staples has never been one to hold back on the grisly details while painting a picture of life in his Long Beach hometown over the course of his career, and his fifth studio album Ramona Park Broke My Heart, named after the neighbourhood that he grew up in, feels more like a documentary than ever before. Many of the first Yelp reviews of the neighbourhood that you see are mostly positive, describing the boundless entertainment and amenities around, but most also draw reference to shootings and violence – a sentiment that Staples’ music mirrors. Throughout the project, it often feels like Staples and the listeners are collectively trying to have fun listening to some tunes at the beach, but the horrific reality of life in the city keeps interrupting. Eventually, it becomes commonplace.

With a shoutout to G-funk icon DJ Quik on one of the track’s titles, this is Staples at his most laid-back as he reflects the music that would have been popular as he was growing up in the area, abandoning his more aggressive and spastic flows and leaning harder into West Coast-styled pop-rap, old-school percussion and an emphasis on beachside vibes. The rubbery basslines and repetitive, infectious hooks often make it feel like Staples is aiming for a couple of radio hits while still trying to get his message out, but sprinkling in bars about violence affecting his most mundane daily decisions is highly effective in doing so. It gets to the point where we breathe a sigh of relief when a track ends in a series of loud pops, but they reveal themselves to be fireworks rather than gunshots. Staples has often been one of the genre’s biggest masters of mixing together party-starting rap bangers and an overhanging important message, and this might be his finest achievement yet in that area.

Vince Staples, rap vocals
Sean Matsukawa, additional keyboards, additional vocals, guitar, percussion (track 2)
Zack Sekoff, additional keyboards, keyboard arrangements, guitar, percussion (track 2)
Mustard, additional vocals (track 4) Nick Lee, horn (track 4)
Cory Henry, keyboards (track 4)
Dylan Wiggins, additional keyboards (track 5)
Reske, additional vocals (track 7)
Lil Baby, vocals (track 7)
Vision, additional vocals (track 8)
Ty Dolla Sign, rap vocals (track 10)
Nami, additional keyboards (track 11)

Vince Staples
is a multi-award-winning musician, actor, and author known for infusing his witty personality and sharp sense of humor into his lyrics. His series, "The Vince Staples Show," which he wrote, produced, and stars in, was recently released on Netflix on February 15th and received rave reviews. Set in Long Beach and loosely based on his own life, the series is a fresh new collection of subversive, satirical stories brimming with comedic tension.

The Long Beach-born rapper also has a strong musical output, having released five studio albums in recent years. “Ramona Park Broke My Heart,” which debuted at number 1 on Spotify and number 5 on Apple Music worldwide, is Vince Staples’ latest album, released in April 2022. The Ramona Park neighborhood in Long Beach holds a special place in Vince’s heart, which is why he incorporates it into many of his lyrics and even the album title. After touring North America with Tyler, the Creator in the spring of 2022, Staples partnered with Amazon to host a special live-streaming event in Los Angeles on August 23, 2022, titled “A Walk Through Ramona Park,” giving fans around the world a glimpse into the creative process behind his music.

This album contains no booklet.