Noname - Sundial REACTION/REVIEW

My first listen and initial reaction to Noname's "Sundial".
Release date: August 11, 2023
0:00 Intro
0:39 Black Mirror
3:27 Hold Me Down
5:29 Balloons
8:44 Boomboom
10:26 Potentially the Interlude
12:21 Namesake
15:57 Beauty Supply
18:18 Toxic
20:02 Afro Futurism
22:23 Gospel?
26:17 Oblivion
28:13 Final Thoughts

[@lucas_1448]

You’re by FAR the best rap/hiphop reaction channel! The way you overanalyse every bar is so entertaining to watch.

[@BSideRapReviews]

Ay I appreciate that bro!! 🙏🏾 Hahah I be getting almost scientific wit it - I'm glad y'all rocking with it!

[@alonargus]

Agreed!

[@Marrkaink]

I’ve watched every single reaction to her project and you seem to be the FIRST one to actually comprehend noname’s literary style writing. I appreciate you. Most people have been coming at this from a bar for bar metaphor punchline setup mentality but fail to realize that Noname is a POET before anything else so she relies on her poetics and literary devices

[@BSideRapReviews]

Ay Preciate the love bro!! Yeah bro you get it - I think that’s part of what makes her special. Its intricate af - more subtle entendres, word association, and schemes, than set up punch. I was saying in another comment that her wordplay be linking lines together like cursive lol.

[@NonameHiding]

the fact that you caught the berenstain bear line has me so happy 💚 thank you for this review

[@BSideRapReviews]

Preciate you tapping in! Ya pen was CRAZY on here - you was linking them entrendres together like cursive lol. Salute!! 💪🏾

[@NonameHiding]

@@BSideRapReviews i know your listening experience was salted because of the controversy but i hope you check out my future work

[@MINO]

I got the same feelings as you for this album! She was pretty on point rapping wise throughout the whole project. Woods got feature of the year with that verse, too. I wanted to react to it, but I decided to sit this one out. Great video and breakdown! 🔥

[@BSideRapReviews]

Bruh I know you prob can relate to this but as I was editing this, I was thinking the controversy drained the fun out the album. I liked this album, and thought she even did a good job expressing her views even if I don't agree with em - but something about it felt like a chore still...haven't even really gone back to it since first listen. I'd love to see her stay active though. She's talented af. Bro oddly enough - I was thinking the only feature off top of my head going toe to toe with his one was Danny Brown's verse off Billy Wood's Year Zero! I be randomly saying "LOW VIBRATIONS" and no one be having a clue what I'm talking about 😂. But back to the Woods feature - dude is insane. He just does abstract rap on a much higher level than anyone else right now and thats saying a lot cus its a good bit of talented abstract rappers right now. Preciate you tapping in Brodie 💪🏾

[@MINO]

@@BSideRapReviews I feel you. Some albums I’ve done in the past have made it a chore to get through or to edit through. It’s much worse when you’re editing and you feel that way lmaoo - makes the process so tedious. I think I go back to Oblivion the most off the album, but as a whole, I just have to be in a certain mood to listen to the album again. I tried to block out the controversy, but it’s such a heavy part of this album. Still enjoyed it tho. That Danny verse is insane, def put those in the convo fasho. But Woods… man. He’s my MVP for the year for sure. Like it’s really hard to match someone up with his level of poetry!

[@Matthew-xl5bc]

I’m just to happy that Noname is just dropping some new this album. This album is one of the most thought provoking and musically diverse rap albums of the year. Noname continues to show she is one of the most rappers in the world. She is a handful rappers with great lyricism and high musicality. This is definitely a top 5 album of the year imo. Maps, Scaring The Hoes, Sundial, Utopia, and The Mind Of A Saint would be my top 5 so far. Now that Noname has dropped an album, I need a new Rapsody album.

[@otterdonnelly9959]

Idk “Goyard Comin”, “I Dnt txt back, I Dnt call”, and “Ganger” all fill that slot of Utopia for me. But all your other picks I pretty much share. Solid year for music all around though.

[@BSideRapReviews]

Same dawg! Yeah I thought even stuff I didn't remotely agree with sounded really fleshed out and made you think. I generally like when she just more in her personal bag than political bag - but if she does it at a high level, I'm down for either. Bruh y'all gon judge me for this but I still haven't listened to Utopia and I honestly don't even have a great reason why...I like Travis. But outside of that, my top 5 is extremely close to yours! In order, I got Maps, Scaring the Hoes, The Mind of A Saint, Wasn't Built In A Day (idk why that album is getting no love) then I'm thinking Sundial - but I'm not done fully evaluating it yet. Bruh I thought Rhapsody was supposed to be dropping - I thought she was teasing something earlier this year but aint heard nothing since. Tierra Whack too!

[@BSideRapReviews]

I haven't heard I Dnt Txt Back and Ganger yet - I gotta peep! I actually didn't like Goyard Comin that much. Super Slave was my intro to him and I rock with that one, but wasn't feeling Goyard quite as much.

[@jackastle2861]

Glad to find your channel man, love the in depth analysis and your overall knowledge of bars is so impressive. Looking forward to future reactions

[@king-syed]

I've been watching your videos for a minute now and I just realized you have only 4000 subs. Not to downplay that or anything but it's actually crazy considering how highly detailed and articulated your videos are. Always looking forward to watching new videos so please don't stop!

[@alonargus]

Share this channel! Easily my favorite reactor on KZbin

[@BSideRapReviews]

Ay I Preciate the love for real! It’s funny, I hear y’all say this but I still ain’t even wrap my head around the 4K…I still remember crossing 100 subs lol! But man y’all support mean a ton - I’m blessed that y’all give me a platform to go that deep with the music 🙏🏾

[@BSideRapReviews]

My guy!! Preciate that 🙏🏾

[@yodaphobic96]

Potentially the interlude is sick, I want a whole album with that aggressive energy

[@BSideRapReviews]

It’d prob be my fav on album if it was a tad longer! That was a great switch up from her normal style. Prob would sound dope as a whole album but at this point - I’ll take any noname album 😂

[@MichaelBrown-ti1un]

My only real critique of the album: some of it was undercooked. potentially the interlude is a dope enough concept to justify a fully fleshed out song.

[@sophielopez8176]

Finally a review that does this album justice! Loved the lyrical analysis. Especially with an artist like Noname, breaking it down bar for bar is essential! I’m just in awe of her talent and I think my take away from the album is that people are full of contradictions, even the ones with the best intentions

[@JayDaVinci617]

B-Side missing a bar is like DeAndre Hopkins dropping a pass ... Salute a real one 🫡 Noname definitely delivered here im thankful the album came out even though the J Elect verse is getting all the media attention which is a shame but its not surprising. Beats were similar at times but the lyricism and wordplay were razor sharp... very dope album

[@BSideRapReviews]

Haha bro even I missed a couple off here - her wordplay is so dense 😂 I caught some in editing lol! But dawn I appreciate that! It's a shame that that verse is getting all the attention and folks are kinda hate reviewing it...but at the same time noname brought it on herself so I don't really feel bad. Doesn't seem like she feels bad either lol. But she's getting the blowback because people (validly) think it's incongruent/hypocritical for her to add that verse with her being so vocal about leftist ideas and social activism. 90% of rappers coulda added that same exact verse and received no real backlash.

[@AlmondGlazedSunrise]

This wasn't on my radar so thank you for reviewing it. It kinda gave me Bahamadia vibes minus the boom bap production of DJ premier and Guru. Really solid project and as always, super dope review.

[@BSideRapReviews]

Of course dawg - Preciate you tapping in! Yooo I woulda never made that connection haha that’s a great comparison! Also now that you mention it - Noname would sound great collabing with someone who can add those type of drums. Salute!! 💪🏾

[@markheyliger533]

🔥

[@BSideRapReviews]

💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾

[@brvalentine1]

Glad I watched this. I be doing Uber at night and with my beats and rhymes addiction my passengers get in and I'm listening to mostly Griselda, Dumpgawd, Woods, and pretty much anything Muggs and Uncle Al produced. Can't forget Ka but the point is this is a good break in them dirty beats and street bars for me to ride to. Plus she rapping her ass off. This can go in my De La and instrumentals playlist for the snobs who can't handle my more hard-core stuff. Ain't nothing soft about Noname bars though.

[@pro_fanity08]

no name is incredibly talented and her writing helps me further my own thinking. on namesake she talks about the revolutionary potential of the lumpenproletariat and it makes you think about how they have a lot more revolutionary potential than middle classes because they are inherently disillusioned with the system. very cool. Noname and vince staples are two rappers i think of that have both have hit on the topic of rap music being consumed by white people and what implications it holds. they have made sure that I, as a white person don’t consume the music to take black trauma as entertainment, but as something to educate myself and engender empathy and understanding of others situations.

[@MichaelBrown-ti1un]

Very dope review. As always, you and the guys at Lost in Vegas are 2nd to none when it comes to breaking down lyrics. Sonically, I'm loving this project, but I understand when you day some of the production is "samey." It's cohesive to me, and a perfect backdrop to Noname's thought provoking lyrics and themes. Not a perfect project. Some of the themes and songs couldve been fleshed out more. However, from what ive seen fron Noname's radical book club, and some of her social media activity, she's still relatively early in her political development, so I'm assuming she's far from a finished product. Her pen is dope, but will likely improve by next project. I give this project 4 outta 5 mics. Might make my year end's top 10 album list.

[@BSideRapReviews]

Preciate that bro! Yeah them boys at lost in Vegas are dope! Love the detail they get into so Preciate you putting me in that class ✊🏾 Yo I think you’re analysis of this album is spot on! Yeah I think it’s def a cohesive sound for sure. The songs sounding the beats sounding similar is exaggerated a bit just because she has such a laid back understated delivery but I don’t think it drags the project down too much. Ahhh I didn’t know that bout the book club. I remember when she had the lil squabble with J Cole i was thinking that I didn’t know she was that radical based off telephone and room 25 so guess that makes sense since this is relatively new for her. I don’t see eye to eye with her on a lot of stuff (i lean left but pretty centrist)b- but I honestly don’t need that to enjoy hearing someone’s view point. Even when I completely disagreed with points she made on the album, I really enjoyed how she articulated her perspective. 4/5 is exactly how I would rate this. So far I have it in my top 10 (it was in my top 5 for a week before Jenkins knocked it iut lol). Preciate you tapping in! Great take!

[@MichaelBrown-ti1un]

@@BSideRapReviews 👍👍👍

[@Youniversou1]

Beauty supply my favorite

[@clydeherbert8188]

Can’t lie, I came for Billy woods. This will be a put on for my none-believers.

[@BSideRapReviews]

He aint disappoint at all either!! Feature of the year? Coincidentally, I got it between this verse and Danny Brown's feature off Maps lol

[@TheBluePunk]

she's so underrated. just like your channel

[@yodaphobic96]

I felt you when you said the best female rappers aren’t putting out music a lot. I’ve been waiting on a new Rapsody album, Eve was so good.

[@BSideRapReviews]

Man faaaacts! I could be tripping but I could sworn I saw her teasing a new project on twitter but I coulda completely made that up. I just checked he twitter and didn't see it but I thought I saw something with a yellow cover 🤷🏾‍♂️ But yeah Eve is awesome - I ended up landing on Bandana but for like a full year I flipped flopped between Bandana or Eve as my AOTY for 2019.

[@michaeldaley724]

Billy Woods is from Zimbabwe, he also met Mugabe when he was a kid

[@BSideRapReviews]

Knew it was a country starting with Z haha! Whoa that's insane - I don't think I knew that. Yo his verse was amazing! He has a really special way of talking about Zambabwe and the war

[@jbfanclub1]

Damnnn Simz aint in your top 3 female rappers? She's top 5 period for me rn

[@BSideRapReviews]

Sinz in my top 3 FOR SURE…I didn’t mention it her cus the intro woulda sound as good if I did 😂😂😂 As far as favs I gotta say Tierra whack no music dropping self is my fav just because I love how weird her music is, then simz, then Che noir and noname neck and neck, then rhapsody. As far as best, that’s tuff. I hard not to say simz because she has recent projects and the 3 album run she on is OD! Buuut rhapsody and Noname both slightly better bar for bar than simz imo. Gun to my head, I’d say, simz, noname, Rhap, whack, noir

[@Majesticon]

Also i had to listen to this 9393 times to catch it, i been in a woods/co flow/alchemist/conductor brain space as far as sonics so itbwas like, nooooo not bouncy jazz intrusions! But that was kinda my bad... im now thankful it has a diff musical vibe

[@kartmaneric5392]

Hey man, Love the review again. The channel is coming around nicely. I personally was a bit mixed on the album. I had really high hopes after her last project but this just wasn't it. Her rhyming is on point as usual but some of the ideas seem very half baked. I am not one to judge rappers for what they rap about but how does a mid jay elec feature work in an album that's constantly trying to critique capitalism and other rapper who benefit from it. I need some cohesion of ideas on the project, here it just seems a bit half baked. Hope you keep growing brother. Also, I think most of us would love to see you dissecting rhymes on a DOOM project.

[@mohamedbarrie4126]

We need a Noname x Little Simz collab.

[@kentekuzan]

i was saying this online but this genuinely wouldve been a better situation had noname just put it out with no chaotic tweets or "cope and seethe" statements balloons is literally the highest streamed song 😂 even if i dont agree with the choice, people wouldve tuned in and itd just be in bad faith for them to abandon her politics completely after that

[@BSideRapReviews]

Lol bro I didn’t even realize that was the most streamed song - that’s ironic af 😂. Honestly the beat on that song and her verses are some of the best on the album lol! Yeah I agree but honestly I can’t feel bad for any backlash (even tho it’s unfortunate) because her being so critical of others when it comes to politics/activism- she invites folks to hold her to a high standard herself 🤷🏾‍♂️ But that’s said I agree!

[@JEStheUniversual]

The greatest female rapper of all time is Jean Grae. There is no debate. However Noname is really dope! This project is 🔥

[@BSideRapReviews]

And she don’t drop music either lmao - idk what it is dawg 😂

[@BSideRapReviews]

Also I haven’t went deep enough into her discog to argue knowledgeably - I know her from her joint with quelle Chris and features. She’s Tuff. I’ve always had Lauryn hill as the goat. Only 2 albums (I’m sensing a theme Lmao) but she absolutely carried on the score and miseducation is one of best albums all time

[@JEStheUniversual]

@@BSideRapReviews I agree. I mean she drops alot on her bandcamp page but most of it now is avant guard of poetry and spoken word lessons. Last lyrical record she did was in 2018 with Quelle Chris.

[@JEStheUniversual]

@@BSideRapReviews ahhh man, I love how you break down records / tracks. I think you really should check out her albums when you get the chance. She is a lyrical genius in my opinion.

[@jbfanclub1]

Great reaction tho

[@BSideRapReviews]

Haha salute!!

[@lorantmena6373]

Peace. Thank you for doing this reaction. What was "Anti Semitic" about Jay Elects verse in your opinion? "He said the Imams, Rabbis and The Pope Incidentally"

[@maazwaseem8313]

1. "Saw the Roth' family in half to get my clout back" >refers to the Rothschild family - an extremely prominent Jewish family which is often referenced when people try to push the whole 'Jews rule the world' thing 2. "Everywhere I step foot I leave a trail of names / Of the sons of Yakub, in a trail of flames" >The prophet Yakub is the ancestor of all Jewish people 3. "It's all a hoax, quite simple, a joke like Zelenskyy / The imams, the rabbis, and the Pope, incidentally" >calling the whole Zelensky (Russia/Ukraine) thing a hoax? Smh. And thats not even including all the references to the Nation Of Islam and Louis Farrakhan, whos a VERRRY well-known blatant anti-semite

[@BSideRapReviews]

Peace peace! Of course - Preciate you tapping in ✊🏾 Let me just preface this by saying - when I did this reaction, I had no idea that verse was a big controversy - otherwise I woulda went way more in depth. So I’m not an expert AT ALL about nation of islam, 5 percenters or Farrakhan - just mildly aware. But from my understanding, sons of yakub are white people and includes white Jews. Anyone free to correct me if I’m wrong, but ppl who believe in the story of yakub believe white people are inherently evil and liars and part of that lie is they believe Jewish people lied about being the children of Israel to steal Palestinian land and from there you can insert holocaust denier stuff and what not. So given the context and when he’s talking about going to war with white people hes including Jewish people too. But that’s why I said “sprinkle” of antisemitism. I think it’s pretty weird and incongruent that there’s so much outrage for him being antisemitic and no one cares bout the blatant racism. And I know there’s this leftist idea that you can only be racist to disadvantaged groups, but by that same logic, American Jews aren’t socioeconomically disadvantaged either. Me personally, I think all of its bad. Also I’m not that up in arms about this verse. I disliked it and just kept it pushing. So hopefully that adds some context I didn’t elaborate on in the vid 💪🏾 edit: couple typos

[@smidlem1117]

@@BSideRapReviews worth noting that yakub is a reference to jacob who was a leading figure among jewish people in very old times so the choice of name is telling to me personally. in addition, the horrific zelenskyy line basically calls the entire invasion of ukraine that has killed thousands and destroyed the lives of thousands more fake and suggests that it's being made up by jewish folk, that it's a hoax (worthy detail: zelenskyy is himself jewish, which is why i don't trust what jay's saying one bit). good to see some more people on youtube noticing the antisemitism at least as compared to so many who just straight up didn't, love the reaction 🤌

[@lorantmena6373]

@@BSideRapReviews thanks family I appreciate the clarity and the info. Sounds like it was the Yakub line then, that makes sense. Interesting point you made about the disproportionate response to “antisemitism” in comparison to the “blatant racism”. I can agree with that. I’m not an expert either but your breakdown is pretty on point imo. This isn’t a co-sign but I think the idea is that white Khazers are the Zionist Ashkenazi Jews of today and not really Jewish per say. There’s a bible verse in Revelations about those "who say they are Jews and are not" being the “synagogue of Satan” Jay Electronica referenced this verse of Ghosts Of Soulja Slim with Jay Z. I think the discussion about European Jews in relation to Slavery and Black economy is important so I can appreciate the NOI for their contribution in that regard but they lose me with the Yakub space theology. Anyway much love appreciate the discussion, great channel 🙏🏾

[@ArmLegLegArmHead47]

@@lorantmena6373Not to mention the extreme racism against Ethiopian and other Black Jews, especially in Israel.

[@yuancali]

The man that shall not be name features was hmmm

[@ArmLegLegArmHead47]

Socialism is the only valid and humane option for human life to go forward ✊🏾

[@BSideRapReviews]

You tryna redistribute some wealth to me then, comrade?

[@ArmLegLegArmHead47]

@@BSideRapReviews Ofc, to all of us 🤝🏾

[@Majesticon]

I think they be disillusioned af, which i cant blame them at all the industry is weird af to women

[@Majesticon]

Write a book (i feel like i said this in 2021?)

[@user-iq2mi6ih5n]

I’m so over this “anti-semitism” bs. Jay is an artist. Y’all just want him not to exist because he unpacks our reality. There has been a real self destructive seed planted in your mind. You must know who the actual terrorists are versus one artist who represents a piece of our mind.

[@cobywhite7566]

Seems like you get real uncomfortable when topics about the destruction Caucasians did. Gives off self-hate and avoid reality type vibes. Very odd, other than that great review.

[@BSideRapReviews]

Huh??? What video was you watching? 😂😂😂 Preciate you rocking with the review tho