2022 MLB Postseason Predictions

2022 MLB Postseason Predictions

Nate Spurlin

The 2022 MLB season is now over leaving fans with lots of memories to cherish forever. Throughout the year, fans were treated to watching Aaron Judge chase the AL home run record and Albert Pujols chase 700 home runs. The Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners put an end to their playoff droughts. The Braves and Mets gave fans a division race that will be remembered for years and the Dodgers put forth the fourth most impressive win total in MLB history with 111 wins. There are so many more things to list like Shohei Ohtani becoming the first player in history to qualify for the league leader stats as a pitcher and a hitter. With one of the best seasons in recent memory now in the rearview, we turn the page to the MLB Postseason, the ultimate decider of MLB dominance. Here are my predictions for who will make and win this year’s Fall Classic, The World Series.

Chicago White Sox 2022 Season Obituary

Chicago White Sox 2022 Season Obituary

Nate Spurlin

The Chicago White Sox have tugged at the heartstrings of the Southside faithful for 153 games where they now find themselves with a record of 76 wins and 77 losses and ten games behind the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians. This is a disappointment of a season for a young team that won the division by 13 games before being ousted in four games by the Houston Astros last season. Coming into the season there were massive expectations for this White Sox team to improve on their 93 wins from last year and win the division for a second straight year. The latter, a first in franchise history, would be the floor according to expectations that projected this team to make more noise in a crowded AL landscape. However, this White Sox team has found themselves mired in mediocrity throughout the season, sporting a .500 record a staggering 25 times so far this season.

NAV & Ari Lennox Deliver Nostalgia With Their Latest Albums

NAV & Ari Lennox Deliver Nostalgia With Their Latest Albums

Nate Spurlin

It seems like everybody reaches a point where they join the “get off my lawn” music crowd. The same crowd that reminisces about old days whether they were alive to experience that era or not. The people whose minds become increasingly closed off with every new artist whose name has no face attached to it. The hyperbolic sense of importance and current relevance for an artist who made their debut fifteen years ago. It seems to be that time for a good portion of my friends, and I find myself relating to them in rare circumstances. So this leaves the question, which artists can the new entries into music geriatricness rely on to give them that dose of nostalgia they so desperately crave?

NBA Youngboy & Rod Wave Should Join Forces for a Collab Album

NBA Youngboy & Rod Wave Should Join Forces for a Collab Album

Nate Spurlin

The success both artists have seen while making music almost entirely by themselves is a testament to their individual talents when put in front of a mic. In today’s era, it is common practice for artists to attempt to increase the chances of reaching a new fanbase by putting as many features as possible on their album, sometimes to a fault. The logic makes sense, if a fan of artist A will listen to whatever song that artist is on, let me put artist A on my album and attempt to endear myself to their fanbase. However, this logic only contextualizes how impressive the consistent growth we’ve seen from Rod Wave and Youngboy Never Broke Again actually is.

The NBA Doesn’t Need A Mid-Season Tournament

The NBA Doesn’t Need A Mid-Season Tournament

Nate Spurlin

With the NBA Off-Season in full effect, NBA fans find themselves on the edge of their seat waiting to see what the future of the league looks like. Amongst those deciding events are free agency, the NBA Draft, and the meetings amongst team governors where they discuss new rules or formats for the future of the game. The three main topics of discussion are the sleep-inducing “take foul” where players foul opposing teams in fast break situations to prevent easy points, the Play-In tournament, and a new mid-season tournament.

The 2022 American League MVP Race Comes Down To One Question

The 2022 American League MVP Race Comes Down To One Question

Nate Spurlin

The American League MVP race is heating up and the second half will be critical for splitting the necessary hairs to come to a decision. However, the most important question in this MVP race is simple: do any of these candidates pitch?

The answer is no for all these candidates except one, Shohei Ohtani. In fact, in addition to his impressive offensive numbers, Ohtani just put together one of the best pitching performances of June. In his five June starts Ohtani put forth a stunning 1.52 ERA while striking out 38 and allowing a .204 opposing batting average.

Ranking The 2022 XXL Freshman List

Ranking The 2022 XXL Freshman List

Nate Spurlin

With the release of the annual XXL Freshman list commemorating twelve up and coming Hip-Hop artists that are expected to make an impact in the genre throughout their careers. Selected to the 2022 XXL Freshman List are Nardo Wick, Doechii, SoFaygo, Babyface Ray, Kali, KayCyy, Cochise, BIG30, KenTheMan, Big Scarr, Saucy Santana, and BabyTron. Some of these names are artists I’ve written or talked about within the past year and others are artists that I’m being exposed to for the first time. Having listened to a lot of their music and curated a playlist with some of their best tracks, here are my rankings for the 2022 XXL Freshman List.

Kendrick Lamar is in the Dead F’ing Center Looking Around on ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’

Kendrick Lamar is in the Dead F’ing Center Looking Around on ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’

Nate Spurlin

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers takes many angles, however, one that may go overlooked is Kendrick claiming his humanity by taking himself off the pedestal many people place him on. Many Kendrick fans look at the rapper as a type of moral authority in Hip-Hop because of his talent to examine society throughout his music. This all came to a boiling point during the protests of 2020 when the American public demanded to hear from Kendrick, a demand that was ultimately not met. Throughout the album, specifically on ‘Savior’ Kendrick references the situation while attempting to remind listeners that he is not trying to be anyone’s savior. The appeal of relieving himself of the pressures that comes with being looked upon as a savior may be a motivating factor behind Kendrick featuring Kodak Black throughout the album, using the F-word on ‘Auntie Diaries,’ and admitting to cheating on his partner. With these possibly calculated mistakes, Kendrick attempts to reclaim his humanity by displaying instances of imperfection. Kendrick’s attempt to reclaim his status as an imperfect being could also be the start of an artistic rebranding, ultimately freeing him from his current expectations and allowing him to take more artistic risks. The new risks Kendrick Lamar may plan to take could surface in his new artistic projects like the comedy he’s developing for Paramount.

The Format for the NBA's ALL-NBA Awards Needs To Change

The Format for the NBA's ALL-NBA Awards Needs To Change

Nate Spurlin

The All-NBA team is a list selected by NBA media members to represent the fifteen players who have had the best overall performances throughout the season. The list is structured to include two guards, two forwards, and one center for each of the three All-NBA teams. Here we run into the crux of our issue. With Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid both being centers and only one spot on the First Team for a center the nod obviously must go to the player who won the Most Valuable Player award, Nikola Jokić. This lack of flexibility is the direct cause for Joel Embiid not being respected as a player who put forth a top two performance during the season.

‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’ by Vince Staples Is A Top Five Album of 2022

‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’ by Vince Staples Is A Top Five Album of 2022

Nate Spurlin

A true Album of the Year contender must have a level of playback value that surpasses the levels of most albums released throughout the year. I’m writing this on May 12th claiming that Ramona Park Broke My Heart, released on April 8th, has become my go-to album in many scenarios. To put this in perspective, Vince Staples’ newest record has far outlasted the three other albums from Fivio Foreign, EST Gee & 42 Dugg, and Coi Leray that were released on April 8th in my music listening diet. Additionally, Ramona Park Broke My Heart is on pace to outlast albums from Pusha T, Future, and Jack Harlow that were released after.

Tracklisting Hinders Pusha T’s ‘It’s Almost Dry’

Tracklisting Hinders Pusha T’s ‘It’s Almost Dry’

Nate Spurlin

It’s Almost Dry isn’t necessarily contrivance free. During episode 305 of The Cap Podcast, I told my cohost, Taylor McCloud, that Pusha T’s newest album feels like a beat battle between the two most prominent producers of the album and of all time. With Pharrell Williams producing seven tracks on the twelve-track album and Kanye West producing six tracks, (track seven ‘Rock N Roll’ featuring Kid Cudi and Kanye West is produced by both Kanye and Pharrell) it’s quite noticeable which producer concocted which beat. On Monday, three days after the release of the original album and two days after Taylor and myself recorded our episode, Pusha T released two more versions of It’s Almost Dry titled It’s Almost Dry: Ye vs. Pharrell and It’s Almost Dry: Pharrell Vs. Ye. The release of these two new versions of Pusha T’s latest album confirms that the noticeable differences between production styles within the flow of the album were intentional.

Fivio Foreign Provides A Blueprint for New York Drill on ‘B.I.B.L.E.’

Fivio Foreign Provides A Blueprint for New York Drill on ‘B.I.B.L.E.’

Nate Spurlin

Two of my favorite drill tracks of all time are ‘War’ by Pop Smoke featuring Lil TJay and ‘Mannequin’ created by the same duo. Both tracks stand out in Pop Smoke’s discography as the perfect contrast with Pop Smoke’s menacing presence and Lil TJay’s melodic vocals complimenting each other. This provided a splash of diversity for a discography that felt one-dimensional at the time, serving as foreshadowing for what the next step for the subgenre should be. On B.I.B.L.E., Fivio Foreign follows the same formula with most of the features providing a contrast to the aggressive drill style while going a step further by picking beats with soft melodic foundations.

‘Melt My Eyez See Your Future’ Is an Illustration of Denzel Curry’s Multifaceted Talent

‘Melt My Eyez See Your Future’ Is an Illustration of Denzel Curry’s Multifaceted Talent

Nate Spurlin

The sonics on Denzel Curry’s 2018 album TA13OO sound nothing like the sonics on the album that preceded it, Imperial, released in 2016. Furthermore, the sonics on TA13OO’s 2019 follow-up, ZUU, sound far apart from the two albums that preceded it. In fact, the two albums in Denzel Curry’s discography that sound the closest to each other are his collab album with Kenny Beats, UNLOCKED, released in 2020 and his newest offering Melt My Eyez See Your Future. However, while his previous two albums have a few common themes between them, those themes must travel a far distance apart to connect the two.

The chameleon nature in which Denzel Curry has navigated his career is a handful in a lifetime feat. With his newest album, Melt My Eyez See Your Future, Denzel Curry not only adds to the uniqueness of his discography but demonstrates his sound shifting talent and superior lyricism throughout.

‘Three Dimensions Deep’ Showcases the Depths of Amber Mark’s Voice

‘Three Dimensions Deep’ Showcases the Depths of Amber Mark’s Voice

Nate Spurlin

I’m someone who can get bored easily. As much as I love music, sometimes the concept of sitting down and listening to a compilation of new songs for forty minutes or more can be a daunting one. The task becomes increasingly daunting when I step outside of my Hip-Hop bubble because what if I don’t like what I’m listening to? Each project I listen to should get a fair chance to win me over, so I sometimes struggle to finish projects from any genre. With this being established, any artist that can make a project that is over 30 minutes and keep my attention all the way through has my respect. With Three Dimensions Deep, Amber Mark can now add herself to the list of artists who have accomplished that feat.

Content Carries Lil Durk’s ‘7220’

Content Carries Lil Durk’s ‘7220’

Nate Spurlin

Many people would credit Lil Durk’s new trajectory to the Drake effect: a phenomenon where rappers who appear on tracks with Drake see an instant rise in their popularity. A Drake feature can be a stimulus package of sorts allowing rappers to get a taste of the attention that comes with being a part of one of the biggest tracks of the year statistically. However, the hype that comes a rapper’s way because of this Drake stimulus package isn’t the easiest to maintain as we’ve seen artists like BlocBoy JB fade away after his smash hit ‘Look Alive’ featuring Drake peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2018. On the flip side, we’ve seen artists take the influx of eyes that come from making a track with Drake and run with it, solidifying their spot in Hip-Hop. Lil Baby is the most prominent example of this with his track ‘Yes Indeed’ featuring Drake peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 catalyzing his quick rise to the top.

Kodak Black Turns Lemons Into Lemonade On ‘Back For Everything’

Kodak Black Turns Lemons Into Lemonade On ‘Back For Everything’

Nate Spurlin

After being pardoned and released from incarceration in January 2021, Kodak put out two EPs within a month, Haitian Boy Kodak and Happy Birthday Kodak. Both projects failed to crack the top 10 on the Billboard 200 with the former peaking at #25 and the latter peaking at #180. Between the disappointing numbers and feelings of not being respected by his peers as his legend status commands it would be easy for Kodak to quit music. Kodak could’ve been the latest washed-up superstar trying to remind music fans about what he did years ago in a futile attempt to demand his respect. Instead, Kodak came back in 2022 to give us what may possibly be the best album in his discography.

BIG30’s Brash Delivery Elevates ‘King Of Killbranch’

BIG30’s Brash Delivery Elevates ‘King Of Killbranch’

Nate Spurlin

BIG30’s content doesn’t differ from the status quo content that we’re used to out of Hip-Hop artists. BIG30, like most rappers, primarily raps about his disdain for the opps, how rich he is, where he’s from, and the number of women he entertains. There’s nothing to write home about there, however, what there is to write home about is the brash, straightforward way he’s able to communicate his thoughts. BIG30’s delivery sets him apart from the rest of 2021’s rising stars as he creates music that easily resonates with whoever listens to it.

Saba’s ‘Few Good Things’ Is A Clinic In Album Sequencing

Saba’s ‘Few Good Things’ Is A Clinic In Album Sequencing

Nate Spurlin

I’ve known about Saba for a few years now, as one of my friends would always talk about him, but he could never sell me enough to make me sit down and listen to Saba’s music. Perhaps he should’ve played some for me to get the ball rolling but I digress. Maybe, I don’t digress because when my friend sent me a link to the final single in Saba’s rollout, ‘Survivor’s Guilt’ featuring G Herbo, I was intrigued. My intrigue grew when I finally heard the song and after that, I instantly became excited for Few Good Things. The excitement I had coming into Saba’s latest project was rewarded with a masterpiece.

Detroit or Memphis: Where Will The Next Epicenter of Hip-Hop Be?

Detroit or Memphis: Where Will The Next Epicenter of Hip-Hop Be?

Nate Spurlin

As Atlanta’s dominance as the epicenter of Hip-Hop starts the backside of its lifespan, new cities have begun to explode with talent in hopes that their region will be stamped as the next epicenter of Hip-Hop. In my view, two cities have separated themselves from the rest of the pack to this point. The first is Memphis, Tennessee, home of break-out stars like Moneybagg Yo, Pooh Shiesty, and BIG30, as well as Hip-Hop moguls Yo Gotti and the late Young Dolph. The second city Detroit, Michigan, home to Hip-Hop mainstays Eminem and Big Sean has seen a renaissance with new rappers like 42 Dugg and Icewear Vezzo poised to carve out a niche in the game for the Detroit sound. Also sharing responsibility for Detroit's Hip-Hop renaissance is Babyface Ray and his new project FACE may solidify Detroit's up next status.

Are Posthumous Albums Ethical?

Are Posthumous Albums Ethical?

Nate Spurlin

Recentering around the thesis of whether posthumous albums are ethical, I’d say the answer is a case-by-case basis. With every posthumous album comes a new chance for fans to collectively mourn the death and celebrate the legacy of their favorite artist. However, the key distinguishing trait between an ethical posthumous album and an unethical one is taste. Was the album clearly done with good taste or was it treated as a money grab by greedy labels trying to squeeze every nickel and penny out of their once-living cash cow?

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