Nuts & Kids II:Streetlights

Nuts & Kids II: Streetlights is the second mixtape/free album by American musician Nantes, released October 13, 2015 by Sphinx Sound. It is the sequel to his debut mixtape Nuts & Kids (2014).

Recorded at the Sphinx Sound studio in Los Angeles, Streetlights is a loose concept album that features an interlocking narrative detailing Nantes' struggles with depression, the pressures of fatherhood, transgenerational trauma, and suicidal ideation. Inspired by East Coast hip hop and soul music, the album features production from Sydetrack'd, Are, Thovo, Jordeaux, DJ Dynamics and Nantes under the pseudonym Eko. The album does contain any guest appearances.

Background
After the release of Nuts & Kids, Nantes became dissatisfied with the reviews he received regarding it. He sought to differentiate the follow up from the classic tropes of hip hop and gangsta rap. In the winter of 2014, Nantes returned to his grandmother's home after being kicked out, due to their disagreements. Following the reception of his debut mixtape, Nantes spent time attempting to find another career path but was hesitant to abandon his dream. During the time when he was working on the album, he wrote short stories and poems and also around this same time, his elder brother Sydetrack'd released a beat tape titled "Downtyme"; which inspired Nantes to focus more on the message of his music. With recording equipment hard to come by, Nantes borrowed a Blue Yeti from a friend who was a filmmaker. Nantes, Sydetrack'd and their other brother Kezi Coo (another rapper) connected in the latter's apartment not far from their grandmother;s home, where they would watch anime and collaborate on music. Inspired by anime and Dante's The Divine Comedy conceptualized Streetlights while listening to the soundtracks of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. Seeking to combine the raw lyricism of illmatic with the jazz rap style of A Tribe Called Quest, he wrote poems for each episode of anime he watched, which formed the basis for its songs.

Music & Lyrics
Most of the lyrics were written by Nantes over the course of 2 months, mostly detailing his internal struggle with depression, fatherhood, and nostalgia. "Lijah's Eulogy" begins the album with a somber mood as a spoken word poem where Nantes describes his life flashing before his eyes at the time of his death. "Sunflower Soul" is soul-inspired boombap song that explores ideas of individuality. The interludes "Unwise" and "Westside" further detail his struggle to escape the album's antagonist, Sunshine, who is an amalgamation of ex-girlfriends and old flames. The album is woven together as a singular journey through Los Angeles using poems written by Nantes, which can be heard after certain tracks.

Recording & Production
The album blends traditional East Coast hip-hop with West Coast hip-hop, incorporating sounds of modal jazz and glitch hop. Early on the album's recording, it was intended to be a "pro-black, feature-heavy set of 15 bangers; conscious and raw lyrics", according to Nantes in 2014. However, as a result of depression, these ideas were eventually scrapped before his elder brother Sydetrack'd stepped in to assist with production. The album was recorded between the Sphinx Sound in-house studio in Los Angeles and the home of Nantes' grandmother in Tennessee.

Reception
Streetlights received widespread acclaim from its listeners and is regarded as Nantes' best work. "Writer's Block", "LAdhd", and "Brown Skin, Yellow Tape" were singled out for praise with listeners complimenting their lyricism. The album as a whole has been recognized as Nantes' most cohesive and emotional work, citing the aggression in the albums material.

Tracklisting

 * 1) Lijah's Eulogy | Prod. by Eko  | 3:32
 * 2) Sunflower Soul | Prod. by Sydetrack’d | 3:11
 * 3) Writer's Block | Prod. by Jordeaux | 2:36
 * 4) Unwise (Interlude) | Prod. by Thovo | 3:50
 * 5) Unread Messages & Missed Calls | Prod. by Jordeaux | 1:45
 * 6) The Lullaby | Prod. by Are | 3:41
 * 7) Bus Stop | Prod. by Thovo | 3:50
 * 8) The Letter | Composed by Bill Evans & Miles Davis | 5:52
 * 9) LAdhd | Prod. by DJ Dynamics | 3:02
 * 10) Westside (Interlude) | Prod. by Jordeaux | 2:42
 * 11) OMM | Prod. by Thovo | 4:00
 * 12) Brown Skin, Yellow Tape | Prod. by Jordeaux | 3:37
 * 13) Before the Streetlights Come On | Part1 prod. by Eko, Part 2 by prod. by Sydetrack'd | 9:46

Total length:| 51:46

Samples

 * "Lijah's Eulogy" contains a sample of "So{rt}" by Knxwledge
 * "Sunflower Soul" contains a sample of "Little Sunflower" by Freddie Hubbard
 * "The Lullaby" contains a sample of "If I Should Die Tonight" by Marvin Gaye
 * "The Letter" was recorded over "Blue in Green by Bill Evans and Miles Davis
 * A portion of "Before the Streetlights Come On" was recorded over "Impressions" by Sydetrack'd