STORMZY — This is What I Mean Review: A Grandeur of Grimes

The British rapper collaborates with UK's most eclectic artists to produce the most grandeur hits he’s ever created.

After his uprising sophomore album Heavy in The Head back in 2019, two years later he came back with a more grandeur and more personal album. Inspired by Tyler The Creator's album “IGOR” Stormzy released a sentimental yet grandeur third album

This is What I Mean is the title of the album and also a single. The single itself represents Stormzy as an “independent” rapper who didn’t answer to capitalized record market.

Time to make a statement (Oh, oh)
Time to free my mind of limitations (Oh, oh)
Finesse the majors, that’s my form of reparations (Oh, oh)

The first twenty seconds piano opening has some similarities to classical piano sonatas, then continued by an autotuned voice with a grand orchestra background.

The grime beats mingled perfectly with the orchestra and the unique choir voices that is Jacob Collier's musical signatures.

The appearance of STORRY in a form of her soft opera falsettos adds magnificence during the transition from the first verse to the second verse, and the P2J as one of the producers knows how to mix them into harmony but not lose the grime tune.

The guest rappers such as Ms. Banks, AMMARAE, and Black Sherrif also lend their finesse in the third, fourth, and final chorus.

Overall, This is What I mean is Stromzy statement of his identity as a rapper that wants to do things his way. The album however will require further analysis but let’s save it for another day

Details

This is What I Mean

Released: 2022