Berner – Float 

I certainly didn’t think that 2017 would feature a post about Berner on this blog, but that’s where we find ourselves today. Inspired by The Martorialist’s recent earnest decision to give it the old college try and delve into Berner’s voluminous back catalogue, on a recent long drive upstate and back I decided to make the perhaps reckless decision to do the same and jump head first into listening to multiple Berner albums in a row since I had many an hour to kill. I was fairly skeptical, and to be sure, there were certainly some forgettable songs, but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of the Cookies purveyor’s portfolio. And with so many projects out over the last couple of years, Berner is nothing if not prolific. I can kind of get into his luxorious yet relaxing vibe that he promotes in much of his material, and as a fanboy of mid-2000s New York rap I can definitely get behind a dude that reaches out to Styles P to collaborate on an entire album with him and also does an EP with Killa Cam. What’s not to like about that? So let’s do a mea culpa and give this affable weed and clothing entrepenuer  some much-deserved and belated credit.

The album with Styles P was very solid and since I’m a Styles P fan it was sort of like preaching to the choir so I had to challenge myself more by also listening to his other two most recent albums, 2017’s Sleepwalking and 2016’s Packs. After careful consideration (’20k’ featuring Mozzy would have been another worthy choice), I’m going with ‘Float’ from Packs as Berner’s standout track, the crown jewel of his 2016-17 output, if you will, and even if I wasn’t on this Berner mission I think it would be worthy of a post.

‘Black trucks, back to back, I’m in the bulletproof Cadillac, on a hot phone, where the package at? I’m young and I’m rich how you mad at that?’

‘I’m at JFK, I land around 9, blow a little sour take a xan to unwind’

Berner has got me feeling more relaxed with these lyrics already; I’m about to change into my house shoes and sweatpants. Is Berner the Rap Game Hain Celestial Sleepytime Tea?

Excuse the pun because I couldn’t think of a better word but Berner’s laid back, luxorious lyrics ‘float’ over the airy, summery production. If he were a bigger name it’s not unfeasible that this relaxed track could have been one of the ‘summer jams’ of 2016 or 2017. It’s basically a better Wiz Khalifa song than most Wiz Khalifa songs that I’ve heard.  “Remy, coke, let me smoke, I’m high I’m in my own world let me float’. In a more just world, with this type of chorus and vibes, Berner would be making royalty money off of Sandals or Atlantis or one of those other Caribbean all-inclusive resorts using his song in their newest commercial.

‘Black trucks, back to back, I’m in the bulletproof Cadillac, in the trunk there’s a 50 pack; ride around dirty I’m just tryna bring my city back’.

To be sure, as others have said, Berner’s true talent/calling in life may be more as an A&R (getting all these great guests/features to work with him)/fashion designer/legalized weed farmer, but his rap catalogue definitely has some songs I can kick back to, and for that, plus his undeniable hustle and perhaps most importantly for being a modern day renaissance man, we salute you Berner.