Lil Tecca, a popular rap sensation who launched his career as a sophomore in high school, has recently released a new album on streaming platforms September 22, 2023.
The new project, titled TEC, an homage to his stage name, has been well received by his over 19 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Tecca has teased this upcoming album for quite a while, releasing the first single off the album, titled “500lbs,” on July 21.
Fans were excited for a new release and he certainly delivered, with phenomenal production quality being shown off in perfectly curated beats and slithering lyricism flowing perfectly in tempo with every song, this can easily be considered one of his best albums.
With a wide range of emotions being displayed in this album, there is a song for every mood you could be in. Versatility is a shining star shimmering throughout this album, allowing the listener to never reach a point of boredom.
Yves
The first song of the album, “Yves,” sets the tone of the album in a brilliant way. With the bright beats and slightly relaxed flow, Tecca offers us an introduction to himself, as well as the rest of the album, explaining what his life has been like recently in an almost cocky way, flexing his fame and riches.
Gist
The third song of this album, “Gist,” is a highlight in terms of lyricism. The rhyme scheme flows so nicely with the song’s name that stars in the verses. The building of lyrics around the word “gist” makes the song flow exquisitely. The transitional production leading into the next song is also so perfectly curated.
500lbs
The fourth track, and the first single released to preview this album, “500lbs” has a really nice beat that sets the song up sharply. This beat is punchy in the best way and engages the listener in the first few seconds of the song, allowing them to stay for the carefully curated flow in the lyricism that follows.
Fell In Love (with Ken Carson)
The fifth song of the album, titled “Fell In Love (with Ken Carson)”, was certainly thought out and Ken Carson is the perfect addition to this song. Lil Tecca and Ken Carson’s flows both mesh so well together, creating the perfect sound to match the production. OHS senior, Aiyana Rivera, said “My favorite song was Fell in Love”, she continued, “It is catchy and the best one.”
TEC
The title track, “TEC”, is one of my favorites. The confidence Tecca exudes in this song is superb. The confident flow and powerful production make this song the perfect hype song. The transitional production melting into “Salty” is extremely well executed.
Salty
One of my favorites, “Salty”, holds my favorite beat of the album. The cutting bass and lyricism to match make this song incredibly addictive. The rhyme scheme and timing of the flow fit like puzzle pieces in the production.
Real Discussions
The eighth song, “Real Discussions” features catchy verses and another addictive beat. The mention of having “real discussions” points to the point Tecca is trying to make, that he is better than some people because he has actual important discussions.
Dead or Alive
Another one of my favorites, “Dead or Alive” features this potent beat, which again is also rather addictive. The flow of this song is fast-paced and hyper, pointing to the powerful confidence Tecca exudes throughout this song.
Want It Bad
The tenth track, titled “Want It Bad”, features a beat that is laid over some instrumentals that oddly reminded me of modern-day Bollywood pop for a second, but then the bass gets stronger, allowing this interesting instrumental to blend nicely with the rest of the song. The lyricism is quite basic on this track, but the topic he is discussing is a cliche so it fits the context.
U Don’t Know Tec
The eleventh song, “U Don’t Know Tec”, is yet another highlight of the album for me. This song is essentially a denunciation of anyone who tries to act like they know Tecca. This beat sizzles into the song and allows for a slower flow of lyrics that allows the listener to slow down and pay attention to the expert lyricism.
Used2This
Another highlight, “Used2This”, features yet another amazing beat. The rhyme scheme here is built magnificently off of the title.
Trippin On U
The twelfth track, titled “Trippin On U”, features a starting instrumental that reminds me of sparkles if they had a sound. The lyricism and rhyme scheme flow with a strong bond to the beat.
Need Me
Another song I love, “Need Me”, features a sample from the immensely popular song “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy and Monica. I love the song that was sampled here and the addictive beat and rhyme scheme carefully build off the sample.
Monday to Sunday
The last track, titled “Monday to Sunday”, is the perfect hype song. After reading the title it’s already evident that this is the perfect last song, set as a reminder that Tecca, even after working on this entire album, is still living his best life and staying productive from Monday through Sunday, which serves as some final inspiration for the listener as well.
Aiyana’s opinion of this album differs a bit from mine. She states “I don’t think it was his best one, it was ok” and that “I like the We Love You Tecca album, it was my favorite one”. She also added that “If there was a top five it would not be in the top five.” I agree somewhat but I would say as a standalone album it is a good 8/10, so definitely worth the listen.
This is my first year publishing articles on 42fifty. I am in my senior year at Oswego High School. I am involved in a variety of extracurriculars, including WE Club, the Muslim Student Association, the Oswego High Coalition, and the National English Honors Society.
