With the recent release of his EP Beach House, Ty Dolla $ign has been on our radar for a while. The West Coast rapper, responsible for producing and writing the hit “Toot It And Boot It” for YG, has since made a name for himself through two successful mixtapes, Beach House and Beach House 2. Within two years, he signed to both Atlantic Records and Taylor Gang Records, and released a slew of songs, all before his debut album which is set to drop this year. Using his own special sound of ratchet R&B, and collaborations with Wiz Khalifa, DJ Mustard, and B.o.B, Ty Dolla $ign’s EP is yet another successful notch in his belt.
The EP opens with strings and a soliloquy from Nate Howard. He declares “I produce wings like eagles / Soar in the highest clouds to let my conscience free,” in the first song “Work,” also featuring Casey Veggies and Twista. It's a good start to the EP (and a familiar one at that, harkening back to Beach House 2's intro), with on-point instrumental layering and a brilliant delivery from Twista. It’s a smooth segue into the popular single “Paranoid,” which makes two appearances on the EP with both the original with B.o.B and a remix with Trey Songz, French Montana, and longtime collaborator DJ Mustard. “Paranoid,” a song about getting caught by two different girls at the club, has peaked at 65 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it’s no surprise why— it’s definitely catchy.
“Familiar” featuring Travis $cott and Fredo Santana moves a little faster, whereas “Or Nah” featuring Wiz Khalifa and DJ Mustard creeps along. “Wood and Leather” featuring Big TC & Pops may have a little less bite than some of the other songs on the EP. Nonetheless, each song brings its own unique flavor to Beach House, with some throwbacks from Dolla $ign’s previous mixtapes. The last song “Never Be The Same” featuring Jay Rock wraps the EP up smoothly, coming back full circle on pushing his career forward when he says “progress is the concept / so let me flex.”
Ty Dolla $ign Beach House EP makes use of many collaborators, which may be viewed as a negative, however this is nothing new for Ty, his past mixtapes also contained stacked guest appearances. Working again with artists like Trey Songz and B.o.B, Dolla $ign knows who he sounds good with. And repping his current affiliation with Taylor Gang Records, Dolla $ign always keeps Khalifa close by. The EP is well-rounded in terms of both melody and verse.
As far as where his career is headed, after hearing this EP, it’s clear that Ty Dolla $ign got it right when he said that some things will never be the same. There is still some work to be done before the album’s release, but the LA rapper is making some big strides as the Beach House trilogy slides away with the tide and a new chapter begins.
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