“Broken Memes” is the latest underground rap / hip-hop / R’n’B album with some pop-esque flairs and a fresh sound by Freeloadas about friendship, love, brokenness, social challenges and a balance between good vibes and the world around.
Several songs are remixed and remastered from previous albums, mostly for the better. To ones greatest surprise, two the of their greatest hits ever by Freeloadas are at the end. Thrive being the ultimate airwaves king and Sure Did Love Me just right next to it.
Broken Memes is a concept album, starting out with a social critique and playful, tongue-in-cheek brotherhood themes and topics arriving to the second half of deeply personal and soul-felt songs. It is a ride, a dense and heavy one that requires attentive ears and sometimes a certain level of empathy.
Freeloadas is no stranger to extend their musical family and Broken Memes are full of guests both behind the mic and the gears among them: Cassaronie, King Illah, Scoot Bornluv, Justin Beauchamp, 410Hazey, Marce Smith, Young KP, Slim Spitta, Jolie, BRAV, Joanne Juskus, Mr Maph, Landon Panitz, King Marino, Aaron Jeanmary. These guests are chosen for their best they know and this is one of the keys that can elevate Broken Memes to a higher level and can pull out contemporary pop-esque pieces like Thru the Rubble and Primal.
The album namesake Broken Memes gets its best version so far (after 2020 and 2022) and also serves as the album divider, just like a traditional A-side ending. While Rules and Cart Girl gravitate towards to R’n’B, Baltimore and Emotional Damage are more of like experimental attempts to shake up the genres – an avenue might not everybody’s way.
Life of the Party are classic tropes, the former one borrowing a bit from early Boyz II Men and a rather suitable step up after Water which is the quasi-album opener, stylish and reaches today standards with its soundscape and let’s the performers take the stage and carry it away. LeoNaro delivers as always, although, true, as the songs get more authentic and self-aware his delivery feels more personal and relatable.
Freeloadas has released several albums, EPs and singles throughout the years and so far could balance their artistic voyage with their performance-centered skills both and soundscapes. However, this very album, Broken Memes might be the first to have songs for the masses, partly because they tapped into the realm of the everydays and partly because they did it in a way that many can feel as their own story.
Ultimately, Broken Memes by FreeLoadas is a journey, where the first half is more entertainment-based and the second half (aka B-side) holds all the gems and jewels which sometimes recall Eminem’s pop-era. All songs are explicit, citing an artistic decision; probably the clean versions can climb some charts and get airtime more since there are a handful of songs from the album people can relate to, vibe with and dance for.
Listen and follow Freeloadas on their:
YouTube: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lA80XEgnmWfUqHJYZ9glx-i3aQx0guuJw&si=czZhHTNh3q_TV6PE
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0XEt8KLrXIchRauYD9JXna?si=KrbUbbUeRZGEUwTYpF_4ig
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/broken-memes/1740314964