The story of Vince Staples is one of artistic progression and versatility. The Long Beach native began toying with the idea of a rap career around 2009 when two local producers, Dijon “LaVish” Samo and Chuck Wun, introduced him to members of the budding Los Angeles collective Odd Future. He became very close with member Earl Sweatshirt who enlisted Staples for a feature on his 2010 breakout mixtape Earl. Shortly after Staples began working on a mixtape of his own which culminated in his 2011 debut tape Shyne Coldchain Vol. 1, a 13-track project with features from Mike G of Odd Future, Kilo Kish, and SK Laflare and production by Snubnose Frankenstein, Stoney, and Clayton Samus. This was followed a year later by the Michael Uzowuru-produced Winter In Prague.
Through his close collaborator Earl Sweatshirt, Staples was introduced to the late Mac Miller in 2012. At the time, Staples was not recording any music due to a lack of beats and studio time. The story has it Miller approached Staples with those two things including a ride to his home studio in Los Angeles. The duo immediately got to work and what came out of it was the Stolen Youth LP, entirely produced by Miller and released in 2013. On this tape we see Staples begin to develop his own voice as a writer, songs like “Outro” would become the blueprint for future releases. This became the launching pad for Staples’ now diverse and storied discography.
2014 became a big year for Staples. He released his fourth mixtape Shyne Coldchain Vol.2 with features from stars like Jhené Aiko and production from legends like Evidence and No ID. This would be followed up by his debut commercial release, the Hell Can Wait EP which featured the popular single “Blue Suede”. The following year we saw Staples begin to roll out his full-length debut LP Summertime ‘06. The double album went on to reach 39 on the Billboard chart and was well received by critics.
Summertime ‘06 would place Staples on everyone’s radar as one of the most exciting and promising voices of his time. The albums that followed his debut prove he is more than many expected him to be. The artistic directions taken on his tours and albums are daring, bold, and unpredictable. At the core of it all is Staples’ undeniable talent for songwriting and natural wit. Today, Staples is 5 studio albums deep with a collection of incredible features and loose singles. Glide has compiled the 10 most underrated Vince Staples deep cuts, listen to our picks below.
“Party People“
Album: Big Fish Theory
The same album that everyone heavily criticized also features some of Staples’ best songwriting. One song in particular really emphasizes Staples’ ever-evolving talents and creativity, “Party People” is the deep cut that should have been a hit. The single is an anthem for the anti-social crowd and paints a vivid picture of the artists’ take on social gatherings. The booming bass of the song sounds like it was made for the venues the lyrics dismiss. This balance is all over Big Fish Theory which gives the album its unique personality.
“Homage”
Album: Big Fish Theory
This song, only slightly more than others on this album, prove that Staples thinks deeply about the final product of his songs. The structure of “Homage” is hectic and unconventional but features songwriting that denounces anyone still questioning Staples’ passion for his art. A quote from this song sums up Staples’ view of his career at the point of making Big Fish Theory; “Outrun my Gun I’m the big shot now, Prima Donna had them like “wow”, Hitchcock of my modern day, where the fuck is my VMA? Where the fuck is my Grammy?” This was an early example of the frustration Staples’ must feel getting pigeonholed into the box of “west coast gangster rapper”, a title Staples never associated with and worked hard to prove otherwise.
“Smile“
Album: Prima Donna
After the critical acclaim of his 2015 debut, Staples went into his next project on a mission. The short yet astonishing work on his Prima Donna project introduced us to an artist who loves to have his hand on every aspect of creation. This 7-track album is accompanied by a beautifully shot visual album that incorporates the storytelling aspect of the album, “Smile” is a highlight from this. Sturdy guitar loops welcome us to the song just before Staples begins to question everything happening around his newfound stardom and the mental gymnastics it takes to power through these massive changes.
“Big Time”
Album: Prima Donna
Wrapping up the tale that was spun on the Prima Donna EP, “Big Time” has Staples’ accepting his current position and enjoying the fruits of his labor. The grandiose instrumental provides the foundation to brag about his newfound fame and everything that comes with it. The magic behind this track can be found in the confidence of the artist’s delivery. The voice-cracking hook can bring a sense of excitement to the most mundane days and the electricity that shoots through the verses is simply infectious.
“Dopeman“
Album: Summertime ‘06
Buried deep in his double-disc debut, “Dopeman” is a B-side that could’ve passed for a single. This song Features Joey Fatts and Kilo Kish, two artists who were instrumental in the early career of Vince Staples, and all three of them bring the best out of each other on this one. Kish’s hushed hook adds a dark texture to the already murky hook while Staples and Fatts bring high-energy verses to juxtapose the otherwise muted sonics. Considering all three artists were together since the beginning, all of them joining together on a critically acclaimed debut LP feels like a victory lap for fans who have been listening all along.
“Street Punks“
Album: Summertime ‘06
Another song from his fantastic debut that gets horribly overlooked, “Street Punks” is an early sign of how Staples can create a concept out of thin air and create a highly entertaining song out of it. Fitting in with the darker tone of Summertime ‘06, the instrumental is hard-hitting yet simple, allowing Staples’ slick talk to shine. The hook is meant to be screamed and the verses are filled with his signature wit and smooth delivery. “Street Punks” is foreshadowing what was to come in his proceeding work, creative songwriting that centers around Staples’ unwavering confidence and intelligence.
“Hell Bound“
Released: December 19, 2019 (single)
This capped off a string of three singles that were touted as “The Vince Staples Show”. The music videos all bleed into each other and now we have learned that The Vince Staples Show is being written for Netflix and set to be released in the near future, whether these singles are still connected to the show is inconclusive. “Hell Bound” is an up-tempo, lighthearted single with an infectious hook and bright melody, following along with the other pop-influenced singles that came prior to this. “Hell Bound” tells a cautionary tale of who to keep around when your bank account begins to strengthen, Staples takes advice from his grandmother who warns him about the leeches that come with a high net worth.
“So What“
Released: August 22, 2019 (single)
The amount of energy and charisma Staples is able to present in just two minutes should be studied. “So What” is the charming, bouncy single that introduced us to The Vince Staples Show and it is one of his most unforgettable songs. The hook sticks in your head like it was written in glue and the verses only emphasize Staples’ comedic side. Towards the end of this song, he reaches out with a piece of advice for his fans going through a rough time, “Why kill yourself when you can go and kill a rival, why hate yourself when you can hate the opposition?”. While these lyrics can be taken as too light-hearted for such dark topics, bringing light to dark subjects is what Staples has made a career of, and “So What” is the perfect anthem for any locker room pregame time.
“Player Ways“
Album: Ramona Park Broke My Heart
Vince Staples’ latest album is the most digestible and radio-ready of his albums. Features span from Lil Baby to Ty Dolla $ign, but these guests don’t take away from the immense improvement in Staples’ songwriting from the first time we heard him rap in 2010. “Player Ways” is a song centered around a troubled relationship where pride might get in the way of logic. On the hook Staples boasts about his “Player Ways” but it’s not until the second verse that we hear the songwriting changing his stance and pleading with his partner that his mistakes won’t be repeated. “Player Ways” is a deep cut compared to other hits from the album but has just as potent songwriting and relatability as any other song.
Get The Fuck Off My Dick “
Released: March 9, 2018
When Vince Staples released his sophomore album Big Fish Theory in 2017, the reviews were mixed to put it nicely. Critics were upset that Staples’ songwriting moved away from the violence and rage that fueled his earlier work. Less than a year after the release of his second album, Staples let that anger out on the loose single with a clear message, he released “Get The Fuck Off My Dick”. Along with the single, Staples started up a Gofundme where if the goal was reached, he would quit rapping. Fortunately, the goal of $2 million dollars was not reached, and the subsequent single would send a message to anyone challenging his future creative decisions.
