Music Album Review: “Results Take Time” by Symba [Blazin'! - 5 Boomboxes]

Music Album Review: “Results Take Time" by Symba

5 Boomboxes

“Symba keeps his listeners on their toes: physically, the listen will move, and mentally, they will be sure to think.”


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Album “Results Take Time”  

Released: September 15, 2022

Length: 52:33

Genre: Hip Hop Rap RnB Soul

Written by: Symba & DJ Drama

Produced by: Symba & DJ Drama





Sym, is that a Rolex? 



"Results take time."


Fax. 📠


"This shit didn't happen overnight."



    "Results Take Time" by Bay rapper, Symba is swag and consciousness. It's akin to one of the best times in Hip Hop, when beats were hard-hitting and lyrics scintillating, the early 90s. And in this millennium, where unfortunate deaths and the Soundcloud rapper's experimentations take out some prime lyricists — Cough.Ka.Takeoff.cough — "Results Take Time" is an album the Hip Hop community needed.



    In other words, "Results Take Time" is a breath of fresh air.

 

    Symba is new to the main stage, so there's little about him on the internet, save the beginning of his "Results Take Time" promotional circuit seven-to-eight months ago. These promotions are either freestyles where he blows away every DJ host, interviews that are as honest as his lyrics, or his humble Tiny Desk performance. 



    What can be said is that Symba, in "Results Take Time," is a poignant and versatile artist. He can at one moment be edifying and at the other moment comical, never genuinely taking himself seriously, only the craft.  


 

    On the smooth boom-bap vibes of "Can't Win For Nothing," Symba is the street philosopher and storyteller, serving the listener what he calls "words to help you get through the day."


 

Lyrics from "Can't Win For Nothing:"

[Chorus]

And this for all the nights that we spent tryna come up with the rent

I'm tryna stay legit but this shit ain't makin' me rich

Can't win for nothin', can't win for nothin'

When you at your lowest points, some nights you feel alone

Even when you right, sometimes you feel wrong

I can't win for nothin', can't win for nothin'



    But he is also the party rocker, the rapper, as on the bass-heavy party track "Street Nigga." 


 

Lyrics from "Street Nigga:"

[Verse 1]

Sometimes I don't wanna be with her

There's times I do not agree with her

I fuck her so good when she see other bitches I'm fuckin' 

with, she try to beat 'em up (Beat 'em up)

I might be crazy but I think it's kind of attractive the way she

— (Street, street, street, street, street)



    Symba keeps his listeners on their toes: physically, the listener will move, and mentally, they will be sure to think. 



Lyrics from "Goat:"

[Verse 1]

But if that's what floats your boat, don't let me sink your ship

It's hard enough to catch a wave while tryna anchor this shit

Man, so what makes a nigga the G.O.A.T.

Besides the world relatin' to everything that he wrote?

You gotta keep a loaf while keepin' culture afloat and

And not just musically, I'm talkin' all inclusively

Endorsements, fashion, movies roles to act in

To be a G.O.A.T., you gotta be great outside your passion

And you can't act the of-all-time if it ain't classic

Most of this shit be passive

Just a bunch of fucking captions

Pshh, I guess I'm askin'

How could a nigga be the greatest of all time

If LeBron never got to face MJ in his prime?

Or Montana never got to take the field vs. Tom?

If Mike Tyson never got to see Ali in his day?

How could Floyd be the G.O.A.T. if he ain't see Sugar Ray?

Shh, imagine Rakim over 808s

Or NBA YoungBoy doin' a song with Mase

That's why I feel like we should just end all of these debates

Because everybody's a G.O.A.T. because everyone made a way



    The most enjoyable aspect of "Results Take Time" is how Symba represents the East and West Coast in the choice of instrumentals and flows. For example, on "Overnight," he sounds like a New Yorker rapper, notably a Bronx rapper, and on "Sacrifices," a Cali-rapper, something like Tupac. On "Pop Out," there's this Brooklyn Drill vibe --Pop Out, Pop Smoke? -- and on "Never Change," he channels some RnB in the chorus (but that's gone as soon as he raps, bringing a blend of his East & West Coast flows.) 



    On this level, Symba is a national rapper, bringing together two once-opposing forces into coherent and entertaining music. But he is more than that. He is also a universal rapper, allowing his lyrics to connect to the tired and broken, those without money, food, love, etc. He speaks of his life, and the streets, like the listener, have been by his side his entire life. This is evocative of the greatest lyricist like Ka, Kendrick, Big L, Em, etc., who can affirm that life is hard, but if you work hard, results will manifest. Results take time, and you can’t win for nothing. 



    But besides Symba’s ability to be relatable and alter his flows,  “Results Take Time” is a well-put-together album. The mixing and Symba’s pick of the right instruments for his lyrics insinuates the album’s classic 90s vibe. 




    There is only one weak link (or links) in “Results Take Time,” which is the features. These relatively unknown artists (save for 2 chains’ weak verse) were not as strong as Symba and, in many ways, held back the album. Hopefully, with recognition comes more features that can match or elevate Symba’s presence. Here, Symba was elevating them. 



    Symba is here to stay and will make anyone's top five modern lyricists. One day, the top five greatest rappers. But honestly, he's having fun doing what he loves, and the listener can't tell. However, he's not one to have the listener forget: "They told me, "Work smarter, not harder," I'm doin' both (Man)." His hard work is also apparent in "Results Take Time."



    Symba's music is memorable, and for those paying attention, "Results Take Time" is a classic that deserves multiple plays. There's something for every Hip Hop head, which is the world nowadays. There's music to blast in the car or club or to listen to inspire one's lazy butt to go the gym or work. At one moment, the listener feels like a "Street Nigga," sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll, and at the next, their result will amount to something. It only takes time.



Liked this music review on the Hip Hop album “Results Take Time” by Symba? Check out something similar with our review of J.I.D's "The Forever Story." 


Artwork by Bolivar T. Caceres









Bolivar T. Caceres is a Bronx-based artist and writer. His poems appear on ShortEdition and Ariel Chart. He is also the author of the chapbook Outside My Garret Window, published in 2020. He currently writes for the quarterly film blog Film Studies 401 and the news blog New York Positivity. Connect with him on social media @BolivarTCaceres and at www.BtcArt.co.
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