Beware of the Monkey

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Beware of the Monkey
File:Beware of the Monkey.album.jpg
Mixtape by
Mike
ReleasedDecember 21, 2022
GenreHip-hop[1]
Length33:32
LanguageEnglish
Label10k
Producerdj blackpower
Mike chronology
Disco!
(2021) 		Beware of the Monkey
(2022) 		Faith Is a Rock
(2023)
Singles from Beware of the Monkey
  1. "nuthin i can do is wrng"
    Released: October 13, 2022
  2. "What Do I Do?"
    Released: November 3, 2022
  3. "Stop Worry!"
    Released: November 29, 2022

Beware of the Monkey is the fifth mixtape by American rapper Mike, released on December 21, 2022, through 10k.

Background and release

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The album followed a trend of many of Mike's albums, releasing on a solstice.[2][1][3] The album is named after a horoscope Mike saw in a Chinese restaurant.[4][5][6]

On October 13, 2022, Mike announced the album and released its first single, "nuthin i can do is wrng", alongside a music video directed by Ryosuke Tanzawa.[7][8] In his review for Pitchfork, Dylan Green praised the single as a "glimpse of an already masterful talent polishing his craft."[9] James Rettig of Stereogum described the single as "hypnotic."[10] On November 3, 2022, Mike released the album's second single, "What Do I Do?", alongside a music video directed by Xin Wang.[11][4] He also announced the Ipari Park Tour with 454 and Slauson Malone 1 in support of the album.[12][13] The Fader's Raphael Helfand described the single as a "characteristically woozy slow burn."[14] Gabriel Bras Nevares of HotNewHipHop called the single "moody and ethereal."[11] On November 29, 2022, Mike released the album's third single, "Stop Worry!", featuring Jamaican singer Sister Nancy, alongside a music video directed by Ryosuke Tanzawa.[15][16][17] Jada Ojii of HotNewHipHop described Sister Nancy's feature as "melodic and hypnotizing."[5] Stereogum's Tom Breihan described Mike's verse as a "sleepy stream-of-consciousness."[18]

The album released on December 21, 2022, alongside a music video for "No Curse Lifted (rivers of love)" directed by Ryosuke Tanzawa.[19][20][2][21] On January 26, 2023, Mike released a music video directed by Christopher Currence for "Weary Love".[22] On March 10, 2023, Mike released a music video directed by Ryosuke Tanzawa for "As 4 Me". On September 7, 2023, Mike released a music video for "Ipari Park" directed by Cynthia Igbokwe and Danny Gubber.[23]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic86/100[26]
Review scores
SourceRating
Beats Per Minute80%[1]
HipHopDX4.2/5[24]
Pitchfork8.1/10[25]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Beware of the Monkey received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 86 out of 100 from 5 critic scores.[26]

Writing for Beats Per Minute, Tim Sentz praised Mike's writing on the album, stating that "he raps about pain and perseverance like he's lived a hundred lifetimes already."[1] Anthony Malone of HipHopDX praised the album's themes of dealing with death, grief, and depression.[24] Ryan Dillon of Glide Magazine praised Mike's instrumental production on the album, writing: "the instrumentals presented on this album are put together gives them the feeling of history being stitched together through muddy drum loops and dancing sample chops."[27] In his review for Spin, Tomas Miriti Pacheco described Mike's lyricism as "layered" and "effortless" and that the album "delivers his boldest songs yet."[3] Jaelani Turner Williams of Okayplayer called the album Mike's "most meditative album yet."[28] Stereogum's Chris Deville described the album's production as Mike's most engaging to date.[29] Isaac Fontes of HotNewHipHop writes that the album "further cements [Mike] as one of underground rap's best storytellers."[30] Writing for Pitchfork, Stephen Kearse described the album as "self-assured and polyvalent, a current of shifting emotional states that MIKE's exquisite word and production choices shape into rich affirmations."[25]

Track listing

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All tracks written by Michael Bonema and produced under his alias dj blackpower, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."nuthin i can do is wrng" 1:58
2."As 4 Me" 1:43
3."Eczema" 1:52
4."Light (if u can't see)" (featuring Jadasea)
3:37
5."No Curse Lifted (rivers of love)" 1:49
6."What Do I Do?" 3:06
7."Ipari Park" (featuring Klein)
2:41
8."Swoosh 23" 2:35
9."Tapestry" 1:37
10."Stop Worry!" (featuring Sister Nancy)
2:29
11."WEARY LOVE" 2:11
12."Concrète" (featuring King Carter)
  • Bonema
  • Cheikhuana Bamba Fall
3:53
13."Closing Credits" 3:54

References

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Further reading

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