Everyone has probably already heard that Logic, the now hugely famous Maryland rapper, released a new mixtape this month. Returning as his trap rap alter ego Bobby Tarantino, this new venture is a clear attempt to return to basics with an entertaining project that completely abandons the dense sociocritical subject matter that characterized his last album, Everybody.

I have to admit, I am not the biggest fan.

I really hoped to not even address this mixtape, but it has blown up to such an impressive degree in the past few weeks that I could not really avoid it.

All criticism aside, I do think that Bobby Tarantino II is a fun listen and that certainly warrants appreciation. Logic is an extremely talented rapper and here and there he definitely gets in some clever hooks. However, I think the ridiculously shallow subject matter and generally arrogant lyrics, coupled with a simply poor vocal performance, will make this mixtape one of those projects that quickly fades to irrelevance. There’s only so long you can listen to Logic spitting self-aggrandizing nonsense like “I treated people with respect now I am rich.”

Logic’s last album, Everybody, which features the iconic suicide hotline song, (1-800-273-8255), was a futile attempt to talk about every current issue imaginable. In a hyper dense project, the themes of race, sexuality, identity, equality and social media were all mentioned to varying degrees in a mismatched amalgamation that ended up saying nothing about everything.

This mixtape is, by design, the near antithesis to Everybody.

Logic lays his cards on the table in the first track, which features a conversation between Rick and Morty — a rather trite touch in my opinion. He makes it clear that what we are about to hear is the carefree “Mixtape Logic” that will help us get “turnt” as opposed to the old “Album Logic” that wants to convey a “message” and talk about “equality.”

Even dubbing the project a “mixtape” means that he is not constraining himself to a coherent structure. It is a lighthearted attempt that is not afraid to test some unfamiliar waters, which is apparent from a highly varied track list with some interesting features.

Unfortunately, his decision to include a mainstream electro-pop feature was an utter disappointment. The track Everyday has to be considered one of the lowest moments of Logic’s career. To top it all off, Marshmello, the absolute atrocity that brands itself as an artist, makes an unwelcome appearance on this song by producing the lukewarm beat and lifeless hook. I understand why Marshmello wears a huge marshmallow mascot head – if I produced the kind of trash he is involved with I would also be afraid to show my face in public. Logic’s vocal performance on Everyday is also especially poor considering his superb vocal performance on the suicide hotline song.

Fortunately, Logic finds his feet on songs like Yuck, in which he returns to a more familiar footing and can let his trap alter ego Bobby Tarantino do what he does best. Boasting a catchy hook and bouncy production, it all comes together to create a really fun track.

Warm It Up is another highlight that lets Logic demonstrate his obvious technical ability as he brings on his other alter ego, Young Sinatra, as a feature. The back and forth between his alter egos spitting rap versus trap makes it one of the most interesting tracks on the record.

I think this mixtape is the absolute epitome of the idea of leaving the best for last as Bobby Tarantino II ends with the track 44 More, an absolute banger. I was excited for this mixtape since Logic teased it with this single a few weeks before its release. 44 More is easily the best piece of music that Logic has ever released; it’s a fast paced, well rhymed track that has some great Kanye West samples reverberating in the background. This is what Logic could be: a fast bar-spitting rapper with a ridiculously good flow.

At this point, unfortunately, he is still a bit of a mess. Nothing exemplifies this better than the fact that this mixtape features both some of his best but also some of his worst music ever.

Favorite Tracks: 44 More, Warm It Up, Yuck Worst Tracks: Everybody, Overnight Steffen Holter is a music columnist. Email him at feedback@thegazelle.org.