In recent times, there has been a surge in popularity of the R&B music genre. TikTok deserves credit for once again highlighting young brilliant R&B musicians like The Weeknd, Brent Faiyaz, and Giveon. One artist helping to boost the popularity of the R&B genre before TikTok was Steve Lacy. As the guitarist of the popular R&B group, The Internet, it was no surprise that his debut album, Apollo XXI, was a big success in 2019. At the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, his debut album was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album. R&B lovers were gifted with another album named Gemini Rights on July 15, 2022, after nearly three years of waiting.

Kicking off the album is “Static,” a simple, smooth R&B song that accentuates Lacy’s vocals. The song does an excellent job of emphasizing his skill, despite lacking significant meaning, serving as the album’s entrance song.

“Helmet,” the album’s second track, is a significant improvement over the previous one. The song has a strong beat and catchy vocals that help raise it to the next level; the instrumentals in the song complement the vocals and offer the audience a fun experience.

The third song in the album, “Mercury,” is also the second most popular song, with approximately 10.6 million plays on Spotify. This song was released as a single prior to the album’s release and is unquestionably one of his most popular tracks. Overall, this is one of the better songs on the album. The chorus and pre-chorus complement the song’s quick speed to produce a masterpiece.

The album’s following song, “Buttons,” shifts the speed and uses a mellow cadence to complement the amorous lyrics. This is without a doubt one of the tunes that is ideal for a late-night situation. Although it lacks an enthusiastic rhythm and lyrics, it is well-produced and delightful to listen to. This song is a great illustration of how amazing R&B artists can produce love ballads.

Next up, the album’s fifth song, “Bad Habit,” is the definite highlight. With over 31 million Spotify listens, this is one of Steve Lacy’s most well-known tunes. Many Steve Lacy fans would say that this is the best song on the album. The song has a distinct beat, speed, and lyrics that work together to produce a composition that leaves a lasting impression on the listener.

Overall, this album is a strong depiction of the current R&B genre and needs to be recognized. While some songs are less memorable than others, none of them are particularly ”bad.” All of the tracks on the album are well-produced, but the finest ones should be on any R&B fan’s playlist.