Tiny Meat Gang | Locals Only | Album Review

TMG
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Duo Tiny Meat Gang debuted their first comedy rap album in late 2018, continuing their online comedy careers with a string of singles culminating in their album Locals Only.

Tiny Meat Gang consists of creators and internet personalities, Cody Ko and Noel Miller. Both gained their original following on the social media platform Vine but have continued their careers in various other formats, including a comedy tour, podcast, and most prominently their respective YouTube channels. Tiny Meat Gang’s music videos appear here, such as the Locals Only singles “No Flex” and “Stay Safe,” which parody mainstream rap artists’ simple beats and their often clichéd music video themes. In this, they manage to tread the line between parody and high-quality sound fairly well.

The album itself runs fairly short with only eight songs, including a satirical conversation between Cody and Noel in the first track, “Intro,” to set the tone of the album. Each song has its own humorous message, ranging from playing off opposites of typical rap motifs, like their song “BYOB (Be Your Own Boss),” to hoping for success in the music business keeping the lyrics interesting.

However, the type of comedy in each song doesn’t vary much at all, which unfortunately causes listeners to lose interest in the album quickly. It seems clear that the creators were tuned into this, however, taking steps to offset this pattern typical to some comedy albums as well as in their own careers on social media. They keep the majority of the songs around two minutes long, rarely going over three minutes in their longest songs. In addition to shorter songs, Tiny Meat Gang also made the choice to bookend Locals Only with their singles to counteract the lull in the middle of the album.

While the album certainly has its fair share of shortcomings, its creators kept it light and weren’t afraid to address these issues to create an entertaining, if not a little repetitive, comedy rap album.