For today’s Spotlight album, I’m taking a look at a release that recently marked its one-year milestone – “Stevie Wonder Not Blind” by twogeebs, which dropped in July 2023. This record served as an appetizer for the upcoming “Tha Geeb Tape 4” while also catching us off guard as a surprise release. There was no preceding press or build-up, just a smattering of those amusing Stevie Wonder memes we’ve all come to know.
For those unfamiliar, there’s a playful internet joke suggesting Stevie Wonder isn’t actually blind. It’s based on observations of his interactions with his surroundings that seem to challenge our expectations of someone with a visual impairment.
But now that you know the story behind the album and the meme, let’s take a look at the record itself. It kicks off with a track that serves as a teaser to ‘Tha Geeb Tape 4 Coming Soon.’ It’s sort of like a cool little trailer for what’s to come.
There’s a great little intro here from twogeebs as he does some sampling about the old tales surrounding the meme. He comes in talking about how we, the audience, are blind too, because we didn’t see this surprise record coming out. I found this twist clever and cool twist.
I was particularly impressed by the flow in this opening track. twogeeb touches on the topic of artists who put out subpar material. It’s about how you see these guys so proud of their work, but as twogeebs puts it, if he released something like that, he’d probably feel embarrassed about it.
The next track really hit home for me. It’s called “Bill Hates,” and I’d say this applies to Microsoft as a whole, which is more relevant now than ever before, if you can believe it.
Check this: there’s a good chance the computer you’re using right now will become obsolete in October next year when Windows 10 support ends. If your motherboard doesn’t have a certain chip, you won’t be able to upgrade to Windows 11. (which lets be honest, it’s really a downgrade) We’re looking at about 30 million perfectly good PCs becoming useless, all because of corporate greed.
But let’s set aside my tech frustrations and get into why geebs has issues with Bill Gates and what this track is all about. I’m really into the beat of this song – it’s got that classic old school rhythm with a one-two punch, layered with these intense, eerie strings that almost screech, giving it an orchestral vibe.
Now, about the song itself. geebs doesn’t hold back on Bill Gates here. The track is packed with anger and frustration towards Gates and everything he stands for. To geebs, Gates is just another filthy rich guy exploiting people for his own gain.
There’s a lot of talk about money and power in this track. He seems convinced that Gates and Microsoft are up to some questionable stuff, using their influence in ways that harm everyday people. He paints Gates as this behind-the-scenes puppeteer, pulling strings and causing damage.
But it’s not just about Gates. He also brings up his own crew and how they’re ready to push back against this kind of corporate power. He’s putting himself and his people out there as the underdogs, the ones who see through all the nonsense and aren’t scared to call it out.
The whole track has this intense, almost paranoid feel to it. He brings up the theory about being watched, controlled, and fighting back. It’s clear he’s got some strong opinions about the tech world and the bigwigs running it, and he’s using this song to let it all out. And I agree with everything that he’s saying here 100 percent.
The track “Wild Fires” kicks off with that hilarious Anthony Anderson bit about Stevie Wonder walking right up to him, looking him in the face, and asking to be taken to the piano. Of course, the joke here is that Stevie could’ve easily found the piano himself. It’s awesome how some of these tracks open up with references to the meme.
The beginning of this track takes me right back to being 8 years old, sitting in my PJs in front of the CRT, playing Mega Man 2. There’s something about it that’s got this old school video game vibe, though I can’t quite put my finger on it. As someone who loves that classic 8-bit era sound, I’m totally digging it. But The thing is, this isn’t any sort of retro sampling either, it’s being done simply through the instrumentation that soon follows. Rather, that’s what it appears to be to me in my ears.
Then it transitions into this really great beat. geebs acknowledges how he’s “dropping the beat like power bombs,” which is a killer line. But it’s just for a moment before we slide into this smooth, repeating piano melody with what sounds like some saxophone work layered over it.
He gets into some commentary about being suspicious and questioning what’s going on with the wildfires. It’s a timely topic, considering how California’s been ravaged by fires in recent years, not to mention the devastating one in Hawaii. Even last year, my hometown was filled with smoke from Canadian fires – you couldn’t see a thing in front of your face.
I really appreciate how this track, along with “Bill Hates,” addresses these big issues. It’s like he’s saying we need to be mindful and ready to question everything because things might not always be as they’re presented to us.
The track then rolls into some great criticisms of other rappers. I especially love the line about them saying they’re “going to have the hardest record of the summer” when summer’s almost over. As a music journalist, I see this kind of thing all the time, and it’s spot on.
Despite tackling some heavy topics, the track has this smooth, chill vibe to it. He just gets in, says what he needs to say, and gets out. It’s another quick hitter, but it packs a punch. Overall, it’s a great track that blends nostalgia, social commentary, and industry critique into one smooth package.
“Stevie” keeps the momentum going, dishing out more of that sharp commentary he’s known for. He’s taking aim at everyone from the government to your average hater on the street. There’s this killer line about how these people just play for every team – it’s like they’re running a daily scheme, and everything’s got some hidden meaning behind it. And you know what? He’s not wrong.
What really stands out to me is how this album is coming together. It’s starting to feel like a concept promotional album, which I’ll get into more later. But man, I love how everything’s tying together. It’s like geeb’s crafting this intricate web of ideas and references that all connect.
There’s this line that had me cracking up – he says he sees things deeper than Stevie with a telescope. It’s so clever and funny, but it’s also got this punch to it. It’s like, he’s using the humor to drive home his point even harder. It’s that perfect mix of witty and impactful.
He’s building this whole narrative about seeing through the BS and questioning what we’re told. And he’s doing it with style, using the Stevie Wonder meme as this running thread that ties it all together. It’s smart, it’s funny, and it’s got something to say.
The next track, “Not Blind,” continues this clever album layout that’s almost spelling something out for us, as the previous track was of course, ‘Stevie”. I’m really loving how this whole thing is put together.
This song kicks off with that classic Shaq story about Stevie – which again, one of those well known stories. Right from the start, we’re hit with this super melodic vibe. There’s some awesome vocal riffing in the background that’s so Stevie Wonder it hurts. It’s like geebs channeling that classic Stevie style, but putting his own spin on it.
His style here is something else. It’s so smooth that at times, it almost sounds like he’s singing rather than rapping. There’s this line that really stuck with me – he’s talking about how he does this for the art. He even implies he doesn’t charge for features, which I mean you can plainly see as clearly as Stevie Wonder, the guy is passionate about the music itself.
I’ve have to say, geebs is probably one of the most creative artists I’ve discovered this year. The way he’s putting together these tracks, mixing in the memes, the social commentary, and the music itself – it’s all coming together in this really cool delivery.
He’s created not just an album, but a promotional piece for another album, that’s built around a meme, which he uses to tie together some hard-hitting social commentary – all while keeping it funny. That’s some next-level creativity right there. I feel like I’m in some sort of hip-hop Inception, with layers upon layers of meaning.
The way he presents his ideas is just brilliant. Like how a a stand-up comedian, some times using humor to make his serious points hit even harder. It’s a clever way to connect listeners – you’re laughing one minute, then suddenly realizing the weight of what he’s saying the next.
The bars, the songwriting, the beats, the arrangements – they’re all top-notch. It’s like his brain is always in overdrive, churning out ideas.
This album was an absolute thrill to listen to. The clever writing that’s all over his material really shines here. It’s clear he’s doing this for the love of the art, and man, does it show. He’s crafting experiences, telling stories, and making us think, all at the same time.
