Critics Slam Iggy Azalea’s ‘The New Classic’…”There’s Nothing Classic About It”

Published: Sunday 20th Apr 2014 by David
iggy-new-classic-thatgrapejuice-1

After riding to notoriety on the wave that was Kreayshawn‘s ‘Gucci Gucci‘in 2011, last year finally saw Iggy Azalea find her footing on Pop ground with ‘Work’, boasting a sound far more “convincing” than her earlier material.

Unfortunately, following it up with the UK Top Five number ‘Fancy’, the Rapper has seen her debut album “The New Classic” ripped to shreds by critics who have billed its material manufactured, disingenuous and chart thirsty.

Why the project now owns a Metacritic score of 60/100?

Find out below…

Via ‘Metacritic’:

The Guardian:

“Azalea’s rags-to-riches story shines on Work, but elsewhere her “bow down to a goddess” schtick grows tiring.”

Rolling Stone:

“She dresses [her songs] up in the kind of shamelessly poppy hooks that make Top 40 programmers giggle in delight and “real hip-hop” heads shake theirs sadly. If this is the future, it’s one strange place.”

The Independent:

“Though neither particularly new nor classic, Iggy Azalea’s debut album proper (following two self-released mixtapes) reveals enough smarts and skills to sustain the Aussie rapper’s momentum.”

Drowned in Sound:

“It’s a shame The New Classic can sound so heavily manufactured, if anything because interesting things happen from time to time.”

Set for release on April 22nd, the critically panned LP’s score of 60 comes by way of its mixed or average reviews, and drops days after the fashion forward performer unlocked one its jams ‘Black Widow, featuring world renown Pop princess Rita Ora.

Your thoughts?

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  1. 2 girls 1 cup April 20, 2014

    i agree the only good song there is “WORK” the other songs in the album are a mess nothing memorable

    • FAF April 20, 2014

      Don’t need y’all is my fave. I don’t think it’s classic but atleast she has a release date

  2. JOHNVIDAL April 20, 2014

    Well, not that I care about this girl, but is a 60/100 a disaster? It is supposed to mean average, right? The staff at TGJ are always exaggerating.

    • Jay April 20, 2014

      LOL right?! I just posted the same thing

    • BlackWidow212 April 21, 2014

      The funny thing is that is David was one of the first bloggers to support her when she came out and is generally nice about her on here so this exaggerated thread is a shock to me 2bh.

    • Tony November 3, 2014

      Yeah, someone never received a C on a test, then, did we?

      60 is a D. In college 60 is an F.

  3. Jay April 20, 2014

    LOL this article is a bit contradicting, the reviews arent even that bad, all of them still give Iggy some praise. Plus a 60 metacritic score is CLEARLY not a slander, its just as much as most pop girls albums lmao 😡 maybe if she goes to the 30/40s over there….. talk about overreacting for hits ThatGrapeJuice.

    • JOHNVIDAL April 20, 2014

      I agree.

      • Lana Del Slay April 20, 2014

        That’s the point boo boo. They’re saying that Iggy wants to be taken seriously as a rapper but her music is just like all of the pop girls’.

      • Jay April 20, 2014

        But I’m not a fan and even I am aware Iggy has been saying her album was always going to be way more commercial sounding than her previous material, I don’t get why the reviewers are surprised. Her idea for the debut album is to stop with the underground status and breakthrough to the mainstream (which she is doing looking at her chart history in the UK + Fancy now)…

    • nicko April 20, 2014

      @jay LOL @ u talking about “chart history” as if kim had a hit lmfao.

      • Jay April 20, 2014

        Iggy is clearly trying to get commercial success tho, that’s what I said about her plans for the album….. if not she’d just keep doing mixtapes.

  4. Jarrett April 20, 2014

    I honestly don’t think these reviews are that bad lmaoo! But I have listened to the album and I don’t think it was a strong debut album for her. This is why Nicki will stay on top

  5. BaddieBey April 20, 2014

    Why am I not surprised? Rapping doesn’t come naturally to her at all and we all know that it’s her choruses and that everyone stans for.

  6. randy April 20, 2014

    nicki wins stay mad

    • BarbBey April 20, 2014

      This is not about Nicki so please stop. I like Iggy’s songs but she is hella fake. I mean think about it, you’re from Australia, move to Miami but go out of your way to Rap like you’re from NO.

      • jjj April 20, 2014

        It’s her art and her truth, even if it sounds odd to you. If she moved from Australia to the US to become a rapper is CLEARLY because she was passionated about it truly and wasnt being able to do it in Australia… I’ve seen Nicki Minaj rap in a British accent and I enjoyed it! I seriously dont understand the problem, especially when people like Keith Urban are also Australian and are singing in an American accent and no one has a problem among million other cases….

      • nicko April 20, 2014

        @jjj the difference is that Nic USED to rap in a british accent for FUN, she raps mostly with HER accent. As for iggy, she TRIES to sound like shes from the south, like shes from the HOOD when shes not. Dont try to be something ure not.

  7. VisionofMimi April 20, 2014

    I agree with all of these reviews, she’s simply not a good rapper so depends on other writers to write catchy hooks for her just so her songs cal sell. You can’t sit there and say you want to be taken seriously as a rapper but make soulless generic music.

    • Pam April 20, 2014

      Eminem, Macklemore, Drake, Future, J Cole, etc etc have ALL made/are making commercial music…. nothing ground breaking there. They just hating mainly cuz she white + female + rapper + from Australia who wants to be known on the mainstream and you know dis 😛 the album is solid, great production, catchy hooks, decent verses with some cute punchlines which is what you want from a crossover rap debut.

      • nicko April 20, 2014

        She cant rap n her being white only HELPS her. Angel Haze n Azealia banks r 10000 times better than her but nobody cares about them cause theyre black. Nicki said this the last time she was on Ellen: “White girls get praised for “acting black” n she was right. Im not even gonna start on the HORRIBLE QUALITY of music that iggy makes.

    • nicko April 20, 2014

      Preach !!

  8. nicko April 20, 2014

    rnbxclusive/iggy < if u want to listen to the album. I did n its boring as hell. I thought it was gonna be dope n that i would buy it but .. no. Im disappointed.

    • jjj April 20, 2014

      NNN STOP, its a great album and yall should support Iggy 🙂

  9. Dev April 20, 2014

    I think the album title was over ambitious, I think that when she gave the album the name her intention was to come harder, but due to lack of hits and interest they (her and the label) decided on a more generic sound that has kinda worked so far… unfortunately they didn’t change the title which makes the album misleading. I’m sure she’ll do fine although its not my cup of tea

  10. NickiBeenBad April 20, 2014

    Iggy’s problem is not her sound it’s her. The first problem she has is that her entire story is a lie, unless she wants us to believe her parents were irresponsible enough to let a 16 year old live in an entirely different country all by herself with no money. Nobody believes that story so it poked holes in her credibility.
    Secondly, her voice isn’t genuine.

    Nicki rapped in a British accent for fun and it tied in with her gimmick, Iggy raps in a Southern accent because she wanted the approval of the Hip Hop dudes which amounts to all of nothing in the real world because she’s actually much bigger than they are.

    Having said that, the singles on TNC are better than the singles on PFRR so I’ll give her shot.

    • NN April 20, 2014

      How is her story a lie when it’s been proved by the people she’s been living with in the US since 2006 and all the other labels/stuff she’s been doing, lol.

    • Iconic Iggy April 20, 2014

      Do you have any proof of her lying about moving to a foreign country as a t***? Because there id plenty of proof supporting it. You just look ignorant.

  11. IggyIggyIggy April 20, 2014

    2bfair to TGJ they have been stanning for Iggy for the longest but these reviews aren’t fair.

  12. Nicki Azalea April 20, 2014

    I see David is still trying to make Rita happen. Anyway, you stan for both of my faves so I like you.

    • Kay April 20, 2014

      Apparently he doesn’t stan for Iggy tho. Hopefully she pays them dust from now on. Well she’s already payin the UK dust this year anyway…

  13. xedos April 20, 2014

    cannot hate on her . she’s trying to build a base so she makes her music a little popish to get on the radio cannot ate on that. at the end of the day its still the music business. swim or drown sell music or get droped

  14. Mv92 April 20, 2014

    The only problem is that iggy isn’t rapping about what typical rappers rap about! It’ll take people time to adjust to her. I don’t think the album is bad!

    • kjc May 13, 2015

      She is the most generic rapper I’ve ever herd. her rhyme schemes are typical. It’s like rap 101. All she raps about is how she’s hot s*** and better than you she raps exactly like most rappers. She also goes way off beat when she raps fast. Once her gimmick fades so will she.

  15. My Gums Tho(aka Teacher) April 20, 2014

    From what I heard it didn’t sound bad. “Walk The Line”>>>>>
    That song w Rita was kinda basic tho… Bcuz of Rita tbh!

  16. My Gums Tho(aka Teacher) April 20, 2014

    And I like how she sounds when she raps!

  17. ENOUGH ONIKA (NEW & IMPROVED) April 20, 2014

    Why is this even news?? Iggy’s always been corny and her songs are trash. I guess some see the light later than others…

    • Molly April 20, 2014

      Hey you.

  18. Molly April 20, 2014

    She’s kinda overrated but i can see her taking Nickis spot she isn’t as gimmicky as Nicki and she’s way prettier then Nick.

    • BEYHIVE_MINAJ April 20, 2014

      Girl,don’t try it. Iggy’s cute but let’s not forget who brought back the respect of female emcees. Nicki’s weave will always be intact.

      • cake like lady gaga April 20, 2014

        ^ The delusion

        The New Classic snatched Nicki’s wig (the same one she got sued for)

      • Molly April 20, 2014

        Lol im sorry but iggy is beautiful and white she’ll have no problem snatching nickis wig.. Nicki sabotaged herself with the roman reloaded era and im not being shady babe just keepin it real.

      • BEYHIVE_MINAJ April 20, 2014

        If this album manages Pink Friday type of slayage,then I will admit to this false statement. As for now,take the first plane to Madison Square Garden and sit yourself down.

      • cake like lady gaga April 20, 2014

        You can also go join Nicky at Flop Central to wait for the next train to Irrelevance, seeing as Iggy just slayed her entire discography with TNC.

      • BEYHIVE_MINAJ April 20, 2014

        @Molly I agree that RR was messy,but you shouldn’t predict on how this album will do based on one underperforming album. She seems to have set her strategies straight and from the looks of it,she’s going to be fine.

      • BEYHIVE_MINAJ April 20, 2014

        “seeing as Iggy just slayed her entire discography with TNC.”

        The delusion,I cannot.

    • Devin April 25, 2014

      Lol she can’t take Nicki spot if she is only sells 50-55k in the first week. Nicki did 375k with Pink Friday. And 253k with Roman Reloaded. Iggy is far from reaching these numbers. Rap music in general doesn’t usually reach them numbers. So that should tell you something. Nicki is winning.

    • kjc May 13, 2015

      Ewww nickis really hot iggy is really not.

  19. cake like lady gaga April 20, 2014

    These are probably the same critics that slammed Bangerz, only to find that once listening to it yourself its a pretty damn good album, so I don’t care for what they have to say..

    The New Classic is (in my opinion), a great piece of work.. It is worthy of a grammy or two. Iggy is like the female version of Eminem (a white rapper that surpassed all expectations)

    • Ciarastan April 20, 2014

      I agree, these people expect every song on the album to be a pop/radio song, that isn’t how you gain credibility. For the people saying she has no good songs “100, goddess,walk the line, impossible is nothing, lady patra” have y’all no taste in good music. These same critics are the ones that gave justin timberlakes Album 100/100 5.5 etc. the most commercial and weak song on her album is the Rita Ora song, she should have had someone else song it, Ora has no personality, i still don’t get the whole conspiracy to force her on us, but nevermind.

  20. cake like lady gaga April 20, 2014

    My favorites are Don’t Need Y’all, New B**** and Rolex.

    This album gets a 9.7/10 from me…

  21. gio88 April 20, 2014

    actually 60/100 is also artpop vote

  22. humuhumu April 20, 2014

    i think the album starts off strong; walk the line and i don’t need ya’ll>>>> but gets weaker progressively

  23. gio88 April 20, 2014

    you should change the title they are not slamming the album

  24. Molly April 20, 2014

    Rupert Everett has criticised today’s female pop stars because of their ‘elephant ankles’, ‘massive thighs’ and habit of selling s**.

    In an interview in this weekend’s Event magazine, Everett, the star of films such as My Best Friend’s Wedding and Shakespeare In Love, calls Beyoncé an out-of-control egomaniac and dismisses Lady Gaga’s music as too conventional.

    He says: ‘All these girls in pop, from Miley Cyrus to Beyoncé to Rihanna, overtly sell s**. They are practically naked in their videos.’

    He adds: ‘ Gaga is the most interesting of the lot of them; she does have true ideas, although her music is terribly conventional.’

    Everett, 54, who is openly gay, says none of the stars matches his idea of feminine beauty.

    ‘I grew up with the idea of female beauty being delicate with long, slim legs.

    ‘Now it’s terribly “in” for women to have these huge great legs with massive thighs.’

    The actor is particularly scathing about Beyoncé, who he says has ‘elephant ankles’.

    He adds: ‘She and her husband Jay-Z live like a modern-day Greek god and goddess. It’s unbelievable.’

  25. Suxmycockiness =o April 20, 2014

    I agree the album is okay. It seems like she released all the good songs already, everything else sounds like fillers. However, she is a new artist and she got some attention so I think the album did its job.

  26. Hil St April 20, 2014

    It’s not a very cohesive set of songs. They are all over the place and sound forced instead of natural.It’s good that we’re finally getting a new female rapper to the mainstream front, but it sucks that it’s her.
    Calling her a female Em is stupid she isn’t even on the old school females level(84-93) or the prime females level(94-05). I swear you rap fast and people will swear you’re flowing when all you’re doing is just rapping fast. Some should stick to pop as they have no full knowledge of Rap/Hip-Hop in the first place.(in regards to some saying this is a good album)
    2.5/5 and the extra .5 is being generous.Some of the beats are nice,the lyrics leave SO much to be desired though.

  27. BEYHIVE_MINAJ April 20, 2014

    I like Iggy,and this album is cute. There’s no reason as to why Iggy and Nicki can’t reign together,female rappers used to shine together,there’s no reason it can’t happen again.

  28. cake like lady gaga April 20, 2014

    Out with the old (Nicki Minaj) and in with The New Classic…

  29. Rosie April 20, 2014

    Please, the reviews are mixed at best. If it gets below a 50 THEN we can call it slander.

  30. Devin April 20, 2014

    Let’s not be Delusional here. Pink Friday did 375,000 first week and Roman Reloaded did 253,000 first week. Iggy will not reach any of them numbers. You guys try to drag Roman Reloaded but as a pop crossover album it did well. Iggy could never. Starships 4x Platinum. Pound the alarm Platinum. VA VA voom Platinum. Beez in the trap went gold. High School went gold. Iggy could never. Nicki is the best female rapper. Let’s be realistic. I hope you guys that Stan for iggy go out and buy it. It has already leaked. Good luck getting it to sell over 100k.

    • Iconic Iggy April 20, 2014

      Nicki had much more promo and support for both projects though.

      • Devin April 20, 2014

        True about promo. Nicki also had multiple successful singles before the albums are released. People want Nicki and that’s why she had tons of features before the album. Iggy doesn’t have the same hype as nicki had before she released her debut.

      • Ashton April 20, 2014

        Nicki had more promo and support because she is a better artist. EVERYONE loved her when she first came out, EVERYONE wanted her on their songs hence why everyone knew her. And it was easy for her to sell because she was the only female rapper that had emerged in over a decade that actually had talent. Do you guys forget all of the work Nicki put in? Three mixtapes and probably 30 or 40 features before she even had put out her first album. And she’s a good rapper because she is a natural, and was raised in rap culture.

  31. Navy Commander April 20, 2014

    The previews I heard were good, I still prefer nicki ober iggy tho. I think nicki and iggy should do a collab.

  32. Iconic Iggy April 20, 2014

    TGJ seems to have a love/hate relationship with Iggy that I don’t seem to get. They’ve written exaggerated negative articles like this before yet they’ve interviewed her twice and were one of the first blogs to support her. I don’t get it. This is the biggest reach of all. Plenty of TGJ favorites have released albums with even lower or equal scores and they haven’t received a post highlighting the negative parts only. 60/100 isn’t bad at all, not to mention every review they quoted had a positive remark before it or after it. Many critics praised her flow lyrics as highlights. Biased journalism at its finest.

  33. Ashton April 20, 2014

    Iggy could never touch Nicki lyrically, wordplay, flow, delivery…the only thing is music videos tbh. And that’s just because Iggy is younger, a lot more contemporary and more into fashion than Nicki.

    • Devin April 20, 2014

      I agree with everything you have been saying. But I don’t even think iggy videos are anywhere close to Nicki videos. It has took iggy 4 singles to finally get a billboard hot 100. Nicki already has 3 by the time pink Friday was released. I don’t think fancy is a strong enough single to make the album sell. Honestly the only think fancy has going for itself is the catchy pop hook. Her verses are ok. She’s not bad, but people should never compare her to Nicki, who is better than 99% of the male rappers. Nicki is coming hard with this 3rd era. She hasn’t even released the first single and she has plenty of anticipation off the buzz songs. I like your comments;)

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