Token has returned with the first solo release under his newly owned label, Never Too Different. Pink Is Better is the Massachusetts based rappers’ third full-length release, hitting streaming services on Jan. 14, 2021.
Pink is Better is an impressive body of work that finds Token at some of his highest highs and follows him through his lowest low. The album is a brutally honest confession that touches on all of the pleasures that money and fame can bring, while also showcasing the troubling emotional abuse and weight that pleasure can carry. Token is one of the most technical young emcees in the industry and this album highlights his ability to create unique flows, pack in multiple rhyme schemes and deliver quotable wordplay with ease.
The album opens with “A Little Different,” where token ruminates on how different things feel after some of the inevitable changes that fame can bring. This track has the first mention of the tumultuous relationship that the album references on multiple occasions. Detailing cases of infidelity from Token and in return from his girlfriend as well. Token lays out a lot of his personal life in the tacks that follow and provides a seemingly unfiltered lens into some of the deepest aspects of his humanity.
“Caught on Camera” blasts through the speakers on track two and the production seemingly has enough bass to set off at least three car alarms. Token masterfully weaves his insanely technical rapping in between the spacious bass heavy production. The huge gaps of space in the tempo of the instrumental allow Token to pack in an unbelievable amount of lyricism and creates emphasis on the impressive rhyme schemes created. The first real reference of the mistakes and experiences Token has maneuvered through the last few years are mentioned here as well. “Shit, I’m tryna make it last so when I hit it, then I ain’t sober/ I wake up with the guilt like it was given with a hangover/ Pretty girl in the crib crying big, replaying the images/ Of me bending two bitches over because I got caught on camera,” Token raps.
There are quite a few more references to Tokens previous relationship and it remains a constant theme throughout the album. “Not Love,” is an obvious attempt at a radio single, but the upbeat and poppy chorus is contrasted well with another example of Token displaying a magnitude of honesty and self-awareness throughout the lyrics. It’s by far the catchiest song on the album, but it also compliments the theme and integrity of the project very well.
Token’s beat selection is precise and balanced. There are songs that well rupture a speaker if given the chance, but there are also breaks for calm introspection. Features from Benny The Butcher, Rico Nasty , Lil Skies and J.I.D add even more to the variety of sounds on the album. “Chit Chat,” with J.I.D is a great collaboration between two young lyricists that are setting the bar for quality in the industry. J.I.D has impressed on every single feature I have heard, and he rivals the rapid technicality of Token with ease.
What Token does best on this release is his control over the production. Every track feels like Token is the master of ship and is taking the listener to whatever tempo or mood he would like. On previous releases, it felt like Token was just rapping to show he could rap. It is clear on this release that there was focused energy on song creation and album continuity.
The thread that connects this project so well is emotional maturity. A lot of Token’s emotional immaturity is explored in depth. However, this is the beauty of life, humans can grow from the experiences they encounter. As the album progresses, you see flashes of Token’s understanding of acceptance and figuring out how to live with and integrate with his current unique human experience. This emotional maturity culminates in the album’s closer, “Thank God,” where Token stops and reflects on all of the beauty that life truly is, taking a second to pause and thank God for the beautiful gift of existence.
Introspection Section 
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