In the post-Lil Wayne world of mixtape madness, debut albums serve to give the established fan a polished, official version of what they already know while letting your everyday Joe or Jane in on the secret. Add the Internet-age mixtape to the mix and nothing is secret for those who can right-click, so don't be surprised that the vibrant, fun, and fresh Breakfast sounds like a career already in progress. Here, the electro-loving, hip-hop crew Chiddy Bang are skipping the intro and celebrating success, busting out clever, almost-OutKast party numbers like "Ray Charles" or bleeping chip-tunes style on the very Atari "Baby Roulette." These playful diversions seem like second album stuff, plus "Mind Your Manners" isn't that "Opposite of Adults"-type calling card single that made their 2010 Preview EP so necessary, but the second-line tunes and deep tracks have grown in strength with the wistful soul-searcher "Talking to Myself" becoming a surprise key highlight. When the mighty "4th Quarter" declares "If you're feeling swelly, this is your anthem" it's spot-on, and if you're looking for that indie-style hook, "Handclaps Guitars" is the Bon Iver-meets-André 3000 choice. The message behind the Kid Cudi-like "Out 2 Space" is "things are looking up" while "Whatever We Want" puts its aspirations right in the title, and suddenly it's as if Chiddy Bang decided their already in-tune fan base needed a vibrant, inspiration-themed effort, even if newcomers wind up wondering where these motivational speakers earned their cred. Check the Preview EP for a better introduction, but if you're a fan, Breakfast is a great way to start the day. David Jeffries, Rovi
- Genre: Rap, R&B, Rock
- Subgenre: Hip-Hop/Urban
- Category Alternative Rap, Contemporary R&B, Pop-Rap, Pop
- Release Date: February 28, 2012
- Artist: Chiddy Bang
- Additional Artist: Eldee the Don (Vocals), Jordan Brown (Vocals), Gordon Voidwell (Vocals), Bluey Robinson (Vocals), Jake Sinclair (Vocals), Ellie Goulding (Vocals), Shirazi (Vocals), V.V. Brown (Vocals), Cole Williams (Vocals), Sam Frank (Vocals), Pat Monahan (Vocals), Zelma Davis (Vocals)