Jaden Smith Retreads His Musings on Love With “2024: A Case Study of the Long Term Effects of Young Love”
“2024: A Case Study of the Long Term Effects of Young Love” - Jaden
Jaden Smith returned with his first full project in 3 years with “2024: A Case Study of the Long Term Effects of Young Love,” and while there are promising elements to the music, the execution of the record hues closer to tracks from his previous LP, CTV3. Taking a 3 year break between projects should indicate an evolution musically, just as he accomplished previously with, SYRE, ERYS, and CTV3, however, these songs could be more likened to an epilogue for CTV3. Individually, the songs succinctly capture the complicated feelings one may have around love: trying to reconnect with someone after mistakes have been made, and then acting hostile about why the relationship originally ended. When put together in the tracklist, it feels as if it’s missing a clear arc bridging each song to the next, as it’s just a collection of songs around the theme of “young love.”
“Roses” opens the EP and was the first single released on June 21, 2024. “Roses” tells a story of Jaden as he desperately tries to reconnect with a love of his, as he feels like the distance between them is growing larger. The beat disarms as it appears more playful with its soft guitar and gentle bass, but the lyrics create a more melancholic tone for the song as a whole, “Sorry our situation’s dying out / But I just wanna take you home.” As an opener, it acts as an easy introduction to how Jaden is going to approach his relationships.
He takes a different tone on the followup and second single released on October 4, 2024, “D.U.M.B".” Jaden takes a more aggressive tone as he sarcastically questions his partner, “Is you dumb / Is it fun for you fuckin’ up our love? / I think I’m done with you, but you like a drug,” that could reveal how he had originally wanted this partner back, but found out how they were wronging him. This more aggressive tone lets Jaden take the offensive and protect his part in the relationship. “D.U.M.B.” is an acronym for Deep Underground Military Base, which could possibly be a reference to how Jaden is criticizing his partner for being dumb, and he’s retreating to this inner sanctum so that he can let all of his emotions out.
“Gorgeous” exists as the most lighthearted song on the EP, however the tone of the song switches for the second verse. The first half discusses how Jaden is so infatuated with someone that he had to write a song about them, “You so pretty with no makeup on I had to make a song ‘cause you’re gorgeous / All them other girl fakin’ it all, you’re on my mind, how you take up the time.” The tone switches for the second verse where it can be surmised that Jaden is probing how someone can be so gorgeous, but then hurtful in the dissolution of their relationship, “How the fuck you finna break up with me on a island?” This lyric’s inclusion flips the song on its head as the beauty of this person is outshined by how they’ve handled their relationship.
“The Coolest Part 2” is the song that feels the most out of place in the track list as it harkens back to the sound of SYRE & ERYS. Jaden adopts a similar flow and production that would feel more in place with those projects. As the “The Coolest Part 2” is an addition to “The Coolest” from his first mixtape, The Cool Cafe: Cool Tape Vol. 1 (unavailable on streaming), this song acts as a bookend to hear how Jaden’s sound has evolved directly over this 12 year span. Listening to them back to back, there is a density to the lyrics of “The Coolest Part 2” that the first track lacks.
Ruminating on the effects of young love, the album goes through several aspects related to heartbreak: bargaining, depression, anger, lust, ego. In this regard, the songs are better taken on their own if the listener is searching for a single feeling. When put together in the official track list, it’s clear that Jaden’s intention was to touch on each topic for a full picture. This connects each song clear enough for the EP, but it might’ve been beneficial if the production was a little more similar between songs.
