★★★★☆

Steven Adam Markowitz, known to most as Hoodie Allen, is taking the hip-hop scene by storm with his debut studio album “People Keep Talking,” released on Oct.14. After several EPs, mixtapes and singles featuring other hit rappers since 2009, Allen’s full-length debut has already reached number eight on the Billboard Top 200.

Born and raised in New York, Hoodie Allen impresses all types of audiences with his quick lyrics and a sound comparable to that of Mac Miller and Macklemore. At the young age of 26, this artist proves that he has what it takes to make it in the music world.

The album begins with the track “100 Percent of Something,” an upbeat opening number describing his success already as an artist and his excitement for his career going forward.

“People Keep Talking,” the title track, demonstrates the theme of not caring what others say, with the lyrics, “I just throw it away, I don’t care what they say at all / Cause people keep talking, people keep talking.”

Ed Sheeran is featured on the fifth track, “All About It,” where both artists portray the “bad boy image,” with racy lyrics such as “And your dad don’t like it when I talk my shit / Cause I’m all about it baby.”

The song “Numbers” relates both to Hoodie Allen’s career and his love life, where he knows he will draw the right card and get lucky, singing “All these lucky numbers, they’re never discovered / Just one in a million.” Hoodie Allen continues to inspire listeners to accomplish anything they set their minds to.

My favorite track on the album is “Act My Age,” which demonstrates the rapper’s fun-loving, carefree attitude. It is a great song for college-aged kids, with the lyrics “Don’t wanna fit in, I wanna have fun / So if that’s okay, I don’t think I’m ever gonna act my age.” The musical style in this song sounds like something that could be on pop radio in combination with a rap beat.

The final track “Against Me,” which features artist MAX, displays vocal talent and a slower beat with a serious message: stay true to yourself and what you believe in.

“But when you say something, stand behind it / All I got’s my word in this life, so I write it,” he raps.

He disses the people who put him down, and praises himself for staying true to his beliefs.

Hoodie Allen’s debut album blends rap with R&B beats and several guest artists such as MAX and Ed Sheeran, producing 14 tracks that can be enjoyed by fans of all genres. He is not strictly a rap artist, but rather weaves together different types of music to create an enjoyable cohesive product. The messages he sends combine humor with honestly spoken lyrics that allow his funny disposition to show.

The overall entertainment factor of this album is enough to keep audiences both inspired and amused by Hoodie’s words, so it is evident that this will be the first of many studio albums from Hoodie Allen.