This is the full-length debut from Worcester, Massachusetts rapper & singer/songwriter Joyner Lucas. A man who first came to my attention in late 2016 with an incredible verse on “Sriracha” off of Tech N9ne’s 17th album The Storm. His exposure would increase the following year with the single “I’m Not Racist” along with a verse on “Lucky You” off of Eminem’s 10th album KAMIKAZƎ the year after that. But after spending 2019 dropping singles, he’s now giving fans the main course with ADHD.
After the “Screening Evaluation” intro, we get into the first song “I Lied”. Where Joyner admits that money has changed him over a demented instrumental. The next track “ISIS” with Logic sees the 2 getting into a contest to see who‘s cornier while “The War” with Young Thug sees the 2 talking about hoes over an instrumental kin to Beautiful Thugger Girls.
After a cringey Chris Rock skit, the song “I Love” talks about his passion for hip hop over an airy trap beat & an annoying ass hook. The track “Devil’s Work” is probably the best off the entire album as he pays tribute to famous celebrities that’ve lost their lives over a psychedelic rock beat & while the song “Lotto” insipidly boasts over a bland beat.
After the Kevin Hart skit which isn’t any better than Chris Rock’s, the track “Gold Mine” finds Joyner doing a shockingly dead on impression of Gunna on the hook & the acoustic trap beat adds to that while the song “Finally” with Chris Brown is a gross & pillowy expression about freedom. The track “10 Bands” gets materialistic over the worst Timbaland beat I’ve ever heard while the track “Revenge” talks about getting back over a decently hypnotic trap beat.
After the “Comprehensive Evaluation” skit, the title track tries to hop on the emo rap bandwagon over some piano chords that later transitions into a generically cloudy beat while the song “Still Can’t Love” whines about being single alongside King OSF & Fabolous over an instrumental that could’ve landed on any Lil Uzi Vert project. The penultimate track “Will” is a redundant tribute to Will Smith as much as I & everyone else loves him over a flute & some punchy ass drums whereas the closer “Broke & Stupid” is a fake woke reiteration or a Jim Rohn speech over a very classy Weldon Irvine sample.
For waiting a little over 3 years, it’s really sad for me to see him squandering his potential like this. The man certainly has lyrical talent don’t get me wrong at all, but the topics he chose to touch base on really doesn’t resonate with me & it’s sound as a whole is so directionless.
Score: 1/5
Legends Will Never Die 