Athens, Georgia up-&-comer Babystaydown dropping off his sophomore effort 5 months since his full-length studio debut. Somebody who already has 15 EPs under his belt including Intrusion, PL Top Recruits, 1,350, Drugz Sex & Money and it’s sequel, 17, Genesis, his Cegular Records/Sony Music debut Hate da Way Um Livin, Pain Before Pleasure, Chief 13, Aimai, I.L.M.F. (I Love My Friends), ##Kool ##Kat & the Lost Files duology. However, his inaugural LP Born Anew this spring maintained the same level as all 3 of his extended plays on Cegular in terms of propelling his status in the underground & Art of War following his Red Flags & Roses appearance had me intrigued.
“Shoota” produced by Rafmade & SOULJASPIRITS opens by talking about pulling up to the spot with a bunch of gunmen surrounding him whereas “After All” pulls inspiration from Lil Uzi Vert & Lil Wayne suggesting to everyone around his premises to move the fuck out the way before he goes on a full rampage. “Switched My Tool” talks about having to swapping out the dot attached to his Glock because the firearm got too hot & spraying shit up without bluffin’ while “Cash Flow” promotes violence & money.
Whyceg jumps behind the boards for “Dead Wrong” cutting bitches off like fades leading “All Bad” talking about being rich as fuck along with quitting green lean to consume the purpler stuff over a cloudy Hariroc beat. “Don’t Fuck with T194” featuring Pradabagshawty finds the 2 labelmates teaming up so they can talk about not partaking in using acetaminophen or oxycodone hydrochloride leading into self-awareness settling in on “Luv Raging” knowing this bitch lying when she says she loves him.
“Goofy AF” featuring byarmyy joins forces over a Traiqo instrumental shrugging off all the lames who really ain’t be saying much of anything while “D.P.W.D. (Don’t Play Wit Dat)” talks about running up checks in his sleep & all of his hoes being freaks. “Babii Babii” embraces a pluggier vibe speaking of his life going brazy ever since he finally made it out of the pavement while “Lie” talks about saying whatever you want regarding him even if he & everyone else knows it’s false.
The song “Blumagic 15” begins Art of War’s final act with Babystaydown hopping over a plugg beat recalling being so high the night earlier to the point that he couldn’t see a thing & after “Same Faces” warns that if any of his friends wind up dead if they cross the line of betrayals, “Oh My Baby” finishes with an 112 second outro that mxrt4lity laced apologizing to a woman he’s no longer involved with romantically because him breaking her heart although he claims intention of doing so.
Hate da Way Um Livin marked a huge turning point in Babystaydown’s career as it seemed like the beginning of an artistic evolution further explored on Pain Before Pleasure, Chief 13, Aimai, I.L.M.F. (I Love My Friends), ##Kool ##Kat, both entries of the Lost Files series & Born Anew. Art of War brings that growth full circle joining B What You B & Home Invasions in becoming the most essential listening experiences in the Cegular Records catalog only a few months away from the 2 year anniversary of the plugg label’s founding.
Score: 4/5
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