Valee – “Virtuoso” review

Valee is a 34 year old rapper from Chicago, Illinois making waves by releasing 3 mixtapes & a couple EPs from the span of 2015-2018 until one of my top 10 producers of all-time Kanye West signed him to a joint deal with G.O.O.D. Music & Def Jam Recordings. The next 2 EPs G.O.O.D. Job, You Found Me & Runnin’ Rich helped spread plugg music to a mainstream audience despite both receiving mixed reception to the point where he would go his own way from Thersday onward. It should also be noted that Valee additionally has 2 EPs with AYOCHILLMANN as the duo The TrAppiEst as well as 2 more with ChaseTheMoney as the duo VTM & 1 with Stan Lane as the duo Vlane. But coming off the Vacabularee mixtape this past winter, Harry Fraud’s now being brought in to produce Valee’s official full-length debut from top to bottom & it actually had me looking forward to it. On top of that: His manager is now Andrew Barber of Fake Shore Drive, who has one of the most resourceful Twitter pages ever.

“Sea Bass” is a cloudy trap opener to the album talking about the lifestyle that he lives whereas “About That” featuring 03 Greedo goes into even spacier territory sampling Geno Smith’s iconic line they wrote me off but I ain’t write back though” asking how they supposed to feel about bullshit. “Yea But Um” brings in some wavy synthesizers & hi-hats admitting he forgets the brands when he walks in the store, but then “Vibrant” featuring Action Bronson is a more soulful cut showing off the fresh outfits they walked out with.

Meanwhile, the Z Money feature on “Uppity” is one of his best verses post-1017 Global as he & Valee jump on top of a piano trap instrumental describing their bitches as exactly that leading into “Dutty Laundry” giving off a more psychedelic edge boasting that he’s in Gucci like a mixtape, humorously referencing Gucci Mane’s historically endless mixtape catalog. The woodwinds & synths blended throughout “Not Right Now” work so pleasantly targeting it towards his lover on top of RXKNephew’s invigorating guest appearance truthfully making me a fan of his leading into the quirkily-produced “WTF” featuring Twista talking about their bitches once more & it makes sense considering Kanye had a hand in 2 of the Tung Twista’s biggest hits “Slow Jamz” alongside “Overnight Celebrity”.

The song “Washington Wizard” dives into trillwave turf once more telling his girl he needs space with these luscious synthesizer patterns while the penultimate track/final single “Watermelon Automobile” was actually what prompted me into wanting to reviewing this album especially since MAVI & SABA both appear together for the first time I believe over some keys & hi-hats flexing that they switched the paint. To wrap things up here, “Ufillme” sees the former G.O.O.D. Music artist sets to find out if any of us can feel him on everything that says accompanied by an intoxicating beat.

G.O.O.D. Job, You Found Me was an incredibly underwhelming for a lot of people including myself & here we are 5 years later with Harry Fraud behind the boards for his full-length debut album that completely surpassed all expectations I had going into it. Easily the most well-crafted body of work in Valee’s discography. He has some dope lines, but I can understand that his LUCKI-inspired delivery/flow isn’t for everyone & the vibes from the production are mostly similar to that of one of my favorite Playboi Carti cuts “Location”.

Score: 4/5

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Nas – “Magic 2” review

This is the 16th full-length album from Queensbridge veteran Nas. The son of jazz cornetist/guitarist Olu Dara, the breakout debut illmatic & & the equally classic sophomore effort It Was Written are widely acknowledged as some of the greatest in hip hop history. I also enjoy stillmatic, The Lost Tapes, God’s Son & Life is Good. Then there was the Kanye West-produced NASIR & The Lost Tapes II, which I felt like they were fine additions to his catalogue even though the overall consensuses were polarizing. But for almost 3 years now, Nas has been working exclusively with Hit-Boy & both of them are a good fit for each other. King’s Disease earned Esco his first Grammy, but the sequel as well as Magic & the 3rd installment of the King’s Disease trilogy each took their chemistry to new heights. But ahead of KDIV, we’re preluded by a sequel to Magic.

After the intro, the first song “Abracadabra” is a glistening trap opener with Nasty Nas promising to do those who want to try him grimy whereas “Office Hours” featuring 50 Cent finds the 2 former rivals joining forces over a soulful boom bap instrumental seeing a bunch of Fredos referencing The Godfather II of course. 50’s verse however could’ve been longer unfortunately. “Black Magic” works in some pianos asking God to protect the G’s, ladies & children just before “Motion” brings back the kicks & snares adding some bells & strings into the fold havin’ exactly that.

“Bokeem Woodbine” keeps it dusty swapping out the bells & strings with more keys providing motivation for the trappers livin’ ounce-to-ounce leading into “Earvin Magic Johnson” assuring to enterprise over a horn-inflicted trap beat. “What This All Really Means” looks back on the first time he ever saw his name on a flyer with lavish instrumentation, but then “Slow It Down” confesses he needs money everyday returning to the boom bap.

The penultimate track yet official closer “Pistols On Your Album Cover” hooks up these kicks & snares with a mellow loop reminding that he can still murder anyone on wax & forget where they’re buried chockfull of clever references that is until the bonus cut “1 Mic, 1 Gun” featuring 21 Savage blends trap & jazz together so both of them flexing that they still gonna do what they did then in the present. Not only was a great way to squash all the drama surrounding 21 & Nas last fall, but I think everyone deluded by the hip hop generation gap can learn something from it too.

Hit-Boy’s run with Nas has been absolutely special & Magic 2 continues to cement that by progressively improving on what made the predecessor alongside the 3rd installment of the KD series the best albums they’ve done together. The eclectic production demonstrates his range & with the pen, Esco feels as if he’s been reborn even though he continues to make history almost 3 decades in.

Score: 4/5

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Darby O’Trill – “Creek” review

This is the 6th full-length album from Key Largo, Floridian emcee Darby O’Trill. Emerging in the fall of 2018 off his full-length debut Blood, Guts & a Whole Lotta Love, would go on to follow it with Fester almost a year later & has extensively been working with Chapter 17/Psychopathic Records in-house producer Devereaux by bringing him into the cut to fully produce his 3rd album Piecemeal to critical acclaim during the COVID-19 pandemic. Darby’s eventually signed a 1-album deal with Lyrikal Snuff Productionz & fulfilled it over a year ago with Gully, which is a modern day wicked shit classic. Amputate was a solid prelude to The Tomb & the latter was even better, but is sticking with Devereaux once more for his C17 debut Creek.

“The Secret of the Mud” begins our journey with a shimmery trap instrumental & Darb bringing up the fact that pussies get stomped on only to have their bodies dumped in the swamp referencing the Comcast Corporation subsidiary NBCUniversal owned Universal Orlando Resort whereas “Spinal Fluid Smoothie” works in a mystic loop & hi-hats talking about being a piece of shit. “Red Stain on a White Robe” featuring HEXXX has a grungier trap groove declaring no one’s safe with their hatchets on them, but then “A Sense of Entitlement Doesnt Make Up for a Lack of Happiness” morbidly wakes up to scream fuck positivity.

Meanwhile, “The Return of the Paperboy” goes head-on trap metal as he freshly throws it back to his Paperboy days just before “A Moon Fit For Building Castles Under” featuring Ouija Macc has a trippier flare to the beat talking about having hope in death after fearing it for so long. “Whispers From the Medicine Cabinet” experiments with boom bap detailing his degenerate lifestyle leading into the ghoulish trap cut “I Hate People Who Don’t Know When to Shut Up” talking about death surrounding him.

“Within the Realm of Misery” admits that all he’s ever known is misery on top of a moody backdrop & hi-hats while “Neverending Ball Itch” humorously talks about his nuts itching hoping that it’ll go away over a plinky trap beat. “Massive Moron Mode” brings in the heavy guitars & hi-hats yet again having no time for any fuck shit while “The Shaman Requires a Sacrifice for His Services” gives me a woozier vibe talking about dark magic.

Sagan Ummo’s verse during the backend of “Poison in the Junta” is easily the most distinctive feature on the album as they discuss feeling slightly stupid off the loud pack with an aggressive instrumental, but the glitchy “Put a Bullet in the Head of Every Bigot on the Planet” picks things up a bit by setting out to murder every prejudiced person alive prior to the song “Room with a Moose” talks about breaking bodies down into pieces over cloud trap beat.

The penultimate track “All Day I Dream About Suffering” says it all subject matter-wise referencing the KoЯn single “A.D.I.D.A.S. (All Day I Dream About Sex)” on top of a spacious instrumental with hi-hats that is until “I Use Roach Guts to Sweeten My Coffee” rounds out Darby’s official Chapter 17 debut with a distorted trap heater talking about the only way he’ll feel alive is if he crawls in a hole & dies.

Amputate & The Tomb were both phat in their own rights, but Creek over here is right behind Gully for Darby’s strongest album to date & his 2nd modern day wicked shit classic. Devereaux’s production is still rooted into the trap sound for the most part with the exception of a couple stylistic detours, Maezi666’s engineering is top notch & the Key Largo emcee cohesively takes us through what awaits beneath the surface.

Score: 4.5/5

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Mickey Diamond – “Death Threat$” review

This is the 8th full-length album from Detroit emcee Mickey Diamond. Emerging at the beginning of 2020 off the strength of his debut EP Bangkok Dangerous, the dude has since gone on to turn quite a few heads in the underground by building up the impressive discography for himself with his previous 6 albums alongside 7 EPs & a mixtape. Gucci Ghost & it’s sequel produced by Big Ghost Ltd. on top of Ral Duke producing Oroku Saki in it’s entirety all became his strongest bodies of work to date. But coming off the Smoke Face EP & the last full-length Nobody Bleeds Like Flair, the hot streak is going by enlisting Sadhugold behind the boards for Death Threat$.

“When a Stranger Calls” is an eerie boom bap opener to party like it’s Mardi Gras whereas “2412” works in an hair-raising loop on top of some kicks & snares referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former 2-time WWE Champion & 2-time WWE Tag Team Champion Yokozuna. “Sleepers” instrumentally is reminiscent to RZA’s production work in the 90’s looking to make & break rules at the same time leading into alarm-ring “Pen Diesel” obviously referring to himself as Vin Diesel with the lyricism only seeing money like WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE Champion, 3-time WWE Tag Team Champion, 2-time NWA National Heavyweight Champion & AJPW世界タッグチャンピオン Ted DiBiase.

Things get drumless on “Tokyo Tea” stretching anyone who dares to fuck around with him, but then the piano sample throughout “Def Leppard” is really nice as he talks about those who choose to be disrespectful getting battered & bruised. “Prime Time Deon” hooks up a bare soul sample cautioning not to press your luck with him just before “Sir Smoke a Lot” gives off an unsettling groove to the beat talking about stepping aside to let him cook.

The penultimate song “Racer X” takes a hazier route sonically to bring on a samurai showdown & shortly after the “Disturbia” interlude, the closer “Death Threats” ends what I personally consider to be Mickey’s best full-length album in 7 months (Oroku Saki was an EP mind you) by returning to the boom bap 1 last time with a groovy guitar passage wailing behind him asking if music nowadays is considered as art or simply something to buy.

Smoke Face & Nobody Bleeds Like Flair both had their highlights, but they didn’t give me the same feeling that both Gucci Ghosts or Oroku Saki as consistent bodies of work. Death Threat$, I can say does. As a matter of fact: I might like it more than the Ral Duke EP by a hair. Sadhugold’s production does more than a fine job at teetering between boom bap & drumless so Diamond can spit some of hardest bars that he’s jotted down all year.

Score: 4.5/5

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Whyceg – “Cegular” review

Whyceg is a producer, audio engineer & recording artist from Atlanta, Georgia who properly introduced himself to the underground 13 months earlier off his inaugural extended play Grey Areas. His popularity had been growing within the last few months due to producing for the likes of Smokingskul as well as Lil Tony & 2sdxrt3all, the latter of whom dropped his 2nd EP Stop Holdin’ Nuts a month ago. The follow-up to Grey Areas however had me more intrigued after looking at the credits & seeing beatsmiths I’ve been a fan of for a minute making their own contributions.

“Yung N***a” produced by n9ck & ReidMD of Vanguard Music Group boasts of having the ability to turn nerds in a dancers over a plugg instrumental whereas “Wit Me!” refuses to beef with peons because they don’t see shit. Nick Mira & Rio Leyva from Internet Money Records team up behind the boards for “Stuck” giving a fuck less of what the police think about him while “Lapped ‘Em” runs circles around his opponents over a Hariroc instrumental.

SOULJASPIRITS goes for a cloudier more vibe to the beat on “Bad Habit” admitting that he’s fallen out with so many people to the point where he doesn’t know who to trust anymore prior to “Double It” talking about pulling up with a black chopper & he isn’t referring to an Uber ride when he says that. “Hit Me Back” works in some rattling 808s so he can laugh at a dude who’s so broke that he can’t even go rack-for-rack with him while “Sippin’ Red” talks about the consumption of lean & staying in the field throwin’ racks like it’s a game of football.

The self-produced “Locked-N” starts Cegular’s last leg talking about being too tapped in for him to tap out & running it before he’d fall off while “Hungry Like” lets it be known that he can’t relate to anybody who ain’t making the same amount of money he is or isn’t hungry as he is. “Not on This Planet” rounds out the EP with an atmospheric outro talking about standing on business ever since he was young, having to wake up & get the bag every morning because he had it out the mud.

Between this & Grey Areas, I can confidently tell you that Whyceg comes off fully producing 2sdxrt3all’s breakout project earlier this summer to elevate himself as a rapper & putting it all into Cegular ensuring that it would become the greatest thing he’s ever made as a solo artist. The trap/plugg production is significantly more consistent than it’s predecessor was last summer, once again holding the microphone down all by himself for less than a half hour & delivering sharper performances.

Score: 4/5

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Madopelli – “Stories from the Sanctum” review

This is the 3rd full-length album from California City horrorcore duo Madopelli. Consisting of M.A.D & Ant Dog, the pair have also gone on to drop a couple of mixtapes & EPs ever since forming in 2016. But their Lyrikal Snuff Productionz debut albeit sophomore effort from last fall No Bluffin’ proved itself to be Madopelli’s most refined work to date both lyrically & sonically to the point where they were instantly accepted within the Gorehop realm. However as they get ready to hit the road on the Shadow Snuff tour next week, they’re returning to tell Stories from the Sanctum.

“Welcome to the Sanctum” really sets the tone of what’s to come with some pianos & hi-hats greeting those who dare to enter the sacred place whereas “O Yea” takes a more synth-based route instrumentally talking about being gone with the top rolled down & a blunt in hand. “Cali Grown” has a funkier boom bap flare to it as they pay tribute to their west coast roots leading into “Been Straight” featuring Cody Manson jumping on top of hi-hats as well as sub-bass & twinkling keys getting on their California snuff shit.

Going forward from there, “They Don’t Know” gives me a bit of a Memphis rap feel to the beat addressing those who don’t know a goddamn thing about them whatsoever just before “Reflectionz” is a cannier groove asking how they got this far letting & go of the past. “Lost” is more guitar driven getting on some more depressive subject matter, but then “Dark Souls Creep in the Swamp” featuring former LSP alumni & Chapter 17 Records’ newest signee Darby O’Trill goes into rap metal turf bringing it to you hardcore.

“Warning Ya” featuring the Beastmode Warriors goes into cavernous trap territory cautioning that they gon’ find your ass if you slip up while “Pain is Real featuring J Dunja shifts gears by dabbling with a cloudier sound choosing to be something instead of nothing. “Bitch We Smoking” comes through with a euphoric weed smoking banger produced by C17/Psychopathic Records in-house producer Shaggytheairhead while “Look What You Made Me Do” fuses these strings & hi-hats blaming others for their own lives being fucked.

The Gorefather himself Scum reserves his guest verse for last on the minimal trap cut “Chances We Take” pleading not to let your opportunities pass you by while “Problem to the Game” returns to the trillwave by talking about hip hop being unsafe with them around. The final song “Smile Through the Pain” keeps it atmospheric surviving the hard times while the M.A.D. solo cut “Gutted When You See a Scrub” pondering why people feel the way they do over a chill boom bap instrumental. Ant Dog then ties up the album with his own solo joint “Sadistic Symphony” switching up into the trap lane declaring that black magic’s in the wrong hands.

LSP went on one of their most prolific runs ever last year & No Bluffin’ was really a fresh ass way to round it out, but Stories from the Sanctum really takes Madopelli’s artistry to another level & those who have yet to give these guys a shot should be pretty impressed by what they did on their Gorehop sophomore effort. Only a couple features that underperformed, but the stories Ant Dog & M.A.D. tell are more personal than last time as they brought a whole new sound of their own to the underground wicked shit scene.

Score: 4/5

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Black Milk – “Everybody Good?” review

This is the 8th full-length album from Detroit producer, MC & songwriter Black Milk. Making his presence known as a member of the B.R. Gunnaproduction trio, he eventually went solo in 2005 with Sound of the City & followed up on 313 Day 2007 with Popular Demand. The following year, he would dabble with electronic music on Tronic & would later start incorporating live instrumentation on Album of the Year in 2010. His next album No Poison No Paradise eventually became Black Milk’s darkest work yet & it would see a solid sequel If There’s a Hell Below the year after. We saw a comeback from him in 2018 with the politically charged FEVER & is returning to ask if Everybody Good? ahead of the 4 year anniversary of DiVE less than a couple weeks.

“God Willing” starts things off is groovy opener with some angelic background vocals praying to the higher power that everything will be alright & that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel whereas “For How Much?” works in some uncanny synths talking about the prices on all the souls that you see. The instrumental on “Wait ‘Til Fate” has a heavy Neptunes influence to it that I really like reminding that he was told that he was made to be great, but then “Downs Got Up” is more of a synth-boom bap hybrid talking about standing like royalty fixing those crowns.

The lead single to the album “Is It Just Me?”sonically reminds me of Tronic a bit as Black Milk seeks to get his mind right leading into “The Black Surf (Everybody Good)?” featuring Quelle Chris has a wavier approach talking about trying to making it work comparing life to a tidal wave. The next single “Let Me Know” goes into pop rap turf telling his significant other she’s pressure just before the 3rd & final single “Ain’t Nobody Coming Down to Save You” conceptual is self-explanatory backed by some organs.

After the “Fews & Trues” interlude produced with Karriem Riggins, the song “Feelings Don’t Feel” featuring Phonte returns to the boom bap admitting that summer as you get older doesn’t feel the way that it used to while the penultimate track “No Wish” finds Percy Miracles sticking around 1 last time this time as Raphael Saadiq plays piano & hooks up some handclaps hammering home that there ain’t no genie in the bottle. “Yeah Really” ties up the album with a warm ode to this crazy life that he lives day & night.

His solo output has been getting progressively better as time goes on & his last album for Mass Appeal albeit 3rd project overall further cements that. The concepts here are more personal & introspective in comparison to the streams of consciousness throughout Fever with the production being a melting pot of past sounds from the live instrumentation that Album of the Year began displaying to the jazz elements of his previous full-length & even the electronics of Tronic.

Score: 4/5

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Smiley – “I Did What I Did” review

Smiley is a 25 year old rapper from Toronto, Ontario, Canada starting out as a member of the Garden Gang. He would go on to drop his debut mixtape Buy or Bye in the spring of 2018, which was followed up with 2 EPs & even a couple more tapes before local superstar Drake signed him to OVO Sound a little over 2 years ago already. As for his OVO debut Buy or Bye 2, it didn’t really do all that much in catching my interest or standing out enough to the point where I’d go back to it. But ahead of his 26th birthday next Thursday, I went into Smiley’s 3rd EP albeit 2nd body of work under the 6 God’s wing hoping he would surpass my expectations a little.

“Moderation” is an airy trap opener with Smiley talking about motivating a hoe after taking ecstasy whereas “Benzi Boys” works in some piano melodies & hi-hats as Tay Keith cooking up quite possibly the best instrumental on the whole entire EP preferring Mercedes-Benz over Honda, which rightfully so in my opinion. “Fast Route” goes full-blown drill talking about waking up in the morning to count hundreds just before “Nicky 9 Door” takes a syrupy trap approach details beating it up nice because fuck the plug.

Meanwhile, “How Far” gives off a more triumphant vibe talking about going from his Garden Gang days to being a protege of one of the biggest superstars in the world is profound although it’s way too short. Also, the LeBron James reference during the hook doesn’t do much for me either personally as dope as he is on the court. “Eternals” on the other hand has a hazier trap approach promising tondo it just like his mentor did with eyes green like Jaylen despite the fact that a good chunk of the OVO roster doesn’t really stand out.

The song “You Went Ghost” shifts into cloudy trap territory basically calling out someone that basically did him dirty as fuck while the penultimate track “Cut Her Off” brings in some hi-hats & a vocal sample drowning heavily in reverb talking about having to severe ties with a bitch because he feels like he’s at the point now where he’s better off without her in his life. “Long Nights” is a more stripped back choice of a closer laced by Cubeatz as he makes it known to his new bitch who wants to celebrate that he ain’t in the mood to do so right now.

I’m not trying to hate on OVO because I do appreciate Popcaan for already being a dancehall veteran on top of enjoying PARTYNEXTDOOR’s early stuff, Majid Jordan’s 2nd EP albeit OVO debut A Place Like This & lastly dvsn’s debut album Sept. 5th respectively. And outside a few flashes in the pan, Smiley further proves himself as the weakest link on the label. The production’s ok, but his voice isn’t all that commanding accompanied by songwriting that I’d consider mediocre at best & the lows are cringeworthy.

Score: 1.5/5

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Ruby da Cherry – “tragic love songs to study to” review

Ruby da Cherry is a 35 year old MC/producer from New Orleans, Louisiana emerging as 1/2 of the $uicideboy$ alongside his cousin $crim. In the span of the decade, they’ve built up an impressively extensive discography & even have their own Virgin Music imprint G*59 Record$ with an ever-growing roster of artists. Budd dropped his full-length solo debut A Man Rose from the Dead in the midst of the COVID-19 to mixed reviews & as the boy$ gear up for Grey Sheep III, it’s only right for Ruby to step up to the plate & drop off a solo EP of his own.

After the “¯\_(ツ)_/¯” intro, the first song “ROUGAROU (i’ve become the monster)” sets the tone for what’s to come embracing the pop punk sound talking about liking to hunt alone whereas “XXL hadron colliderr” following the “where y’at, duckboy?” interlude shifts gears into skate punk territory clarifying that he’s been stabbed in the back. “my love life needs a lobotomy” describes the way he learned to detail his ex & the final song “after further reasoning, i’m going to bed” after 1 last “where y’at, duckboy??” interlude closes the EP with 1 last pop punk jam asking if his soulmate would bring flowers to his grave.

For an EP, I’d still say that tragic love songs to study to is still cuts above A Man Rose From the Dead & I’m actually pretty impressed with the artistic detour he takes in comparison to his $uicideboy$ work. He completely ditches the signature $B sound so he can experiment with pop punk as well as skate punk & easycore. Almost kinda like how ZillaKami of City Morgue dabbled with grunge & alt-rock on his solo debut Dogboy a couple years back.

Score: 3.5/5

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Dave East – “Fortune Favors the Bold” review

Dave East is a 35 year old MC from Harlem, New York breaking out in 2014 off his 8th mixtape Black Rose. This resulted in the man signing a joint deal with Def Jam Recordings & even Nas’ independently owned Mass Appeal Records as well as a spot in the iconic 2016 XXL Freshman Class. However, his full-length debut Survival wouldn’t come out until 3 years later & was very disappointing in the sense that he tried appealing to a more mainstream audience that just didn’t exist. But as the 2 year anniversary of the superior Harry Fraud-produced sophomore effort Hoffa approaches at the end of the month, Dave’s dropping off his 3rd album.

After the “Here I Go” intro, the first song “Come 2 Far” is a soulful trap opener produced by Cool & Drealongside 808-Ray asking why he would turn around & walk away from the rap game at this point whereas “Still Here” after the “Pops” interlude gives off a wavier boom bap feeling this time making it known that he ain’t going nowhere anytime soon. “Long Way” featuring Cordae reflects on how far they’ve both come over a bassy, sample-based instrumental just before “DAMN” takes a smoother route thanks to DJ Khalil with co-production from Mike & Keys talking about eating as of late.

“Sex So Good” featuring Coi Leray goes into a more pop rap direction courtesy of Don Cannon going back & forth with one another about how great the intercourse is leading into “Good Good Good” featuring Ghostface Killah finding themselves diving into spacious trap territory with the help of Scram Jones as they find their way out. After the 2nd & final “Pops” interlude, Tyga spits one of the weaker features on “Hustlers” despite the fun beat that the Cannon laced & the lyrics about staying on the grind.

The G-Eazy feature on “WDGAF” is no better although I appreciate the eerie trap instrumental from Mike WiLL Made-It & certainly the whole theme of giving 0 fucks but after the “Kairi” interlude, the mellowly produced “Can’t Make This Up” reflects on when he started with a nickel bag of regular green that is until “Dope Boy” right after the “Still Outside” interlude pays homage to the Brooklyn drill scene a bit talking about of course slanging drugs.

“$1M Off Rap” almost gives off a west coast-flavored groove to the beat boasting that he’s young & fly while the tranquil trap joint “Good Things” with additional vocals performed by Ty$ gets on some Bonnie & Clyde shit for a couple minutes. “Rich Problems” turns into more lavish territory instrumentally venting about the cons of wealth prior to araabMUZIK returning it to the boom bap for “Weirdos” featuring Jadakiss so both N.Y. lyricists can come through by dissing those who be on some weird shit in a cutthroat fashion.

Getting to the final leg of the album, “From the Mud” gives off a morbid tone sonically telling those who want his life to take it from him while Sap makes “It’s a Lot” more piano-driven so Dave can vent about everything that’s been going on. “Like a Rose” is a warmer ballad produced by 1500 or Nothin’promising to grow while “Letter 2 Kobi” sends a profound message to his toughest daughter of the same name. The bonus cut “Hallway Piss” though truly ends the album by saving the best for last from the solemn RZA beat to concept that shit’s bigger than rap.

Despite the fact that I thought Dave’s last EP H.D.I.G.H. (How Did I Get Here?) & even the DJ Drama-hosted Book of David mixtape were both pretty average, I can’t deny that Fortune Favors the Bold surpassed my expectations a bit. Somewhat too long & a couple stale feature performances, but the production’s mostly tight & I do enjoy the concept of recognizing the hustle to stay in real time. If he condensed the tracklist down to half, I’d most likely give it the same rating I gave Hoffa.

Score: 3.5/5

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