Tag: It Is What It Is

J1Hunnit – “It Is What It Is” review

Smackover, Arkansas rapper J1Hunnit is back almost 11 months after Nevermind, I’ll Do It to release his 14th studio LP. Notable for his affiliation with the ShittyBoyz, he’s built up a discography of over a dozen full-lengths for himself along with 3 EPs & a couple collab efforts. Briefcase Boy, Modern Day Classic, Mink Coat Music, On Display, Planet Spunk & Don’t Be a Dweeb have all improved from his late 2010s/early 2020s material greatly & some of the guests who appear throughout It Is What It Is had me more excited than I typically get for his music.

“John Doe” starts the album by talking about wanting to sit from outer space & watch the world resolve itself over a Detroit trap instrumental whereas “Small Things to a Giant”  how he views wasted time to be the worst thing ever referencing my 2nd favorite basketball player of all-time Kobe Bryant. “Encrypted” moves on to talk about clout being a hell of a drug leading into “Go 2 Work” speaks directly to those who ain’t built for this music shit.

Meanwhile on “Bad Muthafucka”, we have J1Hunnit over a fusion between cloud rap & Detroit trap talking about the kind of person that he is generally just before the personal favorite “Goyard Duffle” feels less of an interlude & more of an 155 second song feeling like he’s the same person he’s always been. “Finding My Passion” vents about feeling like he loves too hard & doesn’t hustle enough while “How I’m Livin’” breaks down his lifestyle.

“Lame” lets this chick know that she’s fed up with the broke ass dude she’s seeing & wanting to find out why she always got an attitude while “Wrong Type” featuring Tony Shhnow produced by Danny G & Jakesand introspectively talks about falling in love with the incorrect type of women. “Thumbin’” featuring Certified Trapper & G.T finds the trio flexing their wealth even if G.T. has my favorite guest appearance of the 2 while “9x Outta 10” talks about the kind who pump fake rich.

Babytron & Sada Baby both join J1Hunnit on the refreshing “Pop It” from the synths & 808s to the boastful lyricism while “Boston Baked Beans” featuring Babytron puts the pairing chemistry up for display clocking in at 2 & a half minutes approximately. “Chanelly” has to be another favorite of mine whether it be the Jakesand beat or the materialistic subject matter while “Avant Garde” talks about him being so fly, that he lets his closet hang glide.

“Fuck Fame” finds himself unable to tell if the love is coming from a genuine place & that he doesn’t want to be famous if his people only call him when they need him while “Missing You” passionately remembers the people in his life who’ve all passed away. “Aladdin’s Carpet” talks about wanting to take a shortcut as a quicker way of reaching his target while “Kamilla” gives a shoutout to Kamilla Cardoso of the Chicago Sky.

The song “Wagwaan” winds down the last few minutes of It Is What It Is with J1Hunnit asking what the fuck’s going on with a delivery that was supposed to touch down selling hits with Lando out the Bando while “Hollywood” finishes up the LP talking about witnessing someone he knew mutating into a monster. “Streets Don’t Love You” featuring Spice 1 starts the deluxe run reflecting on when they walked past the flames while “I Hope You Hate Me” featuring Samuel Shabazz oozes of bitter ex energy.

“Girl Wyd?” turns up the bass & atmosphere for 139 seconds talking about how he ain’t ever gonna stop throwing cash in the strip club while “I’m a Just Boy” gets his in spiritual bag topically. “Rikishi” references none other than the WWE Hall of Famer, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion & 3-time WWE Tag Team Champion himself while “Photosynthesis” featuring Babytron goes back-&-forth with each other 1 last time. “1st Day Out” marks the final bonus track talking about getting to the bread immediately.

Coinciding with his birthday, J1Hunnit makes it his newest mission now that he’s got his chips stacked to take over the world under Lando Bando’s own The Hip Hop Lab Records & It Is What It Is welcomes him home after some time incarcerated with the most captivating project he’s ever done. Tight production catered to the Detroit sound & an almost perfect list of guests joining quite possibly the most entertaining hip hop artist in Arkansas right now making up for lost time.

Score: 3.5/5

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Thundercat – “It Is What It Is” review

This is the 4th full-length album from Los Angeles, California musician, singer/songwriter & producer Thundercat. Emerging in the 2000s as the bassist for Suicidal Tendencies, he would subsequently sign to Brainfeeder Records & make his full-length debut The Golden Age of Apocalypse nearly a week before I started high school. He would follow it up with the sophomore effort Apocalypsea couple summers later & his debut extended play The Beyond / Where the Giants Grow a month succeeding my graduation became popular due to the inclusion of his most lauded single “Them Changes”. It would eventually be included on his previous LP Drunk, which is his most cohesive musical statement & an essential within the Brainfeeder discography. 3 years later, he’s accepting that It Is What It Is.

The 5th & final single “Interstellar Love” co-produced by Flying Lotus after the “Lost in Space / Great Scott / 22-26” intro embraces a heavy nu jazz fusion sound with elements of psychedelic neo-soul singing about us decaying over time whereas “I Love Louis Cole” featuring the real Louis Cole himself finds the 2 describing their friendship. The 2nd single “Black Qualls” featuring Childish Gambino & Steve Arrington goes for a funky psychedelic soul vibe singing about the state of no longer living in fear leading into “Miguel’s Happy Dance” going synth-funk offering a tune to dance your pain away too.

After the “How Sway?” interlude, “Funny Thing” takes it back to the Drunk era conceptually describing himself at a part that’s on the verge of reaching it’s peak just before the funky “Overseas” reaches the halfway point singing about a chick who blows his mind. The 3rd single “Dragonball Durag” ranks amongst his greatest blending neo-soul, psychedelic soul, nu jazz, funk, alternative R&B & acid jazz looking to be accepted by a woman no matter what it takes while the lead single “King of the Hill” after the “How I Feel” interlude samples “Girl Dinner.” by THABANG! thanks to BADBADNOTGOOD wondering how different things would be if they focused on the more important things.

“Unrequited Love” details the actual experience of romance from what some would call “the one that got away” to different shades of what people would think love is while the 4th single “Fair Chance” lets Lil B & Ty$ handle the verses over a funky alternative R&B/psychedelic neo-soul instrumental Sounwave helped cooked up remembering the late Mac Miller. After the 51 second “Existential Dread” interlude, the title track written after learning of Mac’s passing spans the last 5 minutes saying goodbye to their late friend while “Bye for Now” featuring Michael McDonald technically ends with the pair singing about the struggles of moving on.

Mac Miller was a very close friend & collaborator of Thundercat’s, so it was a guarantee that It Is What It Is was going to be dedicated to his memory & I wouldn’t say it’s better than Drunkalthough it lands close to The Beyond / Where the Giants Grow amongst his top 3 projects. The production between him & Flying Lotus feels like a continuation of sorts to the neo-soul & psychedelic soul sounds that made Drunk additionally taking inspiration from jazz fusion, nu jazz, alternative R&B & synth-funk to lesser extents & he retains his signature sense of humor in the midst of grieving Mac’s death.

Score: 4/5