Kofi Stone – “The Last Flower to Bloom” review

This is the 4th studio LP from Birmingham, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom emcee Kofi Stone. Making his full-length debut in 2019 with the jazzy yet lo-fi Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does, the sophomore effort 5 years later A Man After God’s Own Heart retained the sounds of it’s predecessor receiving similar praise & All the Flowers Have Bloomed last fall incorporated more contemporary R&B elements. Somewhat ironic since he officially announced this was since announced as The Last Flower to Bloom almost a week since the tragic passing of the inaugural AEW International Champion, former 2-time AEW World Trios Champion, オープン・ザ・ドリームゲートチャンピオン, オープン・ザ・ブレイブゲートチャンピオン, オープン・ザ・ツインゲートチャンピオン, 3-time オープン・ザ・トライアングルゲートチャンピオン, PWG World Tag Team Champion, 2-time NXT Cruiserweight Champion & 2-time NXT Tag Team Champion Pac.

The title track recalls going from a joyful child to an adult filled with emotional suffering over a soulful boom bap beat whereas “Through My Pain” goes for a more drumless vibe instrumentally hoping this person finds common ground some day over some bare pianos. “Dandelions” produced by Joe Corfield bares his soul on top of this lo-fi beat talking about needing to become free while “Sicily” discusses a trip he & his partner took to Italy.

“Baby Love” continues from there with this laidback dedication to Kofi’s ride or die leading into the 2nd & my personal favorite single “No Way!” hooking up a soulful boom bap instrumental from Pitch 92 so he can ask why people want to break his soul. “Dozen Roses” featuring Wiki links up over a string sample desiring to get acquainted with their lovers’ families just before the self-produced “Kofi Says” soulfully talks about simply making it through the day.

Meanwhile on “Soufflé”, we have Kofi over an organ & some crooning vocals pleading for this woman to give him 1 more chance while the luxuriously soulful boom bap pleaser “Ghostflower” that Pitch 92 cooked up talks about hopes of being everything his date likes. “Where Did We Go Wrong?” posed the very question in the aftermath of a breakup until he tells the story of a 28 year old meeting an Instagram model named “Alissa”.

“Little Flower” ends The Last Flower to Bloomtalking about his worries of running out of time despite God knowing everything will sort itself out when it’s all said & done prior to “Gardener Flow” starting a brief deluxe run with a lead single containing 1 last Pitch 92 beat groovily declaring himself the realest of the realest. The other bonus track “Mary’s Gold” properly concludes the album runs it back with Joe Corfield for a jazzy boom bap outro talking about falling in love during the first date.

Becoming one of the UK hip hop scene’s most consistent artists in the last decade, The Last Flower to Bloom celebrates almost an entire year of All the Flowers Have Bloomed with an epilogue that’d go right behind the latter as my 3rd favorite in Kofi Stone’s discography with the debut taking up the #1 spot. The production feels like a combination of the R&B undertones explored throughout the predecessor along with the jazzy, lo-fi boom bap sounds of Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does & A Man After God’s Own Heart, consciously confronting topics like introspection & love from a place of sincerity.

Score: 4/5

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Kofi Stone – “All the Flowers Have Bloomed” review

Another studio LP & the 3rd overall from Birmingham, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom emcee Kofi Stone. Coming up battle rapping in the schoolyards as an adolescent, he would eventually put out his debut single “Stories in Pyjamas” in the summer of 2017 looking back at the lives of individuals close to him & his challenges growing up in an inner-city community. His official full-length studio debut Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does came out a couple years later months prior to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic & returned a year earlier for the sophomore effort A Man After God’s Own Heart, following it up with All the Flowers Have Bloomed.

“Seeds” kicks things off with this 2 minute intro looking back at when his family moved from Walthamstow, London all the way to Brumtown over a slowed down soul sample whereas “Rainfall” retains the soulfulness talking about a near-death experience he had a decade earlier. “Water” produced by Joe Corfield confesses he feels like there’s some sort of weight pushing down on him prior to “Venice” talking about going to Italy with a woman who hasn’t fallen in love since she was 17.

As for “Chamomile”, we have Kofi expressing his desire for a type of love that completes him & pleading for this chick not to being the one that got away just before “What’s the Plan?” talks about being the right person if they’re looking for someone to make the crowds jam out over a Pitch 92 instrumental. Cactus” ends the 1st half leaning towards a funkier vibe with the beat making it clear that he loves this person for who they are while “Flowers Flow” featuring D Double E on the remix talks about stacking money until the game’s theirs.

“Marigold” continues the 2nd leg of the album detailing a relationship where Kofi feels like it was meant to be considering how perfect the connection they have is & confident that she’s his real soulmate but after “Pansy” comes through with a dedication to his father thanking him for believing in his music career, “Boats” thematically takes it all the way back 2 decades earlier talking about the hardships making people stronger if they have the patience for it.

The song “Thorns” pleads for God to remove him from this mess he’s in & contemplating taking his own life while “I Can See Flowers” talks about the latter coming into blossom for a couple minutes. The title track properly concludes All the Flowers Have Bloomed on an upbeat note thanks to former Low Life Records in-house producer Harry Love likening it to the beginning of summer & declaring himself to being the change many would like to see.

Joe Corfield & Pitch 92 have each had a hand in producing some of my favorite joints off both of Kofi Stone’s last couple albums, so them producing a vast majority of All the Flowers Have Bloomed instantly had me sold & it sure enough retains the enjoyability of Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does & A Man After God’s Own Heart. There’s a bit of a contemporary R&B side to the production compared to it’s predecessor, but it doesn’t derail the consciously sincere lyricism he’s been known for in any capacity.

Score: 4/5

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Kofi Stone – “A Man After God’s Own Heart” review

Here we have the sophomore effort from Birmingham, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom emcee Kofi Stone. Coming up battle rapping in the schoolyards as an adolescent, he would eventually put out his debut single “Stories in Pyjamas” in the summer of 2017 looking back at the lives of individuals close to him & his challenges growing up in an inner-city community. His official full-length studio debut Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does came out a couple years later months prior to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic & has returned after 5 long years to drop A Man After God’s Own Heart.

The title track subtitled “Life Won’t Kill Me” produced by former Low Life Records in-house producer Harry Love kicks things off with a rich boom bap instrumental refusing to let the hardships of existing weigh him down whereas “May Sound Crazy” featuring the late Benjamin Zephaniah talks about raising consciousness from 1 generation to the next. “Black Joy” leans towards a chipmunk soul vibe delivering a celebration of African Americans across the entire globe leading into “Lavender” talking about his belief in love.

Joe Corfield brings in these jazzy piano chords during “These Years Are Golden” encouraging everyone listening to simply be themselves just before “Made for This” talks about holding onto the affection he has for a woman he met in Paris in 2021. “Closer” hits the midway point of the album treading the soulful boom bap waters carrying over the romantic subject matter while “Colours in My Mind” replaces the soul with more keys thanks to Talos expressing his gratitude for still being alive.

“King David Flow” likens his cadence to the biblical monarch of the same name cautioning that anyone going against him will automatically lose once Kofi steps inside the ring over 1 last Harry Love beat & after the soothing “You Deserve Love” runs it back with Joe Corfield talking about giving this individual everything he feels like they’re lacking, “You’ll Be Okay” assures anyone who’s going through something that everything will be fine in the end.

The song “I Owe It All” winds down A Man After God’s Own Heart’s final moments talking about owing every single good thing that’s ever happened to him to God while “A Mother’s Love” pens a heartfelt love letter to Kofi’s mom. “People” finishes up taking the orchestral boom bap route instrumentally courtesy of Pitch 92 talking about the population making the world go round, suggesting they keep things peaceful going forward rather than turning evil.

Kofi Stone’s guest appearances on Truemendous’ debut The Misdiagnosis of Chyvonne Johnson as well as Eva Lazarus & Pitch 92’s respective sophomore efforts Brandy Kisses & Intervals had me hoping for him to come back & A Man After God’s Own Heart feels like it hasn’t even been 5 years. The production puts more emphasis on the jazzier, lo-fi elements of it’s predecessor compellingly confronting topics ranging from love to religion & politics.

Score: 4/5

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Kofi Stone – “Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does” review

Birmingham, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom emcee Kofi Stone finally making his official full-length studio debut. Coming up battle rapping in the schoolyards as an adolescent, he would eventually put out his debut single “Stories in Pyjamas” in the summer of 2017 looking back at the lives of individuals close to him & his challenges growing up in an inner-city community. However, he’s been building up hype for Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does coming off a few teasers.

“Diamonds in the Water” was a tight lo-fi opener talking about his desire to be set free even if nothing’s ever as it seems whereas “Frozen Hearts” speaks of cartwheeling when his life got turned upside down. “Dirty Airforces” talks about feeling exhausted from running around his city over a boom bap instrumental produced by Talos until the lead single “Same Old” discusses him getting fed up with a 9-5 being the reason why he began pursuing music full-time on top of a piano-driven Joe Corfield beat.

We get some more lo-fi vibes “After Hours” talking about his desires of having a conversation with a woman he’s been falling for just before the 3rd & final single “Talk About Us” assures the women being addressed that he’ll be here waiting for her if she ever changes his mind. “A Beautiful Tragedy” talks about needing an interval where he & his ex can be spiritual since they’re both acting like imbeciles while “It’s Ok to Cry” featuring Loyle Carner links up to express comfort in vulnerability.

The drumless title track talks about his career upbringings in Birmingham to get the 2nd half of Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does going while “Busker Flow” likens his streams of consciousness to that of Lupe Fiasco or Black Star & Brother Ali in the middle of taking it back to his street-performing days over a soulful Pitch 92 instrumental. “Hugh” reunites with Joe Corfield for a tribute to his childhood friend of the same name while “Lost to the Streets” talks about his crimes catching up to him & hoping his son doesn’t suffer the same fate.

“Rodney Place” wraps up the final act of the LP painting imagery of a broken home growing up in the street located in the Southwark borough of London for the 2nd single while the enraging “Stepfather” resentfully airs out his grievances towards Kofi’s father Tony for walking out when he was only 11 after Christmas of 2007, expressing the hatred he’ll always hold against him for hurting his mother. “Karma” spends the remaining minutes of the album suggesting to play safely because karma does in fact have its way of coming back around.

Returning to his roots whilst venturing into new territory, Nobody Cares ‘Till Everybody Does takes inspiration from the biblical story of King David mirroring Kofi Sfone’s commitment to self-exploration & redemption resulting in an exciting debut. The consciously honest lyricism reveals what he’s always been capable of from the perspective of a storyteller with High Focus Records in-house producers Talos alongside Joe Corfield & Pitch 92 all supplying the strongest jazzy yet lo-fi boom bap production of the bunch.

Score: 4/5