I’ll be honest, until I started doing underground reviews, I was 100% absorbed by the mainstream. I barely knew anyone in the scene besides a few core favourites like (Illogic, MF DOOM, Slug, Eyedea, etc.), but since I started, I can fairly say 99.9% of my reviews are exclusively underground.
BUT
There is one name that I’ll always look forward to and anticipate in the mainstream. A man who, as far as I’m concerned, is holding it down for the new generation as far as ability and skill go! That man is, of course, JID, and today we are talking about his latest album!
Brand new JID, 15 tracks, almost an hour long, with the likes of
-WestSide Gunn
-Clipse
-MARCO PLUS
-Vince Staples
-EARTHGANG
-Don Toliver
-6BLACK
-Ty Dollar Sign
-Jessie Reyez
-Baby Kia
-Mereba
And production from the likes of
-Christo
-Childish Major
-Luke Crowder
-Akill Pratt
-SHROOM
-TU!
-Lex Luger
-Beatnick Dee
-Pluss
-Mario Luciano
-Frankie P
-Jay Versace
-Nice Rec
-Jay Card
-206Derek
-Ambezza
-CHASE B
-Nik D
-CAMEone
-Nabeyin
-Buddy Ross
-Bijan
-Yuli
-Tim Suby
-Thundercat
-Gordon Ritchie-Haughton
-Boi-1da
-Vinylz
-CuBeatz
-Coleman
-Noah Scharf
-GIB DJ
-Trey Lander
-TRYBISHOP
-Major Seven & Samuel ‘Muzikman’ Williams
-Stealth Is Metal
That is the definition of a FUCK TONE of producers, but somehow it all works out because, as far as I’m concerned, JID is on a 4-album winning streak that most can only dream of!
-Dicaprio2
-Spilligion
-The Forever Story
And now this! All these albums I replay regularly throughout the year, and I can see this one being no different.
On this album, I noticed included with the army of producer credits, we have it has inspired JID to be his most diverse sonically I’ve ever heard him. Whether that be from the intro track ‘You Ugly’ which has a funny line of WSG calling his bitch ugly!
But regardless, a more grittier, boom bap sound with a surprise soulful breakaway that leads into a more fast-paced mainstream hip-hop sound!
We have cuts like ‘WRK’ which was the lead single off the record and features a heavy trap influence with him dropping one of the dopest opening verses I’ve ever heard of him! Absolutely nuts! With a repetitive beat progression and a funky, infectious club rhythm that I can expect everyone to be pumping all the way to 2026!
We have some interesting choices this time around with tracks like ‘Sk8’ it reminds me of something Vince Staples made on ‘Big Fish Theory’ very electronic and club-based! Fast-paced instrumental with what sounds like a blend of David Guetta and Timberland! It’s very different than anything I’ve ever heard him on yet I love it just as much!
I think cuts like this will turn fans off JID as it’s way too far from what we are used to of him but I hope they can appreciate the variety!
I think the name of the game here is ‘Diversity’ because this record has so many over-the-top, exciting, and intense sounds of all types that it’s sure to cater to everyone and I’m afraid not everyone will be able to handle the sounds but I hope I’m wrong!
Regardless of the beats themselves, we have JID who has proven time again that he is the strongest lyricist in hip-hop right now. Between him, Kendrick, and Nas, they are the ones holding the industry up and honestly I prefer JID lyrically and stylistically the most!
He’s got this flawless flow and rhythm that smokes everyone in the game 10x fold. He’s both smooth and unpredictable with his wordplay, fun and gritty while being vocabulary superior to the rest and also sounding completely effortless in his own unique style!
Every verse I’ve heard of him whether that be on his own studio albums, collaboration projects or features on other peoples albums he always has verse of the night for me! He’s completely unreal.
He’s like a walking, talking breathing Hip Hop
Thesaurus with enough swagger and complex rhythm to share with the entire industry!
He’s bold, cutting edge, advance, colorful, flavour and compelling all in one. He doesn’t just make ‘rap songs’ he generates classics. Bars and songs that I have no doubt will be studied someday the same way they do Kendrick and Nas! It’s only a matter of time!
Between his solid features, the switch up in production and his perfect MC execution yet again this is definitely a worth while wait to his 2022 album!
https://open.spotify.com/album/2tU04u3hxtziB4sOVJKak3?si=18U0ZXLXQW6o_zOvCpue0A
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