Crack Baby 4: Michele’s Baby Boy

It seems with each new release (whether that be his own or producing for one of his many collaborators) this man gets that one step closer to creating arguably ‘the perfect Hip-Hop album’ and I understand that definition means something different to everyone so I’m going to discuss in this review exactly what I mean by that! So let’s talk!

This is the brand new album by MC/Producer -Nam Nitty as well as his usual band of artists
-Da 808 Babiez
-PillzBury
-John Jigg$
-Voice Watkins
-Jay Royale
-Passport General
-Mando Slade
-Maxx Bond
-Splash631
-Pretty P
-The Usual Suspects
-Nat Burn
-The Bad Seed
-Ethamadassasin

With Cuts from the legendary -Tone Spliff Now I made a very bold claim in the intro saying he’s always one step closer to ‘perfection’ and I mean it in this regard. As we’ve seen in his other work and prominent in this album too is a few key elements that Nam does extremely well that come together to create a grand experience.

First example, his tasteful and creative approach in paying homage & remixing already established songs/choruses/influences and bring them to HIS modern era. For example on the song -DA S.O.S BAND
Which technically in this sense utilises a sample within a sample! Because the original sample from ‘The S.O.S Band’ 1983 hit ‘Just Be Good To Be’ which 2pac would later sample and tweak on his song ‘Heavy In The Game’ with the line ‘I don’t care what it did to them, it’s been good to me’
And now we have Nitty with his own version with his lyrics going
‘I don’t care what you did with them, prove that shit to me!’

And that’s one example of how he’s paying respect to the old school while bringing a fresh perspective for the new generation! Definitely one of my favourite tracks on the album!

The song -6INDAMORNIN does the same thing with that sample ‘6 IN THE MORNING’ which is from Ice-T’s 1987 single by the same name which does sound eerily similar to Eazy-E’s Boyz In The Hood line ‘cruising down the street in my 64’ but anyway once again we see Nam utilise a classic to his own modern day wave and make it a banger!
This is a technique he’s done many times over across his discography but with each new album comes a more tasteful application of it that I found myself enjoying each track I hear this on!

Now the production itself, this one feels like the fluent combination of gritty street toned ‘NWA’ and 2000’s era Dr Dre! Because you do have tracks like I mentioned above ‘DA S.O.S BAND’ where we hear that relentless use of those sharp piano keys that linger throughout the track! That’s combined with those hearty drums and thick bass! Such a simple loop of tracks and yet they bang under these circumstances!

The song -BUILT LIKE DAT reminds me of a track you might hear off Dr Dre’s 2001 album. A ‘Fuck You’ type vibe. (The song not the energy) from those echoing plucked strings alongside some separate shrieking chords in the background, delicate keys subtly going off and those rhythmic drums!
What makes this track pop is that stunning use of chorus in a true Devin The Dude style melody that is only built for true hood shit!

As far as the actual rapping goes, I’ve said this many times I’m not the biggest fan of compilation albums because 90% of the time it’s messy, unimpressive and repetitive in who they bring on the tracks but that’s another thing Nam has consistently built upon! His ability to bring on a crew of lyrical heavy hitters to amplify each instrumental to it’s maximum capacity!
I can’t help but smile when I see him back on a track with -The Bad Seed! They have undeniable chemistry!

Of course many of the names have been on every Nam album I’ve ever covered! Seeing names like -Mondo Slade & Jay Royale’ was a pleasant surprise that I loved to see! They have a unique way of making each word they spit feel cinematic and larger than life and they didn’t disappoint over these heavy beats!

Hearing -Ethemadassain involved in the closer track was badass as fuck because he’s one of the most underrated rappers we have in the game and one who can create chemistry with anyone he works with and he proved it by being trusted to close the album off and his verse didn’t disappoint!
The way that Nam is able to pack this much heat into a 10 track album is ridiculous! It’s audio caffeine! It’s when your feeling weak and lifeless that you play this shit and you suddenly walk around the block like Hercules! Nah fuck that GHETTOLES!

Definitely my favourite album by Nam yet and he’s definitely one step closer to ‘perfection’ check for yourself!