Written Before Listen
Lil Baby is an Atlanta rapper who started off as a Young Thug affiliate then later became one of the biggest names in hip hop. Lil Durk on the other hand is a Chicago Drill vet who recently was given a second wind due to the Drake track “Laugh Now Cry Later”. Personally, I was never a big Lil Baby fan. I think he makes some great songs as he does have one particular mood but I never saw him as the most versatile. Lil Durk is a similar case but I always considered him generic. When it comes to rapping though, I always thought he went hard but overall, I didn’t see him as a standout rapper. They recently released a collaboration album called “Voice Of The Heroes” and I hope that my mind changes on these two artists.
Lil Baby Performance
Lil Baby might not have the most unique style on the forefront. Lil Baby is often compared to an artist like Young Thug and rightfully so as their production, flows and vocal timbre are pretty similar from each other. They both have differences though as Young Thug is WAYYYY more exuberant and Lil Baby Is more topically focused. As a performer, Lil Baby is pretty redundant but lyrically he is in top form in the span of the hour. A lot of his subject matter is pretty introspective and socially conscious. I think if you’re trying to have a good time, you might need to be in the right atmosphere to enjoy his performance.
Lil Durk Performance
Lil Durk has a similar story as his flow is pretty similar to Lil Baby on this album. Lil Durk on the other hand has two unique styles. His melodic style is one that I’m not big on personally. He does have a bolder presence when comparing him to Baby but he isn’t as bold as some of the high caliber trap artists. There’s also his rapping style which is way more enjoyable. His hardcore style is super intimidating and more aggressive than some of the legends of drill music. Unfortunately, he only brings that style on a small portion of songs which makes this album get pretty tiresome, pretty fast.
Production
The production is easily the weakest aspect of the album. There are some exceptions like “Hat’s Off” and “Please” but the formula is really repetitive. The drum selection is nothing new, the melodies are generic and there is really nothing that stands out to me in comparison to other trap music. This album is actually similar to a Polo G album as the production and flows are redundant but the lyrics are pretty strong.
Features
Out of the 18 tracks here, there are only 4 features. The first one is none other than Travis Scott as he disappoints in a major way. When it comes to an album like this, you want to hear a Travis Scott feature that stands out in the boldest way possible but it’s the exact opposite here. It’s a rarity that Travis Scott is one of the more generic parts of the song, but this song is a pure instance of it. Meek Mill appears on the song “Still Runnin” and in my humble opinion, he has the best feature on the album. With Meek Mill on this song, he brings the best out of Durk as he switches to his rap style. After a 9 track streak of featureless songs, Rod Wave appears with his usual style on “Rich Off Pain”. It’s pretty unfortunate that an album like this lacks features in a big way.
Favorite Tracks
As you can see, I’m not a fan. Luckily the album picks up in a big way with the last two tracks as “Make It Out” and “Bruised Up” are pretty enjoyable. Other than that I can say that there is one element that comes off strong and that’s the lyrics. Lyrically, Lil Baby & Lil Durk are stronger than your usual trap artist…but I wish I could say the same about the beats.
Verdict
This album isn’t terrible by any means but its less than good. Their goal was reached because as a trap record it’s trendy and mixed well. On the other hand, as a full listen, the tracks are redundant, the flows are forgettable and the beats are nothing special.
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