Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

Released: March 16, 2015

When one of your favourite artists haven't released anything and has been quiet for a while, it really grinds your gears for a long time, since you're really hungry for so much more. Kendrick Lamar is one of those people. The last time we actually saw him was when he released the modern classic good kid, m.A.A.d city, and followed that with standout guest appearances and his controversial verse on "Control" with Big Sean & Jay Electronica, which has changed the rap game so much. So when Kendrick went on Twitter to tweet a iTunes preorder link to his highly anticipated (major-label) sophomore album, that's when the whole hip-hop/social media community went crazy because of how long they've been waiting for this. Rumours were spread on websites, until Kendrick and the Top Dawg crew revealed a lot. So surprisingly last week on March 16 (instead of the planned March 23 release), To Pimp A Butterfly finally dropped!

To Pimp A Butterfly was the long awaited sophomore (third, if you count Section.80) album that was in the works for nearly 3 years. Of course preceded by the 2 singles, "i" and "The Blacker The Berry", it was following at the time Kendrick was quickly growing a major stanbase, who, still today, have called GKMC a classic (just like me). Kenny slowly revealed the album details on the internet, with the cover and the 3 songs that were released into stores (and on iTunes & the web), being on the album. The highly anticipated album features 16 tracks and unlike previously, Kendrick builds a very different concept with only 1 rap feature from Rapsody (with many background contributions from Anna Wise, Bilal, Snoop Dogg, James Fauntleroy and Ron Isley), frequently focusing on blacks, society and political issues as a whole on the album, all while getting experimental, incorporating major elements of funk, jazz and soul. Like how GKMC had an extended version of "Swimming Pools (Drank)", this album manages to feature an extended version of the first single "i", with most tracks on the album running for 4-5 minutes (only the last track runs for 12 minutes). The album was originally supposed to be released a week later on March 23, but apparently Interscope messed up the original release, unintentionally pushing it forward to the 16th. In a matter of time, the hip-hop community, including websites like Rap Genius and HotNewHipHop, went absolutely crazy about the album, similar to the way they did when Lupe Fiasco dropped Tetsuo & Youth.

People were surprised when the album ended up coming out unexpectedly. Most said that this was great, and managed to be worth the wait and anticipation for people, with the album trending on Twitter for a long time right now; while some said it was a letdown due to the heavy experimental elements on the album Top Dawg has said on Twitter that he wanted this album's sales to reach 1 million, but during the opening week, the album's projected sales was 370-375k copies, with the actual first week sales leading up to 363k copies. Not only that but the album managed to break a new Spotify Record [beating Drake's surprise "mixtape", If You're Reading This It's Too Late] with over 9.6 million streams in a day, and debuted at #1 at the Billboard 200 [and also in the UK, New Zealand and Australia], making it his very first #1 album (yes, readers, GKMC reached #2 instead of 1).

But, was this album worth the wait or was it is a sophomore slump? Did it manage to top good kid, m.A.A.d city, and if so, is it Kendrick's best work to date? Did it even deserve to sell a lot? Find out in this exclusive review of Kendrick's new album!

1. Wesley's Theory

On the opening track, George Clinton and musician Thundercat come on with Kendrick. Here, it's an extended metaphor and follows how black artists has became "pimped" by the industry. I like the vibe on this, has a really funky feel. Here, Kendrick doesn't fail to impress me and I can hear a lot of that West Coast G-Funk sound. It's really good. Flying Lotus' beat is on point, and the bass just blows me away. Hearing Dr. Dre's interlude in the middle was nice and added more interest to the song. George Clinton's contribution nearly towards the end was interesting. I loved everything about it. Good way to start the album.

2. For Free? (Interlude)

A nice jazzy interlude with some poetry from Kendrick. It always makes me laugh how he starts his stuff with "this d*** ain't free", and the way he says it is really funny. Terrace Martin's saxophone contribution is great for the poetry and I liked it. But yeah, on to the next one!

3. King Kunta

Hearing this for the first time, I found this alright, a very decent song, but very disappointing for me. If you remember back in September or October, a white guy hyped that song up on Twitter, making up multiple overexaggerating tweets about it like it was the best thing he heard. I thought it'd be one of those songs that would completely blow me away. And then we got... this? But then, I actually rethought about it, and hearing it for a second time, it was actually great. It was really funky, smooth and something to vibe to, even managing to give a West Coast feel to it. I loved the bass in the song that was really nice and suiting. I'm however still disappointed about that guy who pretty much mislead a lot of people, so I understand why a few people didn't really like it that much. Still a good track though.

4. Institutionalized

Anna Wise and Bilal come on as background singers while Snoop does the bridge and outro. This song is alright. The beat is alright, but when I heard the beginning, that was a good beat, like how "The Art of Peer Pressure" started. I liked the concept and Snoop's bridge was reminiscent of his earlier work and stuff, but it just comes out solid and not a standout that much. Hey, and why does Kendrick sound a little weird in the second verse?

5. These Walls

Anna & Bilal come on again, with Thundercat back with the bass. Here, Kendrick still comes with the soulful and funky vibe, and I love it, especially the lyricism about how he's depressed and he wants to live better. The background vocals do a lot, and it impresses me. Thundercat's bass is just awesome, and the 3rd verse is just really interesting. Everything on this song is amazing. A solid track on the album.

6. u

On the counterpoint to the lead single "i" and the darkest song on the album, Kendrick goes around his negative thoughts, and deep into his mind. The intro is kinda scary with the big jazzy background. The middle part gets better as the beat gets a little chill. Kenny still speaks in a weirder and drunken way as he speaks to himself (in character) about his thoughts that has been bugging him. This is nice and is really appealing as we go deep into his thoughts and his negativity, and his biggest regrets. Another great song on the album. This was really good to hear, and is very interesting.

7. Alright

This song BANGS! I remember saying I wanted bangers on this, and my expectations on this came true. This song follows a great content of messed up situations, but still being alright. I liked this one and the funk and jazz elements are still present on this, while having a banging beat from Pharrell. Love this song!

8. For Sale? (Interlude)

Another interlude, which just feels like a regular song. Here, he takes a deep look into a character called Lucy. Once again like the previous interlude, "For Free", he does a lot of poetry, but at the same time unlike the previous one, he's on point with the beat as he raps too. The repetitive outro that has been used since "King Kunta" is still present. But once again, on to the next one!

9. Momma

Before I go on, I'm just gonna say that this beat is amazing. But yeah, this is one of my favourites and the lyricism is real on here. The content is great and I like what he talks about here. At the end however, he raps a verse similar to what he spat on the SNL Version of "i". I liked this song a lot here and it was good how he rapped on this. Great track.

10. Hood Politics

This already got me bumping my head as I write this. This reminds me of the earlier songs he did from Overly Dedicated or Section.80, and here unlike the previous tracks, he lays off the funk and soul and gives a heavy West Coast feel. I can actually imagine Jay Rock on this, and it completely sounds like this was originally for Jay's upcoming album. This was a really great track which stood out to me, and I finally found another banger instead of just "Alright".

11. How Much A Dollar Cost?

On this very soulful song, Kendrick tells a story where he talks to God, disguised as a homeless man,. Here, it's really interesting how he tells the story, and James Fauntleroy's hook is nice to the laidback beat, and having the legendary Ron Isley on here was another awesome thing. The concept was really clever and it was just nice to hear the story in a very great way. Another standout to me, and Kendrick doesn't fail to impress.

12. Complexion (A Zulu Love) [feat. Rapsody]

Rapsody makes it as the only feature on this (if you don't count background and additional vocalist like Anna Wise, Bilal or James Fauntleroy), which follows the concept of loving all kinds of black, no matter how light or dark the colour is. It's great hearing this, and it's a real chill & laidback track. Rapsody's verse standouts to me and it's longer than Kendrick's two verses. A different outro is present and I like it. But while this song is still nice, it doesn't stand out like the others. But Rapsody killed this though!

13. The Blacker The Berry

This song is just amazing. So Freakin AMAZING! This was another song that shook the hip-hop community as he talks about the blacks and their racialized self-hatred, where Kendrick brings up the hypocrisy from the blacks. I liked the song. It banged out, but remember that this came out last month, and was a single, not really an album track like the rest, but it was great to me. I loved everything about it. Boi-1da's beat, and the standout last verse where he talks about the black hypocrisy where they can mourn about racial killing, while still doing black-on-black violence. Terrace Martin managed to calm the song down with a lovely laidback jazzy instrumental. This song was just awesome. The best track on the album!

14. You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)

This uses the same beat sample Dilla used for "The Light" by Common and reminds me of that song, with a similar sound. Decent song with a good concept, and a very funky beat, but it didn't stand out to me much

15. i

The Grammy-winning hit single makes its way to the album in an extended form. Here, it sounds really different from the single/iTunes version, especially having a live concert vibe and mixing the second verse first and the first one second. Also, he even stops his verse sometimes for the crowd to vibe. He does a standout acapella verse after being interrupted from the 3rd verse by an argument, where he tries to prevent saying the infamous n-word and say "Negus". Right now, I'm liking the newer extended version, featuring a great feel. However, I did think that it would've been a little better if it didn't have a big live concert feel in this song, and I thought that verse he performed on SNL would be there. Still great though.

16. Mortal Man

Nowadays when you see a 12-minute song (scratch a song like Pro Era's "Suspect"), you can get really shook if it's gonna be an actual song or not. Remember, J Cole trolled us with "Note to Self" on 2014 Forest Hills Drive when we thought it may be a great ending, whereas we got a thank you and shoutouts song, where I grew tired of hearing him talk and shout out so much people. So most of us were wondering if this would be another troll where Kendrick would shoutout or have a long song like "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst".

Turns out we got a good one. Here, we get an actual song and it comes out really nice, I like the bridge and it's really interesting hearing it. The 3 verses were great and I liked the long outro of Kendrick and 2Pac at the end. Hearing Pac at the end kinda tore me up, just a little bit, because of the meaningful things he said at that interlude. It was really appealing and interesting hearing him speak, making the listener pay attention a lot to this "conversation", which actually made the overall concept of the whole album much more interesting than before. The ending where Kendrick does a speech and concludes by asking Pac about his perspective kinda leaves me in awe and it's something really clever to actually think about as the album ends. This was one of the best ways to end the album and I love this.

Well well well. I'm really surprised hearing this. I'm already having a feeling that 2015's gonna be a damn well good year, and one of the best we had in a while. Look, we already had Drake dropping and it was really nice, along with Big Sean dropping his best work yet with Dark Sky Paradise, and Joey Bada$$ & Lupe Fiasco having 2 great albums to start the year.

And then we got Kendrick right now that has dropped a nice album. To Pimp A Butterfly was a really comfortable listen. For someone who hasn't dropped anything in over 2 years, it was damn sure worth the wait. Here, I liked how Kendrick was experimenting a lot and he did his thing. Spoken-word poetry in interludes and outros were great and appealing and the jazz, funk and soul vibes in the album were just amazing for me. The additional and background vocalists from Anna Wise to James Fauntleroy were suiting and added a very interesting feel to the album. The album manages not to get too dark and heavily pro-black and we get a very nice project which is interesting from start-to-finish, coming out as a great album to listen to. There may not be much you can bump in your whip while you have the aux cord, but here, he comes out unbelievable and really amazing. However, it didn't top good kid m.A.A.d city, like people thought it would. There are just a few weak tracks, but the album is still on the real the more listens it gets and most of the time, you can get used to the weak tracks on the album.

I'm not gonna be one of those guys nowadays that would say it's a straightforward classic, or that it's the best thing this year (OK, maybe the best of this year's first quarter, way in front of Tetsuo & Youth and IYRTITL), but I'll say this: if you kinda compare this to Nas' first 2 albums, GKMC is pretty much his Illmatic (a classic and something that shook the hip-hop community) with this album being his It Was Written (great, but not better than the previous), but they're both great albums to listen to. Luckily, he manages to get off the sophomore slump theory and sends an important and interesting message which is something we need to hear. So it's funny how people say this was a letdown, like they can't deal with something we call "black music". I know it's their own opinion, but they end up coming out really ignorant & simple-minded especially saying they'd rather have so much bangers than something we need to hear. Heck, even if "Alright" or "Hood Politics" didn't bang out like it did, this album still would've been great, mostly being the fact that there doesn't need to be "bangers" on nearly every modern rap album. It's something a lot of people should get used to, so I do recommend a purchase. This was nice to listen to, reminding me of Section.80 (maybe the fact it was better) and it was worth the wait for me! This may be a cult classic the more listens it gets and during the years to come, but for now, PEOPLE AIN'T READY!

The Spectacular Se7en

The Blacker The Berry

i

Alright

Hood Politics

Momma

King Kunta

How Much A Dollar Cost?

Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$ + Other Stuff

At a time where the Internet was [and obviously still is] around, mixtapes were being shoved around the Web. But the more music was around on the Web, the more people were hungry for more music. Dustheads were tired about the music played on the radio, and thought the new hip-hop was fake and rubbish. Bloggers and hip-hop heads in general were looking for someone impressive, someone lyrical than "most of these new cats", someone that reminded them of the 90s. Who was there to do that? Would he save hip-hop as a whole? Would the annoying & irritating dustheads finally shut up about the new generation of rap degrading?

Find out on the next ep... OK, screw this, let me get into it.

Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott. JayOhVee. Joey Bada$$. oG $wank. Jozif Badmon. 5 great names from the Flatbush kid to remember. At the time he was known as JayOhVee, a video of him freestyling managed to surf the web and get uploaded to WorldStarHipHop in 2010 (when he was 15, and yep, it was back when WorldStar was a legit website and wasn't constantly uploading fight comps and videos), That video got to the hand of Cinematic Music Group boss Jonny Shipes, and ended up signing him to the label as Joey Bada$$. Joey was quiet for 2 years. No actual song was released at the time to promote himself, until February 2012 when he came out with the first song off his debut mixtape, Survival Tactics, and the next month being on rapper Mac Miller's mixtape, Macadelic. All this, including interviews and guest features, ended up leading to his big breakthrough, releasing his debut mixtape, 1999 on the Internet.

Released: June 12, 2012

1999 was Joey's very first mixtape and was released at a period where, as I said in the beginning, bloggers, rap fans and dustheads wanted something reminiscent of the golden age and the 90s. He released it independently in the Summer at the age of 17 and had guest appearances from Pro Era, Joey's large collective group, along with production from PE members Kirk Knight & Chuck Strangers, and also beats taken from the late J Dilla and MF DOOM. The mixtape was highly anticipated, because of the popular videos and the previous premiere of the debut single, "Survival Tactics". With the mixtape being very anticipated by a minor audience, it is an introduction to the then 17-year old, and bases heavily around very musical samples, along with it kinda giving an authentic Brooklyn classic feel to many listeners. Being independent and being recently signed at that time, you could see there was not any big and major features on the tape DatPiff & HotNewHipHop released it to the public when it first came out, and promotion was finally being made around that time, with videos, interviews and tour dates.

Of course, the mixtape was praised by bloggers, critics, dustheads and "normal hip-hop" heads, some including the irritating dustheads saying that "Joey is bringing real hip-hop back with his authentic flow". Also, the mixtape was a breakthrough success and had a little bit increased fanbase for Joey along with the tape being seen as his best work out of his 3 releases (while I think Summer Knights is better than this, it sounds blasphemous but you'll understand why later).

So, let's get into this!

1. Summer Knights
A straight-up introduction with no average rap album intro type of stuff. Joey spits a 16 on a chill beat and doesn't disappoint. The beat is chilled out and how it's introduced is really interesting and great to keep you vibing to the tape as it goes on. A great way to start the tape.

2. Waves
One of the actual first songs I ever heard from Joey and it's great. Freddie Joachim's laidback beat was nice and I love how Joey was rapping about how he grew up and his dreams for success. The starting line, "Since 95, momma been working 9-5" always gets me and I always feel the concept used in this. The 2nd verse manages to be a standout on the song, as he thinks about his life and goals as he gets older. The video is another highlight for the song, with Joey skateboarding and just chilling, like a normal teenager; and that comes out great. This song is nice, a standout and a great song to listen to!

3. FromdaTomb$ (feat. Chuck Strangers)
This song is nice. Something really old school inspired, and jazzy as well. The Statik Selektah scratches were great as well, and they made a really nostalgic feel to the song. Chuck is more of a producer than he ever would be as a rapper, but his verse was alright and interesting at the same time. Joey's 3rd starter line, "I got sick of class, started making classics" is a nail in the wall. That was nice and the wordplay in the song is real on this. I always liked vibing to this song a lot. The beat was always great, the jazz sample from the video game LA Noire was suiting and made a good sample from Chuck to flip, making this one of my favourites on this tape. Well, I have done enough talking about this, so let's get on to the next one.

4. Survival Tactics (feat. Capital STEEZ)
AAWWWWW YEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!! This song is epic. Joey & Steelo rhyme to the song of the same name by Styles of Beyond, and doesn't fail to impress. I'm always the type to like the original song than the cover/freestyle, but screw that, this is 100x more better. Joey's 1st verse was great and was great for the monster "coming-at-you" flow. STEEZ's verse was awesome and is something not to forget, and he murks that song. It's sad how he didn't come out with much other than 2 mixtapes (and a mini-mixtape), especially dying really early. Still a standout on the tape. #LongLiveSteelo

5. Killuminati (feat. Capital STEEZ)
This was nice, but obviously not better than the previous track, "Survival Tactics". This was awesome. The song has a chill vibe to it and has a great and interesting beat. Once again, you can see STEEZ rap another verse that you can't really forget and murks Joey again. This song is good and I like the content in it, making it a very decent track.

6. Hardknock (feat. CJ Fly)
This song was really great to listen to. Joey & CJ both trade verses on a bumping track, and it's really nice. Joey started off lyrically pleasant, with CJ's verse being alright and really appealing to me, Joey's longer 3rd verse was a really enjoyable highlight on the track, with his lines being successful on the beat. The instrumental was nice and the content was impressing on this. CJ made me impressed on his 2nd verse and he thinks about life. Another one of my favourites!

7. World Domination
Didn't like it as much. I liked how Joey managed to take an MF DOOM beat from Mm.. Food, but this didn't do much for me. Heck, even the hook sample of Eminem's "Open Mic" didn't impress me.

8. Pennyroyal
The better DOOM instrumental that Joey took, and he does something very special to it. Here, Joey reminisces about a girl who he missed his chance with, and the times they had together, along with his recent feelings on the track. This was interesting to hear, with a sombre vibe and a great DOOM beat. Lovely track.

9. Funky Ho'$
STANDOUT ALERT! This is awesome. On an instrumental from Lord Finesse (called "All Night"), Joey talks about women who wanted him to be their baby daddy, having a lot of trust issues as he raps on the beat. I like the hook, where he takes a line from Drake's "Trust Issues" and flips it. Of course, because of the instrumental, it has a 90s feel and Joey doesn't disappoint as he raps on it. One of my favourites and a standout on the tape.

10. Daily Routine
This was a really great song. Having nice lyrics and a laidback beat. I always liked the Isley sample on this and the flip from Chuck Strangers. The lyrics and wordplay are nice on this one and the content is interesting. Great song that doesn't disappoint.

11. Snakes (feat. T'nah Apex)
This was great. Joey takes a J Dilla beat and pretty much metaphorically rhymes about snakes, talking about the evil people do. T'nah's hook is nice with her singing ad-libs being one of a kind, and Joey's verses were great to listen to. Not my favourite Dilla beat on the tape, but was damn sure a suiting fit on the track. Another great song!

12. Don't Front (feat. CJ Fly)
Another CJ Fly collab with a sombre and chill beat from Statik Selektah. This track was nice. Here, Joey talks about having time with a girl, and telling them girls not to be someone they're not, while CJ personifies weed. CJ, once again doesn't disappoint and impresses me a lot on this as he raps about weed and it comes out great, like a stoner version of Common's "I Used to Love HER". I always loved this song since I first listened. My favourite song on the tape.

13. Righteous Minds
On this interesting song, Joey talks about the world that we live in and how people can get killed over little things. It's very great to listen to. The hook is catchy and is relatable to the world a lot. The beat is alright, really jazzy and funky, with the content being hella interesting. Solid song.

14. Where It'$ At (feat. Kirk Knight)
On another Dilla beat, Joey & Kirk having fun and talking about girls and all that. This song is nice, and I find the beat better than the Snakes beat. Kirk murks this song, with some clever wordplay and trying to impress a girl, succeeding with his bars and flow. This song was nice and I liked the beat and the content in it. The hook was something to sing along to and comes out really flawless. A great and solid song to listen to.

15. Suspect (feat. Pro Era)
The whole Pro Era squad comes on the posse cut, basing on the Nas song of the same name. The song runs really long for 11 minutes, and how they repeat the hook after each member's verse can be annoying and they could've mixed it together without the hook being repeated a lot. Anyway, the crew comes off really good, with each member's 16 bars actually succeeding. My favourite verses have to be T'nah Apex with her mixing of singing and rapping, Capital STEEZ, CJ Fly and yours truly Joey, with the four having great verses and wordplay. I like how Joey comes last, especially being the main topic on the tape and the leader of the group. This was one of the best ways to end a tape. Then again, there are gonna be people who aren't going to spend nearly 12 minutes listening to this.

So, with my last word paragraph, 1999 comes out really great. Joey has a classic feel that makes you get into the tape. Joey doesn't fail to impress me on most of the tracks and he shows a great lyrical self of him. For a then-17 year old, he was sure damn good for the game. The production was on point, as he rhymes over beats from J Dilla to Chuck Strangers, especially on "Where It'$ At", "Pennyroyal" and "Funky Ho'$" where the production bangs out like never before. The concept and vibe on this was interesting, and we can hear a lot of lyrical content with a extreme classic 90s Brooklyn feel, especially on songs like "Funky Ho'$". As for the features, they were awesome, with highlights being Capital STEEZ on "Survival Tactics" and "Killuminati", and CJ Fly on "Hardknock" and "Don't Front", both coming out with verses that are better than Joey's lyrical verses. Joey's rhymes were great at the time, and weren't all that, but they showed to dustheads and "real hip-hop" fans that hip-hop is still here, and that it "hasn't died" like they've been always saying. 1999 is a very good tape, and is a comfortable listen, especially for someone who likes vibing to classic hip-hop and lyrical rap. However, it is not a classic tape like some of y'all say it is, and I'ma say it again, Summer Knights is damn sure better than this. But, Do I still recommend a download? OF COURSE I DO! This is really nice to listen to, and even if he's out here making better music (yes, I seriously said that), this is something to remember!

The Furious 5ive
Survival Tactics
Funky Ho'$
FromdaTomb$
Where It'$ At
Hardknock

Honourable Mentions
Don't Front
Pennyroyal

Later on in September of the same year, Joey would release his second mixtape called Rejex, which were full of unreleased tracks and demos that were originally for 1999, but were scrapped off. This was pretty much his version of Nas' "The Lost Tapes" or Little Brother's "The Chitlin Circuit". Now, I am not going to do my normal track-by-track formula, but a brief paragraph review of it. And when I was listening to it for the first time, it was a very interesting listen for me. The tracks were appealing and great to listen to. But once you get into it more, you just end up understanding why most of the songs were scrapped off. Some may have been too old for the tape, some may have been a bit lame for the content of the tape, and some didn't feel right for me. But, I still have great tracks that I feel should've most definitely been on the tape including "DSL (Da Special List)", which feels raw and hardcore & reminds me of a 1996 Busta Rhymes song (especially having a sample from him), and maybe "Pantie Raid" and "That Gushy", having a soulful feel and being laidback. But overall, it's alright and decent, and I can see why they are Rejex instead of being on 1999. This ain't something I'd want you to download but you can still search it up and skim through some tracks though.

OK, On to the Next One!

Released: July 1, 2013

So, Joey managed to break out with 1999, doing concert dates and working with popular artists outside the Pro Era crew, including Big KRIT, Smoke DZA, and Ab-Soul. We would see him on songs like "Underground Airplay", a song for Ecko which featured KRIT & DZA; and "1 Train", a posse cut by A$AP Rocky that featured a heavy line up of well-known rappers including Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown, Yelawolf, Action Bronson and KRIT. All this was in anticipation of his debut album, which he announced would be called B4.DA.$$ (stylized like his name, but pronounced Before The Money), but was deciding which label to release it on. So first, he had to release Summer Knights.

Summer Knights was the follow up to the breakthrough 1999 mixtape and was originally supposed to be an EP, released on the 1st anniversary of 1999 (June 12), as a prelude to the album. Unfortunately, it was pushed back to July 1 but luckily, as a full-length mixtape. Here, it shows a more mature and hungrier Joey who works with different producers and rappers outside the Pro Era crew (unlike before in 1999) including Statik Selektah & The Alchemist and unlike 1999, Summer Knights based much more around original instruments than 1999 did. It also runs for exactly 70 minutes with 17 tracks and can be seen as a "RIP" mixtape tribute to Capital STEEZ, who passed away on December 24, 2012.

The mixtape was praised by critics and fans, but can be seen as overlooked, as people felt 1999 was much better than this tape. People felt that Summer Knights was dull and lacking, but had great beats (but I feel way different about this). Fortunately, XXL put this as #13 on the best mixtapes of 2013. Joey would still continue to sort out his album and would re-release this as an retail EP (4 songs from the mixtape, and 3 new songs including a remix), also traveling to many places including London & Paris for concerts as he was getting more known.

Ok, you already know I found this better than 1999, but you're gonna find out why as we start now...

1. Alowha
Instead of a typical rap album/mixtape intro, Joey gives us something straight-up and raw. Kirk Knight's beat is beast and hardcore with a nice piano sample. Joey's verses are great and are on point, coming in hardcore and grouchy, and I loved how the mixtape started out with a soulful sample and Chuck being the hypeman. Joey's lyricism was nice and the ending reference to a hook of "Hit Em High" was nice. This was a great way to start the tape, with a great beat and lyricism.

2. Hilary $wank
Great song from Joey, where he raps on a jazzy elevator-like beat which samples Dwele, and succeeds. I always liked listening to this, and this was nice how he was rhyming and flowing to the song and the sample of the girl saying Swank suits in, making a good track as he flows really well. Solid song.

3. My Yout (feat. Collie Buddz)
This was alright, actually. Here, Joey gets into his Jamaican/St. Lucian roots, and it's succeeds really well, and I was feeling his flow and rhymes. But because of Collie's contribution, it felt incomplete. There's another version of this with British singer Maverick Sabre, which I like more, mainly because the hook is catchy and adds more vibe to it. I'm not saying this one is bad or anything, but it lacks that vibe I felt from the EP/remix version. It's still good and it's something I can listen to, but it's better listening to the EP/remix version.

4. Death of YOLO (feat. Smoke DZA)
My favourite off this tape. Every time this song plays on my Walkman, it always hits my heart. Bruce Leekix gives Joey a bumping beat where he parodies YOLO aka the motto made popular by Drake (hence a reason why dustheads hate him, but Drake isn't actually bad). Joey starts off nice with a great flow and appealing lyrics. DZA continues with a good verse and comes out really well, with so many references around, making sense. The song overall is nice, with a good laidback sample, and an interesting concept. A standout on the tape.

5. Right On Time
On a beat that reminds me of nostalgic jams from the early 2000s, Joey centres around the idea of love, with Kirk using a sample from singer Tweet. The hook was reminiscent of those slow jams back in the day, and the beat was great, along with the concept. Joey didn't disappoint and came off really good. It's a comfortable track to listen to, and is very solid.

6. Sweet Dreams
Here on a laidback song, Joey explores the theme of people who are "stuck in the 90s", and is nice with the flow. The "Go Brooklyn" sample that was previously used in "FromdaTomb$" was awesome and create a very reminiscent classic feel. Joey's lyrics and verses were nice with the feel, and the flow was on point. The soulful sample was just great to hear with the beat. The hook is something nice to hear and is relatable to listeners and people who mostly like 90s music. Great song from Joey!

7. 47 Goonz (feat. Dirty Sanchez & Nyck Caution)
This was alright. Didn't like it much, but the beat was on point and they did have great wordplay and lyrics though!

8. Word Is Bond
Meh.

9. Sit N' Prey (feat. Dessy Hinds & T'nah Apex)
Always loved this song. Had a very nice and interesting concept, along with a booming beat. Joey's first two verses were great, and were nothing new for me. Dessy's verse was nice, and I liked it a lot. He showed a lot of great lyricism and flow, and as I hear it, I always wonder why he hasn't put out a mixtape yet, or at least a EP. The guy is one of my favourites from Pro Era maybe behind Joey and CJ Fly. After, T'nah interrupts to sing for a few seconds and that part was great, but I remember how weird it was to hear it unexpectedly. But again, I love this song. Joey & Dessy done their thing on this track and the beat was a nail in the wall for me. Great song!

10. Trap Door
The Alchemist comes through with a laidback bumping beat that comes out really great and awesome. Here, Joey tells a story about how he messed around with a girl who left him after. It's interesting and sometimes it can feel short only because it's one verse. That ain't a big problem though. And I'm not saying that everything Alchemist touches turns into gold, and there are many examples of that. but here, it's a prime example why Alchemist is one of my favourite producers. The beat is soulful, sombre and really appealing and the content is on point. Joey's lyricism is great and the flow is flawless, with everything going in the right way. Extremely solid track!

11. Satellite (feat. Chuck Strangers, Kirk Knight & Dessy Hinds)
Chuck, Kirk & Dessy get on the track where they all come with monster verses. The beat is good, the lyrics are nice, and this is very decent. But I'm still waiting on a Dessy Hinds mixtape though!

12. 95 Til Infinity
HELL YEEEEEAAAAAHHHH!!!!! This was actually the first Joey Bada$$ song I ever listened to. I'm serious. Even though I actually first heard him in "1 Train" in 2012, I was never that interested in him until last year, and this song, not only was the first, but my favourite Joey song of all time. The beat is jazzy and extremely laidback. This was Joey at his finest, with a hungrier and more aggressive flow, as he brings up his rise from the Flatbush ghetto. Playing this on my Walkman always gets to me a lot. This song was extremely good and I loved everything about it, hell even the music video. A standout not only on this tape, but Joey's career.

13. Amethyst Rockstar (feat. Kirk Knight)
Meh.

14. Reign
This is alright. The beat should've been a little better, and I liked how Joey reflects on his career and wanting to be something big. The chorus is very reflecting for Joey and makes this song decent. It doesn't stand out to me like most of the tracks on this tape though.

15. Sorry Bonita (feat. Pro Era)
Excluding T'nah Apex, Nyck Caution and a few others, the Pro Era crew jump on a posse cut which is very good. I do find this a little bit better than "Suspect". While Suspect was kinda introducing the crew to a more popular crowd, "Sorry Bonita" is where the crew gets jiggy to it, and has great lyricism. CJ Fly doesn't fail to impress me with his chill flow, Chuck with his big man style and Dessy once again coming in with the heat. I liked how they had a jazzy feelgood vibe which reminded me of A Tribe Called Quest a lot of times, especially referring to Bonita Applebum. Really decent song.

16. #LongLiveSteelo
On the (kinda) final track, Joey takes the time to pay a homage to the late Capital STEEZ. Really interesting, and I begin not to care about the lyricism and flow, as he does well to remember all the times he had with STEEZ and how he changed his life. It's very nice of him to end it like this. STEEZ didn't make as much music as he could've and he died way early. Rest in Paradise to a new school great.

17. Unorthodox
This should've been before "#LongLiveSteelo", but I don't mind. The first DJ Premier collab comes on the tape as the last song, and while it's not the best collab they've done (*cough*Paper Trail$*cough*), it's still a very good track. I like the content in it, and the beat, along with Premo's scratches, coming off really nice. Even the video paints a better picture than this. But at the end this is very good, and it was very cool for Joey to even have the chance to work with Premo. Oh yeah, it's over now!

Summer Knights, for many people, is something loved, but can never be compared to 1999, for the reason being that the audience found 1999 better. However, I feel the opposite. This can be compared very easily for me, and I always found this way better than 1999. The reason why was because I always felt that Summer Knights was something improved and refreshing as of 1999. Joey was 18 at the time Knights came out, and he sounded much more mature and older, and instead of basing too much around samples and boom-bap, he goes around with a hungrier flow and not that dull like 1999. Another thing is that Summer Knights gets a lot of replay value for me, 1999 however doesn't that much. I feel comfortable listening to Summer Knights a lot more than 1999.

With that being said, Summer Knights is very good, an extremely comfortable listen. He has a better, hungrier and a more refreshing flow that gets to me (and probably you) a lot. Better producers have contributions from Kirk Knight to The Alchemist, and other than Pro Era, Joey finally goes around working with different artists. Smoke DZA does his thing on "Death of YOLO", with Collie Buddz adding a Jamaican vibe to "My Yout", although Maverick Sabre's version was better. Yes, there were at least 3 skippable tracks: "Amethyst Rockstar" had a boring beat from DOOM, but doesn't mean that DOOM is boring (like a lot of people say). "Word Is Bond", I didn't like. It was just boring and the beat was just not on for me. Statik Selektah, you can do better. And "47 Goonz" was a nice track, but felt too quick, which was why I didn't care for it that much. But at the end, Summer Knights turns out very good, and is something nice to vibe to on your way to work or school, and back, or when you're at home. I recommend a download. Joey impresses me a lot more than ever, and features some of his finest tracks, showing how fresh he can be on this tape

The Furious 5ive
95 Til Infinity
Sit N' Prey
Death of YOLO
Trap Door
Hilary $wank

Honourable Mentions
Sweet Dreams
Unorthodox

And now for our Feature Presentation...

Released: January 20, 2015

So after that refreshing listen we call Summer Knights, we would see Joey work on the album for a long time. Working on the album, he pretty much had to clear samples, get producers and features, along with supporting his Pro Era crew. He would be doing much more concert dates, interviews, parties and more, getting more recognition from around the world. 2014 was the time Joey was getting hungrier than before by putting out "Big Dusty" in the Summer. He continued putting out more leaks from the album on SoundCloud, such as "Christ Conscious" & "Teach Me", which lead to the anticipated release of B4.DA.$$.

B4.DA.$$ [pronounced Before The Money] was the long awaited debut album for Joey. He decided to release it on his 20th birthday as he realized that it fell on a Tuesday (the day albums frequently drop). Joey finally found a label to release it on other than Cinematic, which was Relentless, and did a lot to the album. Previously, to increase the anticipation, he would create a contest for fans (#B4DACOVER) on Instagram to make a fan-made cover for the album, and that he'd pick his best ones. There was one that I liked, and it was kinda sad he didn't put one of them as the actual album cover. The album featured 17 tracks, and was the first Joey project where the Pro Era members were not featured on the album, other than Dyemond Lewis (but there was production from Chuck Strangers and Kirk Knight though). The album managed to be a dedication not only to Capital STEEZ (once again), but his cousin Junior B who passed away in December, just before the release.

B4.DA.$$ was released on the same day as Lupe Fiasco's Tetsuo & Youth, which caused heavy comparisons on which album was better (obviously T&Y was better than this). The album would go on to debut at #5 on the Billboard 200, with 53k copies, beating Tetsuo & Youth, and as of now, sold 120k copies. It was praised by critics, fans and bloggers, as they wrote about or discussed the album being worth the wait; but also had some mixed reviews as some grew tired of the heavy 90s inspiration that he had been using since 1999. During the album release, he would also celebrate his birthday by releasing a non-album song called "Born Day" on SoundCloud.

Out of all the three, was this the best? Was it better than 1999 and Summer Knights combined (ok, maybe not, but I'm tryna make a point here)? Did this have a heavy replay value? Was this any good at all? Find out right now as we go through the album!

1. Save the Children
The album starts off with a nice and chill track, produced by Statik Selektah. And remember when I said about "Word Is Bond", that Statik could do better: this was an example here. Joey did well with his verses and the beat is nice. The concept was interesting and I liked how it turned out. The hook was something meaningful and kinda appealed to me. The song has a laidback jazzy vibe and I liked it. It was good how not only the album started like this, but how the song started where a sample of Joey performing was used. Nice song.

2. Greenbax (Introlude)
The second introduction for the album, with a great beat. I wish it was longer though.

3. Paper Trail$
One of the best songs on the album, and my favourite out of the two Joey/Premo collabs. The beat bangs out and Joey goes in on the beat, and is hungrier than before. I loved everything about it, the content, Premo's scratches (mostly from the previous Unorthodox) and the raw & hardcore beat. This was sick, and I loved to vibe to it a lot, it was straight fire. Extremely great song!

4. Piece of Mind
This was really decent, and because it was from the same producer (aka Freddie Joachim) that produced Waves, it did remind me of that song, because of how chill and laidback they both are. Not only that, it sounded inspired by Nas' One Love. It was a really decent track, with a solid beat, and nice hook. Anyway, NEXT!

5. Big Dusty
When I first heard this song, it always reminded me of a Mobb Deep track, because of how dark it was, and I always found it good. My thoughts haven't even change as well, especially 7 months later. Yes, a lot of people have got sick and tired of the energetic hungry/grouchy flow that he's been using since Summer Knights, but I don't really care much about it. It actually gives a better feel to the song. Kirk Knight's beat was always a nail in the wall, hitting a lot of the right places and not missing too much. This was really decent for me. Everything was great about it. Nice song!

6. Hazeus View
Kirk comes through with another chill beat, which is one of my favourite beats on this album. Joey comes with a grouchier flow, and a shouting singing-like flow; coming out good. The beat was really nice for me, and Joey's rhymes were mostly on point, with a hardcore shouting style. Love this track!

7. Like Me (feat. BJ The Chicago Kid)
BJ is the first collab on the album, as he's with Joey on a Dilla/Roots beat. Here, Joey tackles on social, personal and political issues, and succeeds on it. BJ's background singing was on point, and I'm glad he got some recognition especially after ScHoolBoy Q's "Studio". The beat was nice, and hell, the video was really meaningful for me, especially when Joey resurrects and raps behind a gang of deceased people. I loved everything about it. Joey's flow was great, and showed him at his most laidback style on this song. It was really interesting hearing it and it was great to see him tackle a lot of issues. A standout on the album!

8. Belly of the Beast (feat. Chronixx)
Hit-Boy is next with a beat that I expected to bang out really nicely, and Joey & Chronixx collab, with the result coming out really great. Joey's 1st verse was nice, while Chronixx gave a Jamaican feel to it, and although I never heard of him, he was good on this. The beat was alright, Joey kinda impressed me a little bit, with Chronixx having an interesting verse. A really solid track.

9. No. 99
Out of all the B4.DA.$$ leaks that came out at the time, I never cared for this one. Statik, once again, gave an alright beat, but it was nothing that stood out for me. The song tried too hard to sound a lot like A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario". But the video was alright though.

10. Christ Conscious
AWWWWWWWWW YEEEEEEEAAAAAHH!!!!!!!!! Not only this was my favourite song off the album, but it's at least one of my top 5 songs from Joey. "Got Dragon Balls like my name was Vegeta"; that line was awesome for me, and his flow was on point. I loved the beat, with its hardcore style, and jazzy trumpets on the beat. This song was monstrous and another song that showed Joey at his finest. It just banged out so great, with the awesome lyrical content and a raw & hardcore vibe. A standout not only on the album, not even Joey's career, but in the new state of hip-hop!

11. On & On (feat. Maverick Sabre & Dyemond Lewis)
On one of the heartfelt and emotional tracks, Joey & Dyemond collab with Maverick Sabre on the hook and bridge. This was really nice for me. Joey did his thing, and it's nice how he reflects on his life and career. Maverick's singing was on point, with Dyemond's verse being a standout, kinda laying off the chill flow that he normally uses. This was very nice for me. The beat was great for the content, and I liked how the song turned out for me. Another standout on the album!

12. Escape 120 (feat. Raury)
This sounds a bit unexpected to me, with the beat going fast and all, but it's still good. Joey does his thing, while Raury is on here and sounds great, with his speed flow reminding me of Andre 3000 a lot. The song overall sounds like a modern version of "BOB", and that's a good thing because it comes out really good. Nice song.

13. Black Beetles
A great song, but can be known as the darkest and most emotional track on the album and I can see why. Here, he raps about his self-esteem and his experience as a rapper wasn't as he thought it would be. It's really interesting hearing this song and his thoughts about his experience and career. The beat is something jazzy, chill and laidback while having some dark content. Hearing Joey spit some interesting stuff is really sweet and cool. Another one of my favourites on the album!

14. OCB
This song bangs. This reminds me of the chill music they used to play in the early 1900s, and on cartoons like Tom & Jerry. Standing for Only Child Blues, Joey reflects on his childhood and being an only child without a sibling, and it comes out really good. The beat is hot, has a really nostalgic feel that is more nostalgic than the other beats. Another standout.

15. Curry Chicken
This was alright to be honest, but I didn't really care for it that much. It did sound a little like "My Boo" by Ghost Town DJs though!

16. Run Up On Ya (feat. Elle Varner & Action Bronson)
Notice that 2 of the songs that I didn't care for were produced by Statik Selektah. Let that sink in! But this was decent though (for a bonus), and the beat was one of Statik's better cuts on this album behind "Save the Children".

17. Teach Me (feat Kiesza)
YEEEEEE!!!!!!! This song is really great. Another really unexpected song from Joey, especially when it's once again a faster beat that reminds me of OutKast. I have realized how "Escape 120" and this song sound really similar to each other, especially both being produced by Chuck Strangers (along with ASTR on this one). Even if it's fast to me, I still love the diversity that Joey had on the album to do this type of song. Kiesza did her thing, with a funky voice, reminding me of the old funk songs. The song is really upbeat and I love it, it has that feelgood vibe. A really great way to end your long awaited debut album!

Out of all the projects Joey has come out with, this was actually really decent. 1999 was decent, Summer Knights was better and B4.DA.$$ was just solid enough to be put on the same level as 1999. It was really worth the wait if you don't think about 1999 & Summer Knights and it was actually really great. For his 20th birthday, Joey shows the maturity and improvement in him, with much hungrier flows and styles. He gets to work with different people and it succeeds really well. It has a lot of different sounds at times, but Joey still likes to stay on the nostalgic 90s feel. At times, it would've been good if he went on a trap-like beat and flow really well like Kirk Knight did on a song called "Extortion". I'm not saying that he's a throwback or that he's stuck in the 90s, because he has brought something new to the table, I can't deny that. I can still vibe to this, especially on songs like "Hazeus View", "Christ Conscious", and "Teach Me". I like how Joey did his thing on this album. The production was on point... well, most of the time, as Statik Selektah didn't really impress me as much. And I'ma say it again, he can do better (*cough*Carry On*cough), and even people like Basquiat and Chuck Strangers had better beats. Kirk Knight was a monster on the beats, especially on "Hazeus View" and he had vocals in the "Greenbax" introlude, which I'm still wishing for a full version of. I feel a journey as I listen to it, and it comes out really good and unfailing for me. I do recommend a purchase or a stream. And as of now, to rank his discography, I'd put this in 3rd place Ok, scratch that! Maybe in replay value wise, this is 2nd place. This is something I can bump to a lot on my way to school and I'm sure I'll get used to it as time goes by, and it may even have more replay value for me. But it was damn sure worth the wait, and I loved how he managed to tackle interesting topics and issues. Something really different from the 20 year old, and he does really great on the album.

Tetsuo & Youth is still better than this, by the way!

The Furious 5ive
Christ Conscious
Paper Trail$
Hazeus View
Like Me
Teach Me

Honourable Mentions
Black Beetles
Escape 120
On & On
OCB