A friend of mine (also a hip-hop heady who's currently doing an internship for audio production in L.A.) buzzed me in on Skype, so I saved my blog post and knew that I would return to it later. The conversation we had lasted over a good hour, but somewhere in the middle of it, I mentioned that I was currently working on my latest blog post and that I felt Cole had the best mixtape of the year. He didn't disagree, but he did mention to me that I should check out a new artist he was really big on (who, if you didn't guess already and you'd be pretty naive if you haven't, was Big K.R.I.T.) . He said "Yeah man, he's got this one joint with Curren$y that's sooo smooth" (which happened to be "No Wheaties"). Of course, I had never heard of some Mississippi kid who sounded more like a new insect than anything. But I gave his tape, K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, a shot. Two weeks later, I gave my award not to Cole, but yes, to K.R.I.T. instead.
Since then, K.R.I.T., whose real name is Justin Scott, has become one of my favorite new artists to listen to. I was floored at his ability, not only to rap, but to be able to produce some of the funkiest, soulful, southern beats I had heard since the last time I was on an OutKast binge. What was even more amazing about Scott to me, was that he was so far beyond his years as an MC. The song that really spoke volumes to me about his maturity was "They Got US", which told three separate tales of a young black's live who made choices that ended up catching up with them at some point and finishing with "I got us all fucked up". Remember, this dude was 24 when he recorded this, and yet, it sounded like I was hearing a version of Bun B (not voice wise, obviously) in his current state. What also blew me away was how fucking humble the guy was. Confident, yes (you only need to listen to "See Me On Top" to believe that one), but in every interview, he just focused on talking about being the best and paying tribute to those before him (K.R.I.T. stands for King Remembered In Time for christ's sake).
Still, I had my doubts. Many rappers start out with promise, but fade into the abyss as soon as they get recognized. Take local legend (at least for me), Wiz Khalifa. There is a dramatic difference between his material pre-Kush & OJ (which is absolutely his best mixtape, no matter what I hear from anyone) and after. Let's face it: Wiz sold out. The sounds from Rolling Papers was a 180 from what he'd been known for before and he was even singing for a large part of the album (like in "Fly Solo"). Don't get me wrong, he's still extremely successful and there is always a price for fame. But you could see why when I heard K.R.I.T. was releasing a follow-up mixtape, just under a year from his last one, this past spring that I had reason to be wary.
The other thing I couldn't wrap my head around was how K.R.I.T. would even follow up something as good and honest as K.R.I.T. Wuz Here (remember, I said that was the best mixtape of the entire 2010 music year). So many questions revolved around my head. Would he produce the entire tape again? What features would he bring on? Would he be trying to make a repeat of Drake's So Far Gone so he could would be making millions within weeks?
And so, on March 28th, I came home after class and saw his tape was finally posted. I synced it up to my iPod and put it on my roommates iDock. 8 months later, here is my review.
1. Intro
Scott talks about a movement he calls "ReturnOf4Eva" that causes you to "feel something you ain't ever feeled before". You realize though that the cheers you hear of the audience when he comes out from backstage are all in his head, as it is all just a dream. The alarm clock goes off and Big Sant (pretty sure that's who it is screaming in the back) tells K.R.I.T. to "cut that fucking alarm off!" and to get up, which sets up...
2. Rise and Shine
It took K.R.I.T. just 30 seconds to convince me that his tape would certainly not be a waste of my time. Just as his previous tape, K.R.I.T. is in sole command, both on the mic and on the boards for the entire tape. He's got a good message in his hook "nothing comes of those that just wait/don't ever lose sight of your goals, just keep straight" and I can already tell that Scott seems just as hungry to prove himself as he was on K.R.I.T. Wuz Here. The beat with chains and a bass that just bumps (which was also a theme of the first tape) is great on here and this song is actually the true intro into his tape. I remember the first time I heard this that I was excited, but I had no idea what else was in store.
3. Theme Song
Wow. That's all I could think when I first played this. In fact, I remember just putting this on repeat for another 4x before I even went to the next track. OK, so what makes this song so great? For starters, the beat is incredibly fresh. The sample K.R.I.T. used here (another soul one, although I can't pinpoint what exact song he took it from) is perfect for the bass he uses. What really got me about the production behind this though, was his tribute to former southern legends. I heard pieces of UGK and OutKast scattered throughout this entire track (I especially liked the "forever, ever, forever ever?" sample from 'Kast's "Ms. Jackson" in the hook). Lyrically and delivery wise, K.R.I.T. flows seamlessly on this. Scott makes sure to address fans who may have worried he'd go mainstream by saying "mainstream was cool, but in my heart forever underground". The way he constructs his delivery on here is also just superb; I can't remember hearing a rapper this young into the game ever being able to sound so complete and yet so different from everyone else. It takes only one listen of this to realize K.R.I.T. is going to be something really, really special.
4. Dreamin'
Again, K.R.I.T. uses another sample that's just unfair (meaning that it literally puts him above just about 80% of those who also are trying to make it). The song talks about a familiar subject; K.R.I.T. and his beginnings as a rapper. But Scott does it in a way that so many other rappers miss. His tone makes it sound so honest, something that I miss from a lot of other artists. He also is great at painting a picture in your mind.
"Rappin to my pop about the cars and the clothes/shrimp and the lobster that I hear about, word of mouth", "I was like 13 thirsty for a good beat, scoping for a good beat/like Ball and G/on the pimp tight shit/Three Six had me crunk on that late night tip".
I can totally see K.R.I.T. doing this, and again, it's that honesty he has in his lyrics that make me want to listen to what he has to say. Nothing sounds forced either, it flows from one line to another, which gives you the impression you might just be hearing one really long line when you're done listening to the verse. K.R.I.T. also talks about passing up a deal and that he'd sacrifice it all to make it, but not his soul ("And a firm belief that there's a God). Could he be lying? Maybe, but I don't think so. To not take the easy route to live his dream deserves praise and, as it already I think is happening, will work out for him at the end of the day. The hook, again, is spot on and works really well into the main message of his song, which is not to believe those when they tell you you're just "Dreamin'" ("Just know that I was considered just a dreamer, but I paid my dues and turned so many doubters to believers"). It's fitting that he ends with "they used to say" before the hook returns. A heartfelt, and overall, outstanding effort from the Mississippi native.
5. Rotation
Another song, and yes, another home run. The hook is terrific and while his previous tracks are certainly heavily influenced by his southern roots, this one has more trill/houston/dirty south components than any of them. K.R.I.T.'s verses are good, although nothing too special. What makes this song though, is K.R.I.T.'s ability behind the boards. I go back and forth deciding what he's better at, but songs like this convince me his talents as a producer outweigh those he has as a rapper. Another reason the beat is so damn good on here is it's bass. Seriously, this thing bangs (not that the other tracks didn't; this one is just somehow better). I also talked about how good K.R.I.T. is at being able to paint a picture in your head of what he's thinking, but the last track he used his rhymes to do this. Here, he uses his beat to pull you in. The section "let it rain, hydroplane, but I'm riding slow" with the thunderstorm sample is brilliant and the entire hook gives you the image of the song's title.
6. My Sub
One thing K.R.I.T. is really good at (and there's a lot he's got in his talent base) is making you totally immersed in what you're listening to. For instance, listen to this song and NOT try to hum the "My sub, my sub, my sub, I put that on my sub" after it finishes. Just as "Rotation" succeeded in taking southern influences and adding a modern flare, this one does the same, and yes, it will grin if you own a pair of subs for yourself. The song is exactly about what the title is, but K.R.I.T. succeeds in making his lyrics creative enough for you to keep listening (with a beat like this though, that's pretty much impossible). There again, though, is another reason why K.R.I.T. is so good. Could he have dogged it on his verses after creating this monster beat? Absolutely (and a lot of rappers tend to do this, Curren$y, unfortunately can be one of them at times). Yet, Scott doesn't follow the norm and gets as thoughtful as you can get about a pair of subs. The sample he uses to close the song is also great (sounds like something from a Lionel Ritchey song, which if it is, is genius for how he incorporates it).
7. Sookie Now ft. David Banner
I have no clue what Sookie means (although it is the name of a character on True Blood). But this track is much, much more upbeat than the previous three, and it's a nice change of pace. As usual, K.R.I.T.'s beat is stellar (loved the trumpets in the back) and it may cause you to lose part of your hearing for how strong the bass comes on. It also sounds similar to K.R.I.T.'s "Country Shit" from Wuz Here, and while it's not as good as the original, I still thoroughly enjoyed this one. Scott also has his first guest on the mixtape appear here; Mississippi legend himself, David Banner. He doesn't show up K.R.I.T., but he's a perfect complement for the type of song here and his section about "Emmitt Till" and "they call it suicide, cuz it's just another black male" does have significance (and you don't hear the deep, deep south's perspective, at least around the Bible Belt in hip-hop that much these days). As a Mad Men fanatic, I also appreciated the line from Dom Draper to close out this one.
8. American Rapstar
If the mixtape was terrible up until this point, or just average, I'd be glowing about this song. Because of the incredibly high standard K.R.I.T. has set himself to this point though, I'm actually going to say this is the weakest track so far. Does that really mean anything? Not really, because it still bangs and the beat is still pretty damn good. A theme I've been noticing with K.R.I.T.'s songs is that they are almost always about what the title states. There's no ridiculous title with a subject that has no resemblance to it. Scott also makes a great point at the beginning of the song, which is:
"An A&R once told me "you can determine the worth of a song within 15 seconds of it playing/With complete and utter lack of the fact that it takes takes all 3 minutes and 40seconds of a song/To comprehend what I'm sayin'/It ain't a single if it don't fly/It ain't a hit if it don't ride/Now he couldn't tell me the components of a smash but the ringtones were their all time high/And a rappers only as big as his chain, the flashier the better"
There's that honesty word again. And that's why I care so much more about what Scott has to say than most others.
9. Highs and Lows
I knew K.R.I.T. couldn't keep his foot on the gas for forever, and I can finally start to see a minor (emphasis on the word "minor") regression in the quality of his songs, starting with the previous one and continuing here. Regardless, the sample utilized here sounds like something I'd hear on Aquemini. It starts out as a track for K.R.I.T. to boast on, but that's not what it's entirely about. K.R.I.T. also tries, at least at the end of his first verse, to try and have you see from his perspective,
"If you ain't winning in this game then you've barely played If you ain't buying what you want then you barely paid if you didn't see me hiding then you could barely hate cause"
The hook is considerably weaker than the rest of his tape, but that's not to say it's bad, it's just not as good as the level he's already set for himself. But yes, I still liked the song.
10. Shake It ft. Joi
It had to happen. I knew at some point K.R.I.T. would make a filler, and I'm amazed it's taken him this long to finally do so. The hook, for the first time on this tape, is not very good. The beat, while better than most shitty mixtapes, is pretty average and I wasn't crazy about Joi's appearance (besides, if K.R.I.T. didn't have a filler, I'd be having some serious thoughts on whether he's even human...and I'm still questioning that with what he's come out with). The Chris Rock sample leads perfectly into the next track, though.
11. Made Alot ft. Big Sant
Fortunately, "Shake It" was only a blip; not a trend. I was thrilled to see K.R.I.T. bring Sant back on, as he and Scott sound amazing together. Sant had me laughing with his "Who the fuck are you, texting me at 1:46 in the evening, meant the morning", obviously a tribute to Biggie's famous "Who the fuck is this, paging me at 5:46 in the morning". In fact, Sant I think actually sounds better than Scott on the beat here, which is really fucking good by the way, but I don't think that's really a knock on K.R.I.T. I'm confident that 8 times out of 10, Scott would best Sant in the lyrical compartment, I just think the beat is better suited for someone with Sant's delivery than K.R.I.T.'s. The message of the song is pretty simple: "Made alot a cheese, people say I changed, but if you thinking that you never knew me from the gate". It's a message worth telling however, since K.R.I.T. is so determined to not let the fame or popularity change who he is.
12. Lions & Lambs
Ehh, wasn't really feeling this one. It's not as bad as "Shake It", but you can tell the momentum K.R.I.T. had earlier in the album has died down considerably (again though, that's to be expected because the pace he was going at is nearly impossible to keep up). A trend I have noticed though, by this point: while this tape sounds clearer and may have more $ put into it than K.R.I.T.'s previous, that doesn't mean it's surpassed it. Not by this track, at least.
13. King's Blues
Loved, loved the beat for this. It's certainly not as memorable as earlier in the album, but it's still very good. The guitar riff sample K.R.I.T. used for this is what really makes it for me and it's also perfect for K.R.I.T. describing his troubles. In fact, this track has some of Scott's better lyrics since "American Rapstar" and he was smart not to put this sandwiched in between "Made Alot" and "Highs and Lows", because it would lose a little bit of credibility in my book (you can't just put one song where you're describing how much you make then go to the next one talking about how "you searched through ya mama's couch for loose change". Just doesn't work). K.R.I.T., as he has done throughout this tape, references his belief in God, "I do with what God gave me", and I will give the guy props for sticking to his guns and having faith, when it's easier than ever to lose it the way things are today. His "a King without a crown" line is also well thought out (what IS a King without a crown?).
14. Time Machine ft. Chamillionaire
It took a few tracks to recharge, but K.R.I.T. brings back his A+ game for this one. The beat is one of the tape's best and I could certainly see this as something Three Six or UGK could use with a little faster pace. Those pictures that K.R.I.T. is so good at painting are back in full force for this song, as he talks about his past experiences that he wishes he could go back and relive. What the real highlight is however, other than this song's production, is Scott's guest. Remember this guy? The same one who had a #1 hit four years ago? (Yeah, it's only been that long). Chamillionaire goes hard in his verse and the last few lines are what really hit home for me.
Throw a prayer up for Japan, I swear the daily news be having me trippin/Everybody that got a cross hanging off they neck is not a Christian/When the police pull you over they'll say you fit the, description/Bun B that's our O.G., R.I.P Pimp C feel like I'm with him/When I'm in my time machine
I think K.R.I.T. knew this one was another gem, which is why he included it later in his tape to make sure that the thing wasn't completely top heavy while leaving the other half as fillers. It kind of functions almost as my relationship with God himself; just when I begin to think he may not be there, you see a sign that he's still looking out for you (as religious as I will ever be on this blog).
15. Get Right
There are two reasons I will never be able to hate on this song. One: the opening just makes me think of Southernplayalisticadillacmusik to a T, and that's one of my favorite hip-hop albums of all time. Second: I own a shirt with K.R.I.T. on it with the title of this song above him (along with his trademark crown logo). So yes, it's not as good as what I just heard or "Dreamin", but fuck, I still love this song anyways. The "Jack the Ripper" line was tight, too. (Can't you just see this shit bumpin in a club in the 90's with the "pimps and gators" and canes there? I can, and that's amazing that someone so young can bring back those images)
16. Amtrak
This is another track that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't really get into. It's got a cool premise, and the train metaphor is sweet, but it may just be a tad too southern for me. I also felt the beat used here is one of the tape's worst, and after hearing "Get Right" which had a beat I was so into, this one doesn't come anywhere near that. It's also placed towards the end of the tape, and by this time, my patience to listen to it the whole way through is waning (and that really goes for any album/tape you listen to, if you're ever gonna take the foot off the gas, it's in about the 6th or 7th track, and then finish really strong to leave a good impression. Still, this might just be a case of the tape being so damn long, because it's not technically in the home stretch yet).
17. Player's Ballad ft. Raheem Devaughn
Not up to the par as previous tracks, but this still has a beat that is able to carry it. Devaughn is also a great choice for the hook and he does well with his duties. I feel that this was made as a tribute to OutKast solely, and I do give Scott props for that. I also am surprised to realize that this is really the first track entirely dedicated to talking to women (which, if you read the Big Sean review, 3/4 of his album was about that one subject). And did he really drop the line "the Black King Cole with the stroll, unforgettable"?? Fuck, I can't find reason to complain when you drop lines like that.
18. Another Naive Individual Glorifying Greed and Encouraging Racism
Krizzle has a lot of guts to address this subject, but I applaud him for it. For one, that's one of the most creative acronyms I've seen since GZA dropped "Criminals Robbing Innocent Motherfuckers Everytime". K.R.I.T. uses his hook to explain how he doesn't want to be perceived as "another nigger" and that he's above that. With everything that K.R.I.T. already has in his work, I don't think there's any reason you would stereotype him that way, but Scott wants to ensure that this isn't the image he gets from everyone else. What's interesting about the track is that Scott describes all of the things that he doesn't want to be seen as. Out of all the tracks on ReturnOf4Eva, this one may be K.R.I.T.'s best written, as every verse addresses a problem the black community has and a trap they seem to fall into, such as not wanting to read, not going to church, or always trying to sell something. K.R.I.T. also produces a less grandiose beat for this, but that's because he wants his lyrics to speak louder than anything. While it may not be a highlight for others, it was for me, and I liked this one just about as much as "They Got Us".
19. Free My Soul
Piano keys seem to be a trend and unfortunately, unless I'm hearing something incredible by this point in the tape, I don't have much time for it being that ReturnOf4Eva runs at 21 tracks and over 70 minutes. The hook is pretty average and this is mostly a song where K.R.I.T. is talking to God. It's more thoughtful than 96% of the songs I rate average, but again, it's just another one that doesn't stick with me after listening to the rest of what K.R.I.T. had to offer (which is kind of a problem, his tracks that don't have as strong a message are the ones I love the most, but the ones that do actually matter for the most part, are forgettable). It is interesting however, the skit that Krizzle includes at the end: "What difference do you think one man can make in all this madness". Is this what K.R.I.T. is trying to be? (From all indications, yes, and he's well on his way to making a difference if he continues the way he's going).
20. The Vent
Again, it amazes me how on point the title describes what content lies within the songs. Yes, this is exactly what K.R.I.T. says it is and he uses it as a soap box to vent the problems he's had and sees in his life. I still wonder who he's speaking to (maybe his mother). He presents some excellent thoughts in this, like "the radio don't play the shit I used to love, or maybe I'm just growing up" (I've had this exact same thought, except I know at this point that this is really the case). I think K.R.I.T. wanted to show his fans and critics his abilities as a writer (which he already has, really) and a rapper with this track, and while it may not fit into the overall feel of the tape, I understand why he wanted to include this on here. It's also a good come down from the rest of Returnof4eva, if you've listened to it the whole way through. That is, of course, until you hear the next track...
21. Country Shit Remix ft. Ludacris & Bun B
OK, OK, so I still liked the original better, but I have to admit, this one's still terrific. Because I've already heard this song before and the beat remains the same, I don't have much else to say on it, except for that I thought Bun B shits on both Scott and Luda. Otherwise, it's a fitting way to end Returnof4eva.
Closing Statement: Man, what more can I say? I usually start out my closing statement by recapping the bad in an album before ending it on a high note and trying to be more optimistic about it as a whole. This presents a dilemma, however, for it's hard to find many faults with this. Does it have a few fillers? Yes. Is it perfect? No, not by any means. The thing that I constantly have to remind myself though is that this is not an album, it's a fucking mixtape. K.R.I.T. released this for free and its astounding at the level of quality on it for being a free project. Because of that, K.R.I.T. deserves even more praise than I've already given him. You just don't hear projects this complete and mature that are released for free anymore (expect Freddie Gibbs' latest may have an argument there; I'll get to his tape later this month). A lot of people asked after this was released whether this was better than K.R.I.T.'s last effort. I think the key difference between the two is consistency. K.R.I.T. Wuz Here is, at least in my opinion, the more consistent tape of the two. Returnof4Eva however, had more tracks that just jumped out at me than K.R.I.T. Wuz Here. The songs that are considered great on Wuz Here cannot hold their own in comparison to the ones that are great on this tape. Returnof4Eva is a more mature tape as well, and it showcases K.R.I.T.'s growth as an artist since K.R.I.T. Wuz Here. If you put them in the ring together, I'd honestly call a draw. The one thing to remember though, is that you aren't putting on a featherweight match. It's more like putting Ali against Frazier. I thought it'd be impossible to follow up my "Mixtape of the Year", but K.R.I.T. not only has done that, he may have just repeated.
The Verdict: Get this shit immediately if you haven't already done so. This would be worth the $15 if it was on the shelves, so it's a sin if you don't take advantage of its tremendous value. Keep up what you're doing Scott, because you already are beginning to lay your mark and become remembered in time.
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