Rapper Big K.R.I.T. dropped a compelling and unapologetically southern double album that might just walk away as the best album to emerge this fall season.
Big K.R.I.T. hails from Meridian, Miss., and has bubbled under the radar of radio waves with albums masquerading as mixtapes. The self-produced artist was featured on the 2011 XXL Top Freshmen of the year list alongside other hip-hop juggernauts like Meek Mill, Mac Miller and Kendrick Lamar. After delivering Live from the Underground and Cadillactica while signed under Def Jam records, K.R.I.T. carved out a place in rap’s totem as an icon of modern southern rap.
Fans of legendary acts like UGK, Outkast and Scarface in need of a southern-style rap dish will feast on the 22 track, 84 minute long album buffet dubbed 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time.
Much has changed in the rap scene since 2011, but for someone as unique and humble as K.R.I.T., he has stayed true to his deep-fried roots with his latest work, the result of a skilled artist who has such an affluent understanding of his style.
All of the expected cues from a K.R.I.T. album are present, and so are its themes. From imagery of a sub so powerful and earth-shattering that it comes to life to a long identified respect for hard work, much of the already explored topics are revisited. Fans of K.R.I.T. will grin when listening to “My Sub Pt 3 (Big Bang)” in comparison to “Subenstein (My Sub IV)” with lyrics like, “They sayin’ bass died/ my sub came alive.” Every track features a slew of analogies and metaphors that keeps the listeners invested.
Every facet of 4eva is clearly made to complement K.R.I.T.’s style. From its slew of electric guitars, vinyl scratching and overall southern-twang, the album proudly stands atop the shoulders of its ‘90s predecessors.
Notable tracks like “Layup,” “Justin Scott” and “Miss Georgia” do a fantastic job of shifting the pace into a slower, yet beautiful array of slow-jam music. The flexibility of K.R.I.T.’s vernacular propels the entire work into a stratosphere of lyricism that rap has rarely reached since SoundCloud rappers shifted the scene into its current Trap status.
Big K.R.I.T pushes most of the album on his own, but he does utilize a few noteworthy features to add another layer to some of the tracks. The best feature of the album belongs to T.I.’s verse on “Big Bank,” with an interesting usage of the triplet style rapping similar to a furry of punches from a world-class boxer. However, CeeLo Green’s feature on “Get Up 2 Come Down” comes off a bit comical since I personally have a difficult time taking him seriously, with lyrics like, “I done some real things/ family full of fiends.” As for the album's three skits, they do well in providing comical breaths between tracks.
Listeners with either an extensive discography of rap or none at all will find something to enjoy out of Big K.R.I.T.’s latest work. This album will be enjoyed by anyone willing to explore southern rap — preferably at loud volumes.
Grade: A
