A real conversation I had with my roommates earlier:
"What'd you think of that new DaBaby?"
It's solid.
"What?! That shit was trash. You trippin if you think that shit was good."
Solid doesn't mean it was good. Solid means it just kinda exists.
Channeling the cringe of WRIT-150, Merriam-Webster defines solid as "sound but without any special qualities or flair". Again, Kirk is solid.
Perhaps due to his claims that Kirk would be this generation's Carter III, everyone expected excellence, but DaBaby delivered what he always has—a patented flow over head-bobbing production and bars that go slightly past surface level.
As someone who has never been the biggest DaBaby fan, aside from his verse on Revenge of the Dreamers III, it's been interesting to watch the public hop from calling him the best new artist out to comparing his songs to cartoon background music.
Personally, I always viewed DaBaby's success to that of 21 Savage years prior. When certain artists authentically rap threats the general public tends to treat them like the one person at the party who everyone knows has a gun. Every joke gets a laugh, no one questions the tank top/Levis combination and they're the one person that never gets bumped .
That's the protection DaBaby has been operating under for the past year, but it's starting to wear off.
Despite his lyricism being as convincing as ever, his trademarked flow isn't hitting the same multiple projects in. And he knows it, as he raps "'Aye when you gon switch the flow?' I thought you'd never ask" on "Bop". But just as self aware of his shortcomings DaBaby may be, he doesn't seem to be developed enough to actually address them, evidenced by him ironically, and somewhat hilariously, not switching the flow up after rapping those lines.
The criticism of each song sounding the same simply isn't true; three of the twelve songs sound different from the others(four if you count the cheat code "THERE HE GO"). Going back to the 21 Savage comparison, much like the UK rapper earlier in his career, DaBaby's potential shines brightest when he steps outside of his monotone, yet aggressive box.
Tracks like "INTRO" "iPhone" and "GOSPEL" standout the most simply because DaBaby switches it up. The results speak for themself, as "iPhone" is on its way to hit status, and "INTRO" and "Gospel" gets DaBaby to deliver some of the most personal verses of his career.
Other notable elements of the project are DaBaby's hook on "Toes"(a song that would have likely gained traction a few months ago) and a standout feature from Kevin Gates on "POP STAR".
At 130-150k projected units sold first week without a major single or bundle package, DaBaby's star power is undeniable. However, that power could start to dwindle if the Charlotte rapper refuses to step out of the box that helped him blow. Kirk shows signs of him being able to make a leap, but those glimmers of potential provide the little flair of the latest DaBaby project.
Score: Solid/10
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