Boldy James teams up with Harry Fraud for his ninth full-length studio record. The Detroit lyricist rose to prominence in the fall of 2013 with his Alchemist-produced debut album M.1.CS (My 1st Chemistry Set) and later signed a brief contract with Nas’ indie label Mass Appeal Records before being locked out up. After returning home, Uncle Al released the ‘Boldface’ EP around Christmas 2019, before releasing his second album ‘The Price of Tea in China’ early last year, helping to put him back on the map. Next up is the Sterling Toles-produced Manger on McNichols, which is equally good, but the Griselda Records-backed Versace Tape EP is a bit of a letdown considering how rushed it is. Bo Jackson emerged as one of the best vocalists, and Super Tecmo Bo was almost as good on an EP despite the verses on IceColdBishop’s “Hot Water Tank.” Produced by Nicholas Craven, Fair Exchange No Robbery became one of his most critically acclaimed works until Penalty of Leadership surpassed it , “Mr. 10-08” produced by Futurewave also ranked high, as did “Across the Tracks” produced by Conductor Williams.
“Pressing My Bunk” is a drum-less opener that promises new shit that will make you daydream about the big stage with your toes curling, while “Rabies” features Benny the Butcher on guitar so they Just rap about the sport of still being stuck in the jungle. “Pillar to Post” takes the trap route, likening this shit to a vicious cycle, feeling exhausted before “Speedy Gonzales” connects some samples and hi-hats to shake the bag in record time
Tee Grizzley joins Boldy on the slick lead single “Cecil Fielder,” and they do some real d-boy shit together before chipmunk soul/trap hybrid “Ronald Bishop” talks about wanting people to stop calling him crazy. Babyface Ray’s “Shrink Wrap” brings a sombre trap vibe to the table, showcasing their grim drug game, while “Shadowboxing” skips over to more soul samples and hi-hats to fight his demons.
“Harvey Grant” near the end of “Brick Dictionary” asks God to forgive him for his sins, the evil in people’s hearts, and backs him up with a lush trap beat, but then “Thugs” gets it right with the Boldy launch In his third classic this year, he lovingly admits to having bad habits and further explains the moral of the story, which is that 227 Monsters are constantly cutting corners.
Like “Penalty of Leadership” and “Across the Tracks,” Boldy James comes to the end of a prolific year for hip-hop with a back-to-back trio of releases that include some of the best music of his entire career. Harry Fraud’s work puts more emphasis on the chipmunk soul of the previous game and adds a touch of trapping, allowing Boldy and his guests to spit out the game from the Brick Dictionary itself.
Rating: 9/10
