This is Detroit emcee Valid’s third full-length solo LP. In 2015 he introduced himself rightly with “Reach High” and then in 2019 he got even more personal with his sophomore effort “Mihajlo” which I would personally recommend to anyone as a The best starting point for anyone who wants to start learning Valid music and eventually become Valid music. A little over a year ago, he formed Bill & Isiah with Stretch Money, putting out a critically acclaimed album, and just 5 months after his debut mixtape, The Bronko Tape, we now have Peach Brandy as the main course.
“Peach Killer” is the album’s classic opener, about letting the universe control his destiny, while “There He Is” is played on piano with more kick and snare drums, calling himself one of those who doubt the most asshole. “1 of a Kind” has a bit of a jazzy flourish so he can talk about the life he’s living unlike anywhere else before “Places” connects to a stately sample and prepares to reinvent the Renaissance city.
Bill and Isiah link up on 9 to 5, skip vocal flips, brag about how they look like they’re selling drugs while their music careers are actually taking off, leading to celebration of ‘May 6th’ talk about his How the Circle isn’t even supposed to succeed and participate in the gangster asshole tradition. “Never Question” ventured into pop-rap territory and explored romantic themes, but “The One Who Decides” brings clues and some of his most captivating storytelling to date.
Boog Brown’s “Plush” exudes a more playful tone aesthetically, encouraging everyone to turn them up, while “Sci-Non-Fi” brings the jazz influence back, acknowledging He felt like he was in a strange place that made him look like he was in space. “Cigareta”, starring Jon Connor and Philmore Greene, is back in style as they smoke cigarettes and reminisce about those who couldn’t be there, while “Stara Škola”, starring BARS, Frenkie, Ghet, LD Pistolero, Random and Struka, features Serbian Identity revealed.
The song “Nirdala” begins with an encore of Peach Brandy and deftly tells the story of everyone chasing money and success in the never-ending battle between good and evil, while the penultimate track “This Day” will tremble The piano mixes with the bass and snare drums, trying to stay upbeat even if his mental state is not good. “Graycious” closes out the record with a bit of a West Coast homage, from the funky instrumental to the Zapp-inspired background vocals that feel right at home.
In case you didn’t know, “Plum Brandy” was everything it took to be a heartfelt EP from Valid Records, showcasing his Serbian roots through plenty of samples from the former Yugoslavia, making it into “Peach Brandy” even a month further than its predecessor. 2020 pre-COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of his Serbian heritage is being re-explored in a larger, more complete way, allowing himself and the producers to do more with the cards dealt than The Bronco Tapes did with Bronco Lubic’s original tribute.
Score: 7/10
