On a day that has already been celebrated as a triumphant return for bars, with new albums from Lloyd Banks, Smoke DZA, Peter Rosenberg, and more -- Papoose has come through with the icing on the cake. Today, the lyricist has come through with May, an eight-track endeavor featuring guest appearances from KXNG Crooked, Billy Danze, Ransom, and 38 Spesh.
Off the bat, Papoose sets a hard-hitting tone with a blistering KXNG Crooked duet, with both emcees laying waste to a simmering guitar-driven instrumental. Though going toe-to-toe with Crook is no easy feat, Papoose is more than capable of holding his own, matching wits with the Slaughterhouse rhymer as equals. Next up is "Brooklyn," which finds Pap teaming up with M.O.P veteran Billy Danze for an aggressive and menacing collaboration that evokes shades of classic New York golden era hip-hop.
The consistency continues throughout, with Pap exploring a few different topics as the album progresses. "My Favorite Gemini" finds him in his sentimental bag, a soulful Blueprint-esque instrumental keeping it comfortably removed from saccharine territory. In keeping with the JAY-Z influence that's lingering throughout, Papoose closes May out with "Dead Presidents 2021," taking to the classic instrumental and living up to its prestigious reputation. All in all an effort well worth checking out -- stream May now, and sound off in the comments below.
