Review Summary: "I'm just rotatin' my tires"
Ever since I really started delving into the world of hip-hop, I've always had a sweet-spot for the jazzy, soulful side of it. One of the first hip-hop artists I fell in love with was none other than Kanye West. The College Dropout and Late Registration are still, to this day, two of my favorite modern hip-hop albums. It's not so much the lyrics, or Kanye's flow, or his multiple renowned guest appearances, but the thing that really does it for me in those two albums are the consistently catchy, soulful beats; one thing that Kanye hasn't been able to immitate in an album of his own since then; but has achieved it in other artist's albums, most noteably Common's Be, also a classic in my eyes. This type of production is very evident throughout Big Krit's Return of 4Eva, and is by far the strongest aspect of the album.
Not to say Big Krit's production style is a mere immitation of Kanye's early work. No, Krit definitely has a style of his own; which makes this album a pleasant listen all the way through. Krit creates soulful beats propelled by saxaphone solos, jazzy pianos, and some great guitar samples here and there. He also has a great knack for finding vocal samples that fit his songs perfectly. Most notably in "R4 Theme Song" and "Dreamin". The rhythm side of things definitely do not dissapoint either, with the drums being powerful when they need to be, but also laidback and groovy. Krit knows how to produce an album, he proves that here; but the beats aren't the only thing that make this album great.
Krit is a talented lyricist with an above average flow, and most importantly he has a unique style. Krit is, in many ways, a humble rapper. Many of his songs focus around how he went from being nothing to something, and encourage people to follow their dreams. I know, it isn't the most original lyrical subject, but Krit says it in a way that I actually believe what he's saying. Unlike most rappers, he gives off an innocent vibe. Even in songs where he's talking about banging bitches (doesn't happen very often), or rotating his tires and such, he says it in a way that doesn't make him sound like a complete tool. Krit tells us, "I don't wanna be another nigga." and I believe him when he says it. He's happy with who he's become, but he refrains from showboating more often than not.
One downside of Return of 4Eva, which is a recurring mistake in the world of hip-hop, is the sheer length of this album. The Return of 4EVa consists of 21 tracks with absolutely no interludes, which means there are 21 full songs. Thankfully, I enjoy Krit's music enough to listen to this album in full without much of a struggle, except it's often hard to find the time. Krit has some great potential singles in this album. Whether it's the slow, guitar driven track "Dreamin'" or the extremely catchy "Rotation", this album has plenty of standout moments. There are a few songs I could do without, which is a given in a 21 track hip-hop album, but most of what Krit has to offer here is quality music. He's not the cockiest rapper, he's not the biggest gangster in hip-hop, but he may just be the most humble. It is evident in Return of 4Eva that Krit doesn't just say what he's saying because it sounds cool (well, atleast most of the time), and he definitely is willing to admit when he's wrong. Krit isn't trying to be something he's not, and that may be what I love most about this album.
Recommended tracks:
R4 Theme Song
Dreamin'
Rotation
American Rapstar
Highs & Lows
