Review Summary: Kodak Black shows that he needs some improvement if he ever wants a spot at the top.
Kodak Black is far from being a household name. When thinking of Kodak Black, his name surely doesn't fall into the same category as bigger rappers like Kendrick Lamar or Drake does. The Florida rapper, despite a few hits like Skrt and No Flockin, has not made a huge mark on the industry yet. That still doesn't stop the newly inducted XXL freshman from saying that he is “….better than Tupac and Biggie” in his XXL interview. This, in some aspects can be true considering the changing state of Hip-hop. Since Tupac and Biggie are renowned for their realistic and introspective stories along with fantastic lyrical ability, Kodak could have the upper hand on the less lyrical, party oriented and drug induced aspect of the genre. With that being said, this is hardly proven in Kodak Black's latest mixtape, Lil Big Pac.
In Lil Big Pac's 41 minute run-time, Kodak Black does very little in the ways of persuading listeners that he is indeed a top contender in the rap game. Though his sound consists of the acclaimed southern trap flavored 808s and high hats that is prominent in Florida rappers, Kodak doesn't do much to enrich it, sonically. Out of the 13 tracks on the mixtape, very few actually pass being middle-of the road or boring. Track after track of this mixtape features lackadaisical, mumble-esque verses from Kodak as he talks about his lifestyle in terms of street affiliation, drug use, his struggles, and his new found fame. In terms of delivery, Kodak's sluggish singing combined with monotonous flows make some tracks barely listenable. In fact, a multitude of the verses do nothing more than fill in space between the hooks. The hooks themselves can be anywhere from on par to sub-par, which makes a portion of the inconsistencies on this tape.
Another inconsistency is Kodak's failure to match the performance of his features. Of the three features on the mixtape, he is overshadowed by all of them. Gucci Mane and Boozie Badazz' verses on their respective tracks almost fully eclipse those of Kodak's, leaving him sounding like the featured artist. Furthermore, PnB's feature serves as the only saving grace of the song he appears on.
These noticeable flaws are what minimize the tapes highlights. The exuberant and crisp production along with the few catchy hooks and good verses are all engulfed in this maw of mediocrity that is Lil Big Pac. With this mixtape bringing nothing new or long-lasting to the table, Kodak Black's remark cited earlier is no more than an overzealous statement from an artist who lacks quality performance and song-writing skills.
