Review Summary: TDE rapper Ab-Soul goes to war on mighty 2016 LP, 'Do What Thou Wilt'
With Aleister Crowley shout-out's, occult imagery, and angular, challenging wordplay, 'Do What Thou Wilt' proves not only to be one of Ab-Soul's top releases, but evidence as to how the quality of influences affect the outcome of a project. The coolest in-song music reference since Pusha T name-checked Zack de la Rocha arrives with track 9's "Portishead in the Morning", dragging any listeners far from the notion he'd ever parody fellow TDE rapper Kendrick Lamar's poetic gangster aura, or Schoolboy Q's more bravado-laden lane--Ab-Soul's in a lane completely his own.
The lyricism here rivals that of Kendrick, with an odder, more agressive delivery--he seems to be lyrically fighting his way out of Kendrick and Schoolboy's shadow; it's mighty fun to witness this pugilist at work. There is plenty here to shake this underrated status: the anthemic call to "throw that wack shit up in the trashcan!" from opener "RAW (Backwards)" provides an appropiate mission statement for today, where lyrical prowess isn't hip hop's top priority. "Braille" and "D.R.U.G.S" remain catchy without making the art suffer; the verses are powerful, and none live or die by the hook. It's a formidable formula that's produced hip hop classics before, and keeps the listener interested and engaged for the entirety of the 16 tracks.
"God's a Girl?" Maybe. And, hip hop's savior just may hail from Carson, CA.
