Review Summary: A swansong for the ages.
King Von is an infamous character in the hip-hop world that was taken tragically (as a lot of drill rappers sadly) from gun violence at the age of 26. Based on stories and hearsay, its honestly shocking that Von even lived that long. He is rumored to have at least 7 murders to his name and possibly even more than that. Being raised in Southside Chicago, Von was brought up around gangs, homicides and drug dealing. He is a product of his environment in every way. You could look at him as a cold blooded killer but his debut album
Welcome to O Block tells the sad stories of a kid that did what he felt he had to do.
The main thing that struck me about this album, and Von in general, is that he is way more lyrically sound than some of his drill counterparts such as Chief Keef or Fredo Santana. The raw story telling of gangbanging and street life are very much at the forefront but the lyrics themselves are thoughtful and bonechilling. Lines such as "never been stingy you can get it too, glock never jammin' aim it and I shoot, I be missin' granny probably pop a xanny" and "I ain't tryna squash no beef nigga, we into it til you die real street nigga" give you a look into Von's mindset. He was a violent person but he was also a human being that had feelings. None of us can imagine losing multiple friends to gun violence or how it would make us react. Let alone having it happen before you're old enough to drive a car. Von's pain is evident in every single word.
The production here is just as good, if not better, than Von's actual rapping. The hard hitting basslines and grimey soundscapes will have you feeling like you're standing on O Block at 2 in the morning about to up a glock 9 on your opposition. Von's gruff yet semi high pitched voice soars over these drilltastic eerie beats that makes the stories he's telling sound more authentic than they already are.
It really is a shame that King Von will never be able to reach his full potential but he left us with a hip-hop classic. The main qualities that I look for personally when trying to judge a rap album is flow/lyrical prowess, overall production and authenticity. King Von checks every box and he does it with ease. His energy is infectious, his delivery is raw and his storytelling is second to none. Von lived every single word that he rapped. And while he is one of the latest in a long line of young fallen rappers taken far before their time, he ultimately left us with one of the realest, most painful and emotionally taxing albums that this genre has ever seen.
