12/13/18
5:03 PM
The East Atlanta playboy,
DiCaprio 2 is arguably one of the top albums in the hip-hop genre within this year and catches the listener by surprise with furious bars and ludicrous flows.
J.I.D.— the young Dreamville artist, honorary EARTHGANG member, and 2018 XXL Freshman— unleashes his raw talent and near unmatched skill for wordplay as he taps into the realm of lyrical madness and hip-hop lunacy. It’s pretty crazy, as you start listening to the Atlanta-raised rapper’s second studio work, you begin to think and question, “Who…? When…? Huh…?” and by the end of the first few tracks, those thoughts begin shifting to “Yup, this is it.”
I’d already recognized J.I.D.’s aptitude for his offset rhythms as well as his serious/impish punchlines from previous records, but DiCaprio 2 borders somewhere between cold flame to str8 inferno as the veteran freshman takes it a notch hotter. Within the storms of swift bars and witty quips, J.I.D. successfully delivers a delicacy for the ears with flows and content,
Intimate, infinite rhymes, give me the baton
A ticking, ticking time bomb, takin’ the finish line
J.I.D.’s usage of sounds and rhymes within words give his rapping an additional layer of speed that add to his readily agile delivery. His mastery of utilizing alliterations and assonance injects the funk into his lines even if the subject matter is deliberate (or not). From bangers like “Slick Talk” and “Off Deez,” the energy of this album is balanced by tracks that encompass more solemn and genuine aspects of J.I.D.’s life like his adolescent struggles, rise to fame, and the roots of where he came from.
DiCaprio 2 is definitely not lacking in the A&R department either, with features from hip-hop titans like DJ Drama, Method Man, A$AP Ferg, Joey Bada$$, and Dreamville’s own J. Cole to mention a few, J.I.D. shows a lot of promise to have such renowned acts in his record and also hold his own against the best of them. J.I.D’s rap gestures and flows remind the listener of Carter III Lil’ Wayne crossed with M.A.A.D City Kendrick, making a statement that he’s no longer content with working hard without impact. J.I.D. takes a bow as he flashes his Oscar for DiCaprio 2, closing out the year for hip-hop with the freshest breath of air.
Listen to the album below: