Bo Jackson (studio album) by Boldy James & The Alchemist

From Mercury 10/14/2021 20:14

As I always mention when writing little comments on hip hop albums, I feel like I lack the words, sub-genre understandings, context and history to really express what this album is or what it sounds like. But, interestingly, this can be a blessing because I can just say "Fuck it" and simply express my thoughts on how the music makes me feel with more amorphous freedom when I can't lean on genre tags and similar artists/releases like bowed and strained secondhand crutches.

I am starting to see that I am a fan of The Alchemist. As one of the most productive and noteworthy producers in modern hip hop, his name has been attached to half a dozen albums I have enjoyed these last few years. He has a style, and when I think of what that style generally is, I think of floating, chill, gorgeously repetitive beats that put me in a relaxed and comfortable state-of-mind. This album features many such beats. On tracks like "Double Hockey Sticks", "Turpentine", "Steel Wool", "Photographic Memories", "Diamond Dallas", and "3rd Person" it blows me away how effective the sounds are at putting me at ease while still maintaining an, at times, slightly menacing and eerie vibe as well. The rappers seem to be picking up on the same power of the beats, as the rappers I have heard spit over these beats consistently sound so comfortable. That is the case here with Boldy James and the features on Bo Jackson. I won't say every beat here puts me into this Zen state-of-mind - sometimes the beats are a little underwhelming and don't scratch the itch and don't seem fully fleshed out. But the hit rate is still impressively high here.

Boldy James I have some familiarity with, mostly from multiple listens to the awesome Manger on McNichols album last year. I love his drawling, relaxed delivery. Again, bear in mind my limited experience with hip hop in recent years when I make this comparison, but his style is somewhat similar to Freddie Gibbs. Freddie has a more incisive sound, but a similar deep and relaxed and unrushed delivery. Just like with The Alchemist's album with Freddie, the union of Boldy with the Alchemist works really well. Sometimes I wish there was a bit more of a juxtaposition between the rapping and the production, as when the beats are chill, sometimes eerie and unhurried AND the rapping is the same, it can feel somewhat sleepy and uninteresting. That is perhaps why I adore Haram but only really REALLY like Bo Jackson. With Haram, The Alchemist beats mixed gorgeously with the acidic and raging lyricism and delivery of Armand Hammer and it was that juxtaposition that made that album so fascinating all the way through. Bo Jackson, though, has pockets of perfection mixed with a stretches that lose me. I feel like Manger On McNichols was a better and more cohesive and interesting album. Still, the combination of this album and Boldy's Manger has made me somewhat a fan of Boldy James and I look forward to checking out his earlier stuff and what he has still to come.

Overall, well, this is beautiful and I really like it. I think it deserves and will get several more listens. And maybe after a few more listens and with these beats having more time to worm into my mind, this will become a favorite of mine. For now it's not a favorite but is one of the better hip hop albums I've heard this year.

From LebowskiRams 08/16/2021 18:14

They just. Can't. Miss.

Relentlessly agonizing look in the mirror of a mans demons-- starkly directed by the best in the game. Boldy go together like cocaine and baking powder. Mix it all up, and it hits you hard, grim, and recklessly. AOTY contender in the hiphop/rap arena no doubt, but can it stand up to Haram's peaks and valley hellscapes?