Bo Jackson
Boldy James & The Alchemist - ALC Records
By: Leafy Loveboat
Boldy James has had a meteoric resurgence into the spotlight. Hardcore fans may be familiar with his breakout album, and first collaborative effort with Alchemist, My First Chemistry Set which featured the recently signed Griselda Records artist in rare form and garnered well-deserved praise for both James and Alchemist. Now entering the duo’s 4th collaborative effort, we’re shown the two haven’t missed a step.
The album opens with a harrowing instrumental. Skeletal keys echo and dance about as Boldy finds his flow and reinforces it as the drums kick in. Just as you begin nodding your head the beat begins to fade out as we hear a voicemail from someone presumed to be family of Boldy or a close acquaintance alerting him that his mother’s crib has been raided, a grim but much-needed reminder that Boldy’s presence in the rap game hasn’t reduced his time in the streets. The instrumental switches, descending into a hard-hitting, face-scrunching, distorted violin-ridden masterpiece with Boldy laying down an effortless-sounding verse. This intro song sets the tone for the album, riddled with nutty rhyme schemes, exquisite wordplay and instrumentals that act as a complimentary backdrop to the stories of crime, betrayal and success James weaves throughout this project. Some standout tracks include Flight Risk and Speed Trap that feature Boldy utilizing his unique voice and off-kilter flows to lure the listener into his world and really grasp the grim reality of the pictures he paints. The features on here were all fitting and featured standout verses from Benny the Butcher on Brickmile To Montana and Freddie Gibbs on Fake Flowers.
Bo Jackson rivals Real Bad Boldy, James’ collaborative effort with producer Real Bad Man, as one of James’ best albums. The lyrical content, instrumental choice, feature placement and artistic direction are akin to those of a master. Boldy and Alc have found a perfect marriage merging their skillsets and meticulously crafting what can very well be considered a timeless album down the line.
Closing Remarks: Bo Jackson is one hell of an album to release just over a year into James’ signing with Griselda Records. This project bolsters excitement for Boldy’s future Griselda debut and hopefully some other surprises along the way. Boldy and Alc both have seemed to catch a second wind and seem intent on getting the most of their respective creative renaissances.
“Ain’t no such thing as self-proclaimed real niggas.”
Favorite Song: Steel Wool
Favorite Verse: Double Hockey Sticks (Verse 2)
Favorite Beat: Photographic Memories (Alchemist)
Favorite Feature: Benny the Butcher (Brickmile To Montana)
Rating - 5