A bit of a step down from 2020’s Angelic Hoodrat, this “supercut” version loses some of the voracity and vitality that appealed to me in its predecessor. Nonetheless, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut delivers on its promise of painting a picture of the struggles of coming up in the trenches; this record provides several Kenny Mason moments that have me excited for the next steps in his career.
Hailing from Atlanta, Kenny has made sure to never pull punches when it comes to discussing his origins and representing his hometown. This is seen in a highlight cut from the record “Pup,” where the hook sees Kenny proclaim “Shawty wanna rock with a n**** from the three, three,” meaning Atlanta’s zone 3. With the way Kenny rides the almost 8-bit crunch sounding beat, the grit in this track is substantial. The rapper’s love for dogs is perhaps no more apparent than on this track as well, with the title along with many of the lyrics referencing canines. I especially love the entrance of the guitar in this track, with the way it kicks in the door over the chorus. My favorite moment on the project comes in the form of “Play Ball,” where compact drum sections clash with hard guitar chords. This cut is both an allusion to playing fetch with dogs and questioning whether an opp is up to Kenny’s standards of living, as he asks “Do you really want to play ball?” The track reminds me of “PTSD,” a cut from his previous record, in that “Play Ball” demonstrates the confidence (and perhaps even cockiness) delivered on this prior song. More hometown shoutouts come with “43,” the starter for the record. The chorus here demonstrates that Kenny doesn’t need to yell to create hype on a track; the winding cadence and perfect timing of the drum kick complete the assignment before Kenny actually begins to yell halfway into his verse, a welcome delivery. Some of the best bars and rhyme schemes on the project are seen on “Rih” (“Thinking we ain’t eating, gotta say, even for KD / That’s a stretch, making it seem like it’s eight feet, but this shit really ain’t deep”). Also, the spine-chilling chorus chant of “Ain’t scared of hell no more, we already here” simultaneously frightens and provokes me. The production here is somewhat bland in consideration with the rest of Kenny’s beat selections, but still does the job. A more fun tone comes with the Denzel Curry-featuring “A+,” a bouncy-rhythm song that is likely the most accessible on the album. Kenny flexes his strength in writing once again with the chorus here, where he reflects on the normalization of quick lifespans in the hood. Denzel Curry’s appearance here is amazing, as is the standard for his features; dipping into several pockets and flows in his verse, Curry references the passing of his close friend XXXTENTACION in building off of Kenny’s lyrical themes. A soulful approach is taken on “Much Money,” where Freddie Gibbs battles Kenny for the best verse on the track. The slightly menacing vocal sample comes from The Mystics’ “I Really Do,” which, when I listen back to the moment that is sampled, has me questioning “Damn, how does a human ear pick up on things like that?” “Titan” and “Breathe Again” bring back some of the more slow-paced, introspective cuts that we received a taste of with tracks like “Handles” and “Pretty Thoughts” on Angelic Hoodrat. Though “Titan” is a good track given Kenny’s lyrics detailing his desire to succeed, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table that these previous tracks hadn’t. The record takes a bit of a turn downhill after this track, as “Breathe Again” comes off messy and demo-ish. In the following “Partments,” Kenny describes his love and support for his friends. Another slower contemplative cut, this is the most I’ve seen that Kenny has dedicated to this sound. Perhaps this has more to do with tracklist sequencing, since the album is already coming off of two more down-tempo songs, but this track never clicked or stuck with me in any way. Similarly, “Fasho” failed to make an impression on me due to lazy songwriting and uneventful production. A saving grace comes with the penultimate song, “4ever.” Oddly, this one reminds me of King Krule’s “Theme for the Cross” due to the ethereal vanishing synths to open up the track and included throughout. Kenny’s drowned out but emotional vocals and the stuttering drum pattern here play well with this, making for what could have been a great emotional closer for the record. The lyrics here describe exactly how much Kenny Mason desires to strive and triumph in rap, singing “I want this shit forever and now.” The awkward “Storm” sadly ends the record on a sour note; some of the more annoying cadences crop up here, especially in the end of Kenny’s verse. The production leaves quite a bit to be desired from this finisher as well, as it’s not a tone that represents or summarizes the sound of the record at all. Despite these shortcomings, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut does occasionally manage to invigorate me in the same way the previous project did. If this album is to be taken as more of a mixtape or B-sides to Angelic Hoodrat, I would understand some of the odd decisions made on this record. All in all, this record contains nearly as many misses as hits. SUMMARY: With slightly worse production and songwriting than his 2020 record, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut only sporadically provides moments that can stand in comparison to his prior album. This project makes the most sense as a group of tracks that were cut from the original work. RiYL: Paris Texas, redveil, Injury Reserve Recommended tracks: “Play Ball,” “Much Money,” “Pup”
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AuthorEnrique Cardenas III Archives
November 2021
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