The Mississippi M.C. Returns With 19 Tracks

Last week, Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T released K.R.I.T Iz Here, his newest album since 2017’s 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time, which was independently released off his own label Multi Alumni. The title serves as a reference to his 2010 mixtape K.R.I.T Wuz Here, reminding listeners that despite his relatively underground following, he still remains an important figure in hip-hop today. Over the past year, K.R.I.T has released various EP’s and singles that led many to begin anticipating a new album, and fan’s hopes came true in June when K.R.I.T took to Instagram to announce his newest album coming the next month.

K.R.I.T is very rarely given the attention he deserves, but following the release of 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time, many music publications praised the album’s unique synthesis of jazz, soul, gospel and hip-hop, in addition to its masterful use of electronic elements and storytelling. The album remains a hidden gem of 2017, full of harmonious and melodic soul-trap songs that do well to show how far K.R.I.T (né Justin Scott) has come. Gone are the days of gracing the cover of 2011’s XXL class alongside artists like Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar, and Meek Mill; Today K.R.I.T exists as his own artist. Many hip-hop fans (myself included) have been keeping K.R.I.T’s 2017 effort in rotation all these months later, and K.R.I.T Iz Here finally arriving is sure to add some new tracks into the mix.

4eva Is A Mighty Long Time, an album by Big K.R.I.T. on Spotify

K.R.I.T Iz Here sits at just under an hour long, and although it isn’t a double-album like Scott’s 2017 record, the album boasts 19 mostly-new tracks. Though songs like “Energy” and “Learned From Texas” were released over the past year, both appear on the album in addition to the record’s two leading singles “Addiction” featuring Lil Wayne and Saweetie, and “K.R.I.T Here”. Altogether K.R.I.T Iz Here’s 19 tracks carry a significant departure away from Scott’s 2017 sound. K.R.I.T Iz Here strays slightly away from the gospel and trap inspired tracks, instead favoring an aural register that aligns much more closely with triumph, victory, and nostalgia. The single “K.R.I.T Here” leads the album in a victorious flurry of soul samples, horns and percussion where he makes the user fully aware of the present: K.R.I.T is here right now. His lyrics simultaneously respect the past and his journey while looking forward in an optimistic and energetic performance.

Scott acknowledges the wait that he has experienced in the music industry on the next two tracks, and on “I Been Waitin” K.R.I.T reaps the benefits of his patience. Obscure string instrument samples and trap percussion dominate this track where K.R.I.T details how he had “..been waiting just to talk that shit”. Scott’s journey and wait in the music industry in many ways mirrors his fan’s waiting for new content, and now that K.R.I.T has arrived, it makes sense that both parties are happy. Feelings of overjoyed euphoria are seen in the next track “Make It Easy” where an old Burt Bacharach string and chorus sample softly sways in the background while K.R.I.T reflects on his life over a punchy drum track.

The following song “Addiction” is a notable moment on the album where we receive performances from Saweetie and Lil Wayne. Sweetie seductively says “Dive in, this shit feel like water” on the chorus, and K.R.I.T and Wayne both rap about the affordances of fame and money. There is a dualism in the song’s theme as addictive things like fame and substances come with both their moments of victory and loss. The track features some ominous vocals in the background with a drum track and an infectiously bouncy bass-line. “Energy” and “Obvious” featuring Rico Love are where we see the album take a more tender turn inwards. Now that K.R.I.T is on top socially and economically, his pursuits exist largely within the romantic realm, and both songs are catchy and unique to the point where they resonate with the listener well without being too shallow or basic.

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There are many moments on this album that stand out, but unfortunately the tail-end of the album fails to stay consistent with the first half. Though tracks like “Prove It” featuring J. Cole contain thought provoking bars that both offer external views of the life that both K.R.I.T and Cole live, while also containing elements of introspection, the album fails to consistently provide beats or instrumentals that pair well with K.R.I.T’s rapping abilities. “High Beams” doesn’t really even sound like Big K.R.I.T song, as the guitar that plagues the track is more frequently perceived as annoying and distracting than beneficial to the track. “Life In The Sun” sounds like it should be on the tail end of a Zacari or Tory Lanez album, and K.R.I.T’s rapping is wasted on such a bland piano-stricken beat.

It is because of these tracks that is so bizarre to hear tracks like “Blue Flame Ballet”, “Outer Space”, or “M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I” placed in-between them. ‘Blue Flame Ballet’ carries a Thundercat-level amount of infectious and dense funk, “Outer Space” carries a unique Rhodes-esque piano track with really intense drums that could have made this a cut off of Cadillactica, and the record’s closing track ‘M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I’ is an introspective anthem into K.R.I.T’s inner monologue, where the listener can hear clear and apparent influences of Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, Andre 3000, and UGK. These tracks are high-caliber, exactly what one would expect from a rapper like K.R.I.T, but it is hard to enjoy them when they are sandwiched in-between tracks that frankly sound unfinished.

With that being said, it is worth noting that despite this hiccup, the album still stands just as solid as any other album in the K.R.I.T discography. Once again Scott has been able to stick to his skillset while also venturing out into new themes, ideas, and sounds. While 2017’s emotional register and aural theme felt much more fleshed out and unique, K.R.I.T Iz Here has a little bit of something for everyone even if you’re not a fan of triumphant and energetic tracks that are laden with soul samples and trap drums. Hopefully this will be the album that pushes K.R.I.T into receiving the mainstream attention he’s deserved since 2010.