Rich Forever 4 is everything that is was supposed to be. We know the collective at this point pretty well at this point. Rich the Kid is coming off of a successful solo project, and Famous Dex and Jay Critch have gained consistent followings on their own. Now the three come together with some newer faces for the latest installment in their Rich Forever series. This time they are joined by a few new voices that are set to help take the collective into the future. 83 Babies, Young Bino, and Airi are very present on this tape and look to help elevate Rich Forever 4.

Most projects like this frequently benefit from the lack of hype around them. If there are a few bangers it’s seen as a success and if it is a flop no one really talks about it. They are trying to make enough noise off a few songs not to fade into obscurity. Rich Forever 4 manages to accomplish that goal. The first 5 songs all hit with “Drip Layer” and “Party Bus” being the main standouts. “Drip Layer” is also our first time hearing 83 babies on the project and they sound vicious on this cut. Settitoff83 has possibly the best chorus on the entire mixtape, and Lil Tony and Yung Boss Tevo carry their weight just fine, each with a very solid verse.

After the young guns do their thing it's time for the vets to take their place. On the next track “Party Bus” Dex, Rich, and Jay Critch show that they still know what it takes to make a trap banger. What allows this track along with many others to really be pushed over the top is the excellent beat selection on this project. Everyone in the Rich Forever collective seems to be very aware of what type of beat they all sound best over, and Rich Forever 4 has a surplus of those sounds. The bass is always booming and when the right instrumentation is included it makes for a song anyone can dance to

This is not a perfect album by any stretch of the imagination. This could have been a stellar very fun 5 track EP if the tape stopped after “Broke as S**t”. Which has one of the best beats on the entire mixtape, and has some very uplifting positive bars from Rich and Jay Critch talking about their come up. Until this point, the beats are still bouncy and the bass hits every time. The lines about money and success are still charming and compelling. The problem eventually becomes the lack of variety presented to us as listeners. This is no better than any of the other Rich Forever projects.

That being said, that doesn't mean it is worse, there is just no real improvement from any of the members. This circles back to the importance of the three new artists introduced on Rich Forever 4. While they don't add anything in terms of subject matter, it is nice to hear different voices and flows on the second half of the project. There are moments when it picks back up and even gets a little experimental with a song like “Tell Me”. Not the best attempt at a pop song but it is very encouraging to see young rappers like those in 83 Babies try something so far out of their comfort zone. This is the moment where Airi really gets to shine on the project and she shows a lot of the potential she has as a solo act.

Rich Forever 4 wasn't a surprise nor a disappointment, more so just a collection of songs from a collective that is beginning to find their footing. With all of the pieces they have, the label now really has the potential to take off. Whether it’s one of the older guys or some of the newer additions, someone in Rich Forever has to blow up. The most interesting may be the person who contributed the least to Rich Forever 4. Airi beautiful R&B voice may give her a lot more potential to create mainstream hits than some of the other in their group. She will unlock a sound that could really add an essential layer to all of their music. This feels more like an introduction into what could potentially be the next steps in this groups evolution than a mixtape trying to be great.

FAVORITE TRACKS:

Drip Layer (Feat. 83 Babies)

Party Bus

Broke as Shit

Rating: 5

Listen to Rich Forever 4 here:

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