Father is probably the best rapper that you’ve never heard of. Or maybe you are familiar with his breakout single from 2014 called “Look at Wrist” featuring rising OVO Sounds star iLoveMakkonen. A pharmaceutical student turned college drop out, Father left traditional education for art school in his early 20s. Through his involvement in the Atlanta underground alternative rap scene, Father began building his own independent collective and recording label Awful Records. Prior to the release of “Look at Wrist,” Father had several EPs under his belt with collaborations with his peers Archibald Slim, KeithCharles Spacebar, and Slug Christ. He has worked with prominent artists before they became known in the mainstream such as Tommy Genesis, ABRA, and even Playboi Carti. After the release of “Look at Wrist” Father has put out a solid stream of albums including his debut project Young Hot Ebony (2014), Who’s Gonna Get Fucked First (2015), I’m a Piece of Shit (2016), and Awful Swim (2018). Over time, Father has become known for the sexually charged, drugged out, and ironic nature of his discography. His most recent release Come Outside We Not Gone Jump You sees Father tackle his signature subject matter with a new sound. Instead of leaning more into the heavy bass and synths of true Atlanta trap as he has done for most of his career, Father indulges fully in what some have called “Trap R&B.” Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You, in contrast to what the title might suggest, is Father’s most welcoming project yet.
Consisting of nine songs and only being 22 minutes in length, Father has the perfect balance of sultry slow jams and bass boosted bangers with each one being more addictive than the last. The first track “9 Lives” pulls the listener right into the project with little hesitation. After twelve seconds of lead in, the beat drops and Father hits the ground running with his fast paced flow and range of vocal inflections. Using the common myth about cats having nine lives as a simile for all the bodies he has, the song is more aggressive in tone and rhythm but far from abrasive. The high energy yet subdued nature of “9 Lives” leads effortlessly into the second track “Risotto.” Here, the energy is still high but the tone goes from aggressive to dreamy. With the aid of Father leaning heavily into his singing and a piano melody comparable to a lullaby, “Risotto” is a prime example of the concept of “Trap R&B” in practice. The track details the crime spree of Father and his “crew of rag tag niggas” who will steal your jewels and your bitch with .38 caliber pistols on their hips. The irony of the production versus the content of the track is one of the many novelties about Father’s music that never fails to impress. The clever belligerence of “Risotto” culminates in what may be my favorite lyric on the album: “Shake yo ass damn/ Like I’m the last man/ Like I’m the last nigga on earth and I’m your last fan.” (Get it? Last fan? Only fan? ;))
Another track on Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You that mashes up trap lyrics with an R&B sound is the slow and meditative song “Fist of the North Star.” This song is indicative of Father’s progressive experimentation with singing on his tracks. He moderately utilizes a sung chorus on the song “Lanes” from his second album. In 2019, Father committed much harder to a sung melody on the track “Iceman” from his EP “Hu$band.” “Fist of the North Star” marks the first time Father did not rap on a track at all. He can carry a tune fairly well and with the addition of a little bit of autotune, the result is something unconventional for him, yet grounded in familiarity. Although the mood of “Fist of the North Star” is very stripped down and emotive, the lyrics are just as explicit as any other Father song with talk of guns, sex, money and drugs. No matter how NSFW the lyrics may be, the melody is so smooth that you won’t be able to help but sing along. Be careful before someone hears you harmonize about wanting to start a turf war.
Two more stand out songs on the album are “Spell Book” and “Backbreaker.” “Spell Book” is a seductive song filled to the brim with references to magic and the divine. Always one to go against the grain, Father depicts himself as a Black magic practitioner who can, with a simple flip of his spellbook, some hexes, a bit of magic, and a love spell or two, manifest a drop top car, the woman of his dreams, and wealth beyond his wildest dreams. The mystical aspect of the track revolves heavily around his lover, leading one to think that he too is perhaps under a trance. “Backbreaker” appears two tracks later. Coming in at one minute and thirty two seconds, it is the shortest song on the album. However, Father is no stranger to short but sweet tracks. The booming bass is complimented nicely by a staccato guitar melody that sounds like if the Spanish guitarist from Cheetah Girls 2 and Metro Boomin had a baby. Because it is so short, “Backbreaker” is very straightforward lyrically. This leaves room for the production and Father’s quick rhythmic flow to shine. There is an effortlessness to “Backbreaker” that makes it easy to listen to over and over again without getting tired of it. It is one of those songs that you wish was longer. Sometimes, less is more. This is something Father knows very well and uses to his advantage time and time again throughout his discography. “Backbreaker” is no different.
Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You is undoubtedly one of the most fun albums of the year. Father’s music is entertaining but not mind numbing. There is a lot of artistry behind his work that some try to downplay due to it’s wildy explicit content. Just because Father does not take himself too seriously does not mean that there is not merit to the music he creates. On this album, just like all of the ones that came before, Father is expanding the scope of Atlanta trap to encompass different styles and aesthetics that are not seen often within the genre. Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You is a must listen for all the sensitive thugs out there. Even if you’re neither of those things, there is still so much to enjoy about Father’s newest album. Perhaps this will be the project that will finally lead rap fans to give his flowers. They are well overdue.
Favorite tracks
Backbreaker
Spellbook
Risotto
Rating: 8
Listen to Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You here:
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