Album Review: Big K.R.I.T. - 'Cadillactica' - RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture

“I take you through the life, from the beginning of life, being young and rambunctious in life, getting to that point in life when you start remembering what being young was like and wanting that back. Then getting to that point where you’re like I’m not young anymore, I need to accept that and start tyrna find what’s my purpose now, going from there to finding your purpose and becoming content with what you’ve done,” is how Big K.R.I.T. described his second album Cadillactica in an interview with Elliott Wilson. Needless to say the 17-track is nothing of the rapper’s description. Each cut has the ability to transport listeners to one or more of those stages, even more so when heard collectively. With that being said, Cadillactica does not fully embody K.R.I.T.’s sample-driven self-produced sound, however longtime fans won’t appreciate it any less because even though those things may be missing on some tracks, K.R.I.T. and his lyrical wonderments aren’t.

Although Cadillactica doesn’t follow the stages outlined above in a direct sense, the first one does. It takes you to the beginning of Cadillactica.

Just by seeing its name one might think that “Kreation (Intro)” is about the creation of Cadillactica, but the 3 minute and 20 second track is about much more. It’s about the creation of life and the happiness and doubt that goes along with it. Doubts about themselves and the world this life would be born into. K.R.I.T. uses the hook to describe describes the need for him and his to be perfect for this life by saying:

“Let’s just take our time/Pretend like we started this/Pretend like we are creation/Pretend like it’s all on us to be perfect/How about, let’s just be perfect/And let us not pretend that we ain’t made in God’s images/Let’s make good on these promises and be perfect/How about let’s be perfect,” Shortly after K.R.I.T. shows that love for this life will be easier to grasp than perfection with these words, “You are the ocean, I am a mountain/When a piece of me falls off in you there’s no way of countin’/The days and times another you and me will arrive/But watch it grow to reach the sky/Emoted to be like you and I/I hope it has your glowing eyes/The light, the dark, I won’t refuse it love/Instead I’ll give it heart/Probably the same color as Mars.”

It would be easy to assume that “Life,” the album’s second track has to do with the life that was just created but it isn’t, at least not directly. The track serves as a bridge between trying to finding a purpose in life to finding a purpose and being content with it quite well. K.R.I.T. chronicles feelings of despair, doubt and deceit on this one. But he also let’s us where all that strife has gotten him on the hook.

“My Sub Part 3 (Big Bang)” brings listeners to the stage of being young and rambunctious in life, while at the same time time showcasing how and why his approach to rap came to be. The track has that blast in your car element with its catchy hook, but the way K.R.I.T describes his own music evolution gives even more reason for max volume. Once again K.R.I.T. shows how his ride has helped music shine.

K.R.I.T. shows even more love to his ride on the title track “Cadillactica.” He’s spitting about how dope his car is but his play on words may be even doper. He ends the high energy track with a skit that references how fast food and fast living can be harmful to the body and the soul.

“Soul Food” featuring Raphael Sadiq elaborates on this thought and takes us to the stage of wanting to be young again. Clocking in at around four minutes “Soul Food” doesn’t only question where soul food has gone, it also poses the same question about the soulful.

On the first verse K.R.I.T. reminisces about his younger days when he lived with grandmother, his track ambitions and the feeling of oblivion that comes with childhood innocence. Food itself becomes a prominent allegory in verse two to describe how our outlooks on life and love have changed.

“Some greens just can’t be cleaned and you can’t wash out the taste/Of rotten fruits/Salted looks and herbs/If it ain’t made with love then it ain’t fit to serve, I heard/Some get bruised and battered/Thrown away half eaten as if their seeds never ever mattered/It ain’t ripe, it ain’t right,” spits K.R.I.T. in regards to what relations seem like nowadays. Directly after that he asks, “What happened to the stay-togethers?/Die with you, and that means forever,” Surely a question pondered by many.

“Pay Attention” featuring Rico Love gives us at least one answer to that question–being overlooked. Being overlooked in love may not be the only focus of “Pay Attention” though. The track may be alluding to K.R.I.T being overlooked in the rap game and how’s that’s quickly changing.

K.R.I.T. follows “Pay Attention” with “King Of The South” were he further asserts his role in the game, especially in the South where Mississippi sits.

“Mind Control” featuring E-40 and Wiz Khalifa finds the three rappers spitting about wooing woman. The hook will likely be stuck in your head, befitting right?

“Stand By (Interlude)” featuring Kenneth Whalum (III) tells the story of a woman woman who had no one to stand by her and ended up in a life of manipulation. “Stand By” reminds us of one important thing, “even the strong need someone to rely on.”

On “Do You Love Me For Real” featuring Mara Hruby brings back the soul feel in embraced in “Soul Food” and zeros back in on K.R.I.T.’s love for his ride. Having his lady on lady on the track shows that its about more than personification.

The fact that “Third Eye” follows it further solidifies that idea. The bass of the beat mimics the sound of a heartbeat and K.R.I.T.’s first words on the track are “My two eyes saw your third eye from across the room, I can see your soul babe, I think you’re my soul mate,” He goes on to rap about feeling so connected to someone he barely knows, and not feeling weary at all. You can decide which stage this song aligns with, because it might be all of them.

“Mo Better Cool” featuring Bun B, Devin The Dude and Big Saint focuses on what things change with status and what things don’t. “Mo Better Cool” is on Cadillactica to show that having more and being better doesn’t always lead to happiness.

“Angels” is a song about contemplation and being deep in thought. Hence the hook, “I think angels get high/Cause I can’t describe all these clouds in the sky/I think God must have cried/Cause I can’t describe all this rain in my life/I think angels get high.”

Because if they can reach clarity amongst all this clutter they must be on to something.

“Saturdays = Celebrations” featuring Jamie N Commons definitely has to to do with being content with what you’ve done since K.R.I.T, takes on the subject of death. “Saturdays=Celebrations” is the way track two start. K.R.I.T. is reminding us that death isn’t only about sorrow it’s about celebration of life.

“Lost Generation” featuring Lupe Fiasco focuses on the same people who don’t know about a stay-togethers–the lost generation. The bridge represents the voice of this generation with:

“N***a, we ain’t lost/This the b***h I’m a boss generation/(For the lost generation)/N***a, we ain’t lost/This is xans got me nodding off generation/(For the lost generation)/N***a, we ain’t lost/This the puttin’ candy in my cough generation/(For the lost generation)/Nigga, we ain’t lost/You can find me jumping off Porsche in a race.(For the lost generation).”

For KRIT and Fiasco “Lost Generation” is there to show how skewed outlooks on and approaches to life can be. Fiasco use of satire mixed with K.R.I.T’.s vivid depiction makes for a thought provoking track.

The next track “Mt. Olympus (Reprise)” will leave you thinking about why K.R.I.T. has the name he does. As many of you know he goes hard on this one and shows that he is not only a king that will be remembered in time, but is one that can be both timeless and relevant.

Cadillactica ends with “Lac Lac” featuring ASAP Ferg. The track ends the album in a great way because it hits all the stages and it makes Cadillactica complete.

Cadillactica is definitely a planet worth traveling to.