To say that K.R.I.T was in Jackson, Mississippi  just to do a show is an understatement. The truth is that when K.R.I.T. comes home, it’s a celebration. Originally from Meridian, MS, K.R.I.T’s Pay Attention Tour brought him to Hal & Mal’s bar and venue located in downtown Jackson. The cold wintry air couldn’t keep the loyal fan base from paying attention to the 3rd coast representer. The lined formed around the building in the midst of predicted bad weather, which included black ice and freezing rain. Nevertheless, the show continued and K.R.I.T. performed better than ever. His agenda began with “King Without A Crown,”as he adorned a black snapback with the word “KING.”   K.R.I.T. did something right by taking the crowd back with his underground staples “County Sh*t” from Krit Wuz Here and “Rotation” from R4. The deeply rooted lyricist performed songs from his 2nd studio album, Cadillactica,released at the end of 2014. Making sure his vibe was felt, he brought along his sub while putting his rap skills to test on “Mt. Olympus” and “King of the South.” Multi Alumni artist Big Sant made an appearance on stage to hype the crowd up a notch while  the Atlanta based DJ Dibiase held down the turn tables. K.R.I.T.’s tour served up a delicious plate of soul food for the city of Jackson just to show them that the king was home.

Check out a few photos from the show below. Photos by Robin M. Johnson.

The post Big K.R.I.T. Serves Up A Plate of Soul Food In Jackson, Mississippi appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

It’s been over two years since Meridian, Mississippi’s own, Big K.R.I.T. released his major label debut album, Live From The Underground, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been busy. Last year he dropped the well-received mixtape, King Remembered In Time and he’s been hitting the road with the likes of Macklemore and Talib Kweli. The fourth installment of his See Me On Top series just hit the internet last week and his new album, Cadillactica is slated for release this November. Although he’s currently gearing up for his Pay Attention tour with Two-9, Young Krizzle to the time to talk with us about life in Meridian, musical influences and artistic growth, among other things.

You are a very soulful artist. It comes out in your music. Who were some of your early influences and who introduced you to that kind of music?

I would say that my father was the first person to play Geto Boys and NWA around me. He had tapes and I remember he was really into electronics. He had a lot of old cassette players and things of that nature and he was the first to really introduce me to that. I didn’t find out about Outkast until I was riding around with one of my first cousins. I would attribute my grandmother to putting me onto the blues and soul music. Like James Brown, B.B. King and people of that nature. So growing up, I had a wide range of things I could pick from. When I got to an age where I could start buying my own CDs and turn the radio onto what I wanted to hear, that’s when I started discovering Willie Hutch, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield, UGK, Three 6 Mafia and Eightball & MJG. That was the beginning of me listening to music in a way where not only was I entertained by it and influenced as a person, but I wanted to know how it was created in that manner.

That’s kind of how I was. When I was 15 or so, I started listening to the oldies station on AM radio and hearing songs that had been sampled for the rap I was listening to on the FM stations. I’ve been hooked ever since.

It’s so many jewels and things you just pick up on a random radio station. A lot of obscure samples came from only having one vinyl record pressed up, maybe one single. The songs that never really, really blew up…sometimes have some of the most amazing melodies and backgrounds and riffs.

I have family in West Alabama, right on the border and anytime I’m there, we go the Bonita Lakes Mall in Meridian. I’m familiar with the area and years ago when someone told me that a cat from Meridian was spitting rhymes, I had to check it out.

Most people have to ride through Meridian to get to Jackson or Biloxi, so they probably have rode through Meridian and didn’t even know it.

What was life like in Meridian coming up?

It was very humbling. I had the opportunity to be raised by a lot of elders. It was the “It takes a village to raise a child” mentality. Both of my parents were very active in my life, even though they weren’t together. They always wanted me to follow my dreams. My grandmother was very passionate about me following my dreams and doing what I wanted to do. Ultimately, she was scared about me venturing into the music industry just because of stories she had heard growing up, but she played a big part in how I am as an individual and a man. She was born in 1923 and she instilled a lot of morals in me that carried over into how I am now. Not only as a musician, but as a human being. I think people can hear that in my music and in the music I actually like to sample. Meridian is one of those places that reminds you how the small and simple things in life can be enough. To me, the days go by slower than in some major cities and I had the opportunity to kinda enjoy my childhood in a certain way. There was a lot of time to sit back and reflect on what you wanted and how you planned on getting it and I’m blessed to have been in a situation to actually have that kind of upbringing.

The video for “I Got This” was shot entirely in Meridian?

That was definitely Meridian. For me it was important to show people that my city was a city and that it wasn’t horseback and dirt roads. I know people hear that I’m from Mississippi and they have some sort of idea of what kind of city it is and that’s not even really the case. I just wanted to show that I’m from a city and we’re thriving.

I know one of your biggest musical influences was Bobby Womack. Did you ever have the chance to meet him before he passed?

Man I didn’t, brother. And I was so sad about it. It was mind blowing. With me wanting to work with him so bad and being so influenced and sampling his music and actually doing my research on what he had been through and what he had been able to accomplish musically, to not be able to work with him was disappointing.

And he was still very active.

Yeah! So it’s one of those things where all I can do is if I do sample him, I have to do his music justice and pay homage. When people ask me about the music I sampled and what did I listen to growing up, it’s important that they know he had a large part in what kind of music I make and the amount of passion I put in my music. He was a true soul man at the end of the day.

Looking back at “REM,” you had a line in that song that says you feel as if you failed your fans with Live From The Underground. As more time has passed, do you feel the same way and what do you think you could’ve done better?

To me, it was one of things where I dealt with so much. I went from doing mixtapes and having that freedom of just throwing music out…but when you’re signed and working on a major label album, it’s a little bit more organized. It’s a lot that goes into it when you’re sampling. It’s a lot that goes into it when you’re creating a song. You have to deal with the business aspects as well. I wasn’t 100% prepared to do what I normally do with a project and deal with the business end. I think it bled over into my music. It bled over into how I felt about having to work under those circumstances. Dealing with sample clearances was one of those things that I never had to deal with before and it was mind blowing. I would hear a song that I would want to sample and then second-guess myself. I’d shoot down an idea or possible record before I’ve even created it. I had to get over that. Also, most of the time I’m competing with myself. People would say “Alright, your last project was 4evaNaDay” and a lot of people loved that and felt that it was better than Live From The Underground.

There was a freedom with 4evaNaDay that I didn’t have with Live From The Underground — which was the sampling, which was the unexpectedness. No one expected 4evaNaDay. I dealt with a lot of that. Looking back on it now, I’m proud of Live From The Underground because I stuck to my roots as much as possible. It’s one of those things when people go back now and listen to it, they’ll be like “Damn, that shit was super jammin’.” I think it was on top of me dropping a mixtape like 4evaNaDay — all original, themed out and a crazy cover, a month before I dropped my album. Also, I had been promoting my album Live From The Underground since 2011. We had the “Country Shit” video with Luda and Bun B in March. Then “Money On The Floor” came out in September of 2011 and my album didn’t come out until June of 2012. So there was a large gap and anticipation and I’m just blessed that the fans still believe in me enough to go out, purchase, represent and ultimately pay attention. I think I learned a valuable lesson in timing and getting things done early business wise. That way, I can solely focus on the music and I can get all the ideas that I want ironed out and let that be that and then roll it out properly. I think that’s what we’re doing right now with Cadillactica. I think it’ll work. We’ve got the amazing single with Rico Love, “Pay Attention” and I’m just excited for people to hear this full body of music — and I only used three samples.

Oh wow.

The thing is, you’re not going to know what is a sample and what’s not. That was even more exciting, because I was able to create the kind of music where you would still think it was a sample.

The last time I saw you perform live was in 2011 during the Return of 4Eva tour. Is there anything you’ve learned about touring between now and then?

Oh yeah. Resting, but not going to sleep an hour before your show. Not eating a heavy meal before your show. Not indulging in too much alcohol before your show. Crowd participation and engaging with the people more. Just having fun. I used to be really critical of my stage presence at these shows. I was giving my all, but it was still supposed to be fun at the end of the day. I think the Return of 4Eva tour was the first time where I started to understand that people could have fun. I could have a message and rap my ass off at the same time. From there, the Live From The Underground tour was the beginning of me really having fun, enjoying myself and enjoying hip-hop. At this point, now it’s just about performing the new content, bringing the people out that have always supported me and then bringing new people out while enjoying this thing called hip-hop. I’m spreading the message of following your dreams, putting God first and getting money.

Even back then it seemed like you had good stage presence.

Oh yeah. I’ve learned from some of the best. David Banner was a great, great performer for me to watch and just be like “Oh shit.” So when it comes to me being on stage, it don’t even matter. We’re jumping off the stage. We’re crowd surfing. We’re throwing water. We’re having fun. I gotta look at it like it’s my last performance, because if this is it, I wanna be remembered for having the kind of performance that’s hard to forget.

You mentioned being on various tours. I know you’ve been on tour with Macklemore and others as the supporting act and also on your own tours where you’re the headliner. I would think being the headliner is the bigger thrill but do prefer performing in the more intimate smaller venues or larger arenas?

It doesn’t matter. It could be five people there, it could be five thousand people there. Again, I’m going to put on my show like it’s the last show and it’s fully packed in that thang because I remember back when there was NOBODY that cared to see me perform or there were no shows at all. I try to keep that in mind. I always love to go on tour as the headliner and see the people that are always going to jam your music, but there’s an excitement of going to perform in front of people who don’t because you gain new fans. I’ve toured with J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa, like you said, Macklemore and Currensy and you always gain new fans. You’ll be out and about and people come up to you after the fact and are like “I wasn’t much of a fan of your music and this was my first time seeing you perform, but I’m glad I did and I know now.” That helps and keeps me motivated too.

Tell me about “Pay Attention”. How did that come about?

I had the opportunity to go down to Miami and work with Jim Jonsin and his team of producers, Zac and Finatik. Also, at the same time I wanted to be able to get in with Rico Wade and work because Jim Jonsin and Rico have this musical relationship where it’s cohesive and they work in a way that’s organic and it was a blessing to be able to go down there and get in the studio with both of them and create a song of that nature. For me, it was about getting out of my comfort zone. This album is a lot about that too. I was used to producing my own records and singing my own hooks and it was out of necessity at first in my career because I couldn’t afford to pay for beats and I didn’t have anybody to sing on the hooks. At this point of my career, I want to create and write in a manner where I can always take it to the next level. It was dope to get in with Rico because he has a gift for writing hooks that are relatable for everybody. It doesn’t matter where you’re from and it doesn’t matter who you are, you can relate to these hooks. When he sent that to me, I was like “I got it” as far as the verses and it was just dope to be able to add a little bit of my edge and my southern twang to it. I can still be myself, but make a record as big as “Pay Attention” and showcase my growth as I’m getting older. I want to put that in my music. I’m not K.R.I.T. from 2010.

It has that “grown and sexy” vibe to it.

Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Is that going to be the vibe for Cadillactica as a whole?

I wouldn’t say that. Cadillactica is a free-floating album in a way where I felt like I was able to talk about whatever I wanted because I created a planet to do so. Cadillactica is a planet that I created, which in reality is my conscious mind. It’s where all my creative thoughts come from. It’s where all my ideas come from. All of my pain. All my passions. All of my struggles. All of my pain. It all comes from Cadillactica. Everything is a little obscure and a little different because in your mind, it IS like that. Your mind is abstract, your ideas are abstract and I wanted to make my music seem a little abstract. I wanted the skits to be a little abstract. I wanted some of the instrumentation and singing to be abstract. I wanted the content and the topics to be abstract. I think I was able to accomplish that on this planet called Cadillactica.

A theme I’ve always noticed with your projects is the sequencing. It always starts with the crunk trunk-rattlers and as things move forward, you get into the deeper content. So with this new project, are things going to be all over the place in an abstract way?

I think every song still has purpose on this project. I think it still flows in a way and I like to think of it as flowing in a way that’s like growing up. When you’re a young adolescent, things intrigue you. You’re energetic. You’re ready. You’re like “I wanna see this, I wanna do that, I wanna be a part of this.” Then when you start slowing down, other things start to become more important. Time becomes more relevant and you’re like “Man, am I doing what I’m supposed to be doing? Am I a part of what I’m supposed to be a part of? Is this all going to be enough? There’s not enough time in the day.” Then when you get older and reflect on it all, that’s when you’re like “I think I did enough. I hope God’s proud of me. I want to leave something behind.” Normally, I think of my sequencing that way. It’s like the buildup, then the climax and then you just kinda let go and then you fade out. I think of life in that manner and I like to think of music in the same way.

The album’s coming 11.11, you’re about to hit the road and your name is being mentioned more frequently as one of the top artists in the industry today. I remember hearing a song of yours in a Crown Royal commercial a little while back, do you feel like things are finally coming together for you or is there still that chip on your shoulder?

I think that this is my journey. Some people’s success comes faster, some people’s success takes time. It takes years. It takes development. I think of it like this: I’m still building my foundation. There’s still bricks being laid but once it’s right, this building won’t ever come down. My timing is different and it all makes sense, just being from where I’m from. It’s a different place. It’s a different environment. The population is different. I have to make people want to go to where I’m from. It’s almost like sometimes I’m fighting more than just comment boxes and stuff like that, but history itself because I want to shine some positive light on my state. I don’t want to tell somebody “I’m from Mississippi” and they always have negative thoughts about it. I want to showcase it differently. That follows the suit amongst a [person like] David Banner, who was able to not only be a positive role model in hip-hop…but in life. It’s important that people understand that just because I’m country, that does not mean that I’m not intelligent. I’m intelligent. I still believe in saying something that matters. There’s a lot of people where I’m from that feel the same, but you’d have to go there to know it. I think I’m gonna pull my weight and do whatever I can to make people open their minds and visit and come check it out and look at all this history and learn about where I’m from as well as these other places.

It might be a bit too early to ask, but what’s the agenda after the tour and the rollout of Cadillactica? Or Are you just focused squarely on the album at this point?

The album is the focus point right now, but obviously [there’s the] branding of the artist. Branding Big Sant. I’m excited about what he’s going to do. His voice is crazy. The music he writes is amazing. For him, it’s the same thing with building his foundation. I think that’s going to be the next thing for me as well. Helping him with his platform. Branding Multi Alumni as much as possible. Getting into scoring movies. Producing for other artists — not just rap artists, but also soul singers and jazz musicians. Ultimately, writing and composing music in different formats.

Are you and Big Sant ever going to do an entire album together?

I’m sure that’ ll happen. I can’t tell you when or how, but it’s going to happen.

Last question, is there going to be a “My Sub 3?”

Wooo! You gotta find out for yourself. That’s all I’m going to say. I can’t speak on it too much. You just have to find out for yourself.

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The post Interview: Big K.R.I.T. Talks Bobby Womack, Artistic Growth & The Planet Cadillactica appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

A3C is quickly becoming one of rap’s most invigorating and important music festivals. We have never covered A3c, but we have been told of its importance by industry insiders as well as rappers themselves. This year we still were unable to send someone to cover it in its entirety – events, conversations, complications, consequences – but we were able to get a photographer to capture some of the majest of the event.

There are no crowd shots in these photos, but the ubiquitous sweat on the artists’ brows is telling. All photos are by Robin Johnson. You can see more of her photography here. Enjoy.

Ghostface Killah

WILL

Too Short

DJ Paul

Charli Baltimore

Crunchy Black

Crxcxdile

Da Mafia Six

Big Sant

Audra the Rapper

ANTHM

Talib Kweli

Too Short

Skyzoo

Siwel Neicul

Schoolboy Q

Ryan Collins

Ro Akin

Pharoahe Monch

Pharoahe Monch

REi The Imperial

The post Photo Recap: A3C appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Pell‘s Fresh Produce Tour, which started last week, is still going strong. Click here for dates.

The post New Music: Pell feat. Big Sant – “Inner Peace” (prod. JR Jarris) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

After a busy week of fresh leaks, I-20 has dropped The Amphetamine Manifesto Part Two in its entirety. The project is hosted by DJ Pain 1 and DJ Far. Production is handled by the likes of the aforementioned DJ Pain 1, Dirty Dunnz, Miles Sloan and Trakksounds. The ten track deep project’s lone guest appearances come from Fiend and Big Sant. Highlights include “Through These Eyes” and the previously released “Lose My Cool.” Let this dope music into your ears and see how quickly you get hooked. Stream and download below via DatPiff.

The post New Mixtape: I-20 – The Amphetamine Manifesto Part Two appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The post New Music: I-20 – “Lose My Cool” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

We don’t usually review mixtapes here at RESPECT., but it’s become near-consensus over the last couple of years that Big K.R.I.T. mixtapes are not mixtapes–they are full fledged, formidable albums. It is in fact arguable that Krizzle’s mixtapes are of a higher overall quality than what he served up on his major-label debut, last year’s Live From The Underground. King Remembered In Time does not disrupt K.R.I.T.’s streak of mixtape mastery; it plays like a coronation for the 3rd Coast’s ecstatic new king, haunted though he may be by kingship.  Download and follow along with the track-by-track review:

1. “Purpose”: Right out of the gate, Big K.R.I.T. is dramatic and cinematic as always. The lonely guitar and choir samples provide the proper backdrop for K.R.I.T. to drop a quick but impassioned 16. He seems to be addressing his people, and though the verse is somewhat vague, I shivered when he demanded “Stand up and be accounted for!”

2. “Shine On (feat. Bun B)”: The male vocal sample during the verses is spectacular.  K.R.I.T.’s flow is flashy, in the vein of “I Got This” from Live From The Underground, and he sounds about as snarky and comfortable as ever on the second verse. The hook is a bit lazy, as is Bun B’s verse. 

3. “Talkin’ ‘Bout Nothing”: A rare misstep. This is a sluggish and basic “stuntin’” track, complete with a repetitive hook and tired topics running through the verses. A cheap, ugly key progression repeats throughout, and the drums are uncharacteristically plain and predictable. Hi-hat, hi-hat, clap you’ve heard everywhere else.

4. “King Without A Crown”: A relief and then some after the last track, which is a comment more on this tracks electrifying quality than the disappointment of its predecessor. I nearly jumped up to rock out to the opening chant, which is perfectly layered and mastered. Lyrically, K.R.I.T. deftly balances grand, sweeping lyrics with his unflappable Southern tastes; it is this balance of deep reflection and simple pleasures that is the essence of K.R.I.T. at his best. “What’s a king without a crown ho?! / What’s a car without some sound ho?!” The stutter-step drums max the energy out, and it’s hard to praise the medley of the wailing vocal sample and the guitar wah-wah enough, not to mention the inspired organ breakdown in the middle. This is the new Big K.R.I.T. anthem.

5. “REM”: This was chosen as the lead video/single, and the fact that K.R.I.T. wanted to give this song such shine is indicative of the size of the chip that still rests on his shoulder. Even after Live From The Underground was received kindly, K.R.I.T. still feels like he “failed y’all and it’s hard to live with it.” The piano work here is beautiful and the James Blake sample is inspired. This feels like the sequel to Return of 4Eva’s “Dreamin.’”

6. “Meditate”: Possibly the most discipline K.R.I.T. has ever executed a concept record with, which is good because it may also be his most clever concept. K.R.I.T. relates alcoholism to meditation, the way a true addict would attempt to justify their actions. The hook borders on corny in its harmonization, but this is balanced by the very genuine closing speech.  Also, thusfar, K.R.I.T.’s guitar game is on fire, with a soulful hook echoing and evoking the nighttime; hanging out with BB King seems to have paid off.

7. “Serve This Royalty”: The hook is the most distinctive piece of the song, which, being a Cody ChesnuTT sample, is not a good sign. This is an largely forgettable track; most notable is its mismatching of a cocky concept with an intimate vibe. K.R.I.T. clumsily tries to further the theme of kingship, and while the verses are not bad, the track could be removed to little complaint.

8. “Good 2Getha”: This is a more upbeat track angling for female support, but K.R.I.T. swings too far to feel-good extreme. The up-tempo beat is a bit hokey and overall the track feels forced, but the harmony on the hook is very well executed.

9. “Just Last Week (feat. Future) [Snippet]”: Definitely the track that the king had in mind when he warned listeners a few days before the tape dropped that their speakers would suffer the consequences of his bass. Seeing as this is only a snippet, it’s likely that K.R.I.T. plans on releasing this wild moment of balling as a single for his next album. Future’s presence doesn’t do much, but the beat is a solid take on the apocalyptic trap sound that’s been dominating as of late. Unfortunately, K.R.I.T. spits with little of the ingenuity that he uses to work the keys.

10. “My Trunk (feat. Trinidad James)”: A definite highlight: nearly every positive element of the album comes together to produce an absolute banger. A featured artist going HAM? Check. Warbling bass to rattle your guts? Check. Serious guitar shredding? Check. Perhaps K.R.I.T.’s flashiest flow to date, mastering choppy pauses and slick double time? Double check.

11. “How U Luv That (feat. Big SANT)”: The Disney-like guitar is saved by a drum that kicks more than Bruce Lee in the womb. The snare will give you whiplash. The bass warbles again, this time sounding more like a frog, but it works. K.R.I.T. sounds ready to run down a cheetah and his double time is so on point, but he’s not spitting about much. Big SANT’s deep growl sounds great here, arguably better than the voice of the king himself. K.R.I.T.’s on an excellent back-to-back banger run here.

12. “Only One (feat. Wiz Khalifa & Smoke DZA)”: This is the part where listeners light up—you can tell just by the features. The production is a generic take on this album’s style: the same warbling bass is here, only used to less of an advantage; there are the familiar cowbells; and there are some spaced out keys that could have wound up on half of the other tracks here. Also, Smoke DZA’s flow doesn’t really mesh with the way K.R.I.T. and Wiz approached the track, so the closing verse is pretty disappointing. After the beat rides out though, we hear K.R.I.T. playing the part of a hustler loading up for a robbery, which serves as the perfect lead in to the next track.

13. “Banana Clip Theory”: Here, K.R.I.T. gets his Snoop Lion on. This drum roll beat is the first major stylistic departure on the album, a definite intentional move to draw attention to the heavy subject matter. K.R.I.T.’s half-sung flow fills an already poignant story-verse (“I head a gun the other day/ it spoke to me and told me power/is the only thing that we could lose”) with somber energy. Also, peep how K.R.I.T. references Nas’ “I Gave You Power,”—a much earlier song with a personified gun—with that first line break. If you are a fan of K.R.I.T.’s singing, then the chorus won’t bother you, but otherwise, it detracts.

14. “Life Is A Gamble (feat. BJ The Chicago Kid) [prod. 9^th Wonder]”: K.R.I.T has always been great with sequencing, and placing this track after “Banana Clip Theory” is further proof. BJ sounds great over the hard boom-bap provided by 9^th Wonder, and the simplicity of the “shake em up” hook is near perfection. Throughout the track, K.R.I.T. keeps his inspired take on the title’s cliché running throughout. This song–this tape as a whole–is proof that when K.R.I.T. dedicates himself, his pen game is extremely sharp and innovative.

15. “WTF”: This is more of a spoken word poem with a chorus than it is a typical rap song. The first verse/stanza finds K.R.I.T. venting frantically, much in the manner of 4eva In A Day’s “The Alarm.” When the hook hits, violent kick drums and a sorrowful kick deliver serious desperation: “what the fuck we gon’ do now?” In the second verse, we are treated to some smooth saxophone and a musing on the nature of one of K.R.I.T.’s latest female encounters, but it’s not as captivating as the first verse.

16. “Bigger Picture”: A bit of an exhale after the tension and heartache of the last few tracks. This is a love song that has many of K.R.I.T.’s life philosophies (“I call your phone, you don’t pick up, you text me,” in the folds. Lyrically, this is another example that K.R.I.T.’s extended-metaphor prowess is on the serious rise, matched by few in the game right now in fact. It’s possible that Krizzle just doesn’t get the recognition he deserves in this department because he is not flashy, and often lets his metaphors breathe and speak for themselves: “You love the color of yellow/but I’m working with blue.” Also, it may be the distortion, but K.R.I.T.’s voice is at an all-time best on the hook.

17. “Multi Til’ The Sun Die”: A-typical of a K.R.I.T. closer, we find him in a place of victory. The instrumental definitely speaks to triumph, with its high pitch chorus and an acoustic guitar line much like “How U Luv That” but less invasive. K.R.I.T. takes his final opportunity at the podium to thank his listeners, and anyone who was there for him. We are led out of the album with narration by Miya Bailey, who preaches both to K.R.I.T. and us about the ways to be a good and righteous king.

Overall: Big K.R.I.T. has proved yet again that there are very, very few who are on the level of his mixtape game. He has evolved as a lyricist, and he has added new elements to his production; toys and tools he employs to general success. His beats are fuller than ever; his songs are as well thought out as ever. He doesn’t seem to want to abandon the chase for a great ratchet jam, but this is clearly not his forte. Also, as has been said of K.R.I.T. before, he would be well served to follow his own advice from “Bigger Picture”: “What’s the use of doing art if I ain’t breaking the rules?” While K.R.I.T. doesn’t sound like a whole lot of other artists out right now, the revivalist-plus niche cannot carry him forever; he needs to start breaking his own rules.  When he does, he will no longer be just the king of the South, but he will then perhaps contend for a more far reaching, everlasting royalty.

The post Track-By-Track Review: Big K.R.I.T. – King Remembered In Time appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.