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It’s genuinely intriguing how far Joey Bada$$ has come in one year. As demonstrated by his mixtape Rejex, he’s been rapping the same way – lots of internal rhymes, puns on pronunciations, heavy references – since he was 15, yet he has still found ways to innovate. Last year’s project, 1999, was a hit, showing him in top form, yet compared to last year, he’s gotten even better. “95 Til Infinity” features him trading his foregoing his typically casual flow for an earnest, somewhat anguished delivery.

Citing Ab-Soul and briefly diving into politics, you get the feeling that his focus may have changed a little bit since last year. Summer Knights, his next project, was supposed to drop today, but it’s been pushed back. Pushbacks are usually bummers, but “95 Til Infinity” makes it worth the wait; Joey is on the brink of something amazing. Listen below. 

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Photo by Nick Harwood/RESPECT.

Joey Bada$$ is definitely a standout emcee, but Pro Era has much more talent than most people acknowledge. The video for “Free the Robots,” a track from STEEZ’s overlooked mixtape AMERIKKKAN KORRUPTION, definitely forces you to recognize the skill that Joey’s comrades are bringing to the game. Covering STEEZ’s various political and social concerns, the lyrical content of “Free the Robots” is cut from the same cloth as STEEZ’s verse from “Survival Tactics.” The video follows suit, bringing these concerns to life with various clips. It’s tempting to draw parallels between STEEZ and Ab-Soul, but STEEZ is less paranoid-sounding, more focused. AMERIKKKAN KORRUPTION will be re-released on October 10 with 6 bonus tracks. Don’t miss it.

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Photo by Nick Harwood/RESPECT.

The art of the impromptu freestyle is not dead. Exhibit A: Joey BadA$$ and Pro Era. There are some gaffes and trip-ups, but that comes part and parcel with the craft. Watch and learn.

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Their latest project is Most of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamp, which came out today. “I Shall Not Be Moved” is one of the singles. Most of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamp is set to be followed by The Evil Empire of Everything sometime later this year. If you’re feeling the new PE (Progressive Era) rather than the old one, that’s understandable. Just remember, it’s hard being in the game for 25 years. Get the album here or try imagining Odd Future 20 years from now.

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1999 has been getting a lot of buzz. We reviewed it earlier this week, but as you know, with hip-hop, the conversation never ends. XXL recently caught up with Joey Bada$$ and the rest of the Progressive Era crew and convinced them to keep it going. The result was a brief history of the production of every track. Joey openly admits that most of his verses are either freestyled or written on the spot. What’s also interesting is how many of the songs came about while Bada$$ was simply browsing Youtube. The internet plays a much larger role in hip-hop than many are willing to acknowledge.

Via XXL.

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1999 was an eventful year. The Euro was established, Spongebob debuted and Exxon and Mobil merged, forming the largest company ever. In the hip-hop world, 1999 was the year that Big L died and Jay-Z and Lauryn Hill both took home Grammys. But while 1999 might seem like a  distant blur, for Joey Bada$$, 1999 is the year to remember. Appropriately, 1999, his latest project, offers his personal impression of the year and the era it ended.

The impression begins with “Summer Knights” a brief, jazzy track that sets the mood for the rest of the mixtape: smooth, smoky and smashing. The mood “Summer Knights” establishes is continued on “Waves,” an equally jazzy track that showcases Bada$$’ raspy vocals and nostalgic rhymes in detail. Flowing like Brian Pumper’s waves, he lays out his game plan and lists some of his influences with confidence and ease. He’s only 17, but he raps like he’s possessed by the ghost of BIG (especially on “Funky Ho’s).

Flow-wise, Bada$$ is reminiscent of Earl in that he loves to cram bars with words in spite of the consequences (disruption of cadence, possible audience confusion). However, he differs from Mr. Early Bird in that he roots his rhymes in a certain time and place. For instance, on “Fromdatomb$” in one breath, Bada$$ raps, “Fake emcees get they raps wrong/Young villain hop up on the track and the track doomed/Click clack boom/Resurrect the boom bap from the tomb/Drags dope like crack in cocoons.” Notice the DOOM reference. Earl is a known fan of DOOM, but while Earl inherited DOOM’s flow, Bada$$ inherited his flow plus his love of 90’s era hip-hop. This DOOM influence becomes explicit on “Pennyroyal” and “World Domination,” tracks that were actually produced by the supervillain himself.

That being said, don’t think that Bada$$ is DOOM’s Stan. 1999 contains homages to a plethora of rappers and producers, especially New Yorkers. The New Yorkers that really stand out though, are Bada$$’ featured artists. Mostly members of Bada$$’ Progressive Era crew, on every appearance, these cats deliver. While “Suspect,” a track reminiscent of Odd Future’s “Oldie,” features the entire Pro Era crew, “Survival Tactics” and “Snakes” have the most memorable features. On the former, spitting xenomorphic acid, Bada$$’ colleague Chuck Strangers delivers a guest verse for the ages. On the latter, T’nah Apex, a rapper no older than 20 years old, discusses social issues like a seasoned activist. Her 1999 experiences probably weren’t very ideal.

Idealism is 1999‘s only fatal flaw. While the mixtape provides an enjoyable impression of 90’s era hip-hop, like all impressions, the mixtape forms a hazy picture. Hip-hop experienced a lot during the 90’s, but Bada$$ only pays homage to what he likes, to what he thinks is worth remembering. That’s fine, but the result is a slightly redundant sound. If Joey weren’t such a lyrically versatile artist, the mixtape would be burdened by the mellowness of the instrumentals.

In the end, though 1999’s nostalgic vibe is slightly overwhelming, the project is still vivid and fresh. Unlike Nitty Scott, MC, who seems unable to reconcile the 90’s she loves with the present she hates, Joey Bada$$ is able to enjoy both eras simultaneously. For him, the boom bap era can be preserved in his rhymes and his memory. He doesn’t need to hear the music of his childhood on the radio to validate its value. It sounds just fine when he hears it in his head[phones]. That being said, at only 17, if he continues to produce such well-conceived music, he may end up on the radio sooner than he thinks.

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