This album was released on November 2nd this year. I’m not as familiar with Rapper Big Pooh as I’d like to be, considering the fact that he’s from my hometown of Durham, North Carolina. This’ll be the first solo album I’ve ever listened to from him. All the beats are produced by Focus…, who did a lot of work on Dr. Dre’s last album, Compton. This album didn’t really get much promotion for whatever reason. I think I’m gonna like it though. I’ve never heard a bad verse from Big Pooh, so this should be good.

1. No More Favors featuring Scrap Dirty

This entire track is just Scrap Dirty telling Focus… & Big Pooh to hurry up and put this album out. The beat in the background was kinda cool. This track really isn’t worth discussing. It’s just a pointless intro. I’m not mad it, but nobody’s gonna listen to this track more than once.

2. RPM

The beat on this track is pretty solid. It’s not amazing or anything, but it’s sufficient. This is a pretty short song. It’s only a minute and a half long. It doesn’t feel incomplete though. The entire track is just one long verse, and it’s really good. I don’t really have any gripes with this track. I think it’s dope. I don’t really have much to say about it. It’s just one good verse over a solid beat. It’s not gonna blow anyone away, but I enjoyed it. This track is dope.

3. Pray | Prey featuring Cocoa Sarai

The beat on this track is nothing special, but it works. The first verse from Big Pooh was really good. Cocoa Sarai’s vocals on the hook are decent. It sounds like there’s a weird vocal effect on her voice. It sounds kind of fuzzy. The second verse was pretty good. This song feels really short. It’s longer than the previous track though. I like the song. There’s not really anything that I dislike about it. It’s not an amazing track or anything, but I enjoyed it. The verses are good. The production and hook are honestly nothing special, but I still like the song. It’s dope.

4. Check 1ne featuring Akilz Amari

The beat on this track is better than that of the previous couple of tracks, but I’m still not blown away by it. It’s cool though I guess. The hook is nothing special, but it works. The first verse from Big Pooh was pretty good. I like the second verse from Akilz Amari a lot too. He sounds really familiar. I can’t think of who he sounds like though. He kinda reminds me of J.I.D to be honest. Just because of his voice. This is definitely the best song on the album so far despite the short length. It’s under two minutes long. It’s dope though. I fuck with this.

5. Check 2wo featuring Chaundon

The previous track transitions into this one really smoothly. Big Pooh starts goin’ in as soon as the track starts. His verse was pretty dope, and I like Chaundon’s verse a lot too. The beat’s pretty cool. This is another really short song. There are just two verses, one after another. I think I like this track more than the previous one. There’s not a lot going on in this song. It’s got a super simplistic structure. It’s well done though. I enjoyed it. It’s dope.

6. The Cycle

The previous song transitions really well into this one. This track easily has the best beat on the album so far. The two verses on this song are really good. The storytelling from Big Pooh is great. This is definitely the most substantive song on the album so far. It feels more complete than any of the other tracks. It’s also the longest song so far. It’s just under three minutes long. It’s a really good track. I don’t have any problems with it. It’s the best song on the album so far. It’s dope.

7. Roses featuring Ab-Liva

The beat on this track is really cool. It’s cool to hear from Ab-Liva. I really like when he works with Pusha T. This song is honestly fucking awesome. It’s definitely my favorite track so far despite its short length. I really like the weird beat, and Big Pooh killed the first verse. Ab-Liva’s verse was really great too. I even like the hook. There’s not a single aspect of this track that I dislike. It’s dope af to me.

8. City of Ink

This is the first track on the album that’s longer than three minutes. The beat is nothing special, but it’s not really bad. I don’t really like the hook. It’s okay I guess. The first verse was pretty good. The rapping on this track is good. I just wish the production was more interesting. I didn’t like the hook either. This definitely isn’t a bad song. I just don’t know that I’ll have the desire to return to it. It’s not that good to me. It’s decent though.

9. Burn featuring C. S. Armstrong

This beat is pretty cool. The first verse from Big Pooh is great. This C. S. Armstrong guy sang his fuckin’ ass off on that hook. He sounds great. The second verse from Big Pooh is really good too. I don’t really have much to say about this track. Nothing about it stands out as being especially great or bad. It’s just a solid song. I don’t really have any gripes with it. I enjoyed it. This is dope to me.

10. Follow the Leader featuring Thurz

This should be interesting. I’ve heard great things about this Thurz guy, but I’ve never actually heard any of his music. The beat on this track is kinda weird, but I like it. The hook is nothing special, but it works. The first verse from Big Pooh is pretty good. The second verse from Thurz was cool, but it didn’t really blow me away. This is a solid track. It’s definitely not one of my favorite songs on the album, but it’s cool. The more I listen to this track the less I like the hook, but it’s not bad. I fuck with the song. It’s dope.

11. Getaway featuring Focus…

Huh… Is that Focus… singing the hook on this song? It has to be. It’s definitely not Big Pooh. I actually really like the way it sounds. The beat on this track is dope af too. Big Pooh killed the first verse. Man, I don’t know what it is about this song, but I’m REALLY enjoying it. This is probably my favorite song on the whole album so far to be honest. I love the production, and Big Pooh rapped his ass off on both verses. I’m shocked by how much I like the sung hook from Focus… too. This shit is dope af to me.

12. Who Are They featuring Blakk Soul

This track has a really cool beat. I think that’s Blakk Soul on the first verse. It doesn’t sound like Big Pooh. He’s rappin’ his ass off. The hook is pretty dope. I love the way the beat switches up for Big Pooh’s verse. Oh. Actually, I think that WAS Big Pooh on the first verse. Blakk Soul is singing the outro on this track. He sounds pretty good. This is definitely another one of the best tracks on the album. I don’t really have any problems with it. It’s dope af to me.

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This album is great. There’s not a single song on here that I thought was bad. I wasn’t really blown away by any of the beats, but none of them are wack. Big Pooh rapped his ass off on every single track. I honestly don’t think there are any consistent flaws with this project. It’s just a really good rap album. Most of the songs are really short. The only song that makes it past three minutes in length is the final track. It’s possible that this could’ve been a better project if the songs were a bit more fleshed out. I really don’t know if that’s the case though because the album is great as it is. I fuck with this project. It’s dope.

Favorite Song: Getaway
Least Favorite Song: City of Ink

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