Don’t Sleep on this new album from Darko the Super & Big Baby Gandhi. It was released on June 25th this year. I’ve become a pretty big fan of Darko the Super ever since I first listened to his collaborative album with Steel Tipped Dove early last year. In fact, he even landed on my top 25 albums of 2020 list. On the other hand, Big Baby Gandhi is an artist with whom I had less experience prior to hearing this album. However, I had enjoyed some of what I’ve heard from him in the past. His 2013 album, D E B U T, had some really dope stuff on it. My favorite song from him is Boomerang. Check that shit out if you haven’t heard it. So yeah, I dig both of these artists. At first I thought both of them were gonna be rapping together, but Big Baby Gandhi just handled the production, which is cool. Considering how much I’ve loved Darko’s past work, I pretty much knew I was gonna enjoy this album.

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The album starts off with a highlight called Lobotomy Day Dreams. I love the jazzy production on this track, and I think it’s funny that this track flips the same sample that was used on Cloud Envy‘s Me & My Mama, which came out one day after this album. I can’t even say which song uses the sample better because I love both of them. I feel like the Cloud Envy song is more accessible, but this one is more impressive from a technical standpoint. This beat just sounds more detailed. They’re both fire though. Darko’s performance on this track actually kinda reminded me of R.A.P. Ferreira for some reason. I think it’s just because of the way he was flowing. He sounds really great, as always. The song is dope as hell. It’s followed by The Big City, which has one of the most interesting beats on the album. It sounds like flashing lights in the form of music to me. It’s kind of glitchy and Electronic-sounding. It’s far from the glitchiest beat on the album. The kind of goofy lyricism from Darko had me hooked for the whole track.

I'm 15 ft. from that fire hydrant
Motherfuckers better not fuck with me
You know how hard it is to find parking here?
I almost had to drop to my knees
Pray to the holy ghost
White girls and guacamole toast

Darko is just a really charismatic MC, so hearing him rap about the downsides of being in a big city is really fun.

Find me at the sandwich shop
I don’t eat pizza with the fuckin’ cops
That’s why I choose delivery
Hold the door, that’s called chivalry
Misery in the air
Told me when was Super Bowl again, I don’t care

The song is really dope. Track 5 is called Big Boys Don’t Cry, and it contains one of my favorite lines on the album…

Capitalism ruined everything around me, C.R.E.A.M.

There are a lot of standout lines like that throughout this album. I feel like most of the best songs on this project come in the second half. The Cut in Half has a really cool, hard-hitting, piano-driven beat, and Darko of course killed it.

Laid back, headphones on and I listen to The Garden twins
I used to have a crush on a girl, she worked at Burger King
Burger King burned down, then she moved away
I still miss her to this very day
I'm grippin' woodgrain, switchin' lanes
Big ballin' with my homies on the avenue
Daydreamin' of livin' life like the rappers do
MTV Cribs & Pimp My Ride
VH1 makes me wanna try cyanide
Suicide's a drag, but that's the bag I'm in
Take 'em for a spin, life above the rim

One of my favorite tracks on the album is entitled The Jerk Store. It’s pretty much about how the subject of the song is a total dickhead. I don’t think the song is directed towards anyone in particular, but it’d be interesting if this was like a diss song or something. I think he killed it.

Jesus died for our sins, and this is what you choose to do with it?
You make me wanna cop a biscuit, and I've never even held a gun
You are the dark side's chosen one
Hell frozen as the globe spun
It's The Omen, it's The Ring
I wanna drown you in a well and tell everyone you fell
You're a sickle cell, you're a pimple on prom night
If I had to kill someone for a Klondike bar, it'd be you
You can't even fathom how far I'd throw you

It’s followed by another highlight entitled Have you seen this? (Have you heard about this?). This is the most political song on the project. There are a ton of really great lines that stood out to me from Darko.

I bet your daughter's not allowed to date rappers
I treat her like a princess, I treat you like a cracker
All republicans are crisis actors

The song doesn’t have one of my favorite beats, but it still stands out just because the rapping is so good. There’s also a fantastic guest verse from Torito, which is just the icing on the cake. The song is dope as hell, and same goes for the following track, I feel sorry for you. This track has one of my favorite instrumentals on the whole album, and Darko killed it. The main reason I love this song so much is just because of the hook though. I just love the way it’s delivered.

You're so much like me, I wanna give you a hug
'Cause you're beautiful and filled with love

The second verse is performed by Duncecap, who did a really nice job as well. That abortion line was fire. Everything about this song is fire to me. Again, I love the production, and both of the MCs here did a great job. The hook is endearing as fuck too. The song is dope af. The last highlight that I wanna mention real quick is the closing track, It’s the End. This track easily has my favorite beat on the album. It reminded me of Madvillainy’s Accordion for some reason. It sounds like the color Indigo to me. Darko killed it too. I appreciate the straightforward structure of this track. Darko’s just rapping the whole time.

Pop lock & drop it, let me see you tootsie roll
Last night I ate a whole sheet of cookie dough
Reflecting on what I'd done
In the rearview, looking back at what I'm running from

I have no gripes with it. The song is dope as hell.

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^{This album is great. I feel like I can always rely on Darko to be a super charming lyricist and performer, so it’s up to the producer to kinda set the tone for him. Big Baby Gandhi thankfully really came through on the production side of things. There’s not a single track here that I don’t like. I definitely think some beats are better than others, but none of them are anywhere close to being wack. This album pretty much gave me what I was hoping it would, so I’m satisfied. This shit is dope. Check it out, especially if you’re a fan of either of the artists involved.}

Favorite Song: I feel sorry for you
Least Favorite Song: Luv Potion #9

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