Life is all about balance, at least it is according to rapper Kidd Wes out of Miami. The rising talent has amassed over 2 million plays on his SoundCloud and is here today to release his second studio album, Eleven: The Junior Senior Year.
Mixed and mastered by Chris "Mindlabs" Cabrera, Eleven finds Kidd Wes as an impressionable High School student, trying to navigate the ups and downs of his teenage years. What sets the Kidd apart with this project is his decision to create a cohesive project. Yes, the songs are dope, but he strings them together to form a cohesive narrative, and that is impressive. Many a rapper has attempted to make an album fit together like this (looking at you Kdot, Logic and J Cole) but not all of them work out well.
While the cohesiveness sets him apart, it’s the subtle details make the record shine. In particular, Kidd is at his best when he’s acting, well, like a kid. For example, on the Anom The Super Producer produced cut, “Blvd Dreams,” Kidd states, “School, that was boring. I’d rather be hittin shorties or in the booth recording,” just before being pulled over by the cops. And when the officer asks if he has any weapons or drugs on his person, he calmly replies, “yeah I do. These nuts.” That is childish as hell, but also a move a cocky 17yr old would pull.
Another great example of Kidd hitting the High School bravado nail on the head, are his punchlines. Kidd’s got jokes, and his delivery of these cheeky one liners are eerily similar to jokes cracked in the back of the class. He delivers them with a quick punch, the type of wisecrack that is loud enough for your friends to hear, but fast enough, so your professor misses it. Lines like “You ain't bars nah El Chapo” on Yung Ham produced “Bo$$e$ or “Black nigga with the purp, like it’s Baltimore” on Aeonblack and Ronny J Li$tenUp produced “Shackles.”
Overall, Eleven: The Junior Senior Year is an enjoyable album about realizing that life requires balance. It isn’t just going to school or selling drugs, a middle ground exists, and life’s journey begins when you decide to find it. Kidd Wes has shown he is capable of making songs that bounce but also have a deeper meaning.
Connect with Kidd Wes: SoundCloud | Instagram | Twitter
