Fresno, California emcee Fashawn tapping in with New York producer Little Vic for his 5th studio LP. Breaking out 15 years ago off his 7th mixtape The Antidote, his profile would begin to increase from there whether it be the Exile-produced debut album Boy Meets World. or The Alchemist-produced debut EP FASH-ionably Late & the Mass Appeal Records-backed sophomore effort The Ecology during my senior year of high school. Although his music since for me personally has been hit or miss with this fall’s You Owe Us with Interest being a more recent example, I have enjoyed Little Vic’s production work in the past & that made me anticipate Carte Blanche.
“Crown Vic” is this piano-driven boom bap intro turning muhfuckas into sacrifices similar to that of Jesus Christ himself whereas “1 Eyed King” works in a soul sample with some kicks & snares giving handcuffs for Christmas in addition to a middle finger for the already corrupt system. “Pearly Gates” featuring Rasheed Chappell finds the 2 promising that they’ll still rising like murder rate even when they’re gone leading into “Autumn in New York” providing a boom bap anthem dedicated to fall in the City of Dreams.
As for “168”, we have Little Vic keeping it in the basement instrumentally as Fashawn looks for a 187 while “Victim” talks about everyone being soft & this being as hard as it gets. After the “Waygu” interlude, “Mac n Cheese” returns to the boom bap unloading a short but deadly 37 second verse on top of it just before “Capo” featuring Little Vic brings back the soul sampling getting in their battle rap bags. “Spaghetti Western” though ends Carte Blanche talking about pumpin’ weight instead of pumpin’ fake.
Coming from 2 different worlds, these guys bring unique stories & sounds that excellently blend the raw with the refined. Little Vic’s production creates a soundscape that mirrors the rags-to-riches journey that he & the Fresno lyricist represent flexing between hard-hitting rhythms & delicately soulful sounds that match the conceptually gritty yet sophisticated journey through life’s harsh realities & ultimate triumphs that Fashawn vividly paints.
Score: 8/10