The hardest working Detroit artist today Boldy James enlisting V Don to produce his 14th full-length LP. Breaking out in the fall of 2013 off his Alchemist produced debut M.1.C.S. (My 1st Chemistry Set), the Detroit lyricist would later go on to land a contract with Nas’ independent label Mass Appeal Records for a little while before getting locked up. Once coming home, Uncle Al would help get his name back out there once getting out by dropping the Boldface EP around Christmas 2019 & then the sophomore album The Price of Tea in China at the beginning of last year. This was followed up with the Sterling Toles-produced Manger on McNichols which was as equally fantastic, but the Griselda Records-backed Versace Tape EP was a tad bit disappointing given how rushed it was. Bo Jackson though would become his most critically acclaimed work to date & Super Tecmo Bo was almost as great for an EP. Fair Exchange No Robbery produced by Nicholas Craven, Penalty of Leadership, Mr. Ten-08 produced by Futurewave, the Conductor Williams-produced Across the Tracks the Harry Fraud-produced The Bricktionary & the Carlo Anthony-produced Hidden in Plain Sight were all welcomed to warm reception. Token of Appreciation produced by Chuck Strangers was much better than both Murder During Drug Traffic & Permanent Ink, coming off the Antt Beatz produced Hommage from last weekend to go on the Alphabet Highway.
“Finishing Touches” starts by talking about his resume not having any blemishes or smudges when he has only a few projects in his discography that stand out being mid at best whereas “R.S.N.S. (Real Street N***a Shit)” needs no further explanation regarding the subject matter. “Split the Bill” was an outstanding boom bap single explaining trigger happy & they ain’t even smiling while “Mrs. Porter” dabbles with trap going off to the horse races
Moving on from there, “No Guessing Games” assures his girl to chill out since all wounds will be healed in due time just before “Dr. Demento” talks about people being able to tell he’s up simply by looking at his chains & being in a standoff with the opps. “Entrapment” heads for an atmospheric direction asking if he’s speaking to an undercover fed & worried of setting himself up if he is, but then “Lemon Head Light” soulfully walks people down like he’s on papers they’re tryna take from him.
“Day Light Savings” goes drumless to talk about bottling up his pain in a pint & people tryna seal his fate while the piano-driven “Without Mention” explains that the streets turned his soul cold. “Smacking Foreigns” jazzily advises to never switch up on your members while “Quaker Oats” gets on the rap rock tip again tryna stack his chips until they touch the sky. “Bobert Horry” finishes Alphabet Highway with this killer tribute to current Los Angeles Lakers commentator & former player Robert Horry.
Some felt that Hommage was on the same level of mediocrity as Murder During Drug Traffic & Permanent Ink, which I disagree with because I’d have to put it behind Hidden in Plain Sight as the finest examples of him pulling off that Detroit trap sound. Alphabet Highway if you’re familiar with V Don’s production style, most will find themselves enjoy as much if not more than Token of Appreciation over a month ago. The production that V Don cooks up here is more rawer & Boldy lyrically goes harder with the pen.
Score: 9/10