Jonah Bromwich is younger than Roddy.
Curren$y puts out a lot of material and most of it is very good but it’s possible that you’re suffering a little bit of toxicity from all the Spitta that keeps getting released into the atmosphere. So if you’re looking for a slightly different strain to cool your J.E.T.S. jones, exhale to Young Roddy’s new mixtape, Good Sense.
I’ve long enjoyed Young Roddy’s great guest appearances on songs like “Still,” “Roasted,” and “Hold On.” It’s partially because he’s like a Curren$y mini-me, with a raspier voice and a more dewy-eyed outlook. On Good Sense he shows the ability to replicate the quality of those guest verses over an album-length project, without forgetting to big-up the Jets or Spitta, to whom he rightfully credits his current status on the title track.
The best news about Good Sense is the plenitude of horns—despite the fact that the beats are mostly recycled, the sound is pure Pilot Talk, more so than anything that’s been released since the second volume came out in 2010. There’s something about a New Orleans accent that just goes perfectly with lush beats and Roddy shows admirable command, with a versatile controlled flow that effortlessly finds the pocket of each beat.
Songs to check for here: “LM Bravehearts” on which Roddy dissects the beat from “Lord Knows,” spitting Horatio Alger tales with the kind of confidence that suggests success was always in the making. A low-key “Tre First Commandmants,” which functions as a tribute to Biggie and a restatement of the jet mantra. “What That Is” features Curren$y in a relatively seamless duet. While on “Blow” Roddy finds himself a woman with the same nonchalant manner that he does everything else. “I ain’t even break a sweat but she soakin’ wet,” he says. The shrug is almost audible.
It’s unfortunate that Roddy’s slightness isn’t solely confined to his voice. Though the young jet has picked up the style of his mentor with relative ease, he has yet to add Curren$y’s effortless details, the little stories that make Spitta more than just your average weed rapper. There are a few too many clichés on Good Sense and not quite enough substance. But despite that, Roddy’s first solo mixtape is a smooth and engaging ride, perfect for soundtracking your warm-up sessions when we’re still 17 days out from the main event.
Download:
MP3: Young Roddy ft. Curren$y – “What That Is”
MP3: Young Roddy – “Tre First Commandments“
