Dan Adu-Gyamfi is just rotating his tires.
Last week, to promote his forthcoming album Cadillactica, Big K.R.I.T. released a new song every day to a different website. It culminated with a documentary about being on Macklemore’s tour and a trailer for the album, which is supposed to drop in the fall. Over the earlier years of this decade, the Mississippi native let loose a string of acclaimed mixtapes in three consecutive years: K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, Return of 4Eva, and 4eva N a Day. But when it was time for his debut album, Life from the Underground, the results were subpar and the sales lacking. Now, the Def Jam signee is working on reigniting his career and becoming an artist with a higher profile.
The new songs display his desire to be appreciated by the masses and his improvement as a producer. The highlight of the records is “Lac Lac” featuring A$AP Ferg. The song samples “Munchies for Your Love” by the legendary Bootsy’s Rubber Band. Fans will remember the sample from Scarface’s 1993 classic “Now I Feel Ya.” K.R.I.T. channels Bone Thugs during the hook while Ferg’s flow seems to be inspired by Z-Ro. The song isn’t out of the ordinary subject wise for him but the third verse is where Krizzle blacks out and discusses his competition, why Life from the Underground didn’t well, lack of media coverage, and his discography.
Many of his peers like Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Meek Mill, and YG have flourished thanks to hit singles which have evaded the Multi Alumni member. K.R.I.T. stated on his new album that he wouldn’t produce the whole project. In the past year he’s been in sessions with David Banner, Mike Dean, Mike Will Made It, Organized Noize, 9th Wonder, and others to cultivate a new sound. The 27-year-old has the ability to make great songs but the challenge is finding the right single that doesn’t compromise his integrity. He’s a man who’s made songs about having fun in strip clubs, being wrecked, and various foibles with women. In the mainstream the usual lane of making a chart-topper is either a club banger à la Young Thug’s “Stoner”, a track for the ladies like Kid Ink’s “Show Me”, or a cheesy anthem in the mode of Eminem’s “The Monster.” Swimming Pools” and even “Thrift Shop’s” are more few and far between.
Clearly, K.R.I.T.’s talent has taken him far, but his ability to thrive on a major label will depend on how Cadillactica fares. That is, if the notoriously reluctant Def Jam ever let it see the light of day.
