Like the name of his winning single, "Sum 2 Prove" implies, Atlanta's Lil Baby approaches My Turn like he's trying to silence doubters. On this second studio effort, he's sharper and more clear-eyed than he's ever been.
Lil Baby makes the most of his effortless, feather-light cadence on standouts like "Commercial" (ft. Lil Uzi Vert), "Forever" (ft. Lil Wayne) and "Consistent." On tracks like these, he's slippery, not riding beats so much as devouring them.
Undaunted by the aggressive, chest-thumping production (the best of which can be credited to Twysted Genius and collaborative efforts between Tay Keith/Fabio Aguilar/Keanu Beats), Lil Baby stays nimble on his best songs, floating around speedy 808s with ease. He aims to appeal to a wider audience on tender cuts like "Catch the Sun" (as heard in Queen & Slim) with some success. He's polished and more seasoned and it shows.
The album is unnecessarily long, though. At least a quarter of the swollen, 20-song track list is a repetitive slog that could have stayed on the cutting room floor. With the clutter removed, the best songs of the bunch could have had a chance to really shine.
The stuffed effort could be Lil Baby's attempt to showcase his growth. But one mark of artistic maturity is exercising restraint — less is often more.
(Capitol / Motown / Quality Control)Lil Baby makes the most of his effortless, feather-light cadence on standouts like "Commercial" (ft. Lil Uzi Vert), "Forever" (ft. Lil Wayne) and "Consistent." On tracks like these, he's slippery, not riding beats so much as devouring them.
Undaunted by the aggressive, chest-thumping production (the best of which can be credited to Twysted Genius and collaborative efforts between Tay Keith/Fabio Aguilar/Keanu Beats), Lil Baby stays nimble on his best songs, floating around speedy 808s with ease. He aims to appeal to a wider audience on tender cuts like "Catch the Sun" (as heard in Queen & Slim) with some success. He's polished and more seasoned and it shows.
The album is unnecessarily long, though. At least a quarter of the swollen, 20-song track list is a repetitive slog that could have stayed on the cutting room floor. With the clutter removed, the best songs of the bunch could have had a chance to really shine.
The stuffed effort could be Lil Baby's attempt to showcase his growth. But one mark of artistic maturity is exercising restraint — less is often more.