Just a few months after his summer release, Paranoia: A True Story, Dave East returns with a surprise Black Friday mixtape, Karma. The 16-track project is an exercise is quantity over quality; the songs are entertaining enough, but ultimately lack both variety and memorability.
Even East sounds downright bored throughout: he can't seem to be bothered to switch up his cadence or stray from the same set of worn, predictable lyrics. He's rapping just to rap and it shows. Similarly, the production has no dimension, and for the most part the guest features fall just as flat as the beats (though "Checc," featuring Offset, might be the exception here).
East's raw talent means he could be better — or at least not terrible — if he tried, but Karma is a lazy effort that even diehard fans could probably do without. Listen once and move on.
(Independent)Even East sounds downright bored throughout: he can't seem to be bothered to switch up his cadence or stray from the same set of worn, predictable lyrics. He's rapping just to rap and it shows. Similarly, the production has no dimension, and for the most part the guest features fall just as flat as the beats (though "Checc," featuring Offset, might be the exception here).
East's raw talent means he could be better — or at least not terrible — if he tried, but Karma is a lazy effort that even diehard fans could probably do without. Listen once and move on.
