When XXL printed their issue featuring the top freshman of 2011, I was initially disappointed. I did not recognize most of the names on the list and was skeptical of their choices. One of the names which I was shocked to see was someone by the name of Big K.R.I.T. Besides being unknown to me, I assumed Big K.R.I.T. was a typical Soulja-Boi type of act when I found out he was southern and produced his own beats. I could not have been more wrong. After reading about last year’s critically acclaimed mix tape “K.R.I.T Wuz Here”, I decided to check him out and from then on it was obvious to me that K.R.I.T. was someone who was going to make a difference with his music and I was eagerly anticipating his new release, “Returnof4eva.”
K.R.I.T. which is an acronym for King Remembered In Time, is an up and coming rapper and producer from Mississippi. Hailing from the third coast, K.R.I.T. unleashes “Returnof4eva” with all of the southern swag one can handle. The whole album is bass heavy which is great for playing in the car with the volume turned up and a system banging in the trunk. Producing the whole album by himself, “Returnof4eva”, is a great showcase of what K.R.I.T. is bringing to the table and what he could provide to the game in the future, not just for himself but for others as well. The reason K.R.I.T. is special and different is his use of soul into his music. The fact that all twenty-one tracks on “Returnof4eva”contain a component of soul into the production adds a new element to his sound and makes him stand out from the rest of the pack, not only in the South but throughout Hip-Hop as well.
Big K.R.I.T. is an exceptional lyricist as well. He is different in this compartment too because he does not use any witty punch lines or metaphors, yet still gets his message across due to his magnificent word play and smooth laid back flow. His voice glides over the beats majestically and he holds the listener into travelling on a journey through his world. For the most part, K.R.I.T is basically by himself on the record but when he does get support, he is helped out by some of the best the South has to offer including Ludacris, Bun B and Chamillionaire. However, none of these artists outshine K.R.I.T., despite their legendary statuses and he holds his own and proves he belongs among the Southern greats already.
The opening song on “Returnof4eva” is ‘Rise and Shine’ and from this early on, the listener will already feel as if he is witnessing something special. The sincerity is evident in his lyrics and the honesty carries out throughout the rest of the record. What follows next, is the ‘R4 Theme Song’ and it is here that we get our first taste of Big K.R.I.T.’s Southern pride as the bass is heavy enough to rattle trunks and also sample’s Outkast on the hook. ‘Dreamin’’ is the next song on the record and it is one of the best songs to be featured on “Returnof4eva.” “Dreamin’’ is an inspiring song about working hard to achieve all that you want out of life and a reminder to never give up on your goals. K.R.I.T. tells us of his struggles on the song and all that he had to do to reach his dreams. It is a perfect representation of where K.R.I.T is right now in his life and a good choice as his first single, since he is living out his dreams everyday now.
The next group of songs on the disc has more bounce to them and are great songs to drive around too while the sound bounces out of your trunk. ‘Rotation’ is a great song to drive slow too with the volume turned all the way up, while ‘My Sub’ has the heaviest bass on the record and should be played at high volume for maximum appreciation. David Banner appears on ‘Sookie Now’ and despite his Mississippi origins, he offers nothing to the track besides passing the torch as K.R.I.T. easily outshines him and might possibly make better beats.
‘American Rapstar’, is one of the most creative songs on “Returnof4eva”, as K.R.I.T breaks down the rap stars in America and questions if they are really living a true life or just playing up to the gimmick. In one of the best lines, K.R.I.T. compares rappers to their chains saying the flashier the better. The ninth song ‘Highs & Lows’ is a slower song but just as heavy as the preceding songs and includes a very catchy sing-a-long chorus how “life ain’t nothing but an EQ of high’s and lows.” The next song, ‘Shake It’, is faster with more bounce and energy showing just how versatile Big K.R.I.T. is. It is a fun song, with exceptional lyrics and production which I am sure will maintain a high amount of replay value. ‘Shake It’, also includes a great Chris Rock sample at the end which acts as a perfect transition into the next song ‘Made Alot.” ‘Made Alot”, features a sick sample and a great beat as K.R.I.T. raps about people claiming he changed over his new found success but in actuality they’re the ones who changed as they are hoping to see him fail. “Lions & Lambs’ is next, and is a song about how only the strong survive in this world and it is either hunt or be hunted. Even though this is a simple metaphor, K.R.I.T. is able to make it work over the soulful beat and old school scratches.
Starting with, “King’s Blues” the old school respect and appreciation as well as the soulfulness really shine through, but still remains 100% Southern. The flow is strong on ‘King’s Blues’ as K.R.I.T. spits, “What’s a king without a crown, what’s a car without some sound.” Chamillionaire is featured on the next song, ‘Time Machine’, a car song about riding around town bumping old CD’s in the whip. Both K.R.I.T. and Chamillionaire shout out some of their heroes and legends including the Geto Boys and UGK, as well as many underground artists relevant to Southern Hip-Hop history. Following this, K.R.I.T. hits us with an old school circa 1994 jam in ‘Get Right.’ ‘Get Right’ is a chill laid back bass heavy party song, which I can see being played all throughout summer. ‘Amtrak’ is next and is probably the worst song on the CD. This is not a bad thing though as it is still better than 75% of what is out today, it is just nothing special and could have been scrapped from the album. However, the song does feature heavy bass and transitions perfectly into the following song, “Player’s Ballad” featuring the voice of the South: Raheem DeVaughn on the chorus.
‘Another Naïve Individual Glorifying Greed & Encouraging Racism’ has Big K.R.I.T. vowing to make a better life for himself for which he is proud. This is his way of telling the world he wants to be someone special and not just another nigger, which is an acronym for the songs title. This is one of the best songs on the album with amazing production which has Big K.R.I.T. rapping over trumpets. ‘Free My Soul’ is next and is a look into K.R.I.T.’s conscience. Spitting over a beautiful soulful piano, K.R.I.T. wonders aloud that even though he has achieved all the material items he ever coveted, is it enough for him to reach salvation. The next song on “Returnof4eva” is ‘The Vent’ and it is the song with the best lyrics and flow on the album. The first half of the song features a low beat which is reminiscent of something Wiz Khalifa would rhyme over with K.R.I.T. just spitting fire. Though for this half, the beat is low, the bass hits just as hard as the heavier tracks before it. The next half of the song switches up with the beat becoming louder and K.R.I.T. showing off his melodic singing. ‘The Vent’ is definitely a track where Big K.R.I.T.’s kingly persona comes out and is perfectly placed towards the end of the record. The last song ’Country Shit’ is a remix of one of K.R.I.T.’s most popular songs off his last mix tape and features both Ludacris and Bun B. It is here that Big K.R.I.T. solidifies his place as a great MC as he receives a major co-sign and raps the hardest on the track.
“Returnof4eva” is definitely a game changing album. Although it is not a major release and was instead released for free, it shows Big K.R.I.T is deserving of all of the recognition he is receiving. With aspirations to entirely produce his full length major label debut, Big K.R.I.T. is on the verge of superstardom. However, there is a sense to K.R.I.T.’s work, that no matter how much mainstream success he receives, he will always remain true to himself and would never sell out. He is clearly influenced by those who have come before him and he uses their influence to shape his sound with their elements as well as his own. “Retunof4eva”, is a breath of fresh air and a record that definitely should be checked out. The replay value is incredibly high because of the different sounds you will experience due to the contradicting heavy bass and soulfulness on each record. Will Big K.R.I.T. be an artist that will be remembered in time remains to be seen, but the future is bright for him and I highly recommend this album and will be listening to it a lot in the upcoming months.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
Recommended Songs: Dreamin’, Get Right, Another Naïve Individual Glorifying Greed & Encouraging Racism, The Vent, Country Shit Remix
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