Belly returns to the scene with ‘Mumble Rap’, which I feel did not get the proper release that it should have gotten. I mean seriously, what else does Belly have to do to catch the attention of the mainstream rap fans? Does he have to dumb down his sound? Does he have to become a member of Love and Hip Hop: Canada? I don’t know, which is why I am happy I am only a listener of his s–t and not his marketing guy.

TOP 5

5. THE COME DOWN IS REAL

Remember when rappers used to have those love songs that will serve as a filler for their album? This song is an example of that (Filler tracks are rappers best tracks these days BTW).

Over this gentle beat, Belly admits to the impact that this lover of his has had on his heart, resulting in him spitting some of the sweetest words you’ll ever hear on a song. Never does the mushiness seem forced to me, telling me that he got a co-sign from both his n—as and his lady before he made it.

4. P.O.P.

‘P.O.P’. is more than just a song, it’s anthem for all the suckas like myself that let that vajayjay distract us from our daily activities.

This song is just as much of a club anthem as it is a teaching session for one of the main man code laws. You can tell Belly had some fun with the beat, delivering this highly catchy approach to his lyrics. As usual, his wordplay is outstanding, as he sounds like a legit scholar that is going over a powerpoint about the power hoes has had on men from a historical standpoint.

3. LULLABY

A lot of this album is experimental for Belly, but ‘Lullaby’ is his bread and butter.

Not only does Lullaby follow this numbing sound that Belly loves utilizing, but it also has him opening up about some truthful/deep s–t that he can no longer bottle in. All in all, I feel like this song is an example of the real ass s–t that made you fall in love with his style in the first place.

2. MAKE A TOAST

‘Make a Toast’ has this feel-good element to it, with the beat channeling this old school rap vibe. Cooler than ever, Belly implores the people around him to toast to the improvements that he’s went through in life, showing off this lighthearted/charming side to his persona. I can honestly say that I haven’t heard a track like this from him before.

1. ALCANTARA

Two of the most underrated in the game decided to link up for this one.

On ‘Alcantara’, the Canadian rapper delivers this dark track that has him explaining how he goes about staying true to himself. Not only is Belly’s lyrics highly calculated on this song, but they are also flawlessly laid down.

As soon as you heard this beat, you knew Pusha was going to kill it right? It just has that wicked sound that is perfect for the VA rapper to rap over. On his verse, Pusha solidifies the songs sleek tone, as he marvels in sounding like everyone’s favorite drug dealing villain.

The casting for this song was spot on.

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

IMMIGRATION TO THE TRAP (4/5) MAKE A TOAST (4.7/5) THE COME DOWN IS REAL (4.7/5) MUMBLE RAP (3.8/5) LULLABY (4.5/5) BOBBY BROWN (4.4./5) PAPYRUS (3.8/5) ALCANTARA(4.7/5) CLEAN EDIT (4/5) P.O.P. (4.5/5) ALL ALONE (4.2/5)

OVERALL RATING

(7.8/10)

In my humbling opinion, not many in the game can spit like Belly. His wordplay, his punchlines, and his swagger on records is damn there flawless to me, and I also feel like he has this great understanding of how to make a solid rap song. Fortunately for us, Belly continues to utilize the aspects that make him a great rapper on this album, fully understanding what his true fans want from him while still being able to slightly expand on his brand.

Most rappers out today have a certain sound, and Belly’s happens to be a sacred one. While you may find it fitting to listen to a Future song in the club, I feel like listening to a Belly song works best while sitting in a vacant church that is burning. Maybe I exaggerated a bit, but you cannot deny the connection his spiritual-like instrumentals have with his often divine lyrics.

Belly continues to improve, and we as listeners continue to underrate him. With this 11 track album, the rapper proves once again that he might have the most riveting bars in the game right now. Will the album serve as your pregame music for this Friday? No, but it will certainly squeeze its way into your daily rotation by being one of the more distinct tracks in your playlist.

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