While he may not be a household name at the moment, don’t be surprised to see Smino’s name at the top of the charts at some point in the near future. His first two projects, S!CK S!CK S!CK and blkjuptr, were both very solid EPs that built up a lot of hype for his full-length debut. Now, while a Monday night may not be the most ideal time to drop an album, Smino deliberately released blkswn on 3/14, giving a shoutout to the 314 – his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The four singles that preceded the album – blkswn, Anita, Blkoscars, and Father Son Holy Smoke – were all very promising, and they culminated in Smino’s 18-track debut project, blkswn. The hype for this album was very real, and blkswn went above and beyond its expectations.

The album kicks off with Wild Irish Roses, a smooth, melodic opener in which Smino invites listeners to “ride with him” to “pick a couple of Wild Irish Roses.” Smino’s use of Wild Irish Rose, a bottom-shelf wine, as a metaphor for a sexual proposition is an interesting one, and it is certainly fitting with his artistic style. While this track was on the shorter side, with only one verse, it set the tone for the rest of the album, and it let the listener know what to expect: smooth, soulful singing combined with clever lyricism backed by unique production.

Shortly after the intro, we hear Glass Flows, featuring Ravyn Lenae – one of the standout tracks on the album. The Ravyn Lenae feature is the first of six female features on the album, all of whom do stellar jobs on their respective songs. In this track, Smino looks back on a failed relationship, asking himself what exactly he did wrong. Lenae contributes her soft, melodic voice as she and Smino trade lines throughout the entire song. Another excellent song from the project comes just a few tracks later, in the form of Netflix & Dusse. The hook is unbelievably catchy, featuring a proposal by Smino to “duck away” for some “Netflix and Dusse.” In this track, we get a glimpse into Smino’s comedic side, as he raps that he drives a “Pink Caddy, Pepto Bismol-bile.” Bars such as this one, which are sprinkled in throughout the album, add a bit of lightheartedness to the project without detracting from its overall themes.

There is not a single song on this project that I believe should not be on there. Around three-quarters of the way through the album, however, my attention begins to drift. In the middle of Long Run, which is nearly five minutes long, the album started to feel a little tedious. An eighteen-track album is a lot for any artist, especially a young one. A few of the tracks in the middle of the album seemed to blend together, without any clear standouts (besides maybe B Role).

However, just as my attention began to fade in Long Run, Smino snatched it right back with Innamission – a two minute track ripe with excellent flows over a simplistic beat. His delivery on this track is unique, as his sudden changes of inflection give the song a boost of energy. The album does begin to slow down a bit before this track, but Smino’s Innamission picks the pace back up to finish off the album.

The last song on the album, Krash Kourse, is arguably one of the best cuts from the entire project. It doesn’t appear on the tracklist of the album – rather, it comes as a pleasant surprise at the end of the album. Around the 2:47 mark in Amphetamine, the track fades out, implying the album is over. However, after a brief period of silence, a new song begins. The secret song features uncredited vocals from Bari, Jean Deaux, and Noname – whose earlier album, Telefone, included a verse from Smino on the final track of the album. Smino delivers some more clever wordplay on this track, claiming “my nose can sniff the shit out but I’m never deterred.” Smino and Jean Deaux both deliver stellar verses on this track, and Bari comes through on the chorus. However, it is Noname who steals the show with the last verse on the album. Armed with clever wordplay and a silky smooth flow, she has yet to deliver a feature that I have not been a fan of.

One of the things that really impressed me about this project was the amount of female features. Women definitely take a back seat to men in the hip-hop world, but Smino is looking to change that by including features such as Ravyn Lenae, Via Rosa, and Noname. Hopefully this will become a trend as we begin to see more and more women emerging in the hip-hop industry. My only real gripe with this album is its length – it could be cut down to under an hour – but other than that, this album definitely exceeded expectations.

Remember the name Smino, because you’ll be seeing it all over the place soon.

8.5/10