by: Chad Stanton
While most people tend to think of Young Money and Maybach Music when they think of dominant crews and A$AP or OFWGKTA when they think of crews that are bubbling up I’m inclined to think that Curren$y and the Jets are the closest to a complete squad. I have my own biases of course but I’m confident in my assertion.
Young Roddy has been down since Curren$y left Lil Wayne’s crew and he’s pretty much taken on the role of the protege that has been clearly influenced but’s unique enough to avoid being a clone. Folks not accustomed to hearing Roddy without Trademark or Curren$y are in for a pretty pleasant surprise with “Good Sense”. Young Roddy has been pulling out standout verses and here he holds down the tape with a knotty but clear flow.
“Landing Strip” featuring Trademark shows why they pair so well together with his limited presence providing a blunt verse that conveys a yeoman’s verse that contrasts well with Young Roddy.”Uncle Bull” is a prime example of the best tracks here that allow Young Roddy to shine with a quicker pace that keeps the listener from feeling as if dude is simply strolling through it all effortlessly. When Spitta shows up on “Tre 1st Commandments” to attest to Young Roddy being the guy to tackle the beat you get a genuine passing the torch moment probably even more so than “What That Is” which features an actual Curren$y verse. “Freedom of Speech”,”Blow”, and “Trapologist” end the tape on a strong note.
This is smoking and riding music for those who are already firmly on board with the Jet Life. The whole aesthetic is to do it better than average rap cat with complex but smooth flows, superior wordplay, and always keep it cool lessons which is done here without question. The track selection is heavy on classics and soul samples with a hiss and pop atmosphere that stands out in the Lex Luger era which allows Young Roddy’s voice to stand out without being drowned out by a ton of bass that’d be par for the course today. Young Roddy follows the blueprint provided by his crew to standout.
