I really like this new AZ Chike album. I came in expecting mostly West Coast slaps like ‘Packed Up’ throughout the album and was pretty surprised & impressed by the thoughtfulness of the project. The smooth talking Chike that we know and love is still prevalent on this thing, but I walked away appreciating the intentionality maybe more than anything. It’s the little touches that make for great moments: the cumbia sample on ‘Lamb Truck Keys,’ Chike proclaiming he’s the best on GNX on ‘Uncomfortable Conversations,’ the “ee-ah” lines on the 2nd half of ‘Negative’ that are sung like a chorus almost. These types of moments are well constructed and can’t be manufactured on the fly. I felt like Chike expanded his range on this project, with some more melodic songs, some more introspective songs, and even the Tyler the Creator-assisted ‘The World Is Ours’ which sounds like a Tyler song but Chike enters that world effectively and is actually the standout. Overall, a really solid major label debut and one that makes me extremely excited for AZ Chike’s future. Favorite Songs: Wonder Negative Packed Up The World Is Ours Hateful + Ungrateful