Joey Bada$$ “Lonely At The Top” Review

​​There are quite a lot of kindred spirits surrounding Joey Bada$$ nowadays. He’s a product of the ’90s—an period he doesn’t keep in mind as vividly because the 2000s, and definitely didn’t dwell by means of with the ethical compass of somebody who skilled it firsthand. Nonetheless, since his teenage rise within the weblog period, Joey’s been tagged as an “previous soul,” somebody “clever past his years.” That’s true, however the weight of that label has all the time carried expectation. Between albums, the query has lingered: may Joey develop into an inheritor beneath Jay-Z, Nas, and Biggie—the Holy Trinity of the East Coast’s golden period—or does his energy lie elsewhere? The fact is murkier. Joey has confirmed himself a fierce lyricist, however the path between staying true to that lane and pushing towards wider enchantment has by no means been totally clear.

Lonely At The Prime is one other effort the place Joey grapples with these two instructions, although by no means below duress. The manufacturing, largely dealt with by Chuck Strangers and Moo Latte, has a shiny sheen that lets philosophical musings and Goyard flexes share the identical bar. Opulence crystallizes into brash boasts, whereas introspection dives into paranoia and the protection mechanisms wanted to navigate two totally different worlds. That rigidity is obvious from the beginning: opener “DARK AURA” builds off glistening strings and electrifying guitar, with Joey’s supply tightening because the stress mounts. His snarl feels indulgent however exact, earlier than breaking into depth as he balances ego and spirit. “Gotta keep stuntin’, know my mild can by no means be suppressed (By no means)/ Spirit information me on each quest (Aha)/ The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” he raps with a grit that may make even the gruffest Brooklynites proud.

Making Brooklyn proud is likely to be Joey Bada$$’s clearest intention nowadays. It’s a lane that fits him naturally, although one which generally limits the larger image of Lonely At The Prime. On one hand, he’s aiming for the crisp, grown-man aura that locations him within the lineage Jay-Z carved and others have adopted. On the opposite, his makes an attempt at crafting “hits” usually really feel extra like bids for New York radio than common smashes. “HIGHROLLER” with A$AP Ferg and Kelz2Busy leans into Boi-1da’s chilling, R&B-heavy palette, echoing classic Drake. Joey weaves survival themes with pragmatism, however sometimes defaults to punchlines that really feel compulsory (“Life is a bitch and he or she again on her cycle/ Can’t cease ’til the chips I stack tall because the Eiffel”). “READY TO LOVE,” assisted by Ty Dolla $ign and Hitmaka’s manufacturing, additionally indulges a extra polished sound. But its sultry undercurrent lets Joey faucet into family-man introspection, displaying a aspect that magnifies his development. These moments work greatest when Joey is the one bending his supply—just like the jazzy sing-rap cadences of “3 FEET AWAY” and “UNDERWATER,” the place his melodic instincts really feel extra natural alongside his technical sharpness.

Crucially, these detours don’t derail the album’s momentum. The Brooklyn core stays, and it’s the place Joey shines brightest. “BK’s FINEST” is a posse lower within the basic mould: Joey orchestrates sharp New York-isms over Statik Selektah’s velvety backdrop, buying and selling verses with Rome Streetz, Kai Ca$h, and a standout flip from Professional Period mainstay CJ Fly. That chemistry extends elsewhere—Kirk Knight’s manufacturing on “SUPAFLEE” pulls from Pharrell’s playbook, a bouncy match for Joey’s playful cadences. Even Westside Gunn’s gaudy flexes slot neatly into the high-fashion-dope-dealer aesthetic of “SWANK WHITE,” a pairing that would really feel heavy-handed in different contexts however lands right here.

Every Joey Bada$$ challenge carries a way of catharsis, partly as a result of the gaps between releases appear to have an effect on followers greater than him. Consistency has been his anchor, even when the outcomes don’t all the time hit the identical peaks. Lonely At The Prime displays that steadiness: private development takes middle stage, sonic dangers seem in flashes, and the pen stays sharp sufficient to quiet any doubt. The title gestures towards ambition, however the music suggests one thing less complicated—that greater than a decade in, Joey has realized how you can steadiness expectation and endurance.

HotNewHipHop customers rated Joey Bada$$’s new album, Lonely At The Prime, 4.08 out of 5, based mostly on eight critiques. “Excellent album to shut out the summer season,” one person wrote. In a extra important overview, one other person expressed disappointment, writing, “was anticipating extra contemplating his run at the beginning of the 12 months & with how lengthy it has been since he final dropped an album… it feels just like the label points actually held him again. Monitor with Westside Gunn is fye, however idk perhaps I acquired my hopes up too excessive. attempt to please everybody, find yourself pleasing nobody sort shiii.”