Revenge Of The Dreamers 3 is officially on the way. We've seen it blossom from its formative stages, beginning with a fateful spree of invitations and culminating in dozens upon dozens of spontaneously created songs. Naturally, the entire Dreamville camp was at the epicenter, but they were joined by the likes of Smino, Buddy, Young Nudy, T.I., Tay Keith, Christo, Saba, King Mez, Rick Ross, and many more. What transpired was nearly two weeks of unbridled creativity, collaborative spirit, and camaraderie. By the end of it, both J. Cole and Ibrahim H. were given the unenviable task of cutting the mass of material down to a consumable sixteen tracks.
Evidently, the time has come. Dreamville's squadron has all changed their profile pictures yellow in unity, signaling the project's arrival. Last night, two new singles arrived, including "Down Bad" and "Got Me." The former is a blistering posse cut featuring Young Nudy, J.I.D, Bas, J. Cole, and EarthGang's Johnny Venus closing things out. The latter is a smoother cut, in which Ari Lennox, Ty Dolla $ign, Omen, and Dreezy reflect over a slow-burning groove. Regardless of where your preference lies, both tracks ultimately served their intended purpose: stoking the flames of Dreamers 3 hype.
As expected, our own commentariat (as did I, for what it's worth) gravitated toward "Down Bad," an all-too-brief exchange of fire between some of Dreamville's strongest lyricists. Though many have lamented the brevity, the sheer volume of rhymes and flows made the single wholly enjoyable; it was especially nice seeing Johnny Venus close things out with an exclamation point, a reminder that his bars can comfortably stand alongside any of his labelmates. Yet the mere fact that the position of "best verse" is so strongly debateable speaks volumes. Who do you think made for the highlight verse on "Down Bad?"
As for "Got Me," the smooth posse cut did not go unsung alongside its more immediate counterpart. There are many still riding the high of Ari Lennox's Shea Butter Baby, with some acknowledging her as one of RnB's more promising up-and-comers. Yet it's Dreezy who many deemed the show-stopper, with her verse raising awareness as to how dope the Chicago rapper can truly be. Whether you're invested in this side of the sonic spectrum is one thing, but at the very least, you've gotta respect the versatility. Even if it does come at the cost of one or two posse cuts...right?
