Although Joe Moses new project is titled Westside, an equally fitting title could have been "West Coast". Moses hails from Los Angeles and his sound has been emblematic of all the sun-baked hip hop that has come out of there in recent years. This feeling is most prominent on his frequent collaborations with DJ Mustard and Ty Dolla $ign, but Moses infused it throughout Westside.
While Moses' name is often seen next to those of some of the biggest artists in hip hop, he doesn't rely on the star-power for his latest offering. The album features the previously released singles, "All Rap" (feat. Young Thug & RJmrLA) and "Go Viral" (Feat. Future & Metro Boomin), but Moses is holding his own on most of its fourteen tracks. Moses has been said to make "club ready" rap, but Westside packs just as many reflective moments as celebratory ones. Several songs opt for simple beats for Moses to give straightforward accounts of what he's been through and the mentality that allowed him to come out on top. On the closer, "Black Lives Matter", he raps, "Always been a suspect, never been a victim / Hard head got me in and out the fucking system."
Spin Westside below and let us know what you think.