As I sit here struggling to decide which album I want to listen to, I can't help but feel as if today has been one of the best hip-hop drop days in recent memory. With drops from Dave East, A$AP Ferg, Kodak Black, Ace Hood, plus new singles from Denzel Curry & Gucci Mane, it's been, well, glorious. Now that that's out of the way, let's get to Dave East, who left a hell of an impression with his "EP" (thirteen songs is an EP now, apparently) Paranoia: A True Story. Narrowing it down to a single song to highlight was pretty difficult, but from the first five seconds of "Phone Jumpin'" the urgency and uptempo blow was simply too fire to deny.
Over a hard hitting 808s and an ominous, cinematic string sample both Dave East and Wiz Khalifa trade verses with finesse. While Wiz Khalifa brings a stoner's cool to the proceedings, dropping moments of strange and unique melodies, Dave's robotic, animalistic delivery truly marks this one down as a certified banger. East manages to stray confidently into the lavish territory of mafioso rap, perhaps emboldened by the sample, rapping about trapping and spending the profits on high fashion establishments.
If you like flow, you'll like this one. If you like fast beats, you'll like this one. If you like Dave East and Wiz Khalifa, you'll fucking love this one. Nod your head to the hypnotic production, wade into the smoke, and let Paranoia: A True Story consume you. It might be exactly what Dave East needed to catapult himself into the mainstream eye, and if he continues to drop material of this quality, he's going to be in for a long and successful career. Show some love to some real New York hip-hop.
Quotable Lyrics
I woke this morning like fuck everybody and that's how I knew that I needed to smoke
My nigga is felons you n*ggas is jealous and y'all just defining the meaning of broke
I'm gettin some brain, I pulled out my chain and she started lookin' like she seen a ghost
Diamonds is cold like goin' outside with no jacket and mama say you need a coat