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8.3
72363
8.3 |
Consequence Of Sound
Vintage sound or no, he won’t be one of those fleeting MCs; he possesses such skill and drive that it’s doubtful he still needs his predecessors to show him where to go next
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8.0
72364
8.0 |
DIY
At over an hour long, it’s a collection which could do with a slightly more ruthless approach in the cutting room but that’s a minor nit-pick when the material is this strong
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8.0
72405
8.0 |
Mojo
Rooted in ‘90s golden age boom-bap production. Print edition only
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8.0
72406
8.0 |
Q
It’s a diverting blend of gravity and distraction. Print edition only
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8.0
72415
8.0 |
PopMatters
The album is strikingly similar in tone to the mixtapes; he’s not trying anything different, but rather continuing what’s worked well for him
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8.0
72473
8.0 |
NOW
Though Dilla and DJ Premier produce only a single beat each, their fingerprints are all over the album
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8.0
72689
8.0 |
The Music
Bada$$ is still one of the best things in recent memory to happen to the birthplace of hip hop
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7.5
72386
7.5 |
A.V. Club
B4.DA.$$ isn’t a stone-cold classic debut. Instead, it’s a playful, confident, compelling nod to the genre’s past that never reverts to fetishism or coasts on the legacy of the sounds it borrows
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7.5
73007
7.5 |
Pretty Much Amazing
A solid and promising debut from a richly talented MC with the potential to help others with his music in the same manner his forebears inspired him
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7.0
72790
7.0 |
Pitchfork
He's still relatively young, but Joey's experienced enough worth sharing that it feels like his words are inadequate to even cover its scope
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7.0
72404
7.0 |
Exclaim
B4.Da.$$ evokes a sense of sincerity and talent that'll continue to mature from the cradle to the grave
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7.0
72625
7.0 |
Beardfood
If you believe hiphop was at its prime 20 years ago, you'll like B4.DA.$$, but you might prefer the originals
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7.0
72366
7.0 |
Slant Magazine
Drawing off nearly 40 years of hip-hop history, B4.DA.$$ is a hodgepodge work which equates organic, sample-oriented music with a certain type of old-fashioned conviction
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6.8
72367
6.8 |
Earbuddy
I’ve heard worse debuts from better rappers, and there’s a good chance Joey Bada$$ will grow into his act more. If you’re looking for the first great hip-hop album of 2015, though, keep looking
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6.2
72841
6.2 |
Paste Magazine
Joey is at his best when he turns inward, exploring feelings rather than fashions
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6.0
72908
6.0 |
The Irish Times
Lyrically, Joey doesn’t quite pack the same erudite punch as some of the dons he’s so obviously seeking to emulate
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6.0
72431
6.0 |
Rolling Stone
Sounds like it's stuck in the past, with solid production from old-school legend DJ Premier and his latter-day disciple Statik Selektah
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6.0
72490
6.0 |
NME
Despite this album’s weaknesses, you feel Bada$$ will be around for a while
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5.5
72756
5.5 |
Crack
Joey Bada$$’ chosen aesthetic is based on a fantasy, an image of a New York that existed two decades ago. And while it might be pleasing on the ears, we should be expecting more from 2015’s key hip-hop releases
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5.0
72461
5.0 |
Spin
His style — often-poetic lyrics rapped in a blunted monotone over moody production — is skilled, but never very fun
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4.0
72362
4.0 |
The Guardian
Too often set at the middling pace of a Fugees B-side, and a rapper whose technical abilities are nowhere close to those old timers he seeks to emulate
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