The Atlanta rapper does not go pop on this release, choosing instead to dive deep into his unique blend of horror tales and unsettling production.
DR. EV4L could have been the Young Nudy album where he decided it was time to find a comfy spot on those Spotify playlists and aim for the big bucks. Who would have blamed him? He’s had critical acclaim; he’s got a loyal fanbase; he has the support of both a major label and his hometown Atlanta, the most powerful city in all of rap. Because of his laid-back flow, his cruel lyrics could have worked on beats that were a bit brighter, maybe even with a hook sung by one of the many pop rap stars his city has birthed. Both his cousin 21 Savage and his inspiration Gucci Mane did this without completely sacrificing the menace that laced their early records. Ultimately, Young Nudy gives that pathway a fat middle finger, and if his older mixtapes felt like slasher movies, this one is The Shining.
That tone is set by the production, which is almost entirely done by Nudy’s in-house Atlanta producer Coupe. On “Revenge,” the combination of the ominous piano melody and slowly thudding hi-hats is less traditionally scary than it is tense and uncomfortable. It sounds like what would play right before everything went to shit, which happens to be Young Nudy’s sweet spot. His enjoyment of the pain and punishment of others would be disturbing if it wasn’t so fun. And yes, Nudy almost gleeful rapping about home invasions, chain snatchings, and chasing down helpless enemies like he’s Liam Neeson is messed up, but if you’re looking for upstanding morals, a Young Nudy tape is the wrong place to search.
In comparison to Nudy’s more popular work with the superproducer Pi’erre Bourne, this is entirely different. The appeal of their work was the clash between Nudy’s maniacally laughing supervillain persona and Pi’erre’s murky, yet airy Nintendo 64 beats. Nothing is sugar-coated when Nudy and Coupe are together; it’s pure wickedness. “And I’m tryna catch a body, kill a bitch nigga with no feelings,” he raps leisurely on “Walking Dead,” where the beat would suit an exorcism.
If anything, he suffers from not detailing the brutality enough. He repeatedly shouts, “Murder!” “Kill!” and “Rob!,” to the point where the words almost become meaningless. When he’s opposite G Herbo on “2Face,” it’s easy to notice Nudy’s one-dimensional lyricism. The Chicago rapper expertly weaves between wisely worded punchlines and short tales, while Nudy sort of monologues over the beat. It turns out fine since the album is kept tight, and Nudy excels in that one dimension. But there is one moment where Nudy reveals what turned him into this particular madman. “Always sayin’, ‘Go to school,’ but I got kicked out/Now I’m stuck in the street and my momma kicked me out,” he says on “Colombian Necktie.” That may sound like the typical rapper plight, but it does add a subtle layer to him.
The fear with Nudy’s course is that one day the repetitiveness of his raps will make them lose their luster, but today is not that day. DR. EV4L thrives because it embraces the sinister spirit of his music instead of making it accessible. You’re not going to find anything on Rap Caviar quite like it.
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