Steered by his nasally voice and laid-back delivery, one of the original members of Team Eastside delivers a no-frills, 25-track Detroit rap album.
If someone wanted to get the gist of Detroit rap, a link to Damedot’s YouTube channel would do the job. He was one of the original members of Team Eastside (which also included Peezy and Babyface Ray), an influential Detroit crew formed more than a decade ago that, along with Doughboyz Cashout and more, helped pave the way for the city’s current wave. Growing up, Damedot, with his mom, listened to the generation of Detroit rap that came before his; names like Street Lord Juan, Blade Icewood, Tone Tone, the Eastside Chedda Boyz, and more. It’s a musical foundation that comes up again and again during the online interviews of the city’s biggest names, the lack of influence from outside trends and movements has kept the scene’s sound so singular.
Damedot’s newest tape The Umbrella Again is no-frills Detroit rap. Steered by his nasally voice, a delivery laid back like a consigliere in a tailored suit, and the repeated use of a Meadow Soprano clip, he raps almost exclusively about getting money, expensive fashion, sleeping around, and slinging dope up and down the Midwest, over pounding 808s, ominous piano melodies, and a splash of Motown soul. At 25 tracks, it’s a lot—but only four songs run over three minutes, most hover around two, and the hooks bleed right into the verses. You can breeze through it like a beach read.
There’s no clear standout track or moment on the album, but there are little things that make the best songs click. Usually, it’s when the lyrics are detailed enough that they create a scenario so implausible that it’s hilarious. On “Cocomelon,” he bonds with his toddler son as they watch nursery rhymes and count up 100 racks. His Balenciaga boots are so impractical he can barely walk in them on “Cold Shoulder.” He claims to order lamb chops without even looking at the menu (chaotic behavior) on “Lemme See.” “Dior” fires on all cylinders; from the sputtering drums to Damedot seemingly listing every purchase on his bank statement down to the $60 Uber ride. “Chrome Hearts,” with its dramatic thunderstorm intro, doomsday pianos, and Dame’s menacing punchlines, sounds like it could backdrop the final fight in a gloomy martial arts movie.
Damedot’s more romantic side, if you can call it that, is mostly him ogling at asses and hitting on bottle girls. The beats are still steady, but he writes like he’s auditioning to be the next C-plot on Love & Hip Hop; lots of talk about Casamigos, Fashion Nova, and even a track titled “Likes on Instagram.” The worst is when he starts to play around with AutoTune, his use of it on “Funny” is unimaginative like a lifeless Money Man. His voice sounds cool and distinct without it; luckily, it’s only a couple of songs.
But for the most part, there are no twists or surprises on The Umbrella Again, and while that won’t make anyone scramble for their phone to give it a spin, that’s not a bad thing. It’s rap completely in its own bubble, made specifically to appeal to anyone with the slightest interest in Detroit or mafioso rap, and done well at that.
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