Lucki – Freewave 3 EP REVIEW
FAV TRACKS: Politics, Out My Way, More Than Ever, Of Course You Won’t, Believe the Hype, Geek Monster, Interlude, Glory Boy, Let’s See, 2012 Summer, All In, 4 – U – City Girl, 3D Outro
Review: Chicago rapper Lucki is starting off 2019 on a strong note with his newest installment in the Freewave series. Although it is classified as an ‘EP’, the project comes out to a 15 tracklist, each track being around 2 minutes apiece. Lucki first made a name for himself with his debut 2013 release, Alternative Trap, and with this newest release, he might begin to turn even more heads his way.
Four out of the 15 songs on this extended play feature production by CHASETHEMONEY, a notable St. Louis producer who has worked with Ski Mask, JID, J. Cole, Smokepurpp, Valee, Jeremih, and more. Another notable production credit is on ‘All In’, where Earl Sweatshirt (of Odd Future fame) comes through with a beat. The beat is distinctly Earl, and gets cues from his most recent sound on his late 2018 release, Some Rap Songs, featuring chopped up vocals incorporated with the beat. Lucki has worked with other notable figures in the game, such as Chance, FKA Twigs, and Danny Brown.
One of Lucki’s signifiers is his distinct style of rap, which is lowkey but hard-hitting. Growing up he listened to Lil Wayne, Biggie, and Prince, but cites Chief Keef as one of his contemporary inspirations. Like Chief Keef, there is less focus on lyrical content and more on the production and delivery. Moreover, both artists are prolific, with Lucki boasting a solid 9 projects under his belt since his debut in 2013. The song ‘Geek Monster’ is one of many examples of standout beats on this project; the synth-heavy production is something out of a retro video game. Lucki doesn’t scream and shout like some popular rappers seem to love doing right now, his delivery stays consistent throughout the EP, and his commitment to his sound is commendable, but it is also a double-edged sword, as some of the songs start blending together. It gets hard to distinguish between different songs on the project. Thankfully the extended play’s diverse and forward thinking trap production help save the project from monotony and creates an overall enjoyable and seamless experience.
STREAM/LISTEN TO FREEWAVE 3 HERE: