Big K.R.I.T. - 4Eva N A Day Album Review

Artist: Big K.R.I.T.
Album: 4Eva N A Day
Label: Cinematic Music Group
Executive Producers: Big K.R.I.T., Johnny Shipes, & Sha Money XL

For the past few years Big K.R.I.T. has been one of the most popular new southern rappers, growing a large fan base online that eventually lead to a deal with Sha Money XL (who discovered 50 Cent) and Def Jam Records after the release of his street album “KRIT Wuz Here.” Last year KRIT released the critically acclaimed “Returnof4Eva” which made people believe the impossible: that maybe a major label wouldn’t attempt to stop the creativity of what made him popular and attempt to conform him to what label heads THINK hip hop should be. KRIT’s soulful samples, thumping beats, and meaningful lyrics are what drew fans in, and with 2012’s “4Eva N A Day” (the sequel to “Returnof4Eva”) KRIT does not stray from his strengths. Because of the delay of his major label debut “Live From The Underground” KRIT decided to release another FREE album with “4Eva N A Day” to hold fans over, but that’s not to say this was some quickly thrown together mess. With Big K.R.I.T., it’s quality not quantity.

“8:04 AM” kicks the album off with a spoken word Intro from KRIT as he contemplates whether he’s really done his best as early morning bird chirps surround him. “Wake Up” then blasts through the speakers with a symphony of keys, drums, and incredible saxophone notes from saxophonist Willie B as KRIT thanks the lord for giving him another day. On “Yesterday” Big K.R.I.T. reminisces over his grandmother who’s passed and really the only way to describe this record is beautiful. Really a touching song on every level, KRIT truly knows how to tap into emotions because every single person has lost SOMEONE at some time.

“Like an autumn breeze, knocking all the pecans out the trees/
baking your fruitcakes for Christmas Eve/
The smell of sweet potato pie make it hard to leave/
sit and reminisce, out the grab bag, everybody got a gift/
just be thankful for the thought, don’t be giving lip/
we laugh and cry/
you knew you couldn’t save the world, but you had to try/
I been doing the same/
just so you know, your lectures aint going in vain/
accepted that you’re gone but I deal with the pain/
weather the rain, just know I wont be the same”

On “Bobbie Miles” KRIT compares falling down in life and trying to keep your dreams alive to the story of “Friday Night Lights” character Boobie Miles (who was a real Running Back in Texas that had his dreams of NFL stardom taken with one play) over the haunting saxophone and thumping bass line. On the title track KRIT combines the crazy bass and drums as KRIT does his own version of a little speed rap along with a catchy hook. KRIT takes the feeling of the “Returnof4Eva” favorite “Rotation” and makes a kind of sequel with “Me & My Old School” meshing a chopped and screwed sample for the hook with horns, drums, and live guitars for the perfect riding music. This is the windows down, riding slow just vibing music. You might say the perfect “Country Rap Tunes” which KRIT touches on with “Country Rap Tunes” just 2 songs later which is KRIT’s tribute to all the dirty south folks out there. Before that, though, KRIT takes it back to “1986” as he rejoices over the year of his birth (and as a 80’s baby, 1987 for me, I can definitely relate to this one) and the fact that his “momma coulda cut me out the womb but she knew better!”

KRIT switches the vibe up for a little softer tone on the laid out pimpin’ anthem “Sky Club.” On “Red Eye” KRIT talks about a rocky relationship with a female and being torn between career and love among other things. Over production that could have thrived in 90’s Houston, Texas KRIT turns a laid back beat on “Down & Out” and again spits uplifting bars as well as sings a hook that Devin The Dude would be proud of. KRIT tells a story about several different characters at the “Package Store” including a shady preacher looking for prostitutes and a stickup kid. On “Temptation” KRIT provides a haunting and infectious beat while turning that beat into one of the most infectious tracks on the album, and providing yet another riding track for everybody his summer.

The tone switches up on “Handwriting” as KRIT vents about his past label frustrations mentioning how the label (Def Jam I’m assuming) didn’t want to push “Country Sh*t” until Bun-B & Ludacris jumped on the remix, among many other things. On “Insomnia” KRIT makes another laid back song for the ladies as he tells his girl how he needs her to next to him so he can sleep.

The album closes with a spoken word outro on “5:04 AM” and then the closing track “The Alarm” where KRIT again sends out meaningful lyrics about everything from the government to paying bills to God and everything in between.

KRIT is not conforming or changing his style to try and make him more marketable to what’s being played on most radio stations and in doing so he continues to churn out amazing music and continuing to make his fan base grow. The question is with this incredible collection of FREE albums he’s put out, what will the one in stores sound like? I think that’s an answer all of us hope to answer this year and that hopefully everyone feels the need to spend the money because KRIT’s music is most definitely worth it. “4Eva N A Day” took up where “Reutrnof4Eva” left off and just continues to add to the greatness. The beats, the lyrics, the hooks, everything is top notch and we really haven’t come to expect KRIT of anything less.