The deluxe version of BIG30’s “Still King“ record is rather versatile, yet there are pieces binding the album. While bangers and lyrical compositions with various genres appear throughout the record, many tracks will likely have boosted bass and aggressive or suspense-sounding piano in the background.
This situation ends up being a double-edged sword. While the similarity of the sounds gives BIG30 a signature style, some tracks might appear too similar.
That is not to say that every song sounds the same. As mentioned above, one can encounter a variety of genres and moods while listening to “Still King.“ There is a Triple Six Mafia-sounding beat in “NIKE TECH.“ Bangers like “4 AM IN INDIANA“ or “SlIMES AND CHOPPA GANG“ and lyrical compositions, such as “FACETIME WITH MY MAMA“ or “BEEN A THREAT“ also add to the picture.
The same goes for the lyrics. A lot of them show a drug dealer’s daily routine or describe weapons being used against supposed enemies. Still, many tracks raise deep subjects or talk about important concerns. An example would be the aforementioned “BEEN A THREAT,“ with bars like,
“Percs and Xanax (Perky), smoke Black back-to-back because it keep me sane
Lost my cousin (My cousin), been fucked up mentally, can’t say shit but, “Man“ (Man).”
Moreover, the lyrics describing the drug dealer’s routine and stuff like that also have many exciting details to them. A subtle antithesis in “4 AM IN INDIANA“ (“wash my face and brush my teeth and go pick out a strap”) or lines causing nervous laughter in “SHAWN CARTER” (“caught an opp twistin’ his hair in traffic, three shots to his dreads”) are only some of the examples.
Overall, BIG30’s new deluxe version of “Still King” album is a solid record with multiple bangers and other notable points. It could be a little more differentiated and have a little less violent threats, but other than that, there’s not much to complain about. A solid 7 out of 10.
