Seasoned producer Statik Selektah didn’t dig too deep for the title of his new project. 8 is (yep, you guessed it!) his eighth proper studio album, marking the follow-up to another aptly titled album, 2015’s Lucky 7, which was intended to be his final compilation album. But as he says in album opener “Harley’s Blues” — named after his daughter — “They really thought that was the last album?” Of course not. The joke’s on us.
The Boston-bred, New York City-based DJ, beatsmith and radio personality has returned with a monster 18-track album stuffed to the gills with 36 features from Hip Hop’s upper echelon. The sheer number of MCs on this project is staggering, with up to six appearing on a single track. From underground stalwarts like Termanology and Royce Da 5’9 to commercial success stories like 2 Chainz and Wiz Khalifa, the diversity of rappers defines the album. But they all have a singular thing in common — they’re all about bars.
Simply put, this isn’t an album for the casual listener. It’s for fans who have the dedication to decipher each densely packed verse bar-by-bar. But that’s Statik’s tried-and-true formula, one he’s worked on perfecting over the years. As he tells HipHopDX, “It’s whoever I’m vibing with at the moment, but I definitely pick rappers who don’t suck [laughs].”
“Put Jewels On It” featuring Run The Jewels — a clear album highlight — finds a dizzying verse from Killer Mike toward the end. He’s spitting out his syllables so quickly that he’s practically scatting like it’s the 1920s all over again. Then, on “Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed” featuring G-Eazy and Joey Bada$$, which is easily the most commercially accessible song thanks to singer Enisa’s contagious, soulful hook, both MCs tell a vivid tale about their rise to notoriety.
Shady Records’ Westside Gunn and Conway join Termanology on “No. 8,” and continue the East Coast boom-bap vibe that dominates the album. The downside to that? The majority of the beats eventually start to bleed into one another and the hodgepodge of lyrical concepts only exacerbates the monotony. It seems that each individual track on the album functions better as a singular unit rather than as the sum of its parts.
Just when you’re about to zone out completely on the lengthy “What Can We Do (Parts 1 & 2),” standout track “Don’t Run” with Joyner Lucas manages to momentarily shake things up. His lackadaisical singing during the song’s intro and hook briefly breaks up the tedium of the unrelenting rapid-fire deliveries found in the previous nine tracks.
“Nobody Move” gets Raekwon and Nickel Nine on the same track, a notable move considering Royce’s Slaughterhouse brethren Joe Budden had beef with The Chef in 2009. The two lyrical hurricanes effortlessly come together to whip up one of the strongest tracks on the project.
While all of the illustrious guest spots — including Curren$y, Action Bronson, B-Real and The LOX — are impressive, and unapologetically show off his reach in the industry, 8 still runs the risk of becoming mellow (if not boring) background music if you’re not paying attention. It’s an overall exercise in patience but at the same time, a pleasant reminder that “real Hip Hop” still exists if you’re willing to wade through the sea of commercial sludge to find it.
Maybe stop biting other producers and push the culture forward, with ya wack ass
Biting other producers? With all the music coming out today sounding alike, and he just wants to offer some boom bap, that’s the qualm you have with him? My dude, get a life.
My dude, enjoy it all you want but it’s devoid of any originality. Karaoke-ass Hip-Hop. Come up with your own shit or gtfo.
Amen
Dope. Real hip hop. It’s taken a while but this was New York’s biggest year in 13 years. Real hip hop is returning and it’s about time
This joint is banga. Cop this joint!
Listened to this album a few times now and it is so raw and hard hitting. I agree the tracks are of a similar nature but that’s what’s needed. Hard raw hip hop. Props to him for not jumping on the band wagon and producing lil mumble music. Nearly all certified MCs spitting bars. Others need to take note.
‘Lacking in originality’ and ‘not enjoyable’ are not mutually exclusive in any walk of life. If that were the case 90% of music in general (let alone hip hop) would never see the light of day. No it’s not original at all but it’s still nice as far as I’m concerned.
It’s great that you enjoy it. However, Hip-Hop once had a set of values based on a progressive view of art and culture. What Statik does is rather befitting of his name: he simply recreates the sound of a now long-gone era with the pretense of it somehow representing an “authentic” version of Hip-Hop. This conservative approach actually contradicts the founding values of the culture he contributes to. Shit is wack.
His production always is dragging down the artists, happens on this album too and so that fact makes it a hard one to listen. It shows some promise here and there, but definitely not worth more than 2/5. The boom bap sound alone is not a guarantee for an amazing album, unfortunately. Why isn’t he doing it the DJ Khaled way and just take credit for other people’s work? The end result would most likely be better than any of his existing albums.
this album is flat out fantastic from beginning to end.
I wish he had given all these beats to ONE particular rapper. However I like most of the guests this “compilation” feeling is not good.
Dry Statik bringing 18 more tracks of basura for the ears. And yes, he is copying another producer, and his name is DJ Premier. If I want Premo beats, I’ll listen to him, not a boring carbon copy of him.
DJ Premier invented the sound but if Statik Selektah is a copy then so are like 50% off non-trap producers
You’re hardly making a case for Statik Selektah, you’re just saying he’s one of many wack producers.
I found the album to be very enjoyable, great beats and all the guest appearances were meshed together into a cohesive product. Oh and that LOX record is hard.
Great songs but not a great album
Horrible Review!!!! The Album is Dope !man you cats are lowkey weird !you give this the same ratings as some stuff with mundane over quantized beats and suspect bars about the same ol same. smh.This project is fire and Statik is dope
The features didn’t jell well for me. Damn! 2 chainz and wiz smh! either way a slow album, nothing really got me like Waw! It was alright
you can always count on Statik tho
Y’all are super funny… Hate is real. album is dope, What producer album you comparing this too?