Maybe UNK had something up his sleeve when he started laying the foundation for his sophomore release. Maybe he knew that the various coalitions of Hip Hop listeners would be so tired of hearing about the recession, the war and the promises of mavericks and agents of change on the news that we would have to put on our headphones to escape-even if just for a hour. If the almighty Common [click to read] is taking a detour to make a club-infused album, then perhaps it’s time for some unlikely musical stimulation. It almost seems like audio shellshock if we’re listening to lyrical heroes like Talib Kweli [click to read], The Roots and Mos Def speak the truth about all of the woes that we are facing in our neighborhoods these days; so it’s a pleasant, although unsatisfying, adjustment to hear UNK present us with his newest tuneful anecdote, 2econd Season.
The deejay from Atlanta has done a great job of keeping his name warm in the game, even though his debut, Beat’n Down Yo Block!, dropped more than two years ago. He created a YouTube sensation with his smash hit, “Walk it Out,” and was named dropped by Lupe Fiasco [click to read] as the cool one was making his way to “Paris, Tokyo.” UNK doesn’t change the script at all on 2econd Season, as he is looking to repeat his initial reward with a familiar formula that has worked for most of today’s rappers. Blending snap music with a hearty helping of crunk and a pinch of the trap, the album comes off as a 17-song assortment of frivolous blissful raps written against the backdrops of bright, thumping jingles. The usual suspects are all present: sexy, uninhibited women, lots ‘o money and big cars; as he presents us with the policies of flossing 101 on his new single, “Show Out.” On one hand, the talks of a never ending supply of capital might be extremely exasperating to hear if we’re struggling to keep our lights on, but when UNK gives us the instruction to bust a move against that rocketing 808 punch, there’s no way we can refuse. “She Freaky” shows us the rapper’s brilliant marketing sense, as he chose to pick the best collaborator possible for this particular song-the licentious-tongued playboy Ray J [click to read].
As we move along through the track listing, UNK decides to take a detour from his happy-go-lucky persona for a minute to “Beat Dat Azz,” bringing Princess from Crime Mob along for the menacing ride over murky, clapping synths laced with amusing intimidation. There are definitely no quotable lines coming from UNK‘s notepad; and as the album’s primary maestro, DJ Montay‘s production can get a little repetitive. What the DJ turned rapper does bring to his latest work is his gift of making his featured guest (including Three 6 Mafia, Ying Yang Twins and Sean Kingston) adapt comfortably to his style, and it comes off as convincingly harmonious.
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What UNK‘s second campaign lacks in substance, it makes up for in a rejuvenating spirit for those who just want to tap their feet and snap their fingers; not concerned with breaking down the metaphoric meaning of every bar spoken into the microphone. When this world gets to be a little too much, we all should head over to the party life; where we can jig to that booming southern-style bass, and have our struggles momentarily pushed to the back of the dance floor. We just might see our main man UNK serving as the master of ceremonies, showing out on his 1’s and 2’s.
