CyHi The Prynce was in a dreaded spot for any rapper: debut album purgatory.
He was quickly approaching the point of no return, in danger of becoming the next Saigon or Papoose — a highly touted MC (thanks to his contributions on Kanye West’s 2010 magnum opus My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy) whose album arrived long after most people cared. It certainly looked like CyHi had been relegated to the mixtape circuit, pigeonholed as nothing more than a valuable writer for Yeezy and the G.O.O.D. Music team.
Coming off the bench for the Golden State Warriors isn’t a bad gig but most rappers dream of being Steph Curry or Kevin Durant. CyHi’s debut album, No Dope On Sundays, is the career arc-changing trade to a team willing to put him in the starting lineup. As he told the #DXLive crew, the conceptually-driven solo LP is his “first time to put numbers on the board” following his 2015 departure from Def Jam.
The title is a clear reference to church and the music is his sermon. But this isn’t gospel rap. Instead, he explores every aspect of his upbringing, comprehending his fortune in making it out the streets and noting how some peers weren’t so lucky.
In a rap landscape where the grim realities of street life are often trivialized, CyHi is a throwback to Southern Hip Hop legend Scarface, sharing a similar penchant for brutal honesty. Glorification is absent, even when recalling his successes in the drug game because the consequences are omnipresent. The somber vibe of “Don’t Know Why” or the soulful production of “80’s Baby” create perfect canvases for these reflections as Cyhi concocts building-sized murals of his experiences with each verse.
As real as it gets, CyHi avoids making the entire narrative dour. Messages of hope and a slight tonal shift in the LP’s middle sequence break up the heavier content. He adds levity to the proceedings by teaming up with Kanye West to dismiss haters on Edsclusive’s piano-driven banger “Dat Side.” And he kicks pro-Black motivation on the anthemic boom bap of “Nu Africa” produced by S1, Epikh Pro and Mark Byrd.
No Dope On Sundays, most importantly, expands his artistry to show he’s more than a lyrical dynamo. It’s not always crisp, particularly when he strains his vocals on occasion, but it shows a willingness to challenge himself in the studio beyond penning meticulous bars.
Avid fans of CyHi don’t need to worry about him sacrificing any lyricism though. The opener, “Amen,” shows exactly why his pen game is so celebrated. “Varsity in two sports, my reputation preceded me/ But the trunk PAC 10, so I never played collegiately/ BIG 12-gauge to WAC a nigga in the SEC,” he raps on the jaw-dropping first verse.
While this is a breakout performance for CyHi the solo artist, he still shows why he’s been so useful behind-the-scenes when paired with guests. He plays to the strengths of everyone from Travis Scott to Pusha T, complimenting melodic Auto-Tuned crooning as well as he does tour de forces of rhyming.
No Dope On Sundays is the culmination of a long journey that’s defied the odds. Rappers typically don’t get a second chance and all indicators pointed at CyHi’s destiny being nothing more than a role player. But he refused to accept this notion and delivered in a major way. CyHi has truly realized the potential that first got him noticed by Atlanta mainstay DJ Greg Street in the late 2000s and helped him land a deal with Kanye in 2010.
This is what happens when talent meets opportunity.
How can you possibly review an album on the same day it drops? Within a couple hours?? C’mon man…
I guess they had an advanced copy. Nvm
You do know this has been on NPR for a minute right?
Correct, we did have an advanced copy.
Go fuck yourself, Sunday is the best day for dope smoking.
You’re a dumb bastard if you thought he was denouncing weed on Sundays.
Same days reviews are like eating good food with no tongue, you’ll never know the true flavor unless you listen to an album a couple times, i recommend early morning listen (Sober) and a late night after half a blunt and a couple of heinekens, this album has a good feeling, a lot of lirical content, and top notch production, i would definitely have in my playlist with Tribe Called Quest and Kid Cudi
The album has been on NPR’s website since Monday…more than enough time to listen to it all week
I scored it 4.07…
Fire!
straight fire
Well written review! Makes me wanna give the album a listen.
Hugely underrated rapper
this album is damn near perfect for today’s sound. i can’t understand the hate. Cyhi puts thought in every SINGLE LINE! Haters fall all the way back!!!
4.5 is a Great Rating for this Album. Cyhi delivered on this album
Dope Project. My boy delivered.
Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
lol this comment has no substance. you obviously didnt hear the album
Why would I need to hear it when every song has a fucking feature? We’ve been waiting a century for this dude to drop his debut and when it does, it’s a Khaled album. We want to hear Cyhi only, not Cyhi and friends. Fuck both of y’all.
Just under a decade
Dickhead
Dre 2001 full of features that’s a classic
Dre is a producer who raps. Cyhi is strictly a rapper. Big difference, ya fucking moron. You’re the biggest jester here for sure.
So you the judge the sound of the album and the heft of the bars by reading the tracklist?
I’m pretty sure music is made to be heard.
troll a lil harder
Dope album. Worth listening too. There definitely a tonal shift towards the middle of the album. For a lot of albums those are tracks to avoid. Not with this album. Good review.
Wow! Another Southern banger. back to back, Big KRIT now CyHi! He’s shows that there are some rappers in the ATL that has something to say. ( 3 Stacks ) Great album Shawty!!!
Agree 100% Both LPS were not LPs that I was particularly checking for and that made them both more satisfying. They are great real Hip Hop Lps with real lyricists and a soulful feel.2017 has been a really good year for Hip Hop
I just listened to this for the hell of it I’ma Kanye fan and had forgot all bout him but this album was great!
He can spit Nu Africa was one of the best tracks I heard this year and was 80’s baby written from the perspective of a baby in the womb!?..i’ma fan..
5 Mic Worthy!!
5/5
DOPE project and properly executed. Salute to pusha and ye for finally pushing this project.
???
Never paid attention to Cyhi until I pressed play. Great debut. Album has been on repeat since. I look forward to hos new releases on the future.
Can’t say enough about this album. I like this better than any rap album so far in 2017… Yes including Damn.
This album is amazing. So many quotable. The imagery in the bars is crazy. For me, this is the best album I’ve heard since 4:44 and for my money i’ d put NDOS over that. CYHIIIIIII
Been listening to Cyhi since Royal Flush and he is still in my tpp 3 of best soithern artists. Finally happy that his album dropped and i havent stopped listening yet!!!!
I can’t stop listening to this ablum it’s on repeat
This is a solid project. Nothing groundbreaking, but the range is solid. You can hear the Kanye and Drake influence, but the lyrics are solid throughout.
“You can hear the Kanye and Drake influence…” come on man, that’s only true because he ghostwrote for them.
A whole lot of waiting for a pretty subpar album. Better luck next time, if there even is a next time.
Solid album
Incredible album!
I really like this shit, bro
Best project this year
This is the best i heard this guy deliver. I am so proud to be from Stone Mountain GA aka “The Rock” Continue to rep CyHi…dude almost made me breakdown on 80’s Baby!!!
I had high expectations for him and he met my expectations. I’m gonna be spinning this for a long time.
that was a good analogy until you said it was like a trade to a team willing to put him in the starting lineup.. He didn’t trade teams so it’s more like he was on the reserve until he proved himself on the team he’s been riding for and now reaping the benefits of doing it the right way.
Album of the year period.
Excellence
This album is so fu@&in great! Definitely 5/5, no doubt. Classic
album of the year. also maybe the best feature list on any album ever.