For nearly a decade, Lil Durk has been struggling to cope. Fighting through constant grief and childish feuds have taken its toll on the Chicago rapper, leading to Durk acknowledging that he needs help. This much is made clear on the opening track of his new album Almost Healed, where his therapist, played by Alicia Keys, recounts the moments when things began to fall apart. He lost King Von in 2020 and his biological brother the year after to senseless violence. Grief isn’t linear and neither is progress, so even years removed from these tragic events, Durk still hasn’t fully dealt with his trauma.
Following the “Therapy Session” intro, Durk dives right into the time that molded him on “Pelle Coat.” He goes back to the early 2010s, rapping about times he couldn’t sleep on a proper mattress and seeing his cousin get gunned down in front of him (“I ain’t know what to say, I knew he was dead when they pulled out the tape / That shit was a shame, he died right in front of me, Auntie say I’m a snake”). That happened nine years ago, leaving a young Durk to pick up the pieces for himself and live with what he had seen.
The harrowing opening tracks act as a smokescreen for what the actual album represents: a bloated grab bag of solid to underwhelming cuts, essentially, the same type of album he’s been making since Voice Of The Heroes.
Durk’s penchant for collaborations that don’t service either artist catches the usually sound feature of J. Cole in the crossfire on “All My Life.” Despite the song’s laudable message–featuring an emotive child’s choir singing about fighting through hardships–neither Durk nor Cole manages to bring forth interesting thoughts despite having a wealth of experiences to mine from. The former’s verse serves as a recap for every bad thing he’s done, while Cole can’t seem to figure out if he wants to make points about the media (“I got a new rule /If you ain’t never posted a rapper when he was alive / You can’t post about him after he get hit”), or sneak in juvenile jokes (“Fuck ’em all like I’m goin’ through a ho phase”). You’re 38 with a wife, Jermaine, don’t say ho phase.
Durk’s insistence on making radio friendly tracks includes another lackluster team up for pop crossover. The Morgan Wallen-assisted “Stand By Me” reeks of desperation from a man seeking approval from people who don’t respect Hip Hop. Granted, Durk did this before on 7220, but this second attempt only further muddies Durk’s willingness to grow. Though he might want to come off as sincere, the track sounds anything but.
For an album that initially presents itself as a way to establish Durk as a voice of healing and vulnerability, neither of those themes get explored for too long. The remaining tracks see Durk in situations that tread familiar ground. Whether he’s navigating through toxic relationships on “Sad Songs” and “At This Point We Stuck,” or justifying his reluctance to trust people on the Kodak Black-assisted “Grandson,” Durk seems more comfortable in his ways, and at this point it’s become stale.
Durk’s most complacent moments on Almost Healed outshine the reflective ones. “Put Em On Ice” acts as a reminder of who Durk can be when he’s at his most clear-headed thanks to assured verses and a thorny beat from Chopsquad DJ, while the warbly “B12” is a drug-induced carnivorous rant that has Durk blurting out his conscience.
The mindlessness of the album provides some much-needed relief between the darker introspective corners, but it never furthers the Durk mythos. Songs like “Dru Hill” and “Never Again” offer sufficient glimpses into his psyche to get a feel for his healing process, but these moments are too few and far between to accept this album as a complete therapy session. Durk just has no grasp on what he wants this album to be, leading to a project made strictly to appeal to everyone, but satisfying no one.
My boy trying hard af to put me on Durk, but eh. He got. 2 for effort. The j Cole featured joint almost moved me, but how you gon have little girls singing in a heart warming inspirational song when we know you talk recklessly about grown women in your rhymes. And how tf is Alicia Keys on this project? With her stardom, her PR team dropped the ball. People getting paid and Alicia took 2 star steps backwards. And the duet with country dude? Durk steam not streamlined enough. The meeting must have been like Durk wanting straight opp attack raps, and they were like we need a hot song with a star RandB chick, a glorified Ft with one of the 4 rappers running it right now, and a bridge to the country folks. There, we got our targeted audiences covered. There’s no so called growth on this album. And I doubt there’ll ever be with future offerings. He’s signed his soul to living his lifestyle and trying to come off tough. But the hands of time will be one thing he’ll never contend with…not while he’s offering what his younger peers are doing so now.
Love this review 👏👏👏👏👏💯💯💯
Love this review…u just said it all standing ovation
anting straight opp attack raps, and they were like we need a hot song with a star RandB chick, a glorified Ft with on
Bro who are u to tell someone what bar to use? Can u rap???i respect what you do but come on man you goin to far the jcole bar was nothin but rap
this is str8 ass juice. durk is beyond wack
That album cover is a picture of my ear after listening. Get this trash all the way the fuck up outta here.
I find myself Not replaying much on this release.
Looks like he should have used all that Ye material.
Dope all album with good flow and range. Put together pretty well… Whoever reviewed gotta be joking!
“Stand By Me reeks of desperation from a man seeking approval from people who don’t respect Hip Hop.”
Seems like a lot of projection and personal feelings. It’s a regular song from a man in love with his lady. I think it’s the reviewer that can’t grow.
“Stand By Me reeks of desperation from a man seeking approval from people who don’t respect Hip Hop.”
Seems like a lot of projection and personal feelings. It’s a regular song from a man in love with his lady. I think it’s the reviewer that can’t grow.
It’s just weird that if a real G rapper makes pure trap records he is stale but if he expands and maybe tries something different with Morgan Walland then it’s somehow negative. They didn’t review the song they reviewed the act of collaborating with him itself like it’s somehow wrong.
Bro homie led us on with 3 top tier banger singles and fumbled the bag on the album. Im a huge fan of Durk. i was hoping for a more in-depth look into the artists life and stuggles of the street and losing a legend like King von. but all he did was repeat past songs like “hanging with wolves” “hellcats and trackhawks” and “broadway girls”. highly disappointed in the album. gave a YBN Nahmir’s “Soul Train” feel. i hope Durk can spring back from a L like this and countinue to produce banger like before… – KTC Leasure…. an up and coming artist. find me on Sound cloud under KTC Leasure. thanks for reading.
thanks so much for the honesty… deffinitly going to check out your music.
Lol Rolling Stone did a better job reviewing the album than this bum
Nobody has gone through what Durk has gone through except for DURK. The album was great. I’ve been a fan of Durk and this album let me know a little more about how he felt and how he dealt with certain things. He has a lot of sadness and negativity around him and for him to get up and release an album and do interviews and be there for his family and friends and everything else he does in the middle of all this bullshit is amazing. I love it and I love Durkio. Keep on keepin on. ♥️
love you Durk! But your albums suck shit!
He need to make up with Kanye and drop his version as a bonus album because this album ain’t it. I like Durk but it’s obvious he has no growth like we thought he was bringing with this album. Used the album cover J.Cole feature and Alicia Keys to cover up a fart smell.
He need to make up with Kanye and drop his version as a bonus album because this album ain’t it. I like Durk but it’s obvious he has no growth like we thought he was bringing with this album. Used the album cover J.Cole feature and Alicia Keys to cover up a fart smell.
He need to make up with Kanye and drop his version as a bonus album because this album ain’t it. I like Durk but it’s obvious he has no growth like we thought he was bringing with this album. Used the album cover J.Cole feature and Alicia Keys to cover up a fart smell.
He need to make up with Kanye and drop his version as a bonus album because this album ain’t it. I like Durk but it’s obvious he has no growth like we thought he was bringing with this album. Used the album cover J.Cole feature and Alicia Keys to cover up a fart smell.
Pelle Coats, All my Life & At This Point We Stuck are the only tracks i listen to on this album!! i wish “At This point We Stuck” was a longer track!! i really wanted this album to be good!1 7220 was a Fire album.
Pelle Coats, All my Life & At This Point We Stuck are the only tracks i listen to on this album!! i wish “At This point We Stuck” was a longer track!! i really wanted this album to be good!1 7220 was a Fire album.
TRASH!!