Statik Selektah is arguably the most renowned producer to make it out of Boston. Since 2007, he’s officially released eight studio albums and dozens of collaborative projects. The 33-year old’s catalog is extensive, and his work ethic hit a boiling point on Lucky 7, his most recent LP. According to Statik, himself, “Lucky 7 is gonna be my last compilation album in the style that I have been doing the last seven albums.”
A true artist, Statik won’t pigeonhole himself into a specific sound. He may have his sights set on the future, but in the meantime, he’s mastered the boom-bap technique East Coast sound. This is while participating in the current New York youth movement alongside Joey Bada$$ and Action Bronson, among others. From Bun B to Bodega Bamz, that combination of longevity and relative youth enabled Statik to enlist the help of both veteran and up-and-coming emcees for Lucky 7.
Several styles permeate the blanket East Coast gentrification of Lucky 7. Statik has a particular knack for the grimy beats, Gangsta Rap, and Jazz inspired production, and as such, guests are paired up accordingly. In most cases, the results are great, if not excellent. Rapsody goes in on “Another Level,” the album opener, on a grimy beat that’s also subtly complex in its layering. Shortly thereafter, Dave East goes bar-for-bar over the sample-based production on “The Locker Room.” Solo numbers like these notwithstanding, Lucky 7 also contains unique collaborations, like Joey Bada$$ and Big K.R.I.T. (“In the Wind”), and Talib Kweli alongside CJ Fly and Cane (“Scratch Off”).
With 21 tracks and a runtime of just under 70 minutes, Lucky 7 caters to almost every type of Hip Hop fan. “Gentlemen” featuring Illa Ghee, Sean Price & Fame is a tour de force in New York finese, with P in vintage form: “Bout to let actions speak more than words / Weaksauce disturbed / The whole crew you got is losers / See-through tube socks, new, sock it to yah / Crews poppin’ rugers / New sucker choose, watch your dude, watch your dude / That’s watchin’ 2Pac in Cuba.”
Conversely, the pace changes three tracks later on “Sucker Free” featuring JFK. Statik channels his inner Jazz musician, masterfully weaving brass horns and electric guitar to establish an indisputably chill vibe. Other album highlights include “Top Tier,” an epic posse cut featuring Sean Price, Bun B and Styles P alongside the psychedelic sounds of “Silver Lining” featuring newbies A$AP Twelvyy and Kirk Knight with Chauncy Sherod on the hook. Joey takes the lead on the album closer, “Alone,” shedding light, while once again articulating his profoundly learned wisdom: “Bury my entities, hating only wastes your energy / Fuck negativity, I got love for all my enemies / Most are mini-me’s, what they mean to me, minimal / My closet like a mini-mall and I’m expecting many more / The new millennials and the Indigos arrive / So it’s about time for a changing in the tide.”
If Lucky 7 truly is the end of a particular era and sound, Statik Selektah undoubtedly goes out in spectacular fashion. The beats are on point and each guest is on top of their game; no one disappoints. Lucky 7 doesn’t deviate from the framework of Statik’s previous compilations, but it does highlight his masterful command of each individual track, without ever simplifying the approach or integrity of the album.
Hard album, 4.5 stars.
Hard album – to listen to more than once. 2 stars.
Dave East got the best joint on there…..Nas found a good one
Garbage
your taste in hip hop sucks
If you were born in the 90’s you shouldn’t be reviewing music
if it had good production to go with hard features it would be good cant give higher than 2/5
No thanks.
Worst album of the year, along with Alchemist’s Israel Salad or whatever the fuck that was called. #garbagebeats
You probably only listen to that dj mustard dj khaled shit get outta here
After reading the comments I was expecting to listen some wack beats, but I just played the album on Spotify and although there is not any amazing beats I didn’t find any single bad beat… all the beats are above the avarage in my opinion and I like them specially because it’s the type of beat that let’s the mc’s shine and flow over the beat easily.
I got the feeling that Statik has some die hard haters and that’s the reason why he is criticized so often for his beats…. that’s a funny situation because he got a couple of dopes mc’s that keep appearing on his albums… they definetely wouldnt if they think that he has wack beats.
When it comes to beats I gave an 4 out of 5 to this album as the sound is cohesive despite the fact that you have a lot of different mc’s
The album itself deserves 4 stars as well.
another statik good album
I’ve never understood the hate that statik gets on this site. It’s probably people who only like trap beats trolling. I met him in BK and he was cool and if you like this album listen to all of his work. Especially 100 proof!
i like premo adrian younge and 9th wonder but ive never liked statiks sound which is kinda cheap
dope
dope as aver but not as good as the last joint
This album is a sleeper and when I mean sleeper I mean it puts your ass to sleep. I’m a huge fan of Statik and I have all of his albums but this one was just straight out boring. The production is lazy and repetitive. I hope this isn’t his last album……this isn’t the way a well respected producer should go out.
Cool album but not his best… i dont think he can make a bad album… a couple of dope tracks… havin a couple of tracks wit Action wont help his sales tho
Possibly the most overrated producer ever??? Yes, very possible! Maybe he got the hint that he’s not that great, after all the albums he’s done. To me, he’s just okay, and has progressively gotten worse. Seriously, this “smooth jazz” bullshit production he’s been doing is straight GARBAGE. To be a great producer, MOST of your beats have to be GREAT! Most of Statik’s beats are not great! They are average. He has SOME bangers out there…but again, SOME. Look at DJ Premier, for example, that muthafucka’s beats, 9 out of 10 times, are complete bananas. Preemo may not be as good as he used to, but he’s still pretty much the best doing it.
Dope!
Didn’t do it for me…lacked energy or inspiration.