When I think of good rap, my first thought is good beats and nice flow (Like Powers Pleasant and Ski Mask the Slump God.) But immediately after that, I want to hear stories, I want some artistic quality to add to just “good rap”, and these elements raise rap to the next level. That’s why artists like Kendrick Lamar and JID are so highly praised. Grip’s album, Snubnose has both of these things. In fact, Kendrick almost immediately came to mind when I first listened to this record. Snubnose has a great mix of really good R&B, telling stories of his girls, poverty, and the struggle of the come up, including living in the hood and surviving in the streets.

Source: https://twitter.com/Grip_SS/status/1196991454033387521/photo/1

An example of this would be the song “Pressed.” He speaks about his and his mother’s depression, his distaste for the 9 to 5 grind, the struggle of not having enough to pay for heat, electricity, or a lot of food while also dealing with the pressure he faces from writing raps and going for personal goals. He talks about how his girl left him because he didn’t have time for anything but work, making sure his siblings get fed, and more.

Grip, like many others ultra-talented rappers and R&B artists, was born and raised in Atlanta. He’s in his twenties, has a kid, works a 9 to 5, and views rap as a means to an end. Don’t let that distract you from his storytelling, though, and his prolific and quality raps. Snubnose is a fantastic album to show his range and talents, reminding me personally of the artistic lovechild of some of Childish Gambino and, again, Kendrick Lamar’s works.

Some of this legendary grade rapping comes in the form of tracks like “Tek”, “Swiss Cheese (feat. AHYES)”, and “Finessin’ (feat. Mick Jenkins)”. Seriously, the flow is different in each of these songs, but the rhetoric devices he uses in these songs to contribute to how the syllables bounce off each other and ring with such candor and appeal is truly impressive. Another great song, which may be one of my personal favorites aside from previously mentioned “Pressed” has to be “Breakdown”, where he tells the story of dealing with depression, regrets, and such raw, deep pain caused from his baby mama leaving. The vulnerability he allows in this track is so real and genuine, not to mention how the lyrical content and general mood of the song is relatable to those who have been left.

All around, Snubnose has well crafted professional instrumentals and beats. Some of the especially notable ones have to be “He is … I am” and “Snubnose”, which has a creative zing to it, rapped from the perspective of a Snubnose revolver. Overall, Snubnose is a great listen, a new favorite of mine in the hip-hop/rap genre.I’d rate it an 8/10, I highly recommend this one to anyone who likes rap!Snubnose is streamable on Google Play Music, Spotify, and Apple Music.Also, check out Grip on his social media. (SoundCloud, Twitter, Instagram)

Album Review: Snubnose by GRIP