Few artists in the hip-hop industry have been as consistent as Curren$y. He has 18 mix tapes and seven studio albums under his belt since bursting onto the rap scene in 2004 as the first artist signed to Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment. He shows no signs of slowing down with his newest release, "New Jet City."
Also known as "Spitta," the New Orleans rapper has gained an extremely strong fan base while also earning acclaim from critics. A personal favorite of mine, Curren$y is a master of "lifestyle rap," which is exactly what it sounds; lyrics about everyday life. Curren$y strays away from violent topics that most rappers make
a career out of making him and refreshing. Simply said, Curren$y is different.
"New Jet City" came out of nowhere for fans, as he announced the Feb. 3 release date only two weeks before. Though he never attained great mainstream success probably due to the fact that he left Young Money Entertainment and went independent. Spitta is well-respected by all in the rap game allowing him to bring in big names for features and production. His new album includes rap legends Jadakiss, Styles P, and Juicy J, as well as close friends such as Wiz Khalifa and members of his "Jet Life" crew.
The overall feel of the mix tape is laid back and familiar to Curren$y fans. Smooth songs seamlessly flow within one another leaving a lasting idea in listeners' heads. On point production from the likes of Harry Fraud, Statik Selektah and Cardo add depth with soulful samples and dreamy hooks.
With more than 20 solo projects and many more collaborative projects, one would expect Curren$y to slip up at one point or another. This is not the case, though, as he delivers another amazing mix tape that even beats his previous effort, "Priest Andretti." With 14 songs clocking in at around 45 minutes, "New Jet City" is one smooth ride.
Daniel Clark can be reached at daniel.clark@student.shu.edu.
