This album was released on June 5th this year. I believe this is the second album that Darko the Super has released in 2020. He dropped The Devil Defeated with Steel Tipped Dove back in March, which was very good. I’m usually wary of albums from one artist when they’re released so close together, but Darko seems to be one of those MCs who cranks out albums at a very rapid pace, so I don’t think this one’ll be any less polished than his other releases. This is only my second time listening to a project from him though, so I’m not sure if it’s gonna be just more of the same or what. This time the production is handled by an artist named BLKrKRT, whom I’d never heard of before checking this out. The album is clearly inspired by Nirvana. This may or may not be a surprise to whoever’s reading this review right now, depending on how well you know me, but I’ve never heard Nirvana’s Nevermind. I haven’t heard any of their albums. In fact, I don’t know the names of any of Nirvana’s songs aside from Smells Like Teen Spirit. I’m pretty sure that’s the only song I’ve heard by them. I’m sure there’ll be some aspects of this album that I don’t catch onto since I haven’t heard the project it’s inspired by, so just keep that in mind as you read this review.
1. Oh, You’re a Joker? (Intro)
The instrumental from BLKrKRT here is pretty nice. The main course of this track is the audio clip of what sounds like an adult white male speaking with a little boy. I’m assuming it’s a sample from a movie or something, but I’m not really sure. It could be a TV show. It’s basically just the kid telling the adult that he’s a rapper. That’s a super watered down summary of the conversation. It’s a cool intro, but I’m not gonna pretend to have too much to say about it, especially since it’s under 50 seconds in length. The instrumental in the background was nice though.
2. Beat Box
This song was chosen as the first single for the album if I’m not mistaken. Almost all of BLKrKRT’s beats on this album are pretty jazzy. I like this one a lot. The opening verse here is pretty dope as well.
Tap you on the shoulder, money folder
You turnin’ white like Sammy Sosa
See me in the candy rover
All from selling Coca Cola, cherry vanilla
This line reminded me of how Darko said that Coca Cola supported nazis on the previous album. Darko’s singing on the hook kinda reminds me of ODB, except it’s more tolerable. ODB’s singing was weird and obnoxious. Darko’s singing is just weird and endearing. He killed that second verse too.
I’m voting for Bernie Sanders just like you should
I’m tryna do good, and donate
Your favorite rapper raps about hoe cakes, and how to procreate
Maybe even cook crack
And if not cook, then definitely how to sell that
Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
I already liked the song, but the second verse really pushed it to the next level for me. I think this track is dope as hell. A lot of the songs on the album end with skits in which somebody is talking about Darko and how much they like or dislike him. This one in particular is performed by Hot Talent Buffet if I’m not mistaken. The album doesn’t seem to have like a super thought out concept or theme, and if it does then I just didn’t pick up on it. The skits are definitely entertaining to listen to though, so I enjoyed them.
3. Carve a Happy Face
I like the instrumental on this track even more than that of the preceding song. It’s a bit more lowkey and relaxed, but still very jazzy. Darko killed this shit too.
I don’t get hate mail
Like a politician
I be wishin’ for ambition
Poor man fishin’ in the Ford whippin’
Circus motherfucker stay SWORD sippin’
I got more missions
The song is relatively short, and there’s not much going on in terms of structure, but it’s still very good. It’s pretty much just one verse followed by a sung outro. I don’t have any real issues with it though. I think it’s a dope track.
4. Black Cherry Melatonin (Inside Out)
This is a major highlight on this album for me. It has one of my favorite beats. I love how dark and minimalistic the production is. The electric guitar that eventually comes in during the hook is fucking glorious.
Black cherry melatonin
My raps very mellow, golden
You don’t know about the hell I’m holdin’
Inside
Darko’s flow on the second verse is awesome. This is easily one of the best songs on the project in my opinion. I haven’t decided which track is my favorite yet, but this is definitely a contender. If it’s not my favorite track, it’s definitely the runner up. It’s dope af.
5. Nameless, Endless
The opening skit on this track is performed by Heather Sejnow. One thing I really appreciate is that the people who performed the skits on this album sound just as weird as Darko himself, so everything fits together really well. They all sound like characters in the same universe. The production here is still super jazzy, but it sounds far more lighthearted and chill than that of the preceding song. It’s really nice. This is one of the shortest songs on the album. The structure is almost identical to that of Carve a Happy Face. This is definitely one of the least memorable songs on the project to me, but nothing about it is really bad to me at all. It just doesn’t stand out much in my opinion. I certainly do like it to some extent though. I think it’s pretty good.
6. I Love You
This song has another super lighthearted, jazzy instrumental. I guess in terms of atmosphere, it’s very similar to the preceding song. I like this one more though. I think it’s awesome. When I listen to this beat, I picture a bunch of puppies running around and playing in a field of flowers. The song itself is incredibly wholesome, which I suppose could’ve been predicted by the title. Darko’s singing sounds goofy as hell, but it works with the production and subject matter. If somebody just described this song to me, I would’ve assumed that I wouldn’t like it, but I ended up enjoying this way more than I ever would’ve expected. Heather Sejnow’s outro skit on this song is weird as fuck. All of Darko’s music is weird, but this is probably the weirdest song on this album to be honest. I love it though. I think it’s really dope.
7. Long Legged Day
This song has yet another super relaxing jazzy instrumental. This is technically the longest song on the album, but it’s still only three minutes and 25 seconds. The opening verse is pretty cool, and I like the hook a lot too. Honestly, this is probably my least favorite track on the album. I definitely like it to some extent, but it’s the least exciting track for me. Nothing about it really stands out in a really interesting way. It’s not bad at all though. I think it’s pretty good.
8. Superman
This is another major highlight on the album for me. This and Black Cherry Melatonin are in direct competition for my favorite track on the album. The jazzy instrumental sounds very similar to that of Da.I.S.Y. Neohoodoo Anthemic No. 99 by nOstrum grOcers. Coming after Long Legged Day, this song feels super short, but it’s far from the shortest track on the album. The opening verse from Darko is great.
I don’t like Rent-a-Cops or regular cops
I listen to DOOM, but I don’t know what’s a Benzi box
The sung hook is also pretty nice too. I got really excited when he referenced “death by snu snu” in the second verse. That was awesome. The song is dope as hell.
9. PF Chang’s
In terms of the lyrical content, this is definitely one of the weirdest songs on the album in my opinion.
I wanna make sweet love to you at PF Chang’s
On top of the Mongolian beef, honey chicken & lo mein
Everyone will look at us like we’re so strange
We’ll get kicked out, never return, but that’s okay
It’ll be the best day of our lives
You’ll be my one and only, I’ll leave my other wives
And vices
My body lifeless
You’re my sidekick like a fancy cellphone
In a heart I carved out a home
One loan and I could have a good credit score
I wanna take you out for frozen yogurt & Rita’s more
This might actually be my favorite song lyrically too. I love how fucking weird it is. It’s actually super romantic too, just in a very weird and arguably creepy way. The chill, jazzy production here is really nice as well. I love this one. I think it’s dope as hell.
10. Motorola (You’re Just a Wooden Boy)
This track has the most traditional sounding Hip Hop beat on the whole project. It could actually be labeled as Boom Bap, unlike the others. It’s really great. This song also has some of Darko’s most aggressive flows.
If I catch you out of bounds just be a good sport
I don’t puff looseys, I don’t smoke Newports
We can settle this like men on the ball court
Loser’s buyin’ me lunch at the food court
Cheesesteaks & lemonade
Ketchup or catch this fade
You do that shit in the studio
We bring it to your face
This is another highlight for me. It has more of my favorite writing on the project, and I love the relatively uptempo production. This is dope as hell.
11. America’s a Basehead
If you don’t count the intro and outro skits, this is the shortest song on the project. The piano loop is cool, albeit repetitive. This song is a low point in terms of production for me, but I think it has more of the best rapping on the album.
I wish I was Agent Cooper, the coolest man on TV
But every time I look in the mirror, I’m still me
Feelin’ like a tall glass of milk, and somebody spilled me
Somebody kill me please, that would thrill me
The entire track is pretty much just one verse, and the song is less than 2 minutes long, but I really like it. Like I kinda insinuated before, this is one of my favorite verses on the album. It’s a really dope song.
12. The Brat
The beat on this track sounds more Electronic than Jazzy. The way the loud ass percussion comes in at the end of the loop is really fucking cool. Both of the verses on this track from Darko are pretty dope too.
Horsin’ around like Bojack
Party people get off the bozack
More action than your cinematic universe
Crunch wrap supreme, nacho cheese on my new shirt
This track is relatively long, and sonically it is a little dry, but I still enjoyed it to some extent. It’s not really a highlight for me, but I do like it. I think it’s pretty good.
13. Anarchy! (Outro)
This is just a skit in which someone talks about anarchy and how Mr. Bean is propaganda. The repetitive instrumental in the background isn’t super interesting, but it’s not bad. I don’t have much to say about this track since it’s just a 65 second outro, but I don’t have any issues with it.
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