Album Review | BIG $ILKY – BIG $ILKY, Vol. 2

This album was released on July 3rd this year. BIG $ILKY is a duo comprised of Psalm One & Angel Davanport. They’re two thirds of the now defunct rap group, The Rapperchicks, which also contained Ill-Esha. I don’t think I can write about this album without discussing the elephant in the room… Basically, a bunch of guys who I used to really love turned out to be pieces of shit. If you follow the underground Hip Hop scene in Minnesota, you probably know what I’m talking about. Rhymesayers Entertainment, my second favorite record label, as well as Doomtree, one of my favorite underground Hip Hop collectives, are full of misogynists. To be specific, deM atlaS, who released one of my favorite albums of 2018, has basically been exposed as a rapist, and a lot of Rhymesayers and Doomtree artists have created an environment in which abusers can thrive. It hurts to see this. The reason I’m bringing this up is because apparently Psalm One was blacklisted by Rhymesayers after speaking up about her treatment at the label, so that’s why her career hasn’t really taken off like it should have. I always wondered what exactly happened with her at Rhymesayers, but I never really thought to look into it. I recently read an interview that she did in 2015 about her time at Rhymesayers. Basically, it seems like it was just typical homophobia. I get the impression that the guys she was working with just didn’t really have any queer friends, and they seem to have kinda ostracized her for not only being a woman, but a non-heterosexual woman. It’s a very interesting interview, so I recommend checking it out if you’re curious. Everyone at Rhymesayers who has actually addressed their current controversies has been super vague. Every notes app apology has pretty much been “I fucked up. I need to do better. I’m still learning.” It’s very generic, cliché shit that looks like anyone could’ve written it. What I want is for them to actually address what went wrong here. Psalm One at the very least is owed an apology. Obviously they need to do more than that, but I want them to stop acting like she doesn’t exist. Anyway, Angel Davanport is an artist whom I’m not quite as familiar with, but every time I hear her on a feature she does a fantastic job. I first heard her on my favorite song from Tech N9ne‘s Something Else album, Priorities. I of course eventually heard her work with Psalm One, and she also had arguably the best guest verse on P.O.S’ latest solo album, which is kind of ironic in some ways… Anyway, I actually really enjoyed the first BIG $ILKY album, which dropped back in April, so I wanted to make sure I gave some shine to this latest one.

1. Hurricane Jane performed by Angel Davanport produced by Bionik

They really started off this album on a high note. This is a major highlight on this project for me. Angel slaughtered this shit. I love the way she was flowing and talking shit on that first verse.
No one know me, homie, grown and sexy flexing on the haters
Body looking tight, I fed the hype now I get paid to flex
All my exes jealous, lost the baddest bitch they had
I be opening they texts so I can leave they ass on read
The Trap production from Bionik isn’t super unique or interesting, but I think Angel sounds fantastic over it. The hook is solid, and she really killed that second verse too.
I ain’t got no more to prove
Killin’ mics with all the jewels
I done paid so many dues
“Fuck you, pay me” is the mood
Lost some real ones in my life
But I gained a lot of wisdom
Ain’t no bully in my vision
Victimized, but I’m no victim
I think a more interesting beat and more memorable hook could’ve pushed this to the next level, but I’m not gonna pretend I don’t love this shit. This song is dope as hell to me.

2. 1-800-FVCK12 produced by Custom Made

As the title of this song indicates, it’s an anti-police anthem. The sung hook from Angel is actually pretty catchy, and got stuck in my head the first time I listened to the album. Honestly, that’s probably the most memorable hook on the whole project. The first verse from Psalm One is pretty dope.
Call your people, this shit is awful
I got the brothers, it’s fuck the law so
My gun is polished I’m proper riled up
You in the way if you think it’s all luck
I wasn’t really crazy about the way her verse ended, but overall I think it was pretty good. The second verse from Angel was great. I really like the way she ended it talking about giving the police a taste of their own medicine.
We need you armed, we don’t need peace
If it ain’t justice for us all, then we ain’t free
I need these nazis swinging high up in these trees
I need a knee on all they necks so they can’t breathe
I think this track has a pretty good instrumental as well. Custom Made did a really nice job here. Overall, this isn’t one of my favorite tracks, but I still really enjoyed it. I think it’s a dope song.

3. Green Light produced by Bionik

This song has one of my favorite instrumentals on the album. On my first listen I thought this was gonna be another solo track from Angel because she takes up the entire first two minutes before Psalm One comes in. She killed her verse though.
Clearly niggas need me
Wondering who working harder? Nobody that’s breathing
Angel season, demon season, don’t need a fucking reason
I’m elitist and I’m actually $ilky; it’s in my genes, bitch
I’m a mean bitch, finna make my team rich
Ain’t no imitating me ‘cause I’m the only me, sis
Keep a clean bitch, love a man who eat dick
No discrimination in my nation, only leaders
Psalm One really only gets 30 seconds to contribute anything, and her presence here honestly feels like an afterthought, which was a little disappointing. It would’ve been cool to hear her go in for just as long as Angel. Her outro was cool though. Overall, I think it’s a good song, but I feel like I would’ve liked it a lot more if Psalm One had a more substantial contribution. The song is good though; I fuck with it.

4. The Soft Block produced by Optiks

This is a major highlight on the album for me. I think this song is awesome. I just love how aggressive Psalm One is on this track. She killed that first verse.
Yeah my bitch on OnlyFans, you just mad you ain’t fuck
She ain’t get naked enough? Bitch, cough that $8 up
Stop complaining, niggas be on top and still ain’t shit
That negativity’ll have your fuckin’ soul in a grip
Subtweet and distract to try and counteract mine
I see you sold your clout last year, I’m smokin’ and smiling
You will never in your life be close to what I’ve accomplished
Shouts to my donations, and my black ass mama
She snapped on this one. I love it. I also love her “YOU A HO” ad-lib during the hook. That was funny to me. Angel’s verse was also fire.
How a coke head bitch finna tell me shit?
I got sober, I got colder, thats a life hack bitch
You ain’t that tight, trick
You just made some waves
Now the struggle real as fuck, and we don’t see no change
I’m gone watch you sink and you gone watch me bang
The song really feels like a diss track, but I don’t think it’s targeting anyone in particular. If anything it’s just a giant middle finger to dumbasses on social media. It’s fire though. I have zero gripes with this track. I love the aggression here, especially from Psalm One. This shit is dope af.

5. Look at God! produced by Bionik

This song kinda carries the same aggression that the previous track had, but the content is more focused on the current political climate. Psalm One killed that first verse.
Had us in quarantine really thinking we was cooling off for the better
They just lit up the oppression I’m guessing, but fuck it now we get the message
RIP Big Floyd, Trans Black Lives Matter, black women are everything
Y’all can’t kill us all, fuck ‘em we ball, be ready to mediate
Angel came in right behind her and did a pretty nice job too.
Justice ain’t nothing when crackers can thrive on the backs and the blood of our kids
We ain’t fucking with pigs, we ain’t fucking with hate
Black is the only mother fucking way
Police and treason all one in the same
So I’m strapped and I’m ready no matter the game
I didn’t really care for Psalm One’s second verse on this song unfortunately. I really just didn’t care for the way she was flowing & delivering each line. The writing wasn’t bad though. Honestly, it feels more like a bridge than a full verse, especially due to the way the production kinda switches up when Angel comes in afterwards. Overall, I think it’s a pretty good song, but there are just a lot of tiny gripes I have that kinda add up. It’s definitely not a favorite of mine on this album, but I did enjoy it to some extent.

6. Church performed by Angel Davanport produced by Tek

I was a bit confused when I saw that this song was produced by someone named Tek. I’m assuming it’s not the same Tek that’s in Smif-N-Wessun, but it might be him. I don’t know. Anyway, this is the only track on the album that I don’t really care for, and if you’ve heard it you probably know why. It’s the obligatory sex song, which of course just isn’t something I’m tryna listen to personally. Just to be clear, I don’t think it’s a bad song. It’s just not my kinda thing. I don’t like songs about sex. I do like certain aspects of this one though. I actually love the production, and I think Angel’s melodic delivery on the first verse sounds pretty good. It’s mainly just the content that I can’t get into.
I love deep strokes and concentration
Girls like me got walls that don’t cave in
I’m not crazy about the hook either. This just isn’t for me at all.
Skin like honey, this body bomb
I give it to you like heaven, so you pray when you cum
I’m a freak every day of the week but not easy
Come home, wet up my sheets and just please me
Again, I don’t think it’s a bad song, but I’m never gonna listen to this again. It’s decent though.

7. Eat Your Veggies performed by Psalm One produced by Optiks

This is another highlight on the album for me. It probably has my favorite beat on the whole project to be honest. I love how it starts off so calm and kind of solemn. I really love the dusty percussion that comes in too, and Psalm One killed the first verse. The second verse is even better to me than the first one though.
Niggas always looked past me
Real niggas look at me
Recognized I was like them
Fuck the black girl and the d██e shit
This nice pen, and this sick brain
Write the right shit when it spits out, and it’s insane
The song has a much more reserved aesthetic than a lot of the other, more bombastic material on this album. I like that aspect of it though. I think this song is dope as hell.

This album is great. I actually don’t know which album I prefer from BIG $ILKY so far. At first I preferred the first one, but after listening a couple more times I like this latest one more than I initially did. It kinda seemed like Angel Davanport had a bigger presence on this album than Psalm One did, which was slightly disappointing, but it’s not like she didn’t do a great job with her appearances. As far as issues go, I think my only consistent gripe is that some of the flows and hooks felt a bit stale at times, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker. The Rapperchicks made some cool stuff, but I think this BIG $ILKY group has really revitalized my interest in Psalm One. I still check out her solo shit whenever it drops, but I think her and Angel work really well together. I’m sure there’ll be a third installment at some point, so I’m looking forward to hearing that whenever it drops. This shit is dope. Check it out.

FAVORITE SONG: THE SOFT BLOCK
LEAST FAVORITE SONG: CHURCH

SCORE: 80 (B+)

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