This is the 6th full-length album from Queens icon Kool G Rap. Coming up as a member of the Juice Crew collective & dropping 3 classic albums alongside DJ Polo from 1989-1992, he would eventually go on to build a solo career for himself in the fall of ‘95 beginning with 4, 5, 6. Last we heard from G Rap was in the summer of 2017 when he enlisted Canadian producer MoSS behind the boards for Return of the Don, but has seen fit to re-emerge a little over 5 years later in the form of Last of a Dying Breed.
“Dying Breed” is a horn/boom bap opener with G Rap talking about how there ain’t many like him left this day in age whereas “Scared Money” works in some synthesizers to talk about not fearing a goddamn soul. Royal Flush & Vado tag along for the dusty piano-laced “Never Be” bragging that they be sippin’ on the finest champagnes just before Big Daddy Kane comes into the picture for the glistening “Fly ‘Till I Die” talking about being those motherfuckers until they both stop breathing.
Meanwhile on “Critical”, we have NEMS & the Genius of Rap coming together on top of some keys welcoming you to the dark side leading into the AZ/38 Spesh-assisted “Born Hustler” detailing the mafiosi lifestyle. “Official” hooks up some organs talking about being too certified with some jazzy undertones throughout the book, but then “Donald Goines” embraces a more triumphant sound taking you in as to how them boys be cooking.
The song “Million Reasons” with Al Skratch finds the 2 over a trap instrumental with an eerie vocal sample talking about being off the deep end while the penultimate track “Winning Hand” lets y’all know who you dealing with & the Lil Dee verse has gotta be the weakest feature on the album respectfully. “Born n Raised” with Grandmaster Caz & Doo Wop however ends things with an old school-flavored closer produced by Marley Marl representing New York proudly.
Return of a Don was a great comeback for G Rap considering the mediocrity Riches, Royalty, Respect when it came out in the spring of 2011 & he goes back-to-back with Last of a Dying Breed here. A couple lackluster features here & there, but Domingo’s production is on par with MoSS’ with one of the greatest MCs in the history of our culture Giancana sounding like he has a fire under his ass lyrically.
Score: 8/10
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