WilsonBlock1000 Radio

Boldy James Breaks Down Life-Threatening Experience Throughout “Penalty of Leadership” Prod. by Nicholas Craven (Album Review)

by -

This is the 8th proper full-length LP from Detroit veteran Boldy James. Breaking out in the fall of 2013 off his Alchemist produced debut M.1.C.S. (My 1st Chemistry Set). He would later go on to land a contract with Nas’ independent label Mass Appeal Records for a little while before getting locked up but once Boldy came home, Uncle Al would help get his name back out there once getting out by dropping the Boldface EP around Christmas 2019 & then the sophomore album The Price of Tea in China at the beginning of last year. This was followed up with the Sterling Toles-produced Manger on McNichols which was as equally fantastic, but the Griselda Records-backed Versace Tape EP was a tad bit disappointing given how rushed it was. Bo Jackson though would become his most critically acclaimed work to date & Super Tecmo Bo was almost as great for an EP despite IceColdBishop’s verse on “Hot Water Tank”. The last I covered Boldy’s music was in 2022 for the critically acclaimed Fair Exchange No Robbery produced by Nicholas Craven & Mr. 10-08 produced by Futurewave respectively. However in light of teasing Penalty of Leadership with Craven over the last couple months, we’re getting it at long last to ring in the new year.

“Formal Invite” is a soulful opener to the album assuring that every wish will be granted whereas “Jack Frost” works in another high-pitched vocal sample talking about being quick to rip the tag off after money being put on your head. “Evil Genius” goes into more synth-heavy direction wishing all the bros were here with him in this moment just before “Murderous Tendencies” says it all conceptually with yet another soul flip.

Continuing from there, “No Pun Intended” shifts into chipmunk soul territory so Bo Jack can talk about feeling like Thanos prior to the lead single “Brand New Chanel Kicks” going drumless making it clear that “this drug zone shit is so for real”. “Straight As” brings back the soulful vibes boasting that he been on his game time shit, but then “Soccer Mom” shooting for a calmer approach instrumentally talking about the 227 Concreatures being the ones.

The song “Early Worms Get Birds” featuring Double D might be the weakest on the album mainly because the latter’s guest appearance is simply alright to me despite the boom bap production & Boldy’s lyrics declaring to be a new sheriff in town while the chipmunk soul-inflicted penultimate track “Speedy Recovery” advises to sit back & take notes. “All My Tokens” closes Penalty of Leadership by jumping over guitars looking to stack his tokens up.

Fair Exchange No Robbery is one of Boldy’s strongest LPs ever, so I was more excited for this considering that it was literally the very first album that he ever recorded after being released from the hospital due to the car crash he was in & did it ever. He’s pretty much saying what’s on his mind after going through a life-threatening experience & Craven’s sample-heavy production is a step above the last one he did with the Detroit icon.

Score: 9/10

Comments

Post a Comment

The Street Sign Store

Streets

103rd street 108th Street 109th Street 111th Street 14th street 16th avenue 1st Street 1st avenue 216th Street 222th Street
23rd Avenue 23rd Avenue South 2nd avenue 4th avenue plaza 50th Street 5th Street Acacia Avenue Alhambra Road Alki Avenue Southwest Alondra Boulevard Alvarado Street Andover Street Andover Street & Rainier Avenue Antwerp Street Arizona Avenue Aurora Avenue Azusa Avenue Baldwin Avenue Baseline Road Bell Street Berkshire Avenue Blackstone Road Brand Boulevard Broadway Broadway & Harrison Street Broadway & Thomas Street Burbank Boulevard California Avenue California Avenue SW California Boulevard Carson Street Catalina Avenue Cedros Avenue Central Avenue Charles Street Charlestown Street Charleville Boulevard Chestnut Street Claremont Boulevard Cloverdale Street Crenshaw Boulevard Cypress Street Dakota Street Dearborn Street Del Amo Boulevard Denker Avenue Denver Avenue Devonshire Street Donna Marie Lane East Boulevard El Bonito Avenue El Molino Avenue El Sereno Avenue Elevado Avenue Elk Avenue Figueroa Street Florence Avenue Foothill Boulevard Fremont Avenue Gains Mill Street Gardena Avenue Gardena Boulevard Garey Avenue Garvey Avenue Genesee Street Glendale Boulevard Graham Street Grandee Avenue Green Lane Greenwood Avenue Harrison Street Harvard Street Helms Avenue Henderson Street Hollyglen Lane Holt Avenue Honolulu Avenue Hoover Street Indian Hill Boulevard Inglewood Boulevard Ivy Avenue John Street Juneau Street Kenwood Street La Cañada Boulevard Lake Avenue Lake Wash Boulevard Lavender Lane Lincoln Avenue Lodi Creek Road Lomita Boulevard Long Beach Boulevard Los Arboles Lane Los Robles Avenue Louise Street Lower Azusa Road Madison Street Magnolia Avenue Malachite Avenue Manhattan Beach Boulevard Marengo Avenue Mariposa Street Mission Street Monterey Road Mountain Street Myrtle Avenue Oakland Avenue Old Mill Road Orcas Street Parthenia Street Phinney Avenue Pine Street Rainier Avenue Redondo Beach Boulevard Reseda Boulevard Rev. Dr. S. McKinney Avenue Rio Hondo Avenue Rosecrans Avenue Rosemead Boulevard Roy Street & Broadway SW Alaska Street San Dimas Avenue San Dimas Canyon Road San Gabriel Boulevard Santa Monica Boulevard Seattle Boulevard Seattle Street Sepulveda Boulevard Seward Park Avenue Silverlake Boulevard Slauson Avenue Spring Street & Western Avenue Stanford Street Sunset Boulevard Temple City Boulevard Thistle Street Torrance Boulevard Tremont Street Tyler Avenue Valley Boulevard Vicksburg Avenue Vista Del Valle Road Wardlow Road Washington Boulevard Waverly Road Weller Street West Haven Road Wilson Avenue alameda street alamitos avenue alpine street anaheim street arden road arroyo parkway beacon avenue south belvidere street boren avenue broadway court cahuenga boulevard centinela avenue chester avenue claremont street coco avenue colorado boulevard colorado street bridge columbia street conceptual street sign photography cordova street euclid avenue fair oaks avenue foothill street garfield avenue green street herbert street holliston avenue holly street howard street hudson avenue iowa avenue jackson street jefferson street la brea avenue la rosa road lemon avenue linden boulevard locust street madison avenue malibu colony road mar vista avenue mentor avenue michigan avenue olvera street orange grove boulevard venice blvd ventura blvd virginia street
Show more