I’ve been a fan of Devine Carama for quite some time now. He hails from Kentucky which let me tell you is not the first place one usually thinks of when it comes to hip hop. But to be honest it was Devine who got me looking into the Kentucky hip-hop music scene and I discovered many dope artists. He truly is a representative of our genre. He also is a community advocate that transpires beyond the music. If we’re being honest I’m a fan of the artist and the man.
Now when it comes to the music side, he truly never disappoints. His subject matter is always deeper than most. That make you think but head nod constantly type of sound. I always know when he drops something new I need to clear my schedule and truly listen because his lyrics aren’t just that usual rah rah rah shit. Don’t get me wrong I love some rah but I also love music like this. If you haven’t heard of him get ready for some intellectual lyricism against a backdrop of dope production. I suggest going back and checking his catalog when you get a chance. Especially check out Kingtucky the predecessor of this project.
Now to the album up for review.
Kingtucky II is his latest project and is released as a double album. Normally I am hesitant when a project is crazy long but being a fan so I’m kinda hyped. So sit back and join me as we review! Link is at the end of the review. Check it out!
1.Season of the Royal (Intro)
This intro is dope. If this is the way the album progresses then you definitely have a happy Scy. I love how old school Devine sounds. I like how this intro transports you to a concert feel. I’m in the crowd waving my hands, lighters up, singing along. Oh no wait I’m in my car. Focus Scy.
2.Banner Hanging In the Hood f. JK-47
Oh my God off jump the scratches on this is just grimy. You know how I feel about my scratches and cuts. This track makes you make the uhhh gas face. I feel mean listening to this. I love it! *in rotation
3.Talk To Me Nice f. JK-47
I say this all the time. TALK TO ME NICE! In that exact tone. This is one of those I need to listen to this a few times tracks. Fuck this is dope and JK-47 is always a good look on the feature. They flow nice together as he also spits that dope. *in rotation
4.Kiss the Ring
I love that thus far there are cuts and scratches on the tracks. However and I can’t believe I am saying this while I like this song I’m not sure that the beat matches it. Wait hear me out. I wish he would have spit this a little more level without the extra because this song is deep. I just imagine this having a smoother flow over less chaotic production only so you could truly appreciate what he says.
5. Thorns In My Crown f. Deacon the Villain
This song is a big ‘word!’” I’m the only soul alive in the land of the walking dead” I also like this Deacon the Villain. (Earmarking to check him out later). They really mesh well together and it speaks volumes on Devine’s flexibility as an artist. He can collab with emcees with different flow styles by tweaking his but staying true to himself at the same time.
6.OG Rap f. Peety Smooth
I’m not really feeling how this song vibes. The flow and beat are competitive and it makes it hard to decide what to listen to, the lyrics or the beat. I had to rewind it twice. And it’s a good song AND a dope beat … just not together. *on my third run through of the album on shuffle the song gets more cohesive and I fuck with it but the first listen through I gave it a lower score. Oh and Peety Smooth has a powerful voice. I don’t know what he looks like but in my mind he wears a red velvet smoking jacket with a dope fro and a killer smile. (Don’t ruin my illusion)
7.Major Leagues f. Joey Truax
This song is dope as well. At track 7 I appreciate the tempo switch and this is definitely a vibing track. I fuck with it. I’m also digging Joey Truax on this track. Devine has an ear and intuition on which artist would shine as a feature on which track. So far every feature has only added to his dope and this is no exception*in rotation
8.Long Live the King
Okay this might be one of my favorite tracks not only on this project but so far this year. This shit is beyond dope. I could listen to this on repeat and I have. The beat is sick and Devine’s voice over this mannnn!!! Long Live The King!! *in rotation
9.Indifference
This track transports me to a special place. Back when I was in college there was this little hole in the wall basement bar I used to frequent. This song has tastes and smells and sounds and I wish you guys could be transported with me when you hear this. I can smell the clove cigarettes and taste the amaretto sour and hear the music vibrate through your bones. I don’t even know why this song does this to me as I dissect it but you know what? I don’t care. I love it. *in rotation
10. Blu
This track is smooth. The intro is dope and the song has like a real old school vibe to it. I fuck with it.
11. War Time Consigliere
This was a short track. I wish it was actually longer to be honest. It doesn’t hold up in the shuffle play but placement on the straight play through is fine.
12. Cyphers On the Block f. D. Lee
This is an okay track. I don’t especially like the placement because this is essentially the closing track if this is where the album ended and I wanted a stronger closer.
*This is where the album breaks into part two. Essentially you could listen to this into two separate parts but it also works as a complete project as well. But I digress…. Check out Part II with me!
13. Reciprocity (Intro)
This is a sweet intro to part two. It already feels like a different vibe. This felt like a love letter… I’m not mad at it.
14. Rise From the Ashes f. Joslyn Hampton
Okay first of all you guys know how I am about my 80s music so I was super hyped to hear the sample on this. Then I heard the lyrics. This song is personal and deep. I bang with this heavy. Now Devine is not shy about his love for God and I dig that. He has a way of integrating his beliefs without sounding preachy. *in rotation
15.Why Kaepernick Kneels
I love this track. The cuts on this are dope. Subject matter even doper. Just listen. This is for us! *in rotation
16.Indoctrination Emancipation f. Joslyn Hampton
This bangs hard. I never heard of Joslyn Hampton but her voice is perfection for this track. Man I feel this on a deep level. They hold us down systematically. We don’t really have the leaders we had back in the day. Devine uses his voice as a platform and this is why I respect him as an artist so much. *in rotation
17.Queen of Soul (Aretha Franklin Tribute) f. Joslyn Hampton
This was a dope tribute. Aretha is an icon and Devine and Josyln did this justice.
18.Look In My Eyes
I heard this the other day and posted the visual. This is one of my favorite tracks on the project. Again the sample is dope. I wish that every young boy had someone in his life who could teach him to be a man. Not what he sees on television, not what these fake rappers teach but this! Dopeness! *in rotation
19.All I Need Interlude
Ha! Nice interlude. Not what I expected by the title but nice flip.
20.Cancelling Cosby
This is the exact reaction that I had when the whole Cosby thing came out. I had to separate the man from the actor. And it’s like that. We don’t really know what demons live inside of people. We have to take a closer look at how we treat our daughters and raise our sons. Love this!
21.Darkness Deepens
I didn’t expect this track at all. This is super dope. And another side of Devine Carama. I actually had to listen to this a second time. It didn’t even think this was him at first. But this is ill. I wish it wasn’t so short or it would be in rotation.
22.A Father’s Son
Devine went real personal on the second half of this double album. I appreciate when an artist goes vulnerable and you see them in the raw. I felt every word on this track. You can feel him spit emotion on this track. I have Devine as a friend on social media and I saw this pain unfold. This brought tears to my eyes. Your dad would be proud of you. Proud of Devine the artist and Richard the man.. Remember that!
23.Mommy (Make You Proud)
I love that he did a song for his mom as well. Like I said this second half was really personal. Dope.
24. Standing With Our Teachers (Poem Recited Live at KEA Teacher’s Rally)
I was really glad this was included on this album. I think it shows all sides of Devine Carama as an artist, a man, an artist. However on the shuffle play it does throw you out of the music. But the subject of the poem is so important that I give this a pass.
Okay so overall this project is dope. There are many songs that I have in rotation and many I have played numerous times over the past week. I love how Devine Carama stays true to himself. He doesn’t try to conform to trends. He spits intelligent lyrics. He’s sincere in his art and that is something that is lost in a lot of today’s music. I truly believe this could have been released as two separate albums but I appreciate it as a complete body of work as well. Like I said he doesn’t disappoint. I enjoyed this project, on the driving test, the straight play through and the shuffle play. By the third play I knew this would be a contender for AOTY for me personally. This is why Devine Carama is the KING of Kentucky!
Overall: A- (points only off for a few low moments and length) if I was judging them as two separate projects I think it would be A/A-
Thanks for joining me and like I said check out his catalog if you get the chance. He is truly a dope emcee.
Scy
