This is a time where New York City, not-withstanding the throwback attempts of the pro-era crew, is losing it’s rap identity. But Styles P’s latest album Float seems to have evaded the recent emerging trends, primarily by shunning the usual checklist of hip-hop’s current A-list producers and rap tropes. He helps himself by not pandering to the domineering Southern ‘Trap’ style increasingly etching its way into the fabric of many New York rappers such as French Montana and A$AP Rocky.
Given this, Styles P attempts to pay hom- age to the New York boom bap style of the 80s with ‘Take it Back’, though the Maytals sampling feels out of place in the middle of a rather gritty, underground-sounding record. Nonetheless, Float is stripped to the bare bones with fellow LOX member Scram Jones producing every song. This allows for a conceptual constant and common sound largely lost in many contemporary rap albums.
Fans of a time when rappers sought to illustrate the trials and tribulations of an overworked drug baron will find solace in the early parts of the album with tracks such as ‘Manson Murder’ and ‘Bodies in the Base- ment’. By ‘Red-Eye’ Styles, however, takes a well-earned vacation from all his stress, lavishing in ‘Audemars and Oyster Perpetuals’. On ‘Reckless’, Styles takes time to assure us “I’m a criminal rappin’” and, given that this is his eleventh musical project, it appears these bois- terous claims are the ones that fans have found consistent comfort in. Styles P’s astute lyrical talent does remain on show throughout the album, beckoning through Jones’ simplistic but thuggish, head-nodding productions. This, complemented by brief appearances from old accomplices such as Jadakiss and Wu-Tang’s Raekwon, make in total for a very inoffensive but listenable work.
Download: Take it Back
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