USEE4YOURSELF by IDK

“Ain’t got no job, but I stay sharp…Can’t pay my rent because my money’s spent, but that’s ok ’cause I’m so flyyyyyy…”

IDK is a rapper for his time. His musical styles move from R&B to “soundcloud rapper” to straight up hip hop, all from song to song and sometimes even within the same one. “I’m a free agent, but I’m yours today…” He’s not all over the place, though. He’s got smart wordplay and a clear community focus–he’s just exploding with creativity.

This album cannot stand still. From start to finish. It reminded me, often, of new-sound pioneers like Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, and Andre 3000, all of whom, when they were in their prime, made songs that seemed like freestyles in the sense that they moved quickly, but were so intricate that you knew they were constructed with architectural precision. (IDK had a major-label offer from Kanye, incidentally, but elected to say independent.)