The project commences with “Hunnit Times,” a hard-hitting piece with a haunting soundscape and thumping drums that will have your car speakers rattling. A1 Beanz is not one for small talk and hits the ground running with a heavy dose of gritty reality, with bars like  “Oh, you mister, big bad and bold/But don’t you know that all these tough guys never grow old/Don’t you know in grade school, I had to sit in the cold/For free food I’m eating ???, we ain’t have it at home”

“Kick in your door” has a mystic-sounding flute and a militant drum groove that is a few tempos higher than the previous track. Here, the rapper embodies the spirit of by any means necessary and he goes about knocking down doors to achieve his goals. The first collaboration appears on “Couldawoulda,” featuring fellow rappers Ray Riley and Sham Black, and it’s a verbal onslaught from there. Featuring a dark, scenic backdrop, the trio chooses violence on weaker emcees who try to step in their direction. The verses are threaded by various vocal samples, including the viral “I want problems always” clip. “Royalty Checks” is a piano-laced boombap banger with jazz elements, which adds a different vibe to what we have heard before. Here, A1 Beanz switches his flow to fit the beat, and he displays versatility whilst keeping his grittiness.  “I’m fitting go weightlift, I’m fitting go ape shit/From ghetto to gracious/So if money ain’t involved, how we making it make sense?”

The project continues to swing with heavy verbal artillery and scenic motifs that transport listeners to a different timeline with nostalgic vibes. “Hit me no more” is reminiscent of the 2000s with its distorted bassline, crunchy drums and moody textures. I will confess it evokes a similar feel to “Couldawoulda,” albeit with a heavier bassline. Lyrically, A1 Beanz continues to stay on point as he gives listeners insight into his life and then some. He has a knack for penning vivid street tales with an edgy vibe that transports listeners right into the mix of the action. “I gotta Rob” finds the rapper prowling the streets looking for unsuspecting foes who will mostly get blindsided. Here, A1 Beanz uses a melodic chorus to drive home his point. At the end of the day, no one is safe.

The final track “Never Stop” samples a classic soul track (Donny Hathaway to be precise) and features J ox, and Darren Elijah. Here, the emcees share their respective take on self-belief and the never-ending grind till success appears. Beanz leads the track with “I just say what it is, and lately I have been checking off goals on my list/I used to wanna have a couple rolls for the wrist/Small ?? to a giant, I wanna own the abyss.” but J ox and Elijah are not too far off and equally deliver solid takes.

Once again, A1 Beanz delivers as expected. He doesn’t have the time and energy to pander to outsiders with this tailor-made project for those who are intuned with the realness.

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