Joey Purp - iiiDrops

Joey Purp
iiiDrops
2016
SoundCloud

It is kind of a shame Joey Purp's name is not more widely known and that this new record iiiDrops has not been more widely released. Prup himself is one of Chance the Rapper's guys of the future evident by the fact that his music is only available on SoundCloud and Chance features on the second song. "GIRLS @" bounces and pops with Prup and Chance dropping some really fun flows. It is nice to hear Chance on a track that is not so on the surface about being positive. The song has more old school themes, but the delivery is totally modern and does not at all fell like a departure. Throughout the record Prup has a boastful swagger that is more than just flexing, He also seems to have a strong grasp on the problems that plague society and is not just going to let them slide by for some cash and ladies. Unlike Chance however who is a constant optimist Joey Prup is not afraid to get into the gutter and really deal with some hood shit right now. He is not a soldier in the war per se, but more of an onlooker who has seen and done some shit, and needs to tell everyone about it. That realism makes for an album that is diverse and incredibly complex. That pull for celebrity and fame is in direct opposition to Prup's ideas about artistry and craft but throughout the album he voices his desire for both.

"PHOTOBOTH" is perhaps the most aggressive song on the album but it has this highly infectious beat that is so off the wall it's hard to even describe. That really is the case with a lot of Prup's work. you know there is something that you really love about it, but you just can't explain why. "CORNERSTRE" is the real nostalgia track on the record summarizing a time when the corner store was the literal cornerstone of a community, but it also goes in to the corporatization of that store and the homogenization that brings. "SAY YOU DO" continues the super interesting production using really just a super splashy drum line, an old timey sounding piano and a few beat drops. It is off kilter, and Purp's voice is highly affected but it still somehow manages to work brilliantly. While Joey Purp has plenty of vitriol against the establishment, He also calls for personal accountability throughout the record just another example of how He likes to approach things from multiple angles. While his thoughts bounce from realism to optimism and his boasting can be cut with him describing looking in the mirror and seeing his mother's eyes Joey Purp is one of the most interesting artists in hip hop right now and iiiDrops is a record not to miss.

8.5 out of 10