King Louie delivers royal sound on his short, and cynically sweet, new project.
6 God Tony, Louie’s second mixtape release of 2015 acts as a teaser to what many people speculate to be a possible collaboration with Drake’s OVO label.
Short songs with memorable lyrics abound; you almost feel cheated when the track ends. Some may think having such short tracks is an issue, but in this case, Louie cuts almost all hooks, allowing his slow groan flow of punchlines and cockiness to take centre stage.
The songs aren’t even close to being radio friendly. They don’t depend on catchiness or cute metaphors; instead they are gritty and explicit.
The songs aren’t even close to being radio friendly. They don’t depend on catchiness or cute metaphors; instead they are gritty and explicit. Louie is rapping about one thing – perhaps in different forms – on this mixtape: his success and the way he made it happen.
Not only does King Louie refer directly to Drake’s nickname in his mixtape title, but he also covers a recent Drizzy song, entitled “Jumpman”. The song blends the well-known chorus into something that sounds very familiar to Toronto Raptors fans (another Drake collab hint?). Louie repeats the last name of a certain Andre Drummond who was dunked on last season in an epic moment for Raptors’ fans and team ambassador, Drake.
On “Tony, Tone, Tone” the 27 year old, who has been featured on tracks alongside fellow Chicago emcees Chief Keef and Kanye West, reps his hometown putting his fear-nothing, confident attitude on full blast. Lyrics reveal his latest sex highs and how fame has changed his outlook on life.
In the short time, he takes listeners on a personalized tour of the street life that has garnered him much respect.
The brag affair continues down the trap-heavy track list. Excerpts of his street presence in the windy city come through on “Plugged” and on the project’s longest track (just over three minutes), “Wit the Killaz”, he takes listeners through a day in the life of the King Louie experience.
“What They Living For” is a glorious chronic-fuelled trip that has a speedy freestyle feel and “God Flow No Fear” has Louie slowing down over a symphony-like beat while he relies once again on his cocky self-advertising lyrics.
The mixtape only runs about 11 minutes, but that is not to say his voice is not heard. In the short time, he takes listeners on a personalized tour of the street life that has garnered him much respect.
Unfortunately the mixtape is far from a complete piece and at multiple points it feels as if Louie had the mute button pressed on him, when in actual fact there are just no more words.
Nonetheless, strong deliveries and steady flows with great one liners make this tease worthwhile and an effective set up piece for whatever Chicago’s trap royalty has cooking up next.
Gregory Chow 