Darkside BayBay – The Last Straw (Album Review)

You can tell Darkside BayBay has had enough of the phoniness in hip hop, because in his music you can hear this kill-a-rapper approach on literally every bar he drops. As a rap enthusiast, I love that, because it shows this hunger that I think is missing in the game today. With that being said, Darkside’s ‘The Last Straw’ album promises to electrify with its explosive rap music.

TOP 5

5. PICTURE PERFECT

An album isn’t complete unless you have that one track that is dedicated to a down ass chick that you’re trying to steal from someone else!

Over this sensual rap instrumental, Darkside keeps it 100 when it comes to this woman that he’s pursuing, letting her know the dude she’s dealing with ain’t doing his job in keeping her happy. His words are exact, as he lets the girl know what he can do for her, and why her other man needs to be dropped.

38 Mitch is featured on this song, and he puts up a pretty good verse. His laid back demeanor compliments Darkside BayBay’s sound really well, as he relies on his swag to convince this woman that he’s the one.

This song flows really well.

4. PRESSURE BUSS PIPES

The first thing that stands out to me about ‘Pressure Buss Pipes’ is its instrumental: It reminds me of those old school beats that you would find on ‘Ready To Die’, but with a 2017 twist to it. It is definitely one of the hottest instrumentals on this album.

Darkside does not waste a single bar on this song, as he comes out swinging on his verses. You can tell he understands that his words need to be felt just as much as heard, so he approaches the track with great animation.

The message Darkside delivers on this song is pretty deep. Darkside talks about the pressure that comes with getting to the top of the game, which may result in shady behavior all around. He does persevere though, finding a way to overcome any challenge brought his way.

3. DARKSIDE

Every rapper needs their own theme song right? For Darkside BayBay, this is it!

With a good chunk of this album having tough ass cuts, ‘Darkside’ has the Florida rapper spitting a few playful bars this time around. Over this swervy instrumental, Darkside keeps the punchlines coming, rapping with this rapid flow. Though the song is short, I feel like this is his best song lyrically on this album.

2. ALL I EVER

We all know beggars can’t be choosers, but based off of the apparent work ethic that Darkside has, he might deserve all the luxurious things he’s asking for.

‘All I Ever’ has this humbling tone to it, as Darkside raps some pretty tough bars over this haunting trap instrumental. What I like most about this song is that the hook is hella catchy, and the flow that he raps with is very consistent. With the beat having so many different aspects to it, Darkside adjusts well to it, providing the track with that dynamic style that the song needs.

1. SOMETIMES

‘Sometimes’ is that emotional banger that combines a soulful beat with some heavy hitting bars by Darkside. (Who doesn’t love songs like these?)

From the moment you press play, Darkside spits some of the realest s–t you’ve ever heard in your life. The Miami-based rapper goes into detail about his come-up, discussing how his grind and hustle put him in position to succeed. I love the aggression he raps with, as he shows no trepidation when it comes to talking about the important people around him, his gangsta ways, and the infatuation he has with making boss moves.

This is the perfect way to start an album.

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. SOMETIMES (5/5)

2. ALL I EVER (4.8/5)

3. STARTED WIT NOTHIN’ (4.2/5)

4. DARKSIDE (4.8/5)

5. PRESSURE BUSS PIPES (4.7/5)

6. OCEAN VIEW (4/5)

7. WAR (3.8/5)

8. PICTURE PERFECT (4.7/5)

9. ONE DAY AT A TIME (3.7/5)

10. STR8 OUTTA HARLEM (3.9/5)

11. AIRPLANES (4/5)

12. TIGHTEN UP (3.8/5)

13. H2D (3.9/5)

14. GVO (4.2/5)

OVERALL RATING

(8/10)

I feel like ‘The Last Straw’ is the epitome of a hardcore street album. I hear no gimmicks in Darkside’s music, just authentic words that galvanize the people that move similarly to him. Darkside isn’t only a rapper on this album, he’s also a motivational speaker.

I love the production on this album! Most songs have an emotional tone to it, accompanied by a few trap elements here and there that completes the hip hop side of things. As I stated earlier, Darkside and his collaborators do a tremendous job of matching the vibes of the beat, ensuring they instill their personality in every song they are on.

Overall, this album is a great listen to me! I will keep it in my rotation for the next couple of weeks, especially when I need to hear some gritty bars.