Rhythm and Flow winner D Smoke makes his triumphant debut with “Black Habits.”

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“Lights On” is a sensual track that is poetic and not fetishistic, so I’m not mad at it (I almost was).

The subtle guitar riffs you hear in “Lights On” adds nuance to it. Another strong feature is the track’s Spanish influences (Parts of D. Smoke’s verses on the song are in Spanish).

D Smoke chose some exciting collaborators to link up with on Black Habits; SiR is one of them.

4. SUNKISSED CHILD

“Sunkissed Child” is such a clever track! On it, D Smoke talks about looking at his younger self lovingly, hinting at why he chose to pursue a career as a teacher. The 34-year-old rapper reveals some dark truths in the track, but his charisma and overall message of love are overpowering.

The D Smoke/Jill Scott combo is brilliant! The word sun-kissed being appropriately used here.

3. GASPAR YANGA

You knew “Black Habits” would have a Snoop feature (Word to Inglewood)!

“Gaspar Yanga” is a battle cry to those who rep where they’re from and know who they are. D Smoke isn’t telling us who he is in the track, he’s showing us. By the end of it, you are going to want to walk with him on his journey to success.

2. REAL BODY

“Real Body” is more of a #1(b) than a #2. It truly is a sapphire in a sea of diamonds.

We’re introduced to a different side of D Smoke in “Real Body” — a sexual, intimate and physical person who appreciates the more sensual moments in life. Then, just as I was falling into this intoxicating black hole that the track pulls you into, Ari Lennox sashays on with her crisp and scratchy tone that is magnificent on its own but oh so triumphant in the grand scheme of things. I love that she sings the same notes and melody in her register, so her and Smoke’s vocals sit on top of each other and move together. It works so well and is representative of the subject matter attached to the track.

1. BLACK HABITS I

“Black Habits I” is raw, represents ethereal wokeness, and most importantly, encompasses the black American experience. When it’s all said and done, the song is an anthem that will make you feel proud to be black.

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. MORNING PRAYER (3/5)

2. BULLIES (3/5)

3. NO COMMAS (4/5)

4. GASPAR YANGA (5/5)

5. TOP OF THE MORNING (4/5)

6. SUNKISSED CHILD (4.5/5)

7. BLACK HABITS I (5/5)

8. FLY (4.5/5)

9. SEASONS PASS (3/5)

10. FALLIN’ (3/5)

11. LIGHTS ON (4/5)

12. REAL BODY (5/5)

13. FREE (3/5)

14. LIKE MY DADDY (4.5/5)

15. CLOSER TO GOD (4/5)

16. BLACK HABITS II (4/5)

OVERALL RATING

(A)

We first fell in love with D Smoke watching him soar on Netflix’s first music reality show Hustle and Flow. Viewers fell in love with the devotion he showed to his beloved Inglewood plus his wonderfully surprising integration of Spanish into his songs. He won the competition by unanimous decision after he brought the house down with a Grammy-worthy performance of “The Last Supper.”

After consuming the entirety of what Black Habits has to say, it’s safe to say that the 2020s will be the decade of D Smoke!

Ratings Game Music