Don Toliver – Hardstone Psycho (Album Review)

Don Toliver delivers alternative, pleasant, and futuristic hip-hop music in “Hardstone Psycho.”

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TOP 5

5. BROTHER’S STONE (Ft. Kodak Black)

Holy s**t, Don Toliver was able to revive prime Kodak Black.

Kodak Black dropping one of the most impressive hooks on this album wasn’t on my bingo card at all. Aside from Kodak’s inspired verse and hook, which will remind you that he is a pretty decent rapper when he’s a focused gremlin, I think the track’s hard-hitting/uptempo/horror movie-like beat is awesome. Additionally, I rock with how Don Toliver matches Kodak’s style with his own sly, gritty verse.

4. BANDIT

Listen to this track with your dusty-ass Harley Davidson T-shirt on, please.

Don Toliver sounds as reckless as he’s ever sounded in “BANDIT.” In his verses in the song, he talks about popping pills, sipping on wockesha, getting it in with women who are more than dime pieces, and choosing violence whenever he needs to. He also mentions that his competition isn’t touching him like the Atlanta Hawks weren’t touching Luka when he scored 70 points on them.

As much as I like the s**t-talking and reckless lyrics we get out of Don in this track, it’s actually the production that caught my attention the most. It’s edgy and merges contemporary hip-hop vibes with traditional rock vibes. I also really enjoy the Tame Impala sample.

3. GLOCK

I just knew my ratchet ass would f**k with a song called “GLOCK.”

“GLOCK” isn’t a gutter track at all; it’s actually adorable. it features some of Don Toliver’s gentlest vocals, one of the most therapeutic beats on the album, and this “Shoop” sample that literally feels heavenly. So, where does the word “Glock” come into play? Well, in the track, Don romantically asks his woman to hold his gun for him while he checks out what a couple of hoes are hitting for (Awwww).

Women, do y’all find s**t like this romantic? Like, does holding your man’s Glock make you one step closer to wanting to marry him?

2. INSIDE (Ft. Travis Scott)

These are the kind of duets that we are settling for in 2024 (I’m not mad at it at all).

Only Don Toliver and Travis Scott can make a track like “INSIDE.” In it, we get serious abuse of autotune, very authentic ’90s R&B vibes and melodies, and romantic lyrics from two n***as who probably contemplate wearing sheisties anytime they step outside. If you call yourself an R&B head, you just have to love the f**k out of this s**t. If you don’t call yourself that, you’ll probably think this s**t is overrated. I’m an R&B head.

1. DEEP IN THE WATER

I can see two AI applications making love to this track.

In “Deep In The Water,” Don Toliver gets all sentimental on us, expressing his commitment to his partner through life’s challenges. He also longs for moments in which they feel like the only two people in the world, although there’s a hint of messiness with a mention of his partner having another man.

You’ll appreciate “Deep In The Water” for its smoothness—smoother than Gary Coleman’s hair. The song features dark, vibey production that perfectly complements Toliver’s slick, gripping vocals. All in all, you can argue that you get Don’s most impressive vocal performance on this album here.

SONG-BY-SONG RATING

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RGM RATING

(B)

Don Toliver is a few years ahead of the rap game. What does that mean? It means he’s creating music that will likely be emulated two or three years from now. Essentially, the motorcycle he’s riding in the artwork is actually a time machine.

The production we get on Hardstone Psycho is outstanding. While most of the beats feature trap elements, others beautifully incorporate new-age R&B, edgy rock, and atmospheric vibes. It’s almost like listening to music meant for another planet with trappers. So, here’s my advice: completely get lost in the beats.

Though I don’t doubt Don Toliver would slap the taste out of someone’s mouth, in Hardstone Psycho, he comes across as this laidback figure who tackles love in a carefree way, flexes only the things he cares about, and parties just as hard as your typical black rock star. Vocally, I really enjoy how Don doesn’t rely on his hip-hop persona as much as he relies on getting lost in whatever vibe the production he’s handed provides. It’s just amazing hearing someone sound natural over supernatural beats.

So, what were my favorite guest appearances from this project? I really enjoyed the back-and-forth between Travis Scott and Don Toliver in “INSIDE.” I also thought Kodak Black absolutely shined in “BROTHER’S STONE,” Teezo Touchdown provided great background vocals in “BACKSTREETS,” and Uncle Charlie Wilson was great in his limited role on “ATTITUDE.” Maybe, one day, Future’s contributions to “PURPLE RAIN” will click with me.

Don Toliver continues to push boundaries more than most artists we hear today. This impressive album definitely proves the Cactus Jack label has two max players.