Lil Baby – WHAM (Album Review)

Lil Baby returns to the basics with the release of “WHAM.”

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TOP 5 SONGS

5. Streets Colder

Ironically, “Streets Colder” is one of the few tracks on this album that truly has a pulse.

I love that Lil Baby closed the album with “Streets Colder.” The track has a dramatic, uptempo beat that stands out and a catchy, blunt hook that is flames. As for Lil Baby, he keeps it 100 lyrically, sharing his mindset these days, the family and friends he relies on, and the turbulence he sees coming from the streets. The only thing I’d change is dialing back his mumbling a bit.

Of course, the streets are cold—it’s January (Negroes need to use the weather app more).

I love it when Lil Baby talks his s**t with pure confidence, and he does just that on “Free Promo.” Set against a triumphant beat with plenty of umph, Baby emphasizes what sets him apart from the competition, reflects on his journey to wealth, and calls out the nonsense happening in the streets. I appreciate the steady, boastful flow he maintains throughout, and I also like how he seamlessly drops in some clever punchlines. However, the singing towards the end didn’t quite land for me.

3. I Promise

Lil Baby truly stands out when he dedicates a track to women on this album.

In “I Promise,” Lil Baby strikes a balance between complimenting his girl with lines about her pretty toes and boasting about his grind and status. The track has a dramatic feel, thanks to the production, and Baby digs into his emotions with these heartfelt melodic raps that make him sound innocent as hell. Overall, I appreciate the effort and depth he brings to the song.

2. Dum, Dumb, Dumber (Ft. Future & Young Thug)

Why would you voluntarily name your track “Dum, Dumb, Dumber?”

I just knew this track would sound like some fee-fi-fo-fum s**t. In “Dum, Dumb, Dumber,” Lil Baby, Future, and Young Thug flex with unmatched confidence, bragging about their overflowing pockets, lavish trips, expensive cars, and hood authenticity. The track doesn’t feature a hook (which is surprising, considering Future and Thugger are masters at crafting memorable ones), but instead, it delivers rap verses that hit hard, like body blows. My favorite verse came from Future, followed by Thugger, and then Baby.

1. So Sorry

Do you know how hard it is to make a trap God say sorry? It’s like convincing Dave Blunts to go vegan.

There aren’t many undeniably great tracks on this album, but “So Sorry” is one. First, the melancholic production resonates with me. Then, I’m drawn to the raw emotion Lil Baby delivers, with his melodic raps that touch the soul. Lastly, his lyrics centered around the complexities of his connection with his woman — the highs and lows — feel genuinely heartfelt. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this track.

SONG-BY-SONG RATING

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RGM RATING

(69%)

There’s definitely a place for Lil Baby in the hip-hop game, but it feels like he needed to tweak his style slightly to align with today’s sound. In WHAM, he does that only occasionally.

I think I’ve finally pinpointed the sound I want Lil Baby to focus on: the vibe we get on tracks like “I Promise” and “So Sorry.” In these songs, he taps into his emotional side while keeping his flow and mechanics sharp. Interestingly, both of these tracks are feature-free. When he cranks up the mumbling too much (which happens in quite a few songs) or falls back on the usual trap clichés, he feels like a middle-of-the-pack rapper. Unfortunately, too many of the tracks on this album sound like some middle-of-the-pack s**t. Those tracks suffer from recycled, predictable trap beats, lazy hooks, forgettable verses, forced features (I did think 21 Savage and GloRilla had excellent verses), and empty-calorie bars. I hope Lil Baby doubles down on the style of songs like “I Promise” and “So Sorry” going forward.

I’m a little disappointed that Lil Baby didn’t kill here.