GELO’s rap debut shows grit—but falls short on execution.
STREAM
TOP 5
5. Humble Abode
Dead-ass, I was shocked to hear GELO rap over something that wasn’t on some Louisiana-type s**t. “Humble Abode” flips the script with a bass-heavy, emotional instrumental that feels more reflective than anything else on the project. Even more surprising, GELO taps into a country-inspired singing voice—and pulls it off way better than you’d expect. He opens up about personal losses and the obstacles he’s faced, giving the track a layer of vulnerability that we haven’t really heard from him before.
What holds the song back a bit is GELO’s decision to abruptly throw some gangsta energy into the mix. It disrupts the emotional tone in a way that feels forced and out of place. His rap verse, while not terrible, doesn’t quite match the impact of the melodic parts. That said, this is still one of the more impressive and daring cuts on the album. It shows that when GELO leans into honesty and switches up his sound, he’s capable of surprising moments that actually land.
4. Law N Order
In “Law N Order,” GELO delivers braggadocious bars about hitting the strip club, staying strapped, rocking major drip, and pulling up in flashy whips. He also doesn’t hold back on his player mentality, making it clear that he’s living large.
There are significant similarities between “Law N Order” and “Tweaker.” Both tracks feature catchy hooks, bouncy Louisiana-inspired beats, shaky flows, and lackluster verses. While this song might slap in a packed club, where the beat, melody, and hook are all that matter, it doesn’t hold up as well in headphones.
3. Shook Da Game
Can you believe GELO’s music career is taking off to the point where he has haters now? In “Shook Da Game,” he addresses the doubters head-on, flexing his money, confidence, and belief that his music is undeniably fire. There’s a noticeable chip on his shoulder here, and he uses it to fuel a performance that’s surprisingly entertaining. He dials up the bass in his voice and comes through with a delivery that sounds like a light-skinned Pac—gritty, animated, and full of controlled aggression.
What really ties the track together is GELO’s flow over the sly, New Orleans-styled beat, which plays to his strengths while also giving him room to experiment. The hook, in particular, feels effortless and authentic—simple, but very trill in a way that sticks with you. While “Shook Da Game” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it proves that GELO has the charisma and energy to keep this rap thing going longer than anyone expected.
2. Can You Please (Ft. GloRilla)
The track is all about getting freaky in the sheets. Gelo spends the entire chorus asking the woman he is currently entangled with to shake her, um, assets for him. He uses his verse to deliver continuous raunchy lines, describing what he wants in detail and talking about the woman and how he plans to treat her in that moment.
Glorilla’s featured verse goes so hard. Her ad-libs in the background had me laughing so hard before she even got into her lines because I could already tell they were going to be something else. Glo can be so out of pocket and yet still so relatable. She said things that made me do a double take, even throwing in a Hawk Tuah reference for good measure.
Overall, the track is fun, dirty, and unserious.
1. Tweaker
Lowkey, “Tweaker” might be one of the songs of the year—not because it’s a great track, but because it’s packed with memorable moments. First off, the production has a nice bounce to it, with some NBA YoungBoy vibes that we’ve basically been programmed to like in 2025. I also think the chorus is excellent, especially when GELO hits the “woah oh oh” part.
That said, everything else about the track is pretty awful. The verses are unlistenable, the lyrics about violence are cringey, and the background singing makes me want to yank my earphones out like that one soccer coach meme. Still, something had to take the number one spot.
SONG-BY-SONG RATING
1. POLLASEEDS (2/5)
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RGM RATING
(58%)
Before I go completely wild on GELO like you probably expect me to, I will say this: there’s something admirable about his rise to becoming a rapper we actually talk about. He defied the odds, made a major career switch, and managed to earn enough attention to drop a full-length project. That kind of resiliency deserves credit. Unfortunately, the album itself is… bad. Like, really bad.
If you’re a fan of NBA YoungBoy, there are some familiar elements here you might appreciate—namely, the menacing, aggressive instrumentals that have defined his sound. These beats carry that unapologetic New Orleans energy, complete with melodies that conjure images of dice games, late-night street runs, and chaos around every corner. The problem? GELO sounds completely unready for them. His attempts at singing come off shaky, his flows are inconsistent, and his lyrics feel painfully generic. He tries to embody a tough-guy persona that just doesn’t hit, especially for those of us who watched the Ball family rise in the spotlight. It’s not even about whether he’s genuinely tough—it’s about believability, and that persona doesn’t land.
Beyond that, the technical side of the album struggles too. The audio quality on several tracks feels unfinished, and at times, GELO sounds almost unrecognizable. There’s a lack of consistency and clarity, both in sound and in purpose. By the second or third track, you’re not even listening for enjoyment anymore—you’re just waiting to see if he sticks a landing. Spoiler alert: there aren’t many.
If there’s one redeeming aspect, it’s GELO’s self-awareness. He speaks candidly about being an underdog and the backlash he’s received from music critics and fans alike. That honesty stands out. But as someone who fought hard just to get summer league invites in the NBA, GELO has to apply that same hunger and persistence to music. It’s not enough to simply make it into the rap game—he has to prove he belongs, and right now, this project doesn’t do that.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
