""You should be rolling up by now / Locate your lighters."" These are familiar instructions for anyone who has listened to Curren$y and knows of his prolific weed habit. His latest project was released on 4/20, but whether you share his passion or not, there's plenty to enjoy in Curren$y's music. Curren$y's appeal lies in his casual, laid-back, and somewhat goofy persona and rap style. Listening to him provides a window into his self-described ""Jet Life,"" which is filled with women, weed, old-school American cars and Jordan sneakers, among other things. These topics aren't revolutionary or new. However, brushing him aside as run of the mill stoner rap is a huge mistake. He has the uncanny ability to take rap clichés and put his own interesting spin on them, spitting everyday tales of living the ""Jet Life.""
Covert Coup is the product of the emcee's collaboration with California producer and fellow weed aficionado Alchemist. On Curren$y's Pilot Talk album series, which were released last year, he collaborated with producer Ski Beats, going into Coup listeners are bound to judge the production against the Pilot Talk series. I know I couldn't help but do it. Alchemist exceeded my expectations on the project—he is a great man for providing these beats on a free tape.
From the bassline on ""Blood, Sweat, and Gears"" to the spacey feel of ""The Type"" which contains a stuttering beat that changes speed, this album is chock-full of Alchemist's trademark sounds. The drum hits are striking, and make the beats on many of these tracks hard-hitting. Songs like ""Scottie Pippen"" and ""Double 07"" are among the best on the album. Both feature this sound. ""Scottie Pippen"" features Freddie Gibbs spitting a verse and showcasing his long-winded style, which injects a street-feel into the track. Beats like that as well as ""Success is My Cologne"" provide backdrops that are less laid back than the Pilot Talk series. They really bring out the best in Curren$y; they bring out an intensity that doesn't always show itself in his rhymes, which are often casual and meandering. The darkness and abstractness of Alchemist's creations provide a distinct base for Curren$y, and he delivers.
Much has been made of Alchemist's production, but Curren$y brings it on this release. He is far from a newcomer in the rap game, yet his wordplay continues to get sharper. His verses on the opener ""BBS"" are a prime example. In one line Curren$y talks about cooking all the birds running in circles around him, comparing them to rotisserie chickens. His goofier side also shines through on ""Life Instructions."" His opening line, ""Paddy cake Paddy cake, I'm baked my man,"" cracks me up every time I hear it.
The only downside of the album is its brevity. The album clocks in short of half an hour and flies by. Some of the songs are barely over two minutes in length, and songs like ""Double 07"" could have been that much better as fully realized songs.
Covert Coup's consistency and replay-ability are high, but ""Smoke Break"" feels like a Pilot Talk throwaway to me and is the only track I would consider skipping. It isn't bad necessarily, but it's stuck among the best songs on the album and is easily overshadowed. These are minor complaints, and overall, this is a high-quality release for a free mixtape. The collaboration between Alchemist and Curren$y works extremely well and hopefully will occur again in a lengthier format. This project is just one stop for the prolific Curren$y. who is releasing Muscle Car Chronicles next month. Until then roll up and pour up (if that's what you do) and enjoy the outstanding Covert Coup.
