2015 has been a huge year for hip-hop music and artists. One such artist, who was noticeably absent after the release of his sophomore album “Caddilactica” last November, is Mississippi’s Big K.R.I.T. The rapper brings dirty south charm to the genre and mixes it with deep lyricism, something unheard of by many Southern artists, which is why K.R.I.T. stands out.
Big K.R.I.T., whose music is so well done that his mix tapes are often considered albums, decided to rear his underrated head, and before the end of the year he unexpectedly dropped a DJ Drama hosted mixtape called “It’s Better This Way”.
Fans and other rappers get excited anytime Big K.R.I.T. drops an album or mix tape. He releases soulful and hard-knocking music that is universally acclaimed, and “It’s Better This Way” follows suit.
The album begins with a skit about K.R.I.T. trying to figure out what direction he wants to take for the album, and it turns out to be the unexpected, welcome start to his hip-hop mix tape
Big K.R.I.T. has been hiding in his studio crafting back to basics hip-hop music, with a twist of his Southern twang. The odes to his cars continue, and so do the anthems about money, but they all have a boom-bap feel.
The mix tape boasts appearances from the likes of Ludacris, Warren G, K Camp, Young Dolph, BJ the Chicago Kid and many others. Big K.R.I.T. produces all his music, with guest producer Wolfe de Mchls, and he continues to sound fresh and better with time, while his lyrics get tighter.
The title track, “It’s Better This Way”, has Big K.R.I.T. singing a melodious hook reminiscent of vintage Bone Thugs ‘n’ Harmony. The song is Big K.R.I.T.’s explanation for his absence from music, where he discusses his sabbatical and how it afforded him the time to craft music that his fans will appreciate and that won’t be over played on the radio.
Big K.R.I.T. doesn’t have the popularity of Kendrick Lamar, Drake or even J. Cole. But he definitely has as much talent. He creates timeless music that will be appreciated in the future so it makes sense that his name means “King Remembered In Time”.