Joey Bada$$ is back!
The Brooklyn rapper made his grand return with the release of 2000, his first solo LP in five years. Prior to the album’s release, the Brooklyn native hadn’t been quite active on the hip-hop scene due to his acting endeavors. Most notably, he appeared in the critically-acclaimed television series Mr. Robot and the Academy Award-winning film, Two Distant Strangers. However, 2000 assures fans that his return was well worth the wait. Here are three songs from Joey Bada$$’ 2000 to keep on replay.
“Cruise Control”
Sampling a hip-hop classic like The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” can set high expectations, but Joey Bada$$ naturally meets them on “Cruise Control.” Joey Bada$$ even salutes the fellow Brooklyn emcee with a nod to the opening line of “Juicy.”
“It was all a dream, came in this at seventeen/ Me and my Pro Era team focused on the better things/ Tryna stack cheddar, C.R.E.A.M. rule everything, uh,” he raps.
If that’s not enough hip-hop nostalgia, Nas appears on the outro of the breezy track to co-sign Joey Bada$$.
“Head High”
Joey Bada$$ is extremely introspective on “Head High.” Backed by soulful production, he reflects on the loss of XXXTENTACION and Capital STEEZ. With death seemingly surrounding the 27-year-old rapper, he offers wisdom-filled bars on how he values life.
“Look, God blessed the kid with many talents, he was chosen/ It’s why you see him livin’ in the moment/ Every second, gotta own it/ ‘Cause you never know when could be your, last,” Joey Bada$$ spits.
“Zipcodes”
“Zipcodes” is the quintessential hip-hop track. The Pro Era rapper even provides a forewarning in the intro for the braggadocious bars that are about to come. Over a jazzy Kirk Knight production, Joey Bada$$ brags about his lavish lifestyle.
“My cup overflowin’, I’m feelin’ fine in this Chardonnay/ I dropped seven bands in Rick Owens, it was a calm day,” he raps.
“Prices lookin’ like a zip code, I switch zones when it get cold/ So they gon’ have to throw they shade from far away.”
Celebrating 10 years since his debut, Joey Bada$$ still possesses a hunger that most rap veterans would’ve otherwise lost. While he has certainly touched on sensitive subjects in his previous works, 2000 allows listeners to delve deeper into his reflections. Continuing to elevate, 2000 proves to be his most pensive work yet.
