Chief Keef - Dedication Album Review
Dedication is the fourth release this year from one of the hardest working people in music, Chief Keef. The title and cover art of this album is an ode to the Dedication mixtape series by Lil Wayne, an artist who has inspired some of Chief Keef’s earlier work. On this project, Chief Keef seems to be determined to take his sound completely commercial. Chief Keef’s lyrical content is much more braggadocious than it is violent, different from his earlier work. Also, the production of the album is much more upbeat, leaving behind the earlier gritty sounds Chief Keef was known for.
On this project, the first thing that will grab listeners’ attention is Chief Keef’s improvement on choruses. This is clearly something Chief Keef has been working on; on Mike Will Made It’s project Ransom 2, Chief Keef delivers a standout performance on the chorus of the track “Come Down.” Dedication is Chief Keef reaching a new level in this area as an artist, which should change people’s perception that he isn’t a hit-maker.
Chief Keef’s ability to provide great choruses is important as many may be uncomfortable with some of the lyrical content during the verses. On tracks “Bad” and “Kills,” Chief Keef’s improvement on choruses is particularly evident. “Bad” is one of the more fun choruses on the album even though the lyrical content is still very much street based. On “Kills,” Chief Keef’s delivery is on full display and the content on this chorus is much more braggadocious, taking away the discomfort that a new listener would have.
Another area that Chief Keef shows improvement is in his delivery and flow. His flow on this album is very impressive, specifically on tracks like “Keke Palmer” and “Text.” On “Keke Palmer,” Chief Keef matches the piano perfectly on the chorus and his verses add to the intensity that he is known for. The track “Text” contains one of Chief Keef’s best verses from a delivery standpoint. The first verse is ear-grabbing as Chief Keef proves that he can flow as well, if not better, than a lot of mainstream rappers. Chief Keef’s ear for finding beats that match his style and content is one of his greatest skills. Now, his ability to rap very impressive verses from a flow and delivery standpoint should take him to another level.
Chief Keef produced two tracks on this project under his producer alias Turbo. The songs “Bad” and “Be Back” are both very impressive from the production standpoint. “Bad” is one of the most versatile beats that Chief Keef has created. It is an energetic song that contains a guitar which guides most of that track. “Be Back” is one the most attention-grabbing songs on the album. The moment the beat starts you can feel the energy that Chief Keef gives off. Most of the other production on the project is handled by D. Rich, who perfectly matches his beats with Chief Keef’s lyrical style.
Overall, this project is a very impressive release for Chief Keef who makes tremendous strides as an artist. The only knocks on this album is that it can get a bit repetitive and that the lyricism is mediocre. However, Chief Keef will probably never be a lyrical artist. He is more about feeling and you can feel every track on this album. On Dedication, Chief Keef moves from the raw street rapper making this project more digestible for a newer fan, but he also strikes the balance of staying true to his sound so that his lifelong fans can also enjoy this project.
Rating: 7/10
Jerome Taylor is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jerometaylor91697@gmail.com.
