There are not many current artists who have had as big of an impact on the overall sound and direction of Hip Hop music over the last 15 years as Chief Keef. He is easily one of the most influential artists of his generation. His iconic, ferocious Drill sound was the blueprint for so many styles of Trap music that have come after it. He also started the revival of Chicago as one of the most pivotal cities in Hip Hop, paving the way for artists like Lil Durk, Polo G, G Herbo and so many more. When Chief Keef first came onto the scene in the early 2010s, no one was making raucous or melodic Trap music the way that he was doing it. With albums like 2012’s Finally Rich and Back From The Dead, 2013’s Almighty So and Bang Part 2, and 2015’s Big Gucci Sosa(a collaboration with Gucci Mane) and Back From The Dead 2. All of these records are considered to be essential Drill and Trap albums, with Finally Rich, Almighty So 2, and Big Gucci Sosa particularly getting love. In the 10 years since, Chief Keef has stayed prolific with his output, with a lot of his music unfortunately being overlooked in the grand scheme of Hip Hop since so many others bit his style. He has had some iconic features over the years(his performances on Sexxy Red’s ‘Bow Bow Bow,’ Young Gravy’s ‘Tamba Bay Bustdown’ and Lil Uzi Vert’s ‘Bean(Kobe)’ immediately come to mind). He also received a significant amount of love for 2021’s 4NEM. Chief Keef recently dropped the sequel to the iconic record Almighty So. This sequel record is actually produced entirely by Chief Keef. It has been getting a ton of hype from Drill music fans, and it has the potential to help Chief Keef push his way back to the top of the Hip Hop world. With that being said, here is how I feel about Chief Keef’s Almighty So 2. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Almighty So 2, and also comment on how you feel about the record as a whole.
As soon as I turned on ‘Almighty (Intro),’ it put a smile on my face. I can already tell this record is going to have the kind of raucous, huge energy that made Chief Keef so great in the early 2010s. ‘Almighty (Intro)’ starts out with an introduction that is similar to the incredible intro to the track ‘Love Sosa.’ This narrative piece talks about how great Chief Keef is, how he has been through so much, and how the streets have been waiting for this album. It is such a great way to start the record. This narrative piece is set over a sample of the creepy chanting of ‘O Fortuna.’ About a minute or so into the track, a huge Trap beat full of foreboding sound effects comes in. I have never heard a Trap version of the track ‘O Fortuna,’ but I have to say I definitely dig it. Chief Keef’s rapping on this track is just as high-key as the instrumental; he captures the energy of this monster instrumental so well. ‘Almighty (Intro)’ is such a great way to start this record, as it gets things started on such a massive note. ‘Neph Nem,’ which features Ballout and the aforementioned G Herbo, has the same kind of harsh and mean energy that the song before it has. The production on this track is absolutely absurd. The piano-driven melody has such an anxious sound that reminds me of the sound played in a cartoon when someone falls down the stairs(think about it and tell me I am wrong). The beat for ‘Neph Nem’ is so intricate and cool. The way the drums are arranged is so convoluted and adds to the anxious and ferocious feeling of this track; this is particularly true because of the marching band element of the drums. The vocals on ‘Neph Nem’ are not the most riveting, but they do match the energy of the track. None of the rappers on this track necessarily stand out, but they also do not drag the track down in any way. ‘Neph Nem’ takes the intensity of the introduction track and amplifies it. Chief Keef softens things up a bit on the track ‘Treat Myself.’ This song has a significantly softer sound than the first two tracks. The melody for this one is very interesting. On one hand, it sounds atmospheric and almost sweet, and on the other hand, it is very dark and gloomy. I really enjoy the high levels of saturation that are put on some of the synths that complement this piano riff, as it adds to the complexity of the track and makes it all the more captivating. The beat for ‘Treat Myself’ is not nearly as hard-hitting as it is on the first two tracks, but that is okay because it matches the lighter nature of this melody. As cool as this instrumental is, the best thing about ‘Treat Myself’ is Chief Keef’s rap performance. His flow, tone, and overall demeanor on this track are great; he shows sides to his vocal abilities on ‘Treat Myself’ that I never knew he had in him. ‘Treat Myself’ is a slight switch-up in style from the first two tracks, but it is just as engrossing. ‘Jesus Skit’ seems to be a satirical piece about all of the drama going on in Hip Hop right now. Over a groovy guitar-driven instrumental riddled with sound effects and vocal effects that are extremely ornate, Michael Blackson delivers a spoken word piece shouting out and making fun of a bunch of other Hip Hop artists, while also poking fun at a variety of topics that are big right now in politics. This is a quirky little piece that lightens up the mood of the album a bit.
‘Jesus,’ which features Lil Gnar, is a track that has been popping off since this record came out. It is not difficult to see why so many people are attracted to this one. The first minute or so of the track consists of Chief Keef rapping on the same groovy guitar riff we got on the preceding track. About a minute into the track, however, the instrumental completely switches, taking on a foreboding and intense sound that is akin to the first two tracks of the record. The melody during the second section of the track is provided by what sounds like medieval church chanting with a very ominous tone. This melody is put on a convoluted Drill beat that makes this song feel so enormous and fierce. The vocal performances from Chief Keef and Lil Gnar on ‘Jesus’ are even more harsh than the instrumental. The way they rap on this track makes it impossible to not headbang as you listen to this one. ‘Jesus’ is a song with the potential to be a major hit that I can not wait to hear at clubs or parties this summer because of how high-key it is. ‘Too Trim’ is a song that immediately reminded me of the Drill music Chief Keef originally became known for back in the day. The melancholy piano-driven melody that is complemented by big horns has such an early 2010s feeling to it. The beat for ‘Too Trim’ also feels so much like that sort of seminole Drill music. Even Chief Keef’s rap flow and tone are very similar to that style of music. ‘Too Trim’ is definitely not the most interesting or innovative track on this record by any means. It does, however, provide a nice blast to the past for anyone who was a big fan of Drill music when it first became popular and it feels like a song for Chief Keef’s oldest and most dedicated fans. ‘Runner’ might be the most fascinating song on this record to this point. It has a sound that is not only super unique for Chief Keef, but it is also just unique in general. It almost feels like the classic Drill version of modern Melodic Trap music. The melody is driven by a sample of the classic R&B track ‘Streetrunner’ by Nancy Wilson. It is very cool and different to hear this kind of sample used with a Drill beat. Although the intensity of the beat greatly contrasts the delicacy of the melody, it works super well and makes this instrumental so captivating. The thing that kind of drags ‘Runner’ down for me is the vocal performance. Chief Keef does okay on this one, but I feel like he could have done so much more. It would be cool to either hear him try to sing rap on this one or hear his yell-rap with the brutality he raps with on some previous tracks. ‘Runner’ is a song with major potential that slightly misses the mark for me due to the vocals. ‘Banded Up,’ which features Tierra Whack, brings back the bold intensity we were getting earlier in the record. This song has the kind of larger-than-life, dark, and harsh instrumental that one would probably expect from Chief Keef. This melody has a very ruthless tone that is provided by a variety of sounds, including chanting, various synths, and some bell sounds. This melody is put on top of a super hard-hitting Drill beat that makes this track insanely intense and cruel. To be honest, ‘Banded Up’ felt like a bit of a dud if it weren’t for Tierra Whack’s verse. The instrumental is cool but not as engaging as the other tracks similar to it earlier in the record, and Chief Keef’s rapping is nothing to write home about. Tierra Whack saves this one, though. Her rapid flow and gruff tone give the song so much life and make ‘Banded Up’ so much more appealing. ‘Banded Up’ is still probably the most skippable song from this record, but Tierra Whack does help it out a bit.
We go from what might be the most skippable song of the record to the most replayable one with ‘Grape Trees,’ which features Sexxy Red. It is obvious that these two have undeniable chemistry; this should not be a surprise though, as Sexxy Red’s sound is definitely at least somewhat inspired by Chief Keef. Everything about this song is cool. The instrumental is super groovy and immense. The melody for this track has a funky sound that is provided by Jazzy horns which makes this song feel gritty and dirty. The beat for ‘Grape Trees’ is complex and vigorous; it sounds so cool with this tough melody. As cool as this instrumental is, the best thing about ‘Grape Trees’ is the vocal performances from Chief Keef and Sexxy Red. They complement each other’s brazen energy so well and make this song so entertaining and such an earworm. ‘Grape Trees’ is a song that is certain to blow up, and I would not be surprised if it ends up becoming a summer anthem. ‘1,2,3’ is a track that slows things down and smooths things out. This song feels like another instance where Chief Keef is taking his Drill sound and morphing it with another style of Hip Hop that is popular today. The melody for this one has a soulful Southern Gospel Hip Hop feeling that makes me think of artists like Earthgang or Bas. This melody is provided by a warm guitar riff that is complemented by smooth R&B vocals. The way that this glorious melody sits on this bass-heavy and hard-hitting Drill beat makes this song so dynamic. Chief Keef delivers one of his best vocal performances of the record on this ‘1,2,3.’ The high-energy level he raps with and the way he keeps changing his flow and tone make this song such an uplifting and fun banger. I could see ‘1,2,3’ end up becoming a sleeper hit from this record, as I feel it will just grow on people. ‘Drifting Away’ is one of the two singles that was released in anticipation of this record. This song has a sound that is unlike anything I would ever expect to hear from Chief Keef. ‘Drifting Away’ has an upbeat Pop-Trap sound with a sweet R&B tint to it. Like so many songs on this record, though, this instrumental is so complex. The melody is quirky and off-kilter; this flute-driven melody has a charming tone, but the unusual mix makes it a little bit unsettling. The basis for the beat of ‘Drifting Away’ is Pop-Trap, but its convoluted sound gives it a bit of a Drill element that intensifies it. Chief Keef’s rap flow on this track is not what one would anticipate from him as well. He raps with a quick and Poppy flow that works perfectly for this instrumental; I did not know he had this kind of delivery in his bag. ‘Drifting Away’ is an entertaining track where Chief Keef shows his range. ‘Never Fly Here,’ which features Quavo, is a track where Chief Keef seems to be trying to marry his sound with the sound that Quavo and the Migos are known for. This song literally feels like a fusion of gritty Atlanta Trap and Chicago Drill music. It has the sort of menacing, enormous beat that one would expect from Drill music, but it has the sort of dark and shady melody one would expect from Migos and artists who are similar to them. I really love the quick and eccentric piano riff that comes in and out of this track, as it gives the song a looming element that makes it pop. Chief Keef and Quavo both deliver great performances on ‘Never Fly Here.’ Both artists match the audacious sound of the instrumental and make this song feel so bold and harsh. ‘Never Fly Here’ is the kind of banger that is perfect for any turn-up or workout playlist, because it will infuse anyone with energy that listens to it.
‘Prince Charming’ is another song where Chief Keef seems to morph his signature Drill sound with the R&B Pop-Trap that is big today. The melody for this track is driven by a melancholy R&B piano riff that is complemented by pitched-up vocals that come in and out. The tempo of the beat for ‘Prince Charming’ has a Pop-Trap sound, but the way these drums are arranged gives the song a Drill element. After listening to songs like this, I would love to hear Chief Keef produce for artists like Don Toliver or 6lack because his Drill spin on this sound makes these beats so stimulating. Regrettably, Chief Keef’s vocals do not live up to the quality of the beat on this one. His performance is okay, but I just do not feel like his tone and flow are super conducive to this kind of music. ‘Prince Charming’ is an intriguing take on modern R&B Trap that I can appreciate, though. Listening to ‘Believe’ is an absolute journey. At 6:45, this is by far the longest song on the record. The song begins with about a 1:30-minute intro where someone is begging him to drop Almighty So 2. This person is saying the streets are craving this record(which is true), and that the people need to get their hands on this one. After this introduction, ‘Believe’ turns into an Atmospheric Pop-Trap track with a Drill tint. It has the kind of floaty sound one would expect to hear from artists like Gunna, Young Thug, or Don Toliver, but still has that intense Drill music twist to it that makes it stand out. Somehow, this track is calm and stimulating at the same time. The melody is soothing, but the beat is grating, creating a cool juxtaposition. Chief Keef does not give one of his best rap performances on this track, but he still does drag down the quality of the track in any way either. ‘Believe’ is yet an additional instance where Chief Keef takes a modern style of Hip Hop and puts a twist on it that makes it entirely his own. ‘Tony Montana Flow’ is the other single that was released before this record came out. This song actually came out about two years ago. When it came out, it became huge on Tik Tok. It is very easy to see why so many people were attracted to this one when it originally dropped, as everything about it is entertaining. The melody is futuristic, trippy, and daunting. It sounds like something that would play in a dystopian horror movie. The beat for ‘Tony Montana Flow’ is just as brazen as the melody, adding to the gigantic sound of this track. As great as the instrumental is, the best thing about ‘Tony Montana Flow’ is Chief Keef’s vocals. His flow and tone are so exciting and enthralling, making this such an earworm. Chief Keef closes out Almighty So 2 on an exciting yet comforting note with the track ‘I’m Tryna Sleep.’ This extremely beguiling track is driven by an uplifting R&B piano melody with a very bright and positive tone. The beat for ‘I’m Tryna Sleep’ is as complex and tough as anything on this instrumental. The beat for this track contrasts the soft sound of the melody; weirdly, though, it works perfectly and makes this song so comforting and motivating at the same time. Chief Keef delivers one of his best vocal performances of the record on ‘I’m Tryna Sleep.’ I love how his eccentric tone and flow sit on this beat, as it infuses the song with energy and makes it such a banger. Chief Keef certainly wanted to close out Almighty So 2 on a strong and captivating note, and he achieves that with ‘I’m Tryna Sleep.’
Going into this record, I honestly did not have any idea what to expect. I really wanted it to be great, but due to the inconsistencies of some of Chief Keef’s most recent work, I was not sure that would be the case. I am very pleased to say that I was totally blown away by Almighty So 2. Everything about this album is literally great. For one, the production of Almighty So 2 is excellent. Like i said, Chief Keef, himself produced every song on this record, which is extremely impressive. He was able to marry his signature Drill sound with various new forms of Trap music in a manner that I have not heard from anyone else. It is like he was trying to introduce newer or younger Hip Hop fans to the music that he grew up making(which inspires much of what they listen to anyway), and he was able to do this in a way that is seamless and enthralling. Chief Keef’s rapping on this record is as concise and engaging as ever. He proved that he still has so much in the tank and can still rap as well as anyone in Trap music. Almighty So 2 is an awesome return to form for one of Hip Hop’s titans; this album certainly will remind everyone of the immense talent that Chief Keef possesses, and it shows why so many people fell in love with his sound, to begin with.
EAST SIDE VIBES 