In a world full of artists seemingly holding out on new music, fans have been forced to rely on many of their favorite artists’ previous work.
Unfortunately, you’d be hard-pressed to find a reliable artist these days. That is where Young Nudy comes in.
Having dropped a full project every year dating back to his very first mixtape, “Slimeball” in 2016, Young Nudy’s consistency in the inconsistent world of music is admirable.
After a rather disappointing reunion with producer Pierre Bourne on “Sli’merre 2” in 2024, Nudy bounced back in a big way.
“PARADISE” gives fans that yearly update to their playlists, this time with the help of longtime producing partner Coupe.
The production side
Two years removed from “Gumbo,” which was produced by Coupe, the duo came back to release another classic.
Angelic melodies and a hard-hitting bass are what the two provide throughout the album.
The third track, “PULL UP,” has some classical strings in the background. It’s hard not to sway with the relaxing melody as Nudy raps about his different cars.
He follows up with yet another string-dominant melody in “BTA,” this time in a different way.
The previous positive vibe from track three turns dark rather quickly. As soon as you hear the opening string notes in a deeper tone, you know Nudy is about to go in. This is the type of song that makes you scrunch your face and bop your head for the next three minutes.
Nudy later uses another classical instrument with a piano for the melody on “SUGAR.”
“SUPER SLIME” has one of the more interesting sounds on the album. This is the type of song where, if you close your eyes, you’ll feel like you’re floating.
When it comes to an overall message, the strongest comes in “SNAKE.” In this fittingly titled track, Nudy differentiates himself from any fake people around him in order to truly be himself.
Features
Like many Nudy projects, he doesn’t rely on the help of many artists. This album is no different, with just three songs featuring other artists.
The second track, “WHAT’S HAPPENIN’,” features fellow Atlanta rapper Latto. The two come together on another infectious Coupe-produced beat. Throughout the song, there is this “leveling up” effect, like in a video game, where the melody rises on itself for a second.
On “BIG BAD WOLF,” Nudy brings in another Atlanta rapper, BabyDrill, over an ominous beat.
The third and final song with a feature may be the best song on the album.
“ICED TEA” features Nudy’s cousin, 21 Savage, for a verse and Project Pat for the main chorus. While the verses are good, I keep coming back to this song for the production and chorus.
The menacing melody is something straight out of 21 Savage’s 2017 team-up project “Without Warning.”
Project Pat delivers on the chorus with bars that reflect what Young Nudy is about — constantly working on something new.
Overall thoughts
“PARADISE” is a fantastic album and shows why Nudy should be on everyone’s radar.
The album has 14 songs with a 46-minute run time, and I can confidently say that I love most of it. The two songs that I can’t get behind, at least for now, are “PARADISE” and “GOAT.” They are a little “out there” but show that Nudy isn’t afraid to rap over some freaky sounds.
Out of all of Nudy’s projects, I think this can rival any of his best work. While I do think his 2020 album “Anyways” edges out this latest project, I think there is a conversation to be had about “PARADISE” being in the top three.
If you’re a longtime fan of Young Nudy, this is another great chapter in his story. If you’re a first-time listener, this is a great starting point, especially considering how much more of his music you have to discover.
“PARADISE” is a 9 out of 10 in my book and strongly recommended.
