There’s a little over a week to go until Boldy James releases his fourth album of the year, Real Bad Boldy, on December 11th. To help that time pass a little quicker, the Detroit MC has just shared “On 10”, his second single from the record. Stream it below.
Real Bad Boldy is a collaboration with producer Real Bad Man and “On 10”, like the previously released track “Thousand Bills”, gives listeners a clear idea of what to expect from his beat-making skills. The song is all old-school hip-hop swagger, complete with lo-fi vocal samples, a cut-up piano melody, and a loose drum rhythm that holds everything together. Over it all is James, who raps about the signs in his life that let him know life is good, and it seems like it will be for many years to come.
James is extra proud of how this new album sounds, and he believes “On 10″ is a good representation of what the rest of the record sounds like. In a press release, he said it might just be his most original-sounding record yet. “The beats on this project are very unique, like breaking the ice on a new sound,” he said. “The most beautiful part is seeing the response that I’m going to get from thinking I’m actually on to something, which is this new sound that I have. We get to find out what makes each other click, and tick when it comes to making music.”
By releasing Real Bad Boldy before the year’s end, it’s hard not to think Boldy James is straight up bragging about his extraordinary talent at this point. After all, the rapper has already released one of the best albums of 2020 via The Price of Tea in China with The Alchemist, then dropped the groovy trip Manager on McNichols with Sterling Toles, and lastly helped Jay Versace with his Griselda Records debut The Versace Tape. If he’s not burnt out by the end of December, then who’s to say what he will get up to next year as well.