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First Impressions Of Lil Durk’s New Album ‘Almost Healed’
First Impressions Of Lil Durk’s New Album ‘Almost Healed’
Lil Durk has been working on himself lately. Ahead of the release of his latest album, Almost Healed, Durk shared the project’s lead single, “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole. The song opens with Cole crooning, “Durkio told me he been on some positive shit.” This message is a prelude to what Almost Healed has to offer: the reflections and revelations of a Chicago staple trying to overcome the demons of his past with positivity.
Over the course of 21 tracks, Durk takes listeners through his healing process and how he’s been dealing with the losses of his brother and labelmate King Von, who died within two years of each other. Tapping artists like 21 Savage, Young Thug, Alicia Keys, and more, the Chicago rapper gets vulnerable while still delivering tracks for the streets that were present on previous projects like 7220 and The Voice. As his nickname suggests, Durk feels responsible for being “the voice” of his streets, and uses this new album to reflect and try to move beyond the trauma he’s experienced.
So where is Lil Durk in his healing process? How do these vulnerable songs translate over hard-hitting beats? Some members of the Complex music staff share our first-listen thoughts.
Best song?
Jordan: “All My Life” encapsulates everything that Almost Healed is meant to embody—trying to change behaviors in order to help the next generation—and it’s also the best-sounding song on the album.
Jessica: “Never Imagined” with Future stands out the most to me. Future’s flow is captivating and exciting, and the transition into Lil Durk’s verse is also seamless. I think the most enjoyable songs from Durk are when he’s floating over a sentimental beat with a melodic flow. So, this song checks all the boxes for me.
Stream “Pelle Coat” off Lil Durk’s New Album, Almost Healed. Out Now: https://lilDurk.lnk.to/AlmostHealed Tour On Sale: http://almost-healed.com/ Follow Lil Durk: https://LilDurk.lnk.to/instagram https://LilDurk.lnk.to/twitter https://LilDurk.lnk.to/TikTok https://LilDurk.lnk.to/Facebook Listen To Lil Durk: https://LilDurk.lnk.to/spotify https://LilDurk.lnk.to/applemusic https://LilDurk.lnk.to/soundcloud Shop: https://otfgear.com/ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-Durk Director : Steve Cannon Executive Producer : Nolan Riddle Executive producer :Peter Jideonwo “unnecessaryballing” Producer : Tashi Bhutia DP: Liam Reardon & BBTHDP Editor : Keats Sound Design : Ayo Douson Titles : Damien O DeAnda
Diddy, City Girls, and Fabolous get freaky in new “Act Bad” video
“If you look good, act bad” might be the platonic ideal of a summer slogan — a simple mantra that can be used to write off bad behavior as the weather gets steamy. With this emphatic statement of intent, Diddy, City Girls, and Fabolous are laying it all on the line in an attempt to do for summer 2023 what Meg, Nicki, and Ty did for summer 2019: provide an unimpeachable summer anthem for rash decisions and guilt-free entanglements.
In 2014, the 20-year-old Aminé was just another college dropout with a mixtape, trawling for beats on SoundCloud. But rapping over Kaytranada’s single “At All,” his nimble flow served as the perfect foil to the Montreal producer’s funky, uptempo take on neo-soul. Kaytra—in the process of assembling his debut EP for XL—heard his remix “Not at All” and reached out to offer the beats that would go on to highlight Aminé’s 2015 mixtape Calling Brio. Despite their clear chemistry, their only other collaboration would come on Rejjie Snow’s 2018 single “Egyptian Luvr.” Then, in 2021, the pair rented a luxe beach house in Malibu and got to work. After two weeks of recording, they debuted the results to a party full of friends.
Enter Kaytraminé, the duo’s self-titled collaborative album. The 11-track LP—featuring heavy hitters like Pharrell, Snoop Dogg, and the ascendant Ghanaian singer Amaarae—is a buoyant summer jaunt that artfully meshes the two artists’ styles and sensibilities. As a producer, Kaytranada is a svengali of samples, stacking tracks like building blocks to craft fresh beats with a vintage feel. Aminé—not unlike Anderson .Paak, another Kaytra collaborator—is a goofy yet technically proficient MC with singing chops who doesn’t shy away from a twerk-friendly dance record or a crude joke.
Kaytranada’s first two albums flowed like seamless mixes, his house-adjacent style bending and shifting to suit the personalities of the guest vocalists. But his production discography is evidence of his innate ability to adapt to other artists’ styles, whether it’s Kelela, Cadence Weapon, or Freddie Gibbs. The funk-influenced tropical house of Kaytraminé wouldn’t feel out of place on Bubba or 99.9%. But there are tonal shifts that seem designed to showcase Aminé’s range as a singer and a rapper, like the strings swirling around his stop-and-go flow on “Westside” or the sparse arrangement of the latest entry in his series of “STFU” tracks.
Aminé’s two most recent solo albums balanced wistful optimism with sneering swagger, presenting him as a party boy who occasionally paused for self-reflection or a critique of consumer capitalism. That Aminé appears long gone, giving way to a hedonist whose favorite boast is his Delta Medallion status. As a party record, Kaytraminé has no skips—provided that party is loud enough to camouflage some of the cornier lyrics. Aminé’s oral (sex) fixation gets old fast, and a few lines are groan-worthy enough to distract from the fun (“Just popped an X bitch I feel like I’m Malcolm,” he raps on “Who He Iz”).
DaBaby – SELLIN CRACK
Lil Durk, Alicia Keys – Therapy Session / Pelle Coat (Official Video)
