Our very own DJ Z said it best: just because you come from a musical family doesn’t mean you’ll actually have any brag-worthy musical talents, yet
has both. After making an
Unexpected Arrival
at New York’s Tribeca Cinemas, I must say I second that emotion. The young rap phenom proved he could indeed pull his own weight amongst rap’s elite. During a private listening session on Tuesday, March 6, Simmons previewed his debut album in its entirety for a small crowd including media professionals, record executives and even a few female jetsetters.
The twelve-track offering is likable; due in part to the high-energy east coast bangers
and
Tom Edison
, versus the radio-friendly
Special Occasion
(which sounds forced) and
4 Letter Word
, where the 16 year-old rapper croons to the opposite sex. Additionally, not only can Diggy Simmons spit, he also has a really good ear for production as credits from
Da Internz, D’Mile
and
Happy Perez
make for some stand out tracks, while solid guest appearances from
Jadakiss, Jeremih
and
Tank
round out some of his best records.
Despite the generally positivity though,
Unexpected Arrival
does seems a bit mature for Diggy’s targeted demographic – at times, the content feels more appropriate for listeners 25 and over as socially conscious songs like
Unforgivable Blackness
, touch on race and politics. Obvious choices for an easy transition when the time for his sophomore effort rolls around however, label heads should tread carefully when selecting material for his next project as going in the direction outside of
Two Up
for example, might cause a disconnect between he and his core fans.
Criticism aside, the DJ Booth will definitely be looking forward to
Unexpected Arrival
’s March 20, release date.