Since Kenny Mason first launched onto the scene with an explosive blend of rap and grunge rock, the West Atlanta MC has been feeding the streets with a steady supply of albums and singles. His latest outing, simply titled 9, dropped on streaming services on March 14, to mostly positive reactions from fans. The album serves as a follow-up to 2022’s Ruffs and 2023’s 6, each of which showcased Kenny’s trademark blend of shoegaze-inspired hip-hop jams and hard rock guitar riffs. The latest album, which contains 9 tracks interspersed over 26 minutes, features some of Kenny’s finest work yet with more genre-blending bangers sure to leave fans wanting more.
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The Album Opens On A High Note
The opening track on 9, “Jumpin In,” completely lives up to its name as Mason directly leaps into the action. On the song, Kenny Mason raps about his early days getting into trouble and engaging in criminal activity in West Atlanta following in the footsteps of his brother and his big homies in the city’s underworld. As Kenny recounts instances of his father trying to put him on the right track, the instrumental offers a well-chopped sample reminiscent of Kanye West’s production on 2018’s Kids See Ghosts.
Following up “Jumpin In” proves to be no easy feat, as the second track “Easy Dub” is comparatively fairly forgettable. While the track certainly isn’t bad, it lacks the energy bolstered by the album’s opener. Still, Kenny Mason’s collaborative outings with producer Coupe are always a slam-dunk, as the underrated beat-maker’s contributions to Kenny’s albums are consistent highlights. Coupe is best known for his work alongside acts such as 21 Savage, Young Nudy, and a wide array of prominent Atlanta rappers. Coupe produced 6 of the 9 tracks on 9, according to a post on the producer’s official Instagram account.
9 Takes It’s Time Getting To The Grunge Rock Tracks
On tracks such as “Feel It” and “4 My,” Kenny Mason maintains a fairly straightforward rap aesthetic sonically, saving up his genre-blending cuts for the back half of the album. Kenny serves up some of his best lyrical work on the project on these particular songs with impressive vocal range on his crooning choruses. “4 My” features a slurred, laid-back verse from guest vocalist Veeze, perfectly complementing the chilled-out vibe of the track.
Once “Money Signs” kicks in, however, Kenny Mason is fully prepared to get into his rock and roll bag, with grilling guitar riffs that showcase the 29-year-old’s rockstar attitude and musical range. While the track has less to offer lyrically than some of the other songs listed on 9, “Money Signs” bolsters intense instrumentation which perfectly blends into the hard-rock, almost heavy metal-inspired cut “Us.” In “Us” Kenny pushes his rocking roots even further, delivering brash shouted lyrical passages that are sure to bring the house down during live performances. Despite being a leading single, this track is an easy standout on the album, and functions as a major turning point on the LP.
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The Album Closes On A Cool, Laid-Back Note
Once the explosive crescendo of “Us” comes to a close, the song “Slip” provides the listener with a much-needed breather. On “Slip,” Kenny Mason offers a spaced-out beat with simple lyrics regarding lost love, with a barely noticeable feature from chillwave artist Toro y Moi squeaking into the final moments of the track. While the song is by no means bad, it acts as a pallet cleanser to prepare listeners to close out the explosive project in peace. This is one of the more forgettable songs on 9, serving as something of a water break from all the action of the first two-thirds of the record.
The album’s final two records, “Chosen” and “Luminous” offer bar-heavy rap vibes with bouncing bass and rocking kick drums. These two tracks would have served as a perfect vehicle for some lyrically-focussed guest verses from artists such as JID, Denzel Curry, or even J. Cole. Of course, even handling the records as a solo effort, Kenny Mason expertly weaves lyrical narratives and entendres around each of the final songs, concluding 9 on a high note, and leaving listeners wanting more. While the album is definitely Kenny’s strongest outing yet, it seems clear that the rapper has more room to grow within the musical landscape. He may even be capable of dropping a classic in the next decade or so, as long as he continues to push the boundaries of his signature sound.
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