Russ — Chomp 2

Sequel to the EP released in 2020. The production is signed by Russ, Jake One, Mr. Porter, Hi-Tek, 9th Wonder, DJ Premier, Harry Fraud, The Alchemist, Hit-Boy, Statik Selektah, Bink, Boi-1da. Guests are Ransom, Papoose, The Game, Styles P, Westside Gunn, Jadakiss, Big KRIT, DJ Premier, Snoop Dogg, Jay Electronica, Big Sean, Hit-Boy, Joey Badass, Wale, Conway the Machine, Ghostface Killah, Cyhi the Prynce, Lloyd Banks, Statik Selektah and Mozzy. They are, hands down, some of the best producers and MCs of the moment. It looks like an album, it's sold as an EP, it's actually a mixtape.

Consisting of 14 tracks for 51 minutes of listening, the tape is quite predictable: above boom bap beats, Russ is dominated by every single guest he brings into the track. They are all better than him, by a wide margin, very easily: if it were an album-producer, with Russ away from the keyboards too, it would be one of the most compelling projects of the season. It is not. The starring rapper is too poor compared to all the others, and this is evident in every passage. You take a random track and you see it: it's self-evident in "Salute", 9th Wonder makes a splendid boom bap with light drum and melodic soul sample, Russ mumbles two minutes and gives a chorus in autotune, then Westside Gunn and Styles P demonstrate be superior. While D-Block artist seems to go quite on autopilot, like many here, Gunn is totally fit with the beat and annihilates the lead performer.

Nobody disappoints among producers and rappers, even if some performances seem scraps, third choices and indeed, bland executions done on autopilot, albeit by performers who have some of the best flows on the circuit: Ransom, Papoose and Lloyd Banks look like they still have something to prove and are a little more inspired than the others. Boi-1da eventually brings one of the mixtape's few trap rhythms, possibly the only one. Statik Selektah makes one of the best beats in "Get It". DJ Premier is credited to the rhythm of "Free" and invents an enveloping soundscape with his formula and xmas bells. While for example, the choices of Alchemist and Harry Fraud, sound like scraps from the sessions of their most recent albums.

From the tracklist it might seem like a product close to hardcore, however, nothing has that sound and the track that comes closest to it is "Distance", with Conway & Ghostface. Ultimately, the first chapter remains Russ's best work, but this tape doesn't go far: he's on track to revive his discography by continuing with these quality projects, even if there's still too much Russ, his voice gives annoyance, it's not good, autotune can't help it, can't work miracles. 7/10.