Atlanta rapper
J.I.D's second official album,
DiCaprio 2, sounds like it arrived fully formed, like he was born effortlessly dropping interconnected triple-time rhyme schemes and was just waiting impatiently for the perfect beats to assign them to. On nearly every track here, the rapper displays technical prowess, humor, and advanced musicality in a way that's so relaxed, it's dizzying. Instead of some overnight sensation, however, this collection is the result of years of work, following multiple early mixtapes and a solid 2017 debut album,
The Never Story.
DiCaprio 2 surpasses everything the rapper offered before it, with his strengths in full focus at a level that can't help but remind of the career peaks of greats that came before him.
J.I.D drew early comparisons to
Kendrick Lamar for his similar wheezing voice and sometimes surreal arrangements, and there is a likeness at times. More than a similar flow,
DiCaprio 2's vibrant instrumentals sometimes carry the same lushness as
Kendrick's best tracks. On top of that, the sheer energy and versatility that unfolds over the course of the album recalls
Lil Wayne's unstoppable run with the first three volumes of his
Tha Carter series. In a similar fashion,
J.I.D switches styles with a control so sturdy he can become playful with it. The clunky electro beat of "Mounted Up" is barely strong enough to contain his verbal acrobatics, and the
J. Cole-assisted "Off Deez" is a series of lyrical backflips that stays catchy despite its blurry speed. When veterans show up for features, you can hear them realizing there's no phoning it in when they're in this strong of company.
Cole,
Method Man,
Joey Bada$$, and
A$AP Ferg all sound on their toes with fiery verses, but the album is largely occupied by
J.I.D's boundless, emphatic intensity. Things stay engaging even when he experiments with smoky, downtempo jazz beats on "Workin' Out" or the East Coast golden era loops of "Skrawberries." Turning in seamlessly intricate flows and hyper-focused lyrics,
J.I.D ascends to a higher plane on
DiCaprio 2. Just as thrilling as it was to hear
OutKast's supernatural talent or
Danny Brown's unfettered charisma for the first time, hearing
J.I.D's skills crystallize here holds a similar excitement. He approaches the album with the boundless frenzy of a child running for the playground when the recess bell rings -- single-minded, out of control, and grinning triumphantly through every line. ~ Fred Thomas