With his 2019 mixtape
The Backend Child, Alabama rapper
NoCap found his groove. That collection and its standout single "Ghetto Angels" saw all the elements of
NoCap's distinctive style gelling, with impassioned soul-searching lyrics and beats with more organic instrumentation coming together for some of his strongest songs. Not even a year since the release of
The Backend Child,
NoCap returned with
The Hood Dictionary. The material here continues the strengths of its predecessor, mixing trap hi-hats, acoustic guitars, and sentimental piano loops with
NoCap's Auto-Tuned vocals. His songs still explore the grief of lost friends and the loneliness of fame. Guest features are slimmer on
The Hood Dictionary, with only a verse from
Quando Rondo on "Brag Different" and a remix of "Ghetto Angels," featuring new material from
Lil Durk and
Jagged Edge. ~ Fred Thomas