The same weekend Black Panther dropped, another African Super Hero made his official debut. Yes, Eritrean American Nipsey Hussle released his debut Album. After years of 100 dollar mixtapes and twitter debates about the feminization of the Black Man, Nipsey dropped an LP.
Yes my friends, 8 years after The Marathon released we finally got Victory Lap and it is 100 percent worth the wait. Kinda.
Nipsey is less Snoop Dogg and more Master P, he's a business man, a hood mogul, a guy who will be as good as he has to be to make money. The main difference between Master P and Nip is that I don't know what Nipsey Hussle's jump shot looks like.
Another difference between Master P and Nipsey Hussle is that Nipsey Hussle is a good rapper. He's a good, but not great, rapper. He's a solid B. He worked up his way up to be able to rap well enough to express himself and that's where he stopped.
But on to the music, Victory Lap is DOPE. Victory Lap is as motivational as any other Nipsey Hussle tape, but its better because it's ACTUALLY HIS VICTORY LAP. For years I've listened to Nipsey rap about how great Victory Lap is gonna be, and finally he's proving it. I've heard hundreds of rappers brag about albums that never came out, so I'm glad that Nipsey actually followed through. Victory Lap is like that episode of the Fresh Prince where Will's dad comes back, except in the end he actually takes Will on the Trip.
Most rappers drop albums that make you wanna sell drugs, Nipsey dropped an album that'll make you want to invest in a Dispensary. Nipsey doesn't just wanna get rich, he wants US to get wealthy. But don't get it twisted, Nipsey will shoot the shit out of you.
My only real problem with this album are that it took YEARS to release, I was waiting for this shit in 2012, its 2018. In that 6 years my quarter life crisis has gotten more and more real. So instead of using this album as motivation to get up and make my dreams come true, I'm listening to this album hoping that it drowns out my thoughts about having a baby.
Also this album scares me because I don't think he'll ever make another one. It's not that I'm worried Nipsey will put off making a second album, it's that I don't think he has to. I think Nipsey enjoys rapping but he doesn't NEED to rap. The same way Nipsey enjoyed Crippin but doesn't NEED to crip. He's made his mark as a business man and has become an inspiration for the hood. The only way I could see Nipsey dropping another album is if cryptocurrency flops and he needs to get his bread back up.
Overall this album is Great, my man Quincy said "Nip the Crip is On his Shit" and if an Album can make you start rhyming immediately after you listen to it, you know it's good. I give Victory Lap 9 "Blue Rags Hanging out the Backside but only on the Leftside, yea thats the Crip Side" out of 10.