Napoleon da Legend Goes Back to Back With Giallo Point-Produced “Buckets” (Album Review)
This is the 20th full-length album from Paris born albeit Brooklyn raised emcee Napoleon da Legend. By now, underground heads should be familiar with at this point considering the lengthy discography that he’s built up for himself for nearly the past decade ranging from Coup D’État & it’s sequel to Street Universe & Dragon Ball G. But coming fresh off the Sicknature produced Colossus of GOATS about 6 weeks back, Po’s linking back up with Giallo Point for the first time in 2 years with Buckets.
“Reminisce to ‘88” finds Napoleon reflecting on how much the titular year means to him over a boom bap instrumental whereas “Federer’s Racket” has a more lavish quality to it for a dedication to his counterparts. The piano sections throughout “Order Seconds” were a very nice touch in my opinion with the lyrics talking about being “Rather Unique” much like the underrated Brooklyn veteran himself AZ, but then “Guard Ya Grill” has a more rawer approach to it down the aggressive subject matter & delivery.
Moving on to “Intermittent Blasting”, we have Supreme Cerebral tagging along on top of a glossy beat calling themselves the biggest bag-getters just before “Avirex Days” delivers a classy boom bap ballad acknowledging that his output is really the only thing you hear about from him. “Nas & AZ” has a funkier groove to it was Nejma Nefertiti coming into the picture to engage in some crazy back & forth chemistry with Po comparing themselves to the titular New York veterans leading into the soulful “Buzzer Beater” dropping bars like “ending disgraceful like Hulk Hogan. Stuck your nose inside my business, now your nose broken” & “Ya squad weak, I may erase y’all from history. Jordan vs. Utah deface y’all for dissing me”.
“Spoils for War” works in a drumless orchestral sample talking about wearing his scars proudly & time flying when you’re fearless while “Asylum” embraces a more luxurious vibe encouraging one to slide up in the nuthouse & talking about no longer being surprised because of his conscious being anchored to reality. “The Finest Things” is an upbeat ode to exactly just that while the dusty penultimate track “Stress” cautions what ages you the fastest. The closer “All Eyez on Me” however has some stellar jazz undertones to the beat flexing on them.
Everything that Giallo Point has laced for Po has become amongst the best work in his ever-growing discography & not only is Buckets is a welcoming addition to that, but it’s just as fantastic if not better than The Colossus of GOATs only a couple months ago. Both of them continue to bring the best out of one another from Giallo’s raw production to the highly impressive songwriting that Napoleon hits down.
Score: 8/10
