Giffy Pluggo’s Story is Very Similar to The Chi Character “Douda” (EP Review)
This is the 2nd EP from Chicago, Illinois emcee & ATIP Records founder Giffy Pluggo. Emerging a couple years ago off his debut mixtape Paid Leave & it’s sequel last summer, he recently put out a deluxe version of his debut album Los Pluggos a few months ago followed by the last EP Pluggo’s Birthday at the beginning of 2025 itself. Only a couple months later, the Black Soprano Family Records affiliate is continuing to apply pressure by putting out Douda & one that really caught my interest considering the single “Casino” has been proving to be his biggest song yet.
“Couple Myles” is this trap intro that Benny the Butcher’s nephew Myles laced reflecting on the days people went from hating on him & counting him out to signing a label deal whereas “Villain Origin Story” keeps the hi-hats in tact including a dope bar at the end referencing the Drake & Kendrick Lamar beef. “Roseland” featuring C. Bill$ finds the pair over a sample-driven boom bap instrumental getting hit hard by the quest for fame while “Tracy” goes for a soulful vibe to the beat wanting better for him & his romantic interest the track is named after in a perfect world.
To start the other half of the EP, the song “How I Came Up” hops over some pianos returning to the boom bap once again discussing his upbringings until a switch-up during the outro remembering his late homie Dilla just before “Plugs & Violins” featuring & produced by Myles’ dad Rick Hyde finds the pair suggesting to boss up you want more out of life. “See You in Hell” reunited with C. Bill$ so they can talk about doing well as of late & finally, “Casino” featuring Jae Skeese on the remix ends with a soulful trap heater warning your fate will be sealed if you run up on them wrong.
“Douda 2” begins the deluxe run promising that you’ll meet your Ruler soon as the mistake of running up him had been made feeling like he might be killed out of envy while “Right Before Your Eyes” switches back into boom bap territory talking about becoming a star in front of us all. “Reggie’s Return (Nuck’s Fall)” poses the question of when his funeral was since his detractors thought he was dead while “No Turning Back” featuring ELZ talks about being nice since Ludacris was popular in the 2000s.
C. Bill$ & Henry Ali join Giffy during “Plug Party” assuring that they’ll cover the tabs for this jazzy celebration being thrown while “Mortgage” aggressively talks about him, refusing to tuck his chain because he’s way too important. “Tiffany” stylistically has a more chilled out approach to it boasting his girl being so bad that she can be considered an enemy while “Dinner at Smokey’s” blends a vocal sample & some horns explaining that this is in regards to the choices he’s made throughout his life instead of the money or the cars.
“Waddup” gets in his Chiraq bag lyrically over a decent trap beat telling all his detractors all their hatin’ failed ready to get shit crackin’ now that his exposure has been steadily increasing & to finish up the ATIP CEO’s most pivotal statement of his entire career, the final bonus track “London Towne Soldiers” featuring Cash Bundlez instrumentally takes inspiration from boom bap 1 last time spending the last 5 minutes coming together to recall the West Pullman living complex they grew up at.
Basing itself around a character from The Chi on the Paramount Global-owned Showtime network executive produced by Common who was a gangsta & also the mayor, Giffy Pluggo’s story is similar given the fact he’s from Chicago & educated with had a street/rough upbringing in a neighborhood on the southside of Chicago called Roseland. Scenes from the show can be heard all throughout the EP & the production that Myles primarily handles takes it a few levels above Pluggo’s previous material.
Score: 8/10
