Henny Holyfield – “Clocked In” (Album Review)
Henny Holyfield is the Sacramento rapper who isn’t waiting for “his time”. He is “Clocked in” and ready to carry the city on his back, by any means necessary. Henny dropped his latest project in July of this year and I recently took the time to sit down and listen to his 12 track body of work which features fellow Kali Boy, Dirk Dig. Along with Penny, Alize Ali, Nathan Giguiere, Classik Mussik, Vonnie and E.M.A. But before we get into this, I need to give this man and his design team props for using the “C” and the “L” of “Clocked In” to make a clock. I see you.
I kind of have two sentences that come to mind with this album. First, this sounds like Aftermath in the their prime. Second, this is for the streets. It has been a while since I listened to a project that manages to earn it’s respect on a technical level and also speak directly to the people it was made for. I feel like Henny Holyfield has achieved that with “Clocked In”.
The opening track, “Cla$$ic”, could be just that: classic. Henny Holyfield uses this track as the perfect intro. It’s really the slick flow and intelligent lyrics that really compliment the production perfectly. A clear stand out is “I’m That Guy”. This track is classic West Coast, it’s fresh, the bars are clever and the flow is smooth. A definite favourite and although Holyfield is able to take on almost any genre, he sounds super comfortable on this West Coast beat and it makes for a big win with this song.
“I Get It” is another cool song. Lyrically, this song is impressive. Between himself and Dirk Dig, the Kali Boyz manage to speak directly to their people. Directly to the people who support them, and they use this opportunity to speak life back into their fans. I love that! The Nathan Giguiere is a nice touch and adds to the versatility of the album. “All Mine” is a super refreshing song. Honestly, this was a stand out because it was just nice to hear rappers talking about finding a wife, as opposed to simply chasing women, or having women chase them. Paying homage to many great women in our society including Michelle Obama.
In conclusion, this is an great body of work. There are some great production choices, a bunch of catchy hooks with the potential to get any crowd rocking, and bars for days from Mr top shelf, himself, and every feature that was enlisted for this record. If you’re looking for some music that is sonically on point, refreshing and intelligent, then this is highly recommended. Have a listen and let us know what you think. Follow him on Instagram @hennyholyfield.
Score: 7/10
