Reviews

A Boogie wit da Hoodie’s ‘Artist 2.0’ is his best album yet


May 3, 2020

By Rafaella Paes
Staff Writer

Artist J. Dubose, better known as A Boogie wit da Hoodie, slowly rose to fame after releasing his first mixtape titled “Artist” in February 2016. His music was considered underground for a while, with only the songs “Jungle” and “My Sh*t” gaining recognition.

After his second album titled “Hoodie SZN” was released in December 2018, people really started knowing his name. 

The week of its release, “Hoodie SZN” debuted at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album was an absolutely amazing one, leaving listeners shocked that A Boogie was only beginning his rap career. 

With the success of “Hoodie SZN,” A Boogie immediately started working on another album, which he completed in January 2020.

The best song on “Artist 2.0.” is by far “King of My City.” In this track, A Boogie raps about his neighborhood of Highbridge in the Bronx, N.Y.

A Boogie began teasing the release of the album, and fans eventually ended up getting their hands on about six of the tracks. From those songs, it was apparent that A Boogie’s next album was going to be just as awesome as “Hoodie SZN.”

“Artist 2.0” was released on Feb. 14. The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s top rap songs and No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200. The title of his latest album shows that A Boogie meant it to be a sequel to “Artist,” as many of the tracks resemble songs from the mixtape in the type of beat that appears in the background. A Boogie even included a song called “DTB 4 Life,” which is a  continuation of “D.T.B. (Interlude)” from “Artist.”

Every single song on “Artist 2.0” exceeds expectations and reflects A Boogie’s expertise.

Unfortunately, the six songs that were leaked do not appear on the album, probably because A Boogie wanted to surprise fans with new material. This decision was very disappointing, as the songs were really good; they had an upbeat sound to them and the lyrics were very catchy. They definitely would have added more excitement to the album. 

The best song on “Artist 2.0.” is by far “King of My City.” In this track, A Boogie raps about his neighborhood of Highbridge in the Bronx, N.Y. He explains that he owns his neighborhood and nobody can mess with him or his family. 

A Boogie raps, “If you tryna ride the wave, you should be afraid that you might drown in it/ I be feeling like the king of my city.” The song is very energetic and catchy, and because A Boogie does not rap as quickly as he usually does, the song has a more relaxed sound.

Another amazing, emotional song is “Me and my Guitar.” In it, A Boogie raps, “It’s just me and this guitar, playing this song/ You can try stealing my heart, it’s already gone.” The song is a standout on “Artist 2.0.” It is very slow and has a calming tone to it. Focusing on his heartaches, A Boogie reflects on his past relationships that have left him heartless and unable to engage in genuine relationships. 

“Streets don’t love you” is another outstanding song on the album. In this track, Boogie raps from the perspective of a young boy in the hood, while also talking about his own experiences with crime and violence on the streets. He raps, “Let me tell you ’bout this young guy from the Bronx, though/ Everybody want his head, but nobody had his heart, though.” The honesty in this song lets fans get a glimpse into the hardships A Boogie faced in his youth, growing up surrounded by gang violence and drugs.  

A Boogie is known for being in his “bag,” meaning that he creates music that makes listeners get in touch with their emotions. His songs are really catchy while conveying a motivational message to his fans. 

With “Arist 2.0,” A Boogie has once again proven that he is among the best rappers in the game. As incredible as his previous music has been, he stepped up and made his latest album truly remarkable. 

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