Photo by Jaxon Buzzell.
Upcoming Baton Rouge artist Wakai just dropped his heavily anticipated sophomore album To a Dark Boy and it exceeded any expectations I could’ve set for the tape. Wakai effortlessly floats on every track and the soothing production fits Wakai’s aesthetic perfectly, the production couldn’t have been curated better and Wakai came through with the impressive deliveries as always. Executive produced by frequent collaborator of Wakai, Kirti Pandey, it sounds as if every beat was made specifically for Wakai. In addition, the project housed standout features from Mick Jenkins, Emmavie, MARCO PLUS, and more.
The project seems to take listeners through Wakai’s gradual acceptance of himself as a Black man in a not so accepting culture. Wakai’s therapeutic approach to this makes the message clear, but still told in a very poetic and lyrical fashion. A very difficult task, but another example of Wakai’s top-tier lyricism. Wakai solidified his place as an elite vocalist and rapper with this project, locking this in as a future classic, and I can’t wait to see how this LP and Wakai as an artist ages throughout the upcoming years. Make sure to check out the album below.
