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HipHopDX heads to Memphis to check in on Young Dolph's new label Paper Route Empire with assists from Key Glock and Gucci Mane on the middling 'Paper Route Illuminati'

1 Theres a torrential influx of talent from the Memphis rap scene and Young Dolphs label Paper Route Empire is hungry for recognition. Young Dolph is a mystic figure in rap, standing as perhaps the only artist to release an entire album failure shaminghis would-be assassins. Hes also one of the longest-running Memphis rappers to maintain his status and elevate it, releasing projects dating back to 2010 and way before the recent regional renaissance. After feigning retirement Dolph has returned alongside his signees with Paper Route Illuminati, a label album which serves as Young Dolphs meet-the-family event. The result is mixed, ripe with both sweltering Memphis bangers and lifeless tracks that could have stayed on the cutting room floor. The album was intended to shine light on the hidden gems of the Paper Route Empire, in which it mostly succeeds. Some of the newcomers, including Joddy Badass and Big Moochie Grape, take the opportunity and run with it. Joddy, in particular, is an unexpected show stealer. 333 finds her rapping with more dexterity than anyone else by a mile, bobbing and weaving with pinpoint precision, landing blow after blow. Big Moochie Grape takes advantage of prominent placements on two of the best beats on the album with Non Stop and Standing Ovation. His commanding presence makes him one of the few able to hold entire tracks down on his own, which is a happy portent for his eventual breakthrough. Others dont quite capitalize. SNUPE BANDZ is everywhere and nowhere on this project, contributing faceless verses to nine of the 23 songs, the epitome of playing 28 minutes without a stat line like Tony Snell Big Unccc has two placements, Back to Back and Beat It, the latter which finds him claiming he uses neither pen nor pad when writing his raps. One listen, and its easy to believe him, especially when he spits lazy lyrics such as, Ice on my neck and wrist, look like a Christmas tree, a Christmas tree, a Christmas tree. No one on the project quite reaches the magnetism of peak Young Dolph, with even Key Glock lagging a bit behind the standard. Songs such as Bandaid, Big Ol Racks and South Memphis Rugrats Remix are some of the best examples of the infectious energy that courses through many of the tracks. Bandplay, the serially undervalued producer behind much of the Empires success, continues to be the Ark upon which Dolphs progeny floats. Without his signature style of high-velocity, easy access trap beats, this album would be much worse. Given Dolphs shit-talking extravagance, its no surprise his signees take after him in their boundless confidence. The spectacle is something to marvel at but does get tedious after a while. After a thunderous solo opener (Talking To My Scale) and a star spot on Blu Boyz, Dolph goes uncharacteristically numb, delivering several forgettable verses (Dance, Trust Nobody, Here We Go). Key Glock occasionally shines, especially when paired with ghastly beats (Broccoli & Cheese, Freeze Tag), but he never sounds entirely present or like the ominous presence he exhibits on his solo material. Paper Route Illuminati exposes the dangers of the label album model Spare for a few moments, the verses on the album are surface level and even boring. Purposefully light on features (except for a short, George Floyd remembering spot from Gucci Mane ), the album feels a little homogenous. Bandplays beats, albeit catchy, dont provide solid ground to warrant multiple listens. Whats billed as a star teams exhibition match ends up feeling like an intoxicated pickup game. Repeat Me: Fan Feedback: This new dolph paper route illuminati tape is dolph got a roster now and the joddy Badass chick she can flow Read more