Black Habits, the official debut studio album from California rapper/multi-instrumentalist
D Smoke, comes after more than a decade of activity in the music industry allowed him to hone his craft into something exceptional. He moved from work as a behind-the-scenes songwriter to a reality show winner, all the while working on a style of hip-hop that drew on personal details from his life experiences and uncommonly warm, intricate instrumental arrangements.
Black Habits follows the boundless musicality of rappers like
Kendrick Lamar,
Anderson.Paak, and
J. Cole, tying together elements of dreamy R&B, organic touches of jazz and gospel, and extra amounts of bass-heavy West Coast hip-hop production.
D Smoke's delivery ranges from the exciting boom of tracks like "No Commas" and "Gaspar Yanga" to thoughtful introspective verses to the thick, summery funk groove of "Sunkissed Child." In addition to the versatile array of styles explored over the course of the album,
D Smoke's bilingual rap skills are an exciting factor, giving his tracks new momentum every time he switches from English to Spanish in his verses. A background in the music industry might account for the smattering of big-name guest stars on his debut, with
Snoop Dogg,
Ari Lennox,
Jill Scott, and his younger brother, R&B vocalist
SiR, all making impressive showings across the album's 16 tracks. Never limiting himself to a single style or frame of mind,
D Smoke's debut is dense with ideas and personality, offering a stunning opening statement that's bolstered by years of hard work and self-reflection. ~ Fred Thomas