Building on a lengthy back catalog of powerful mixtapes, Louisiana rapper
Kevin Gates' 2016 debut studio album
Islah was a stellar breakthrough.
Gates' blunt lyrical style grew into a more personal account of his trials and successes, and his no-nonsense bars were often described as confessional. Second album
I'm Him is an even more direct reading of
Gates' sound, finding the rapper ferociously attacking each of the album's 17 tracks with tireless energy. His multi-faceted approach finds different voicings on different tracks. The scattershot flows and multi-syllabic rhymes of "Push It" showcase his more technical side, while tracks like "By My Lonely" and "Bags" see him leaning into passionately sung hooks and verses. Somewhere in between the singing-heavy tracks and those where
Gates flexes his rap skills are the portrayals of struggle like "Have You Ever," where he again draws on personal moments for vulnerable, somber reflections. As with many of his releases,
I'm Him finds
Gates the sole talent on display, with no featured guests or cameos. The excellent and inexhaustible array of tools in his skill set demands a lot of space, and
I'm Him nears the same high level of expression, introspection, and catharsis as his best work. ~ Fred Thomas