If
Kevin Gates' debut album seems wiser and more confident -- not cocky, but confident -- than the competition, consider that the
2 Pac-styled, serious rapper began dropping his mixtapes back in 2007. His Luca Brasi series is revered and crucial while his aboveground mixtapes
Stranger Than Fiction and
By Any Means felt official, with hooky thug tracks meeting genre-expanding experiments.
Islah is no different, it's just built like an official album and meant to last. Check the excellent singles "Kno One," "Really Really," and "La Familia" for some easy persuasion, and then know that the album is devoid of superstar appearances because the captivating
Gates doesn't need them. [A Deluxe Edition added two bonus tracks, "Jam" and "Excuse Me."] ~ David Jeffries