Like the rest of his crew, Black Hippy (
Kendrick Lamar,
Jay Rock, and
Schoolboy Q),
Ab-Soul is skilled at balancing the mainstream and the underground along with the sublime and the ridiculous. Spinning so many plates means his third album is a bit scattered and a tad overwhelming, but those who like their hip-hop to be a mix of machismo and maverick can easily ignore these small bumps in the road, because
These Days... offers a whirlwind of excellent hooks and exciting ideas. Here, big hardcore ballers ("Hunnid Stax" with
Schoolboy Q) sit next to ambitious cloud-rap explorations of self ("World Runners" with
Lupe Fiasco and
Nikki Jean) and sometimes, the two worlds meet, like when Miami Don
Rick Ross gets covered in stuttering, indie-flavored syrup ("Nevermind That"). The three other members of Black Hippy appear, along with great choices like
Action Bronson and
Danny Brown, plus the 23-minute closer, "W.R.O.H.," is no ponderous epic, but some audio verite that's humorous, odd, and enlightening. Artful and gangsta at the same time,
These Days... is a true stunner. ~ David Jeffries