Lil Life — ‘Hip Hope’ [Album Review]
Colombia, Bogotá-based rapper Lil Life is a rising artist whose love for hip-hop shows on his latest release Hip Hope. The 13 track body of work is a rich and dense project that showcases Lil Life’s insightful lyrics and love for the classic era of hip-hop and it’s fully produced by his longtime friend and collaborator Ozzy Produce.
“Hip Hope” is a solid introduction that pays homage to eh golden era of hip-hop. It samples the classic ATCQ track “The Hop” and puts a new spin on it with a modern feel made up of solemn textures and synths and a punchy bassline. His flow is smooth and talks about his life and rap influences through the different eras and more. “Vivir Hasta Despedirnos” continues the throwback feel with a jazzy production that is reminiscent of a seamless mix of warm summery pads, and soulful keys and is underpinned by his laidback flow and reflective lyrics that center around the concept of basking in the moment till we say our goodbyes. “Yippie Yo Yippie Seré” is a tribute to the Westcoast with its punchy bouncy West Coast funk-infused production reminiscent of 2000s Dr. Dre and his interpolation of Snoop Dogg’s phrase made famous on his debut. This is followed by the reflective “Pequeña Vida” which talks about the fleeting nature of this thing called life. The production is warm, and reflective and has a pop aesthetic about it which adds a different and welcoming change to the project.
“Empiricos de Sexo” is an R&B-infused collaboration with AndresFee and Ozzy and it is underpinned by rich melodic runs by the artists who deliver sultry runs while “L-Funk” taps into that classic West Coast synth bass funk vibes with its crisp drum grooves and lush synths. Here, Lil Life is in his element and he flows effortlessly over the track. He hops back into the boom-bap/soul sphere with “Here We Do It Like This” and the result is a reflective and bravado-laden effort ripe with stylish and expressive flows. This is followed by the jazz-soul summer jam “IV Vientos” featuring Ozzy and the sombre “Tan Diferente” featuring Magdiel, MC Ibito, Arctic. Both tracks have distinct vibes with the latter’s melancholic flute samples and relatable lyrics that center on the concept of being different from the rest while the latter’s summer playful vibe adds a certain depth to the project.
“Try Again” is a posse cut and it recruits Lian MC, MC Ibito, KlanDestino, Magdiel, Ozzy, Arctic, Coy MC who all display their skills over a sombre piano-laden boombap backdrop. On “Hitodama”, we get another jazz-soul infused jam that is smooth and groovy while “A=(C+O)2” has a soul/pop element with its rich guitar textures and snapping drum grooves. The final track, “Una Voz” which features the artists Zatil, Neo Crack, Fragmento, Originario Sur, Alone Rap is a unifying piece that talks about the power of having one voice. The melodic runs are airy and somewhat ethereal which adds a surreal feel to the track.
Overall, the project is a mixed bag of sounds that bridge the gap between the past and present with its varied production styles and rich lyrical content that thread bravado and playful raps with relatable and heartfelt songwriting.
Listen to it here: https://open.spotify.com/album/0yo26ShP8Fgjq0vCc6R5TL
