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New Music: Big K.R.I.T.

By Thomas Johnson, November 3 2017 —

Prior to 2013’s Cadillactica, Big K.R.I.T. released a blistering mission statement called “Mt. Olympus.” It was advertised as a response to Kendrick Lamar’s infamous diss verse on “Control” from earlier that year. But just as Kendrick didn’t really diss K.R.I.T. on “Control,” “Mt. Olympus” wasn’t really a rebuttal. Instead, it was a volcanic reminder of Big K.R.I.T.’s position as one of his generation’s greatest talents.

K.R.I.T. made a quiet return in October with 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time. The immersive, 85-minute double LP is conceptually split into two halves. The “Big K.R.I.T.” half is a low-end, bass-heavy celebration of K.R.I.T.’s influences, namely Goodie Mob and UGK. The “Justin Scott” half — K.R.I.T.’s real name — sheds that mask with introspection.

K.R.I.T. muscles his unapologetic drawl around syllables like a python and raps like the second coming of Big Boi. He’s matured in his production too, finding new ways of cover1-1024x1024sprinkling in tiny flourishes like the trumpet on “Drinking Sessions” or the echo on the hook of “Get Away.” 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time is a sweeping, intricately beautiful album and is one of the year’s best. And still, only a week after release, it has already faded from feeds.

With the exception of 2007, K.R.I.T. has released at least one full-length project every year since 2005. That’s three albums, 13 mixtapes and two EP’s — and they’ve all been great. Such prolificacy brings to mind Gucci Mane or Curren$y, but Outkast is the better comparison.

Both K.R.I.T. and OutKast build worlds to house their imaginations, weaving southern hospitality and solar winds to cosmic effect — baking warm country music that could slap a subwoofer on Mars and open the eyes of the universe. That’s not to say K.R.I.T. is better than Outkast, because that’s preposterous — no one is better than Outkast. But it’s no exaggeration to say that K.R.I.T. is one of the most underrated MCs of his era. 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time is another jewel in the King of the South’s crown. He will be remembered in time.


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