JID Exudes Infinite Versatility on “The Forever Story”
Image Courtesy of Genius
By Joey Brasco
Note: This is part two of a series documenting great albums from this past Summer. Read part one covering Kendrick Lamar’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” here.
It has been four long years since Atlanta rapper JID released his phenomenal album, DiCaprio 2. JID initially gained notoriety for signing to Dreamville Records, which is operated by one of modern rap’s most acclaimed artists – J.Cole. Alongside artists EARTHGANG, Bas, and Ari Lennox, JID has helped Cole cement Dreamville as one of the foremost voices in rap. Outside of Cole himself, JID has emerged as the star voice of the label. On the third edition of Dreamville’s Revenge of the Dreamers album series (2019), JID showcased his endless supply of flows, cadences, and wordplay on hits like “Down Bad.”
When considering Dreamville as a whole, JID is the standout voice, and that includes J.Cole. Look to their collaboration on DiCaprio 2, “Off Deez,” where the two trade fiery flows and bombastic bars. Here, JID does not just hold his own against his mentor, he arguably surpasses him. On his newest album, The Forever Story, JID does not just cement himself as Dreamville’s best rapper, but as one of rap’s.
What’s funny is that rapping was not even JID’s first career choice. A former high-school football star, JID came into rap after an injury forced him to consider alternate career paths.
In an interview with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, he candidly explained, “I ain’t always want to be a rapper . . . This was just like, I’m really fire at this.”
The fact that rap was not always on JID’s radar becomes all the more shocking when this album kicks off. On “Raydar,” JID changes his flows and cadences so many times that it is hard to keep track of what is going on. The only constant in JID’s music is his persistence in being a fire rapper.
JID flexes his rapping prowess even more on the single “Dance Now.” Over an eerie vocal loop, he effortlessly floats on the beat, utilizing his signature nasally cadence before dropping his voice down so many octaves on the pre-chorus that he sounds like a completely different artist.
If anyone ever thought that JID would be satisfied with only being a phenomenal rapper, then they would be sorely mistaken. Throughout the record, JID shows off his singing chops as well, especially through the heart wrenching melodies on “Kody Blu 31.” This moment may come as a shock to fans of JID’s rap tunes, as he is not just singing, but singing beautifully.
“I had to get a singing coach,”said JID in an interview with Complex. “I’m trying to rap at the highest level and sing at the highest level.”
His aspirations as a top rapper and singer are both showcased in his collaboration with Chicago’s Lil Durk on “Bruddanem.” JID handles the first verse before sliding into a melodic hook on the chorus. Rapping and singing over a simple instrumental built on a stilted guitar riff gives JID plenty of space to explore the murky area between rapping and singing he often inhabits on this record.
Something that further separates JID from his peers is the overwhelming support and admiration he has earned from the greats of rap’s past. On this record, on back to back tracks, JID scores a feature from Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) then Lil Wayne. These two are not only legends, but artists who have been enormously influential to JID’s style.
When discussing his collaboration with Lil Wayne with Ebro Darden, JID sports a childlike smile as he humbly explained, “It’s a big moment for me, it’s like an out-of-body-thing.”
Their collaboration, “Just In Time,” shows both rappers in rare form. They both follow a verse structure with which they begin their verses rapping in a measured manner before exploding with a barrage of mind-boggling flows. JID even gets the last words in, as he returns for a brief but explosive third verse after Lil Wayne’s.
JID is not just living in the past though; on lead single “Surround Sound,” he meshes seamlessly with 21 Savage as they rap over a spectacular sample of Aretha Franklin’s “One Step Ahead.” There, of course, is also plenty of love shown to his fellow Dreamville members, as he and EARTHGANG try their best to outrap each other on the chaotic “Can’t Punk Me,” while he and Ari Lennox commiserate over relationship woes on the soulful “Can’t Make U Change.”
In a genre that often seems content with quantity over quality, JID took his time crafting the fine-tuned record that is The Forever Story. Whether it’s by learning to sing, collaborating with all sorts of artists, or out rapping his competition, JID continues to demonstrate that he is an artist with aspirations for greatness. This drive has resulted in JID releasing not just one of the best hip-hop albums of 2022, but one of this year’s best albums in general.
