IDK, short for Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge, is a rapper hailing from PG County, Maryland that released his much-anticipated album USEE4YOURSELF. The name of this album was the answer to his prior album IsHeReal? where every last character (letter, or number) in the IHR tracklist, revealed his personal answer to the topic IHR was about: if there is there a God/higher power or not. The album was released almost a week after he gave back to his community and collaborated with VeniceBall for PROJECT KKIDD by renovating a basketball court out in Capitol Heights, MD, and holding a networking event on July 5th for the occasion. How does USEE4YOURSELF follow up ISHEREAL? Does the album give the listeners clear enough answers to how he found his perspectives?
Mikayla's View
Rapper IDK drops his second album ‘USEE4YOURSELF’, where he illustrates his encounters with women, being a black man in today's society, and navigating the music industry as an independent artist. The 29-year-old, DMV native's distinct style and DMV bounce are still prevalent in his newest album. ‘PRADADABANG’ featuring lyrical genius, Young Thug, is a personal favorite with its heavy bass and clever monologues, and of course, Young Thug delivers a fire chorus saying "House is insane, glass porch, you can sleep in the rain".
'Hey Auntie' featuring New York legend Slick Rick offers a more emotional contrast to the latter, diving into deep social issues and family ties. IDK proves to be one of the top rapper-producer combos around. Pushing production limits, I enjoyed how effortlessly each song flowed on the album. Sitting right at 44 minutes, the seamless transitions made the album seem even less.
With features from Lucky Daye, SiR, Offset, and more, this album offers a range of diversity suitable for almost every fan. Relatable and real, this album intertwines the current fast life of a rising star who is battling his past self. Eventually overcoming his struggles, IDK leaves us wanting more.
IDK has since released a visual with his full album on Youtube.
Rate: 8/10
Release date: July 9
Release label: Clue
Written by: Mikayla Roane. @_msroane on all social media
Jay Guevara's View
Like the prior album, the theme of seamless transitions carried over from IsHeReal? to this project. I feel like outside of the "Uh, uh uh, huh" ad-lib he'll do before starting a song, that'll be another signature IDK trait on future projects. I would tell any aspiring DJ that's trying to work on their transitions to refer to this project in regards to making tracks cohesively work with each other per BPM or audio effect used.
When I heard this project, I thought of his 2017 album that he leaked through Adult Swim and their commercials, IWASVERYBAD. That project first opened about his reckless adolescence years and how his lusty ways carried over into his adult years. USEE4YOURSELF expounded on his toxic masculinity on Dogs Don't Lie and how his only vice was not taking advice. The portion of the album from Dogs Don't Lie to Shoot My Shot may be the smoothest part of the album for me as it feels like a continual song when the listener actually heard four songs at one time. My favorite tracks would have to be10 Feet featuring T-Pain and Peloton where he samples The Stylistics and their song Payback Is A Dog, expounding on how his toxic masculinity was displayed in past interactions with women in an upbeat manner.
Eventually, IDK gets to deeper scars like his strained family relationship with his mother, whose passing was revealed to great detail on Julia from IsHeReal?. Before Closure starts, he had a DMX prayer interlude on Cry In Church featuring Sevyn Streeter. The DMX feature is another way he ties USEE4YOURSELF and IsHeReal? since DMX gave a preacher interlude on that prior project questioning the belief of a God and why certain dark moments occurred in IDK's life. On Closure, you'd hear the Julia instrumental play over the voicemail he's leaving to his mom. This is the second time he had a conversation with his mom over a phone in his music, with the first time being on IWASVERYBAD and the song No Shoes On The Rug, Leave Them At The Door. As a fan of IDK, the topic of his family matters and his passing is a trilogy. The introduction was through his troubled childhood on IWASVERYBAD. The details of her passing were revealed on IsHeReal?. The Closure of a matter that caused grief and questioning of a higher power occurred on USEE4YOURSELF.
Rate: 8/10
Release date: July 9
Release label: Clue
Written by: Jay Guevara. @justinhisprime on all social media.