This album by Chief Keef is a big deal. Bigger than Dirty Nachos, the playful mixtape he released with Mike WiLL. Almighty So 2 indeed, has been anticipated since 2018 and is a long, well-produced work with guests befitting a rapper of this stature: besides colleague G Herbo, the loyal Ballout, and protégé Lil Gnar, Quavo and two of today's top female rappers - Sexyy Red and, less expectedly, Tierra Whack - make appearances. In short, Chief Keef has put care into this release, which he produced himself, making it his most publicized in a long time.
Hinting at the Soundcloud rap to come, the first Almighty So was a milestone, proof of the Chicago rapper's pioneering spirit. But the second one doesn't resemble that old mixtape. It simply looks like Chief Keef. The wild kid who, by 2012, introduced the world to drill music. And he doesn't hold back, using a pompous sample from Carmina Burana to establish himself as an all-powerful character, ready to tear everything apart four years before his birth.
This Almighty So 2 album is filled with thrilling tracks, such as "Neph Nem," the majestic "Jesus" with its choirs, the aggressive, repetitive "Too Trim," and the crazy piano of "Never Fly Here." The Chicago rapper is in top form, rapping fearlessly, with force, his voice pushed forward. And in addition, he shouts and sprinkles this album with some machine gun, or engine noises.
Chief Keef, though, was always more than a brute. He has a musical ear, as shown by little gems like the fantastic "Treat Myself." This ego-trip is insistent, it incessantly rhymes the same word ("myself," of course), but its production is surprising, with its erratic and ephemeral choirs. Equally successful is "Banded Up," which Tierra Whack complements with a double-time flow.
The compositions of the artist also known as Sosa may seem simple and straightforward. That's the impression they aim to give. But upon closer listening, one discovers twists in the sounds and intonations, with the single "Tony Montana Flow" being a textbook example. There are changes in routes, as in "Drifting Away," with its pseudo-cloud rap vibes. And less flashy tracks are equally enjoyable, like the long but gripping "Prince Charming," filled with old memories.
As for Chief Keef's nihilistic provocations, they are not always devoid of acid or substance. That is the case with the "Jesus Skit," when he distinguishes light-skinned black rappers (the fragile-hearted or the intellectuals of rap music) from those with darker skin (the real gangsters).
Here, Chief Keef once and for all reminds us of what we've known for a long time. He has never been the fleeting sensation that the single "I Don't Like" suggested. On the contrary, he is one of the giants of rap. Rightfully, he declares on the excellent closing track "I'm Tryna Sleep":
Ah, bitch, it's ten years later, they still lovin' Sosa.