Review: ‘I Know NIGO!’ is a project rooted in collaboration

Ranking: ★★★½
If you are like me, you had been most likely astonished that Japanese trend designer Nigo was releasing an album and even a lot more astonished to see the star-studded function list: A$AP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Pusha T, Clipse, Pharrell, Gunna, Kid Cudi, Teriyaki Boyz, A$AP Ferg, Pop Smoke and Lil Uzi Vert.
For people of you who never know, Nigo is the creator of BAPE and HUMAN Manufactured. In late 2021, he was appointed inventive director of the French luxury residence KENZO. BAPE’s brand name has very long been linked with American hip hop, and Nigo himself has also been concerned in various new music tasks, together with the development of an experimental album in 2000 and DJ-ing for Japanese hip hop group Teriyaki Boyz. The seeds for “I Know NIGO!” were to start with planted when Nigo was approached by his good friend, record executive Steven Victor, who proposed the notion of the multi-hyphenate producing songs once more. “I Know NIGO!” is an album that life up to its identify, conceptually rooted in the private associations that impressed its generation.
As soon as the functions with Pharrell and Clipse have been solidified, the project expanded from its first two monitor size as Victor and Nigo continued to brainstorm probable collaborators. A lot more artists soon volunteered to be involved with the course of action, but any person who didn’t individually know Nigo was turned down.
The album starts with A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator on “Lost and Found Freestyle 2019,” a kinetic opener. Both of those Rocky and Tyler deliver great verses that compliment the numerous instrumentation. The conquer switch amongst the two verses retains listeners engaged and provides a enjoyable swap between the two rappers. The intriguing shift amongst Rocky’s celebratory instrumental and Tyler’s darker, brass-dependent defeat can make the observe truly worth recurring listening.
“Hear Me Clearly” functions Pusha T delivering a vintage rap, a strategic amuse-bouche of the type enthusiasts can hope on his next full-length supplying predicted afterwards this calendar year. Pusha contrasts his achievements with that of superficial rappers and products who have not confronted worries in the tunes field and drug working like he has. His boastful verse compliments the stripped-down instrumental and is made up of all of the hallmarks of Push’s most effective operate.
The final monitor, “Come On, Let’s Go” seems as if it could have been on “CALL ME IF YOU GET Lost,” Tyler’s previous complete-length album and the Grammy’s Finest Rap Album winner. In the monitor, Tyler bemoans the time it takes a girl to get completely ready to go out with him. A standout verse from Tyler and exemplary manufacturing from Pharrell makes the monitor feel vibrant and total. Even so, it is really hard to come across Nigo’s contribution on this track, as Pharrell developed it and it appears like a solo Tyler observe.
With “I Know NIGO!,” the KENZO director has developed a undertaking crafted on particular link and a clear pleasure of getting in the organization of like-minded collaborators. The album functions a assortment of styles and artists that provide a awesome wide variety but lead to inconsistent tracks, with some lagging at the rear of in quality.
“I Know NIGO!” is a multidimensional tapestry of friendships nurtured throughout the several years that showcases some long lasting gems to make it worthy of the hear.