Kodak Black is at his best when he pours his heart out says SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne in his When I Was Dead album review.
Today, Kodak Black dropped his new album When I Was Dead, a follow up to Pistolz & Pearlz released back in May. The album comes fresh off his viral appearance on the Drink Champs podcast where he talked about many things including his falling out with 21 Savage.
While Kodak does give us some of the street rap many know him for, including songs like “Nothing To Me”, “Come Thru Flushin'”, and “Extra Clips”, what makes fans connect with him is his unfiltered vulnerability. While many rappers choose to put on a tough facade, Kodak shows his duality as both someone who can handle himself in the streets while sharing his pain and disappointment.
He does this well on “Close To Me” where he talks about his spiritual and emotional emptiness, on “I’m Kodak” where he talks about his struggles and need for forgiveness, and on “Fuck You Too” where he addresses pain and heartbreak.
He does a good job of showing growth while still clearly being on a journey. For example, on “Eaze Your Mind” we see Kodak navigating love and loss, on “Burning Rubber” he takes some time to wish his opps well, and then on “Hard Life” he reminisces about childhood and even appears to address the 21 Savage situation, talking about his friend who hurt him by going commercial and selling him out for a girl.
He keeps listeners on their toes occasionally exploring different sounds, like on “Scared Of My Money” where we hear Kodak singing what sound like an 80’s pop ballad, and then on the upbeat “2’CY”.
If we’re talking bangers, the biggest track on the album has to be minimalist and stripped down “Lemme See” which came with a new black-and-white ILLIMITEWORLD directed video. In the video, we see Kodak walking around his Pompano Beach neighborhood. While other artists have become commercial superstars and leave the hood, Kodak hasn’t forgotten where he comes from and is still outside.
Overall, Kodak is at his best when he’s pouring his heart out and he does that again on this album. While other artists can use big features as a cheat code to gain streams, Kodak Black once again shies away from that formula on this album, instead relying on his vulnerability and ability to connect with fans.
While this album may not have been among the more highly anticipated albums of the year, especially given it’s his second album of 2023, Kodak has outdone his peers in delivering a solid and honest project that shows personal growth, something even those who aren’t Kodak fans can respect.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 310 international voters for the 81st Golden Globe Awards by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
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