B-
“Full Speed,” Los Angeles-based rapper Kid Ink’s third album, is packed with dancey beats and high-profile features. It’s a departure for Kid Ink, but it's one that works.
Kid Ink leaned on star power to help hype up his album and include a little more mainstream appeal than his past two albums. Kid Ink spits alongside Usher in radio-rap sound “Body Language,” and raps with hip-hop powerhouses R. Kelly, Young Thug and Migos.
Although his famous friends give him some well-needed credentials and publicity, it’s actually unfortunate that the album is crammed with such famous collaborators. This album’s many features are frequently challenging Kid Ink with slower, tighter melodies and outdoing his verses with catchy hooks that dominate the entire song.
“Full Speed” holds on to some Kid Ink trademarks, like unusual wordplay, indistinct rhyme scheme and conservative melodies.
However, this album’s melody change embraces the dance-rap craze that has dominated the hip-hop scene for the past year. The more mainstream songs allow for broader appeal, while still letting Kid Ink keep rapping in his signature style.
In '90s dance-step inspired song “About Mine” ft. Trey Songz, produced by DJ Mustard, and “Dolo” ft. R. Kelly, Kid Ink embraces a cool, calm and collected throwback feel where his listeners can reminisce on the good ol' days.
His collaborators are given a lot of the credit for the spotlight, but to ignore Kid Ink’s own role in his strategic climb to the top charts would be unfair.
“Full Speed” has a good balance of nightlife tracks and more serious topics. His more lyrical cuts, “What It Feels Like” and stoner angled cut “Blunted,” feature more personal expression and catchy rhyme schemes than in the past.
He's switching up his style to something outside of his comfort — Kid Ink is slowly building his regional recognition up to a more national level. If he keeps it up, Ink can truly bring cool back, like he suggests in his cut “Cool Back.”