- James Blake's signature melancholy cocoons the Indiana rapper's hardened street stories.
- There's a reason rappers like Kanye West love working with James Blake. His poignant melodies and uncanny pitch-shifting not only create space for tightly-packed bars to shine, but also add a majestic feel to any narrative. As Freddie Gibbs reflects on a life peppered with homicides, police brutality and the loss of friendships to make a point on how tough he's become, the UK producer accentuates this visceral subject matter with eerie strings, lush keys and soulful piano.
Like any good soundtrack, the melody adds to the drama and drives home how profound the Indiana rapper's relationship with violence and crime is. Gibbs delivers bars with such introspective intensity that it’s only fitting Blake opted for classical-sounding production, which comes to a peak in the song's gorgeous outro. Mournful strings take center stage, but their light touch nearly disguises their powerful impact. The stakes are high on almost every Gibbs record, but especially this one, thanks to Blake’s regal score.