Album Review: Soul Burger by Ab-Soul
As probably the most rhetorically skilled Black Hippy, Ab-Soul has been seasoning tracks with terms such as paradigm shifts as he pays homage to DoeBurger.
Ab-Soul has been away from the industry until he decided to return with 2022’s Herbert. During that hiatus time frame between Do What Thou Wilt (2016) and the next effort, he dealt with depression due to the losses of Mac Miller in 2018 and DoeBurger in 2021. On the DJ Premier-produced “Gotta Rap,” he raps, “I even tried suicide, and I don’t know why/I know better than most that the Soul don’t die/Took a leap, shattered my leg, and lost some teeth/And I’m still standing behind every word I speak.” Two years later, continuing to be as sharp as ever, Soul Burger pays tribute to his late friend as his voice is heard throughout. Playing on Eminem’s 2002 film but on his terms, “9 Mile” is a candid, self-reflective stream of consciousness over Soul II Soul’s “Back to Life” in which Ab-Soul grapples with self-perception, existential dilemmas, and the dichotomies within his life. The references to solitude—“Did my dirt all by my lonely, no accomplice”—Soulo strips away any facade, leaving only an honest portrayal of his fallibility and humanity.
This album features many bangers, including “All That,” as Ab-Soul continues with his signature wordplay to assert his dominance and dismiss his detractors. JasonMartin matches his energy and bravado in the second verse, further solidifying the track’s uncompromising stance. However, “Go Pro” and “The Sky Is Limitless,” which harps on the Biggie and 112 track with a Bobby Caldwell sample, fall into the genericism trap. “Paiday” details materialism, self-worth, and ambition, all shrouded in a bravado that will abuse your speakers, alongside “DND” and “Don Julio 70.” “B.U.C.K.O. Jr.” unfurls with a multifaceted portrait of his evolution and the intersections of power, identity, and artistry in the contemporary world. His ability to fluctuate seamlessly between spiritual contemplation, material pursuits, and philosophical reflections is significant, amplifying an understanding of his position and vision.
Soulo and JID go crazy on “Crazier,” where the former paints a gritty picture of life in the streets over a Kal Banx understated backdrop: “I gave niggas hope when they needed hope, I gave niggas dope when they needed dope.” His verses are laden with clever double entendres and allusions, like “Set the pick and roll, nigga, chill” and “The nasally Nas, but I’m more JAY-Z-er.” Ab-Soul matches JID’s intensity with his brand of cerebral lyricism, touching on themes of mental health, spiritual awakening, and the corrupting influence of fame: “No shit, I wrote this sittin’ outside the psych ward, cashin’ out, I be blackin’ out ‘cause it keep the lights on.” His lines are equally packed with layered meanings and wordplay, such as “Phoenix out the ashes like they done cremated Joaquin” and “Omnipresence in my reflection, cursed with the gift.” Look no further than hearing the following track, “Peace.”
The track embodies what Soul Burger represents: personal pain, strength, and the quest for inner tranquility amidst chaos are tackled throughout. Ab-Soul raps from the perspective of DoeBurger by juxtaposing personal narratives of survival with more extensive existential reflections, as seen in references to climate change and cultural obligations, suggesting an awareness of individual and collective struggles. By integrating mythological references like “River Styx” alongside contemporary realities, Lupe Fiasco helps establish a dialogue between the metaphysical and the tangible, simultaneously grounding and elevating its narrative (“Drum clip like Whiplash, that’s kick crash, that’s symbolic”). Punch’s interplay between the spiritual and the material is highlighted, with lines like “I pray for peace in the back of the Rolls Royce.”
“Squeeze 1st 2” is a play on Jigga Man’s track from the Dynasty album, but it’s all about the braggadocious bars with insightful social commentary and personal reflections. “Made another hundred thousand, then I blew it/Like a performance from Miles with a horn in his mouth” demonstrates his knack for crafting vivid imagery and clever metaphors, and “Read the autobiography of Malcolm X as a Christian Started questioning the reverend, ‘like this nigga trippin’.” Soulo’s flow remains impeccable throughout the song, effortlessly navigating the beat with precision and confidence. “California Dream” as he and Vince Staples mix personal reflections with broader observations. The lyrical content navigates through nuanced experiences growing up near beaches and strife.
“Saudi Sweets” continues that feat. Wrapped in a fabric of self-reflection and vivid imagery, The metaphor of putting a sugar mama in a pretzel and buying an army while others merely arm wrestle illustrates an extravagant, grandiose world where competition is futile against his proficiency. He also contemplates the duality of motivation and envy when noting, “A real nigga see a rollie then he motivated/A broke nigga see a thing he’s supposed to hate,” thereby highlighting differing perspectives on ambition and resentment on the album’s closer, “Righteous Man.” Beyond a heartfelt tribute to Nipsey Hussle and interpolating “How Much a Dollar Cost?,” he critiques internal and external battles, aligning himself with no singular ideology by claiming, “I’m moving to masses, but I ain’t a Catholic, I’m a Christian taking communion.” By merging the profoundly peculiar—discussing the loss and reaction to Ermias’s death—with broader social analysis, Ab-Soul crafts a narrative on Soul Burger where their identities intertwine, reflecting the complexities of navigating reality personally and collectively.
Great (★★★★☆)
Favorite Track(s): “Paiday,” “Crazier,” “Peace”