Hit-Boy has had one of the best careers in rap production, but these past two years have seen the beatmaker operating on a higher plane than ever before.
Between his King’s Disease series with Nas, 2023’s Victims & Villains with Musiq Soulchild, and two volumes of Surf or Drown (the second of which is with his father, Big Hit, who was recently released from prison), it’s hard to figure out when Hit-Boy leaves the studio. Then, there’s Paisley Dreams, the project he and pops cooked up with The Game after a one-off studio session turned into a marathon night of recording.
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Suffice it to say, when word dropped of his new project with Vallejo superstar LaRussell, RENT DUE, bewilderment and excitement were parceled out in equal doses. [Khaled voice] Another one? Yes, and as it turns out, Hit-Boy provides the perfect West Coast palette for LaRussell’s California musings — giving the MC a bevy of bouncy synths, slapping drums and creeping piano riffs that would make even the most hardened Compton legends shiver a little.
There’s a song on LaRussell’s 2023 LP (well, one of his 2023 LP’s) MOTION called “Pops For President” that’s pretty instructive as to what RENT DUE is all about. On that song, LaRussell raps: “I pledge allegiance to my n-ggas and my mama/ My president was my daddy but not Obama.” LaRussell is a family man, and on RENT DUE, he pays respect to those that helped him get through the mud to where he’s at now: an MC very quietly making his case as the Bay’s hottest voice.
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On opener “LEAD ME TO THE WATER,” a spoken-word intro by Tietta delays the momentum before Hit and Russ take over the show — though the jazz flute that accompanies the intro and runs throughout is rather calming. LaRussell raps: “My momma raised me as a G, my daddy turned me to a dawg/ Section 8, four bedroom, runnin’ up and down the halls.” This is Russ’ bread and butter, relatable family tales highlighted by personal anecdotes and observations that help paint a very vivid picture.
Once the fireworks start popping there’s no turning back, and LaRussell immediately shows that he’s bringing his A-game now that he’s rapping over beats from a figure like Hit-Boy. “ETHICS” features MALACHI and twinkling keyboards from Hit-Boy that provide a melodic backdrop for Russ’ expressive voice. The bass hits hard, making this beat the perfect soundtrack for a top-down cruise, and even though he’s from the Bay Area, Russ relates to Hit-Boy and his LA roots when he raps: “Since Nip passed, honestly there ain’t a lot of us left/ Who could go walk with the right and lay it up with the left.”
Preview single “ANOTHER ONE” features production assistance from Big Hit, and the result is pure West Coast magic. The piano line creeps and lurks in the background, as bouncy g-funk bass and popping snares roll through like claps of thunder. On the cut, LaRussell employs a matter-of-fact flow, tapping into a sardonic sounding delivery reminiscent of other West Coast peers like Remble or the late, great Drakeo The Ruler. He hits all the talking points on the track, turning in his best performance of the project. He spits: “Ain’t gotta ask me I’m from, you hear the beat, The West is back.”
Of course, he wouldn’t let the track finish without paying homage to his mom — a tribute that brings a warm cohesiveness to the entire project. “Hit-Boy made a blap, we got another one/ Ran-ran up a M, I need another one/ I do what I want, yeah, I’m my mother’s son/ Bitch, I’m really him, I ain’t the other one,” he raps.
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For someone with almost 30 releases under his belt, LaRussell has a unique gift to tailor the themes of each project to specific ideas. He occasionally treads similar territory, but there’s enough uniqueness in these seven songs to make RENT DUE not only a worthwhile listen but one of the strongest projects in his discography.
With an all-timer like Hit-Boy on the boards, LaRussell had to bring his best pen game. That confidence brims from beginning to end on one of the smoothest records to drop out of the West so far this year.
RELEASE DATE: February 23, 2024
RECORD LABEL: Good Company
Listen to RENT DUE below:
