Whether up in Brooklyn or hanging around the Triangle, Kooley High still has North Carolina on its mind and doesn’t want you to forget it. On its latest release, David Thompson, the Raleigh hip-hop outfit pays homage to NC State basketball and its home state, while presenting a cool and chilled out album complete with slowed down tracks, full beats and a smattering of different collaborators.
Beginning with the title track, Kooley High enters a softer tone that channels the work of fellow North Carolina outfit Little Brother. Charlie Smarts and Tab-One churn out catchy wordplay over new, edgy production courtesy of DJ Prince and Napoleon.
However, songs such as the Skyzoo-featured track “For the Record” embody the typical energy Kooley brings to the table. Although there is an increased level of smooth on David Thompson, the group demonstrates that it’s still got its trademark tight hooks and popping beats.
“Skyview,” featuring fellow Raleighite King Mez, is one of the record’s standout tracks and effectively separates the album’s easier latter half. The hooks are fluid and the youthful energy is bounding, as Tab, Charlie and Mez all enthusiastically spit back and forth throughout the hard drum-oriented beat.
Yet the album seems to be lacking all of Kooley High. Half of the crew hardly makes an appearance, an apparent result of the group being split between Brooklyn and Raleigh. MC Rapsody briefly dashes in and out on “Dear Raleigh” and producers Foolery’s and Sinopsis absence is especially noted. Although DJ Prince’s prominence on the album is undoubtedly fresh, it feels like something distinctly Kooley is missing.
Overall, the North Carolina representin’ is something that will always come naturally for Kooley High, because for them, home is where the heart and the hip-hop has always been. They present a creative take on nostalgia, but recalling the past can sometimes drag on for a little too long.
Without a doubt, David Thompson represents a move towards a new, sexier sound, and it’s clear Kooley High isn’t done exploring this new direction.
