After his critically acclaimed 2019 LP, Is He Real?, IDK has been very popular amongst the rap community. His newest project is also his second compilation album titled today titled IDK & FRIENDS 2. The record is a lot bigger than its predecessor as it features A-list artists such as Denzel Curry, Juicy J, and PnB Rock. Balancing this much talent on one short project like this can be troublesome at times, but IDK and crew make it work for the most part.
IDK and his featured artists all bring high energy to create an atmospheric intoxicating world full of bangers. After a short intro skit in “OMERTÀ”, IDK and Xanman set the tone going forward on the chaotic “RILEY”. After this, the album goes on a streak of hits lead by IDK. Standout performances from Denzel Curry on “BULLETPROOF” and Juicy J on “SQUARE UP” make these tracks resonate more than the rest. The other records are enjoyable but stick together for the most part as they are all very similar in substance and style. The albums closer, “LIVE FOR IT”, is another highlight as the change in pace and touching verse from Wale leave the listener leaving the record in awe. Overall, there’s a lot of enjoyment in the fun IDK, and crew are having.
Sonically, the production on IDK & Friends 2 mainly consists of hard-hitting trap beats. While using such an oversaturated style of production can be detrimental to most records, IDK & Friends 2 doesnt seem to suffer from this problem. Whether its the finale “SQUARE UP” or the beat switch towards the end “495” there is enough diversity in the instrumentals for the record to feel distinct. With all that being said, I still think the production could be a little more innovative, but it’s only supposed to be a fun compilation record at the end of the day. In summary, the instrumentals are nothing special, but they definitely get the job done.
In conclusion, IDK & FRIENDS 2 is a fun record that engulfs the listener with constant bangers. For the most part, IDK successfully meshes many egos together to create a competent body of work. In addition, the songs on the record will resonate with many and be a blast to mosh to once concerts come back. As a whole, this is a nice filler project which will hold fans off while they wait for IDK’s next full-length album.
Rating: 6.5/10
