SG Bubba K is an upcoming rapper who has been building up his reputation in hip hop’s underground recently. With projects like Miles Higher and Culture Murder, the upcoming MC has been leveling up and consistently improving with each record, and on his new album, 999: Tha Complete Shub of Tha Trill-OG, he continues to prove this statement true.
With just nine songs that run for 29 minutes, Bubba K shows that he knows how to use a relatively small amount of time properly as he pulls together a performance that doesn’t just display his potential but begins to fully actualize it.
The record’s intro track, “BackWardz” sets the tone perfectly as SG Bubba K shows off both his knowledge and wit as he raps about how disciplined he has been to the journey and his craft. SG Bubba K’s comfort behind the microphone comes so seamlessly with playful yet poignant narration. It’s the way Bubba K is able to talk about real experiences and topics without taking you out of the records environment that works to his strength. The next song, “FourwardZ,” mirrors the intro track really well as it places more of an emphasis on the deeper and more personal details of SG’s life. The soul sample beat is also a nice touch, but I definitely think it’s bridge should have been stretched into the larger portion of the cut.
“Pueblo Girls & Love Letters” is one of my favorite songs on the entire record because of it’s bubbly atmosphere and SG’s love for his hometown (especially the women from there). One thing this record does exceptionally well is building an atmosphere that takes aspects from raps past and present and does something fairly special with them. The soulful cut “Waiting” continues to up the ante on this record as SG Bubba K delivers another compelling performance that shows his disdain for industry politics and corruption. It’s so refreshing to hear an artist so freely convey his thoughts and feelings, and even when he is dropping vulgar punchlines, he has this finesse to his delivery where it never takes you out of the track.
Changing up the pace of the record, SG’s Hyme 2, pushes SG both in terms of his beat choice and also through his vocal capabilities. His bouncy flow really shows just how dynamic SG is as an MC, and the clapping instrumental will remind you of a beat that Aftermath artists like Eminem or 50 Cent would use in their prime. While this track is a blast, “She Don’t Wanna Party” changes the pace of the album for the better. The somber yet vibrant atmosphere of this track makes for one of the most relaxing songs I have heard in a while, and the smooth rapping from SG just ties all of this cut together into one beautiful package.
Closing out this record, SG continues to excite by showing us new layers of his artistry. “BubbaFuscius” is just as good as any other track on the record with its polished jazz beat and some pretty calm rapping from Bubba K. Throughout all of these tracks, SG focuses on so many different narratives and defining aspects of himself and his life, and this really works to the record’s strength. He is constantly giving different perspectives on so many aspects of the human experience, and it makes him leave a lasting impression on you. “Go Easy” begins the record’s falling action with a track that feels like you are right within the mind of SG, and closing out this album once and for all, “The 3rd 9” ends things with a bang. Over a soul-touching instrumental, SG Bubba K leaves us with one last gem as he pours his heart on the microphone so we don’t just cherish what he is saying in the moment but also so we can remember him after leaving the world of this record.
Overall, 999: Tha Complete Shub of Tha Trill-OG is a record that reminds me why I love hip hop as an art form. Hearing an upcoming rapper do everything in his power to create a memorable experience and succeed is the exact principle that fuels the creative funnel that has powered this genre for 50 years, and with SG Bubba K delivering one of the most compelling and refreshing performances I have heard in quite some time, I won’t be surprised when we see him blow up in years to come. When it comes to the execution of this record, there is not a single thing SG could have done better, and if you like lyrically driven and sonically rich hip hop, this is an album for you.
