After a slew of singles, fans are finally getting another studio album from LA music artist Roddy Ricch. Led by the summer 2021 single “Late At Night,” LIVE LIFE FAST made it to streaming platforms just in time for the holidays, on Dec. 17. The 18-track album comes with plenty of bangers — and plenty of features, including that of Future, Kodak Black, 21 Savage, Takeoff, Jamie Foxx, Ty Dolla $ign, Fivo Foreign, Lil Baby, and Gunna.
From the rip, the radio singles are very apparent. “Hibachi” simmers in the same heavy bass, tropical vibe as Kodak Black’s “ZEZE,” the difference being a slower pace, but of course Kodak Black’s influence is confirmed by a feature from the Florida rapper. The song also includes 21 Savage.
“What a n—a do, you don’t ever appreciate / You give me attitude, I might just go cheat today.”
–Hibachi
Another track that screams radio single is “Moved To Miami.” The songs ignites with a dreamy electronic dance intro before the bass drops. Then, the song transports the listener to a hip hop haven as Roddy Ricch links with Lil Baby for a near four-minute rap escapade.
And while Roddy Ricch and his team are currently promoting “25 Million,” the song doesn’t stray far from the past formula of Roddy Ricch’s discography of singles. This is saying a lot, considering that the single establishes a pretty high standard with its production and lyrical artistry.
Watch The Video For Roddy Ricch’s “25 Million”
“Thailand” is another contender that straddles the lines between radio hit and true fan favorite. Roddy Ricch opts to jump on the track by himself, delivering the same cadence he used on his hit “The Box” when he croons over the hook.
Besides the obvious radio songs, “All Good,” featuring Future, is a standout on the album. Roddy and Future hold no bars on the fast-paced and ruthlessly addictive track — and it even ends with a DJ Screw-esque slowing of the audio. Honestly, it sounds like a song Drake should be on and something that would be played in sports arenas. Maybe that was Roddy’s goal. Instead of making a song for the strip clubs, how about aiming for the sports industry. Genius. It’s working out for Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and Drake.
“My credit all good, b—-, I’m always good / My pockets all good, my mama’s still straight / A bakery chef how I been flippin’ all this cake.”
-All Good
The hard hitters on LIVE LIFE FAST that may not get the radio clout and viral treatment on social media, but definitely will be inscribed in the hearts of hip hop fans are “Rollercoastin,” “Paid My Dues,” and “Crash The Party.” In his signature style, Roddy brings listeners back to a place of familiarity with these introspective storytelling contributions. This is where he literally uses his music as therapy and takes the edge off with a little bit of venting (and flexing).
A solid project overall, LIVE LIFE FAST doesn’t tread off the path too far, but it does offer a current update on the life of the self-proclaimed anti-social talent. Now that he has accomplished a level of success, it’s Roddy’s turn to navigate the tricky troupes of fame that seems to disrupt everything from relationships to how people now perceive the rock star rapper. Nonetheless, Roddy has come a long way, and his growth shows in his latest.
The Compton native made his debut with the 2017 project Feed Tha Streets, following up with Feed Tha Streets II in 2018, where he impressed the industry (and the streets) with songs “Every Season,” “Down Below,” and the eerily prophetic “Die Young,” which quickly became associated with the death of Nipsey Hussle who was viciously murdered a few months after the song’s release. While “Die Young” was making its impact, Roddy Ricch further signaled his arrival in the music industry with the hit Nipsey Hussle and Hit-Boy collaboration “Racks In The Middle” released in Feb. 2019.
With Atlantic Records as his distributor and a few major singles under his belt, Roddy Ricch made his first studio debut, dropping the highly anticipated Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial. Music listeners and radio airwaves couldn’t get enough of “The Box,” a song where Roddy really got into the zone riding a melodic beat with catchy storytelling lyrics and a hypnotic hook. “High Fashion,” featuring Mustard, “Start Wit Me,” featuring Gunna, and “Bacc Seat,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, also had traction among hip hop audiences, although “Prayers To The Trap God” and “War Baby” were the more introspective tracks from the album.
LIVE LIFE FAST is available on music streaming platforms now.
