Big K.R.I.T. - 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time Album Review
4eva Is a Mighty Long Time is Big K.R.I.T.’s third studio album, following 2012’s Live from the Underground and 2014’s Cadillactica. 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time is a double album as the first half revolves around K.R.I.T., an aggressive, confident rapper who’s looking to dominate the rap game. The second half is a more introspective as Justin Scott, which is Big K.R.I.T.’s real name. The album is a testament to K.R.I.T.’s ability to develop interesting concepts and tell incredible stories, not to mention he’s responsible for most of the production too. 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time is another impressive release for the Mississippi MC.
The dual release of 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time is a perfect fit for the dual themes of the album. Part 1 of the album is from the perspective of rapper Big K.R.I.T. who is determined to be regarded as the best rapper alive. Songs like “Confetti” and “Big Bank,” which features T.I., help make the case for K.R.I.T. “Confetti” is the lead single off the album and the song is K.R.I.T.’s take on current rappers who are getting more notoriety than he is. It serves as a warning, “What’s a crown if you don’t respect it?” echoes through the chorus as a warning from K.R.I.T. to inferior rappers. On “Big Bank,” Big K.R.I.T. collaborates with southern hip hop legend T.I. The song is mostly braggadocios and you won’t hear any mind-altering lyrics, but the delivery of lyrics by both T.I. and Big K.R.I.T are standout and the fact that K.R.I.T. can stand toe and toe with one of the biggest legends in hip hop is telling of his skill.
Another standout song from part one of the album is the intro track, “Big K.R.I.T.” The self-titled track starts the album strongly and parallels the project as a whole. The first half of this song is from the perspective of Justin Scott and this verse contains introspective lyrics as well as advice and tips for younger Big K.R.I.T. (who could just as well be any young hip-hop artist). The second half of “Big K.R.I.T” is from the perspective of the aggressive and braggadocios southern rapper Big K.R.I.T. On this verse, K.R.I.T. delivers bars dedicated to showcasing his lyrical prowess and staking claim to the coveted “King of the South” crown.
Part two of the album highlights Justin Scott the person and not Big K.R.I.T. the rapper. This switch in perspective is also followed by a switch in general theme for the album. The moment the second part of the album begins, we see Justin Scott look inward, exposing himself in a way that Big K.R.I.T. would never do.
Songs like “Keep the Devil Off” and “Price of Fame” standout from this part of the project. “Keep the Devil Off” was the second single released off of 4eva is a Mighty Long Time and is definitely an attention grabber. The song contains a heavy organ and trumpets and takes the listener to a southern church. Lyrically, the chorus is enough as Scott repeatedly says, “Keep the Devil Off Me,” which is followed by the powerful instrumental. The song is incredibly uplifting and is a change a pace for this half of the project. The title of “Price of Fame” basically tells the story of what the song is about. Justin reminisces about all the bad things that have come into his life because of his celebrity. He speaks about the insecurities that many other rappers may face and he particularly spotlights the wall he has built up around himself and not knowing who to talk too.
4eva is a Mighty Long Time is a very strong album and Big K.R.I.T. impresses once again. Up and down the 22 track, double-disk album there are very strong songs with minimal drop off. The only thing this album is missing is a standout single that can bring Big K.R.I.T. into the national spotlight. 4eva is a Mighty Long Time continues to prove that Big K.R.I.T. is one of the most overlooked rappers in the game.
Rating: 8/10
Jerome Taylor is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jerometaylor91697@gmail.com.
