Riff Raff is a rapper for the ages with his flamboyant braggadocio sound that comes with eclectic lyricism. At one point you have to wonder when he will make an album with Young Thug, but that’s beside the point. Neon Icon, his debut, defined Riff Raff as a poppy-southern trap artist. It was a distinguishable leave from his earlier work, which included features on tracks by Action Bronson, Katy Perry, and The Alchemist. He also showed a lot of grit in his flow. For his new sophomore album, Peach Panther, Riff Raff shows more improvement then expected for the Texas rapper.
Riff Raff is not seen through a serious lens, with his goofy look and aquaberry shark grillz. Peach Panther contains some crisp instrumentals that Riff Raff murders on the microphone. With the recruitment of Lex Luger, Scott Storch, and Metro Boomin, amongst others, the album flourishes in his sound.
Riff Raff is one of the most eclectic rappers in the rap genre. The album carries a lot of his ideas and takes you on a journey with each one of them. For instance, “Syrup Sippin’ Assassin,” which revolves around a melody about drinking lean, drowsing and feeling livid as hell. It perfectly describes our mood a half hour after the morning shift starts. The album reverts to Riff Raff’s pop-sound at times like with the songs “Chris Paul,” and “All I Ever Wanted.” “Chris Paul,” is that track that hypes you up with melancholy tone, as if you were meditating before a big regular season basketball game, than causing you to risk a trip with your zany dance moves replicating a baller.
The album features an interesting collection of features, a lot of which astound. At a lyrical level Riff Raff still doesn’t sound like competency but his delivery is straight illin’ and vicious. On “Shout Out to the Bay,” a song nodded at Cleveland, Riff raps bars like “Used to park cars, now five stars,” and “I beg your pardon swing to Olive Garden / Now I’m with your daughter in the karma Aston Martin,” with smoothness; in a sense this doesn’t sound as dumb as it is written.
As a whole the album has a definitive voice throughout, and while it has a lot of upsides the downsides are easily there, like the mundane “4 Million,” or “Peach Panther (Freestlye).” But in retrospect we could possibly remember him as one of his many great and infamous names, like “Versace Dennis the Menace.” Peach Panther is definitely a must listen.
Rating: 8/10
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