REVIEW: Kevin Gates - "By Any Means"

7.75/10

It's easy to understand how a Hip-Hop fan may take one glance at Kevin Gates and write him off as another generic "face tattoo trap rapper". However, doing so would be foolish—Gates is one of Hip-Hop's freshest talents and is literally on the verge of his major breakthrough. Gates is very intelligent, having scored a 31 on his ACT at age 16 from prison (where he also obtained a Bachelor's degree in Psychology), and is an avid reader. He possesses an uncanny songwriting ability, bridging the gap between more lyrics-based underground Hip-Hop and the catchiness of mainstream radio hits. Perhaps Gates himself described this best when he said he prefers the lyrics of the East Coast and the beats of the South. His lyrical delivery is also very unique, a skillful blend of singing and rapping that's unlike any other—at one point his voice may be no louder than a croak-like whisper, but then he effortlessly transitions into rousing singing. This allows Gates to very effectively convey moods and emotions in his music. He's also riding a wave of success, having released two critically-acclaimed mixtapes last year: "The Luca Brasi Story" and "Stranger Than Fiction". He followed those two releases up with his latest project, "By Any Means".

It begins with "Wish I Had It", in which Kevin Gates fantasizing about the success he could have enjoyed from a single he released last year ("Roaming Around"). He wonders why his label apparently wasn't feeling the track and apparently didn't push it to radio: "In the car while roaming around / All my thoughts been roaming around / Where I come from like a hole in the ground / Silly me still holdin' it down / Every car pass by with the music on loud while bumpin' Roaming Around / Tellin' me to make a hit but I really don't get why they walked on Roaming Around".

Gates prefers Southern production, so the beats will continue to primarily be trap. Fortunately, unlike other albums that follow one style of production, the beats on "By Any Means" do not become exhaustively repetitive within a few track—Gates has a very good ear for production and all of the beats set themselves apart. Two singles Gates released before the album follow one right after the other, "Don't Know" and "Amnesia" (featuring the late Doe B), and both sound like potential radio hits, however they still retain substance, such as the storytelling in Gates' verse on "Amnesia"—while it's hook is relatively simple and memorable (it will get stuck in your head), Gates uses his verse to recount an altercation with someone that resulted in murder.

Gates compares the events in his life to those in a movie on"Can't Make This Up", and seems to be in disbelief that he progressed this far already, as he sings the hook: " Started from the bottom with narcotics, what I'm selling / Who thought I woulda made it from a trap with no electric / Oooh, Migos work my wrist with cocaina / Made all of my haters all believers (I can't make this up". Despite his humility, he still warns his opposition not to fuck with him unless they want to "see him incarcerated" over the menacing synths of "Keep Fucking With Me", featuring Plies.

"Movie" is a heartwarming track in which Gates describes the birth of his son in detail. This track sharply contrasts the events described in "Posed To Be In Love", a song about a relationship gone awry that results in Gates and his girlfriend getting into an argument that escalates into physical violence. While somewhat off-putting, this is an example of his unflinching honesty, a quality that makes him so likable. The man has been through a lot and has seen a lot, but he never glorifies his wrongs, he simply makes it known to the listener—Gates has said that music (as well as tattoos) are his therapy, so what better way to vent?

He continues his unwavering honestly over the alarming keys of "Homicide", the perfect canvas over which Gates paints a dramatic tale that he delivers in growls, about avenging a friend's death: "Had to draw down, lay the law down for a month straight /  Ain't no sleepin', nigga beefin', this a month straight /  Band-aids on my fingertips, with gloves on I clutch chrome / Duct tape the bottom of my shoes, with the snub on / Up it, spray it to the pavement you a blood donor / Infrared, white shirt, red all the blood on it / Throw a bag of drugs on you, for the crime scene / Drug-related homicide, closed case, crime scene."

On one of the lighter tracks one the album, R&B crooner Rico Love sings the hook over the gentle horns of the slow-paced beat. "Go Hard" is dedicated to the ladies, and actually includes a fitting dripping sound effect in the instrumental. In "Stop Lyin'", Gates directs his verses towards a former friend who betrayed his trust, inviting them to own up to their bullshit to prevent themselves from looking foolish any further. His tone on this song is not so much angry, but more pragmatic.

There are few low points of the album. The last few tracks are less memorable than the rest of the songs, specifically "Again" and "Get Up On My Level", both songs' hooks are tinged with auto-tune and are not as strong or creative as the rest of the album (especially "Get Up On My Level's" repetitive, been there, done that hook).

"By Any Means" is a very strong body of work that should catapult Gates further into the limelight. He's literally one or two radio singles or high-profile guest appearances away from widespread mainstream recognition. He has the distinct advantage of being accessible to both casual Hip-Hop listeners and more critical fans, and his talent cannot be ignored much longer.