Largely the most enjoyable factor of “MUDBOY” is the simplicity itself. The album is nowhere near cerebral, or conscious, but its grunge trap elements, and eery, industrial production make the album’s intrigue completely carry the enjoyability of just how simple the overall album is. With “MUDBOY” For an entire song, it could be nearly all hook, and a lackluster verse, but still be enjoyable. This is epitomized in “Live Sheck Wes” and “Mo Bamba”, two tracks which epitomize Sheck Wes’ greatest strengths as an artist. Sheck Wes has an incredibly distinct baritone voice which only adds to the appeal of listening to his music because playing a song like “Live Sheck Wes” or “Mo Bamba” evokes such a listening experience that it becomes shock factor. However, Sheck Wes needs to accredit much of his success on “MUDBOY” for how equally distinct the production is.If it weren’t for support from producers like 16yearsold, Digital Nas, and others, Sheck Wes wouldn’t have the ability to be so repetitive and hook-focused in his tracks because there’d be so much attention on his weaknesses, namely lyricism, and technical ability that it would make the tracks unenjoyable.

 

On the downside, listening to an artist that focuses purely on replay value and stuck-in-your-head type of music, isn’t all sunshine and rainbows; unfortunately, Sheck Wes’ flaws get exposed when a listener can overlook how catchy or melodic a song is, and realize that there’s not much depth to these songs. Sheck Wes makes some ambitious attempts at trying to prove he’s not a one-trick pony with a verse-heavy track in “Never Lost”, a song that shows Sheck Wes is taking a crack at storytelling in his raps this attempt does, however, is prove that Sheck isn’t currently capable of being simultaneously entertaining and lyrically focused. While the novelty is commendable, what’s les so is the monotony and lethargy that permeates most tracks and how Sheck Wes uses the same tone on tracks like “Mo Bamba” and “Kyrie” that are obviously more focused on repetition, a negative quality on a four verse track like “Never Lost”. He comes back for another attempt at more lyric-based rapping with “Danimals” but ultimately finds himself running into the same issues on “Never Lost”. He touches on his rise to fame, and how thankful he is for the fame he’s achieved, and it remains admirable that he’s attempting to delve deeper than just screaming and having no legitimate subject in his songs. But if your songs have verses that sound like a chorus because that’s how littered they are with ad-libs and repeating lines, then you have a problem. Sheck Wes needs to fix this because nobody is going to bump tracks like “Danimals” or “Never Lost” when all it does is expose his weaknesses as a rapper.

 

Luckily, it’s not like Sheck Wes is striving to become a bar-for-bar, lyrical God. There’s a reason this young 19-year-old has turned the rap game on its head in the last month and there’s a reason he’s signed to both G.O.O.D Music and Cactus Jack Records. Sheck Wes has undeniable raw talent. The energy that Sheck Wes presents in all of his songs makes it a prerequisite to play him at every party, club and car. Completely overlooking obvious tracks like “Live Sheck Wes” or “Mo Bamba”, songs like: “F*** Everybody”, “Gmail” and “Wanted” that are near-screamo tracks are completely ignited by Sheck Wes’ visceral energy when combined with his ability to create a consistently catchy hook are a match made in heaven. So, if you need an artist who can deliver energy, vibrancy and raw passion, then look no further than Sheck Wes himself. Understandably, this is why Sheck Wes has the fanbase and acclaim that he does, and although “MUDBOY” has certainly exposed his weaknesses in his actual rapping ability, it shone a light on how talented of an artist he is, and that he is capable of becoming so much more than we’ve seen.

 

Overall, “MUDBOY” is far from a good album and seems much more like a compilation of songs as opposed to a coherent project. There’s not a central theme and it’s hard to say that each song even has a purpose in the album. But “MUDBOY” is Sheck Wes’ first album and helps listeners peer their eyes into seeing what he’s actually capable of after being a sensation overnight from “Mo Bamba”. So stay tuned for more Sheck Wes because he has the potential to reach heights of Playboi Carti and Smokepurpp if he plays to his strengths and refines them. But for now, Sheck Wes remains an unfinished product and his success in the future is a determinant on developing his skill set as a rapper/artist.