With his 2020 record My Turn going quadruple platinum in February of this year, Grammy-winning rapper Lil Baby marked his place in the hip-hop hall of fame. It’s Only Me, released Oct. 14, details the 27-year-old’s successes while looking back on past struggles and lost love.

The 23-track album partners his signature trap bangers, perfect for a Saturday night party, with slower-paced deep cuts meant for a late night drive. The album also notably includes features from frequent collaborators Future, Young Thug, Nardo Wick and Rylo Rodriguez. 

The opening song, “Real Spill,” provides a heartful introduction to the album, setting up the song with imagery of Lil Baby driving through his hometown in a Bentley with tinted windows. The song goes on to discuss the disconnect the rapper feels with the neighborhood he grew up in, and how he yearns to fulfill his role of a “hero” for children in the neighborhood. The vulnerability in these lyrics reveals his internal struggle between the past and present, providing a raw and striking start to the album. This track showcases Baby’s storytelling skills and makes it a highlight of the project.

On “California Breeze,” one of the more melodic songs on the project, Lil Baby continues on this theme of vulnerable lyrics, detailing the impact his music career made on his life and touching on his desire for loyalty within relationships. In the song, Lil Baby relates his success to the weather of California, warm with a light breeze, providing another demonstration of his expert lyricism.

While My Turn felt riddled with standout tracks showcasing the skill and ability of Lil Baby, the recent album felt too long and repetitive. Despite a star-studded list of features, catchy trap beats and insightful lyrics from most of the songs, the album would benefit from cutting seven to eight songs, as there were sonic issues in several tracks. 

For example, despite Nardo Wick’s standout verse on the track “Pop Out,” this song contains many production issues. Midway through the song, when Wick enters, a jarring beat switch occurs out of nowhere. While both instrumentals on the song work individually, it feels choppy and awkward when put together. This felt representative of larger issues of inconsistency with pacing throughout the project, as some of the transitions between tracks feel abrupt when listening from front to back. 

However, despite those issues with longevity and pacing, the album provides an excellent showcase of the rapper’s potential. Throughout the album, Lil Baby makes it clear that he intends to continue to build and grow off of his current success and fosters goals of becoming a hip-hop legend, and with his current trajectory, he is well on his way.

3 Bentleys out of 5