Weekly Fresh : Juicy J Makes A Left Turn With Jazzy New Album "Ravenite Social Club"

Juicy J is a legend. He's not, however, known for his versatility. He stays trippy, and has stayed trippy for most of his career. He makes hard-hitting Memphis anthems, whether he's solo or with Three 6 Mafia. It is a feature and not a bug. That said, Juicy J threw us for a loop with his new album. Ravenite Social Club is as sophisticated and slick as its title and artwork would lead you to believe. The opening track, with its dramatic soul arrangements and sound effects, perfectly sets the stage. This is an expensive sounding album, and Juicy J is more than up to the task of matching the production behind the mic.

We start off a little bumpy with the second song, "The Higher Up's." The "corporate America" refrain is a genuinely bad hook, and the rest of the song isn't good enough to overcome this formative flaw. Juicy J ventures into social commentary elsewhere on Ravenite Social Club, but it goes over much better on a song like "Don't Go Out." The highlights, though, tend to be the ones that blend the retro aesthetic with Juicy J's melodic flows. "Everything All Good" and "Suicide Doors" are stone cold stunners, between the production and nimble wordplay that belies the rapper's age. The latter is bolstered by a standout guest verse from Cordae. Ravenite Social Club could probably be a little bit shorter, but overall, it proves to be one of J's best solo releases.

1. The Provider
2. The Higher Up's
3. Don't Go Out
4. That's Gangsta
5. Everything All Good
6. F**ked Up Era
7. Thought It Was
8. Deserve It (featuring Emi Secrest)
9. The Past Is the Past
10. Consequence
11. Payment
12. One In a Million
13. Suicide Doors (featuring Cordae)
14. The Bottom Line
15. To You (featuring Robert Glasper & Emi Secrest)
16. Sometimes
17. Things Changed (featuring Emi Secrest, MacKenzie)