On What Have We Done, Dillon sings in a deadpan voice “Lord I don’t wanna die without going viral.” The song, aptly titled “Goin’ Viral,” is cynically about the lack of artistry in hip hop and instead rapping for your fifteen minutes of fame. Essentially, the exact opposite of Dillon.
What Have We Done is the fifth collaborative album between Atlanta producer, Batsauce and rapper, Dillon. It is yet another manifestation of their over 20 years as friends. As with any long friendship, the album is laden with inside jokes, old stories, and a clear comfort with each other. That comfort breeds a “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” mentality. At 17 tracks, What Have We Done is not a short album and unfortunately for Dillon, it doesn’t seem like it will go viral. That doesn’t mean it is not good though.
The track you are mostly likely to hear on TikTok is the single “Wakin’ Up Hungry.” The boom bap beat is perfect compliment to the mantra like chorus “I went to bed full but I’m waking up hungry.” Repeated ad nauseam, it is an ear worm but probably has a lot of possibilities for visual accompaniments.
While the song works as a single, it is not necessarily representative of what the album has in store. Many tracks are short sketches of beats and lyrics with no chorus in sight. “Banana Peels” already has an animated video which has not gone viral…yet. It is an amusing video acting out many of the song’s lyrics using “Spy Vs. Spy”-esque characters. Despite the Saturday morning cartoon nostalgia, the song doesn’t have a chorus and isn’t even two minutes in length. However, you have to give Dillon credit for starting a song with “I hope all my enemies slip on a banana peel;” that is classic.
“Quiet as a Library” clocks in at a mere 1:31 and the last 35 seconds are a soundclip from a 1964 Eastern Airlines Boeing 727 ad which boasts “selection of superb entrees like Lobster Newburg, Filet Mignon with Bordelaise Sauce, prepared as you like it.” I’m sure that sky lobster was delicious.
Then there is “Isiah Thomas,” which as the title suggests, is about meeting Isiah Thomas. The song showcases Dillon’s storytelling lyricism. Clocking in at over three minutes and not featuring a chorus, the track still manages to stay engaging for its entirety.
In that sense, “Isiah Thomas” is a microcosm for the album as a whole. When you finish listening to it, there aren’t necessarily hooks that are stuck in your head but there is a deep sense of appreciation. It is like sitting in the backseat on a road trip with two best friends and getting to hear their best banter. The banter isn’t always linear but it is amusing and interesting and afterwards, you are happy you went on the journey.
Rating: 7.5/10
