Brooklyn emcee Westbay released his debut album Spread Love back in 2014. It garnered some positive attention with singles featuring of-the-moment rappers like Maino and Troy Ave. Much like those rappers, Westbay disappeared almost completely by 2016. Ten years after his debut, he begins to mount his comeback with the release of Spread More Love but the question remains “who is there to comeback to?”
Westbay addresses his ten year absence on “Only You.” He raps “jealousy had me thinking I should quit/because every rapper blowin suck dick.” This comes back to a theme explored on the original Spread Love, that “real hip hop” was not valued by the mainstream and so “real rappers” like Westbay were doomed to toil in obscurity. The message of “Only You” seems to be that even though that still holds true, Westbay is not letting that deter him from continuing his career.
“Gangsta” humorously address the explosion of crack-rap over haunting Ozzie Beats production. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, he raps “yeah yeah, you loco when you’re screamin ‘fuck the po-po’/let me guess, you’re in love with the coco, right?/and all you move is bricks of ye/and fuckin like six hos a day.” It pairs nicely with “Think I Love Her,” which might be the only rap song to begin with a clip of Sarah Michelle Gellar from Cruel Intentions. Rather than a track about loving bad bitches, the song is about loving one particular bad bitch. It ends up being more a feminist anthem than something from Certified Lover Boy.
While songs like “Spectacle” are reminiscent of a bygone era of hip hop, it is clear that Westbay has matured over the last decade and is ready to resume his journey with a new form of clarity and vigor. To assuage any concerns, he has already stated that you won’t have to wait until 2034 to hear more music from him. “Spread More Love just scratches the surface on this next chapter,” he says. “And I’m glad to say that the story continues because the follow-up is already in the works.”
Spread More Love is available now through all major digital retailers and streaming platforms via Dope Rush Records.
Rating: 7.3/10
