<p><span><span>- Memphis rapper Pooh Shiesty<strong> </strong>has come almost out of nowhere. Despite proclaiming his independent status, Shiesty has seemingly made the smart choice for his career by signing to <strong>Gucci Mane</strong>’s 1017 Records. With a little push from the trap legend, Shiesty has caught the eye of several big guests and made an effort to strike while hot with first mixtape <em>Shiesty Season</em>.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Lead single <em>Back in Blood </em>is as cold as its subject matter with Shiesty throwing out bar after bar of violent imagery over looping pianos. Shiesty proclaims he's a one man army, leaving his enemies running with simple but effective lines such as “<em>they ain't got nowhere to go, I shot up everywhere they was.</em>” Guest rapper <strong>Lil Durk </strong>fits perfectly and delivers a solid verse that is more successful than more recent features. The song is a tried and true method that allows both artists to really do their thing and is sure to see considerable airtime this year.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span><em>Guard Up </em>is reminiscent of sounds that artists such as <strong>Young Thug</strong>, <strong>Gunna</strong> or <strong>Lil Baby </strong>were approaching two years ago if more straight-forwardly. Pooh rides a twangy guitar over pounding 808s as he continues his boastful violent threats. Detailing his rise to fame, his various accessories and of course his supporters back home, Shiesty seems intent on staying on top with his sticky choruses and emotionless yet captivating tone.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>1993 saw <strong>Notorious B.I.G. </strong>rap with an alter-ego of sorts, intended to sound younger, on the now classic track <em>Gimme the Loot</em>. <em>Ugly </em>might as well be its successor as Shiesty teams up with his boss Gucci Mane to deliver a familiar, solid banger with the two being virtually indistinguishable in both voice and tone. While this is not a downside as I am a fan of Gucci, there is much to be said about a forty year old millionaire still rapping about the same street antics as Shiesty as it comes off as slightly disingenuous.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>From here, <em>Shiesty Season </em>sadly lost me for majority of its seventeen track run. While I see a lot of potential in Pooh, especially the single that drove me to check out this record, I feel he needs slightly more variation to back a project of this size. However, almost anyone can be saved by lively and worthwhile production. Almost every single track on <em>Shiesty Season </em>is backed by short and repetitive piano key sections that offer little in terms of memorable moments. Even after listening in full several times, it's hard for me to remember exact tracks outside of the obvious guest features. Some guests do deliver however with <strong>21 Savage </strong>doing his usual threatening antics, like he's still in his <em>Savage Mode 2</em> mindset while <strong>Tay Keith </strong>deliver a much needed boost in production on <em>Master P</em>.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Pooh Shiesty is not quite there yet, hitting only first base on <em>Shiesty Season</em>. He certainly understands how to deliver solid trap numbers with stereotypical subject matter, I think his delivery could shuffle a little further away from just modern-day Gucci. Just like Young Thug stealing from <strong>Lil Wayne</strong> before developing his own lane earlier last decade, Pooh Shiesty has time to iron himself out.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- James Chadwick.</span></span></p>
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