Hip-hop is now in its fifth decade, and so well established that it can produce its own nostalgists – artists in love with an era they never experienced. Such is Joey Bada$$, a rapper whose sound and style is a straight mimic of the “golden age” of mid-90s boom-bap hip-hop. His flow flits between that of Mos Def, Wyclef Jean and Buckshot; he repurposes rhymes by the Notorious B.I.G; he talks about blunts and spits braggadocio. Of this album’s 17 tracks, one features a retooled J Dilla beat and another has a fresh one from DJ Premier. Initially, then, B4.DA.$$ might sound bright and sparky, its sampled live instrumentation a contrast to many of today’s programmed electronic rhythms. Once the novelty wears off, though, you’re left with an album that is too often set at the middling pace of a Fugees B-side, and a rapper whose technical abilities are nowhere close to those old timers he seeks to emulate. In the end, the flattery isn’t enough to make the imitation interesting.
