This is the 3rd full-length solo LP from Detroit emcee Valid. Introducing himself properly in 2015 with Reach High, he would follow it up in 2019 getting more personal on the sophomore effort Mihajlo which I personally would recommend to anyone as the best place to start for anyone who wants to get up on Valid’s music & eventually the Plum Brandy EP only 9 months later. He & Stretch Money formed Bill & Isiah over a year ago putting out an acclaimed & only 5 months since his debut mixtape The Bronko Tape, we’re now being treated to Peach Brandy as the main course.
“Peach Killer” is a classy boom bap opener to the album talking about letting the cosmos control his destiny whereas “There He Is” works in pianos along with more kicks & snares referring to himself as the motherfucker that those doubted most. “1 of a Kind” kinda has a jazzier boom bap quality to the beat so he can talk about the life he living ain’t like anything else just before “Places” hooks up a solemn sample setting out to reinvent in the renaissance city.
Bill & Isiah link back up for “9 to 5” hopping over a vocal flip to brag that it be looking like they selling dope when their music careers are taking off in actuality leading into the celebratory “May 6” talking about how his circle wasn’t even supposed to make it & engaging in a gangsta ass tradition. “Never Question” goes into pop rap territory tackling themes of romance, but then “The One Who Decides” brings some strings in the picture & some of his most captivating storytelling yet.
“Plush” featuring Boog Brown gives off a more playful tone aesthetically encouraging everyone to put ‘em up high while “Sci-Non-Fi” turns the jazz influences back up confessing that he feels like he’s in a weird place making it look like he in space. “Cigareta” featuring Jon Connor & Philmore Greene returns to the boom bap reminiscing as they smoke up remembering those who can’t be here while “Stara Škola” featuring BARS, Frenkie, Ghet, LD Pistolero, Random & Struka comes through with a Serbian hip hop posse cut.
Starting the encore of Peach Brandy, the song “Nirdala” groovily talks about everyone chasing cash & success in the the midst of the never-ending battle between good & evil while the penultimate track “This Day” blends vibraphones along with kicks & snares trying to stay optimistic even when he isn’t in the best place mentally. “Graycious” lastly ends the LP with a bit of a west coast homage from the funky instrumental to the Zapp-inspired background vocals feeling gracious.
In case you didn’t know, everything that made Plum Brandy the heartfelt EP in Valid’s discography showcasing his Serbian roots with a heavy amount of ex-Yugoslavian samples makes it’s way onto Peach Brandy & even taking it a step further than the predecessor a month before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of his Serbian heritage is being re-explored in a bigger, full-length capacity allowing himself & the producers to do more with the cards that’re dealt in comparison to The Bronko Tape’s raw homage to Bronko Lubich.
Score: 7/10
