Juicy J – Gas Face Review

Announced bluntly this weekend (while I was in Amsterdam getting gassed up), Juicy J, the North Memphis legend and “ratchet pussy” enthusiast released his latest mixtape “Gas Face”. At ten tracks length, it is one of J’s shorter mixtapes, however, there’s not one bleak, turnt-up moment throughout.

In typical Juice Man fashion, Juicy and an eccentric team of producers; TM88, Southside, Murda Beatz and Deedotwill provide bouncy synths, ridiculous 808 bass and other manic instrumentals that see Juicy going in as hard as ever. Starting off with the TM88-produced “One of Them”, dark haunting keys, aggressive as hell drums and hi-hats and hyped up vocals from Juicy spitting about his “cookout”, gangbanging and too always keep getting his money. The following track “How I’m Coming” produced by Juice808 is manic production and a reminiscent of his earlier days with Three 6 Mafia.

While Juicy’s vocal and lyrical content is repetitive, there’s no doubt that his skill as a songwriter for low-key turnt-up party records. The Southside-cut “No Look” would be a great single for Juicy as it’s the lightest and friendliest instrumental yet still reflects Juicy’s wild excessive lifestyle. Although I mentioned that “there’s not one bleak moment” on the mixtape, there are only two verses, not even Juicy’s, that bring down the weight of each those respected tracks. Unfortunately, Yung Nudy’s verse on “I Ain’t Havin It” and Migos’ frontman, Quavo’s contribution on “Leanin” are lackluster and don’t follow up to Juicy or previous features.

The real highlights off this tape though is Deedotwill’s production the Lil Wayne featured “Army Green & Navy Blue” and the wickedly Juicy J, Crazy Mike and FU produced “Focus”. Filled with retarded synths, off the chain hi-hats and snares and a geeked up flow from Juicy, the beat eventually slows down sampling The Weeknd’s “Echoes of Silence” to create a beautiful yet daunting melodic trap record alike to his single “All I Need”.

In all, for Juicy’s first tape of 2017 and following up his amazing summer mixtape ‘Must Be Nice’, it’s a great addition into the huge catalogue and discography of Juicy J’s art. Although his lyric content isn’t as diversified as others, as previously mentioned, his ability as a songwriter, MC, performer and producer is undoubtedly unmatched amongst a lot of his peers.