Flockaveli (Deluxe Version)

Waka Flocka Flame's beats, rhymes and delivery are merged in a pure celebratory expression of aggression. While crusty music critics and hip-hop old fogies deride him as a “one-note cash-in,” the younger generation understands his impact. “Bustin’ At ‘Em,” “Hard In da Paint” and “Gun Sounds” are sledgehammers. These songs refuse intellectualization — they are purely physical, and if you are willing to subject yourself to them on that level you will find some of the most crushing rap music of the last ten years. The man responsible for the album’s sonics is the 19-year-old Virginia native Lex Luger, who produced 13 of the album’s 19 songs. His synergistic partnership with Waka Flocka is one of the album’s unifying principles. Even though some have dismissed Flockaveli as a sign of rap’s decline, it is actually more like an old-school rap album — a focused album-length collaboration between one rapper and one producer, both working in the service of a single concept. Waka Flocka embodies Atlanta crunk, but he has his roots in Queens and in a sense Flockaveli returns hip-hop to its rowdy roots.