If you ever wanted to be buddies with Kota The Friend, now is your chance. In Lyrics to GO, Vol. 2., Kota makes it feel like you’re sitting in a room listening to him freestyle.

In this quick 10 song, 15 minute masterpiece, Kota The Friend delivers his classic mellowed bars and sleek cadence, while disregarding the need for a chorus. The album artwork is reflective of the project, as Kota provides you with the tranquility of sitting outside with no distractions, looking into the endless horizon. In an era of rap littered with adlibs, mumbling, and autotune, Kota consistently finds a way to deliver timeless music through storytelling. Fun fact: Kota doesn’t drop a single adlib in the whole 15 minutes. Why? He simply doesn’t need to.

It’s hard to pick out favorite songs on this project, but let’s start with the opening track: "Clinton Hill." Clinton Hill sounds like a victory lap. He seems energized, with help from the brightly-toned piano-infused beat. Kota The Friend says, “Always appreciated the sunny days, knowing that I had to be grounded before the money came.” One thing's for sure: fame hasn’t changed Kota The Friend. While he understands he needs to appreciate life aside from the dollar bills, he still takes a moment to flex (as he should), spitting: "lotta people look and laugh but can't even get near me now / I’m holding generational money inside my bank account."

Another song that caught my ear on this project was “Broken.” Kota strikes an incredible lyrical balance throughout this track, finding a way to humble himself while staying entirely confident in what he’s accomplished. While conveying an articulate understanding of his life, he still maintains that oh-so-sweet flow that’ll have you throwing this one on repeat. The NY native spits, "I’m steady tryna get what I want and then what I need / I clearly notice what’s on the table and what I bring.”‍

The last song I’ll highlight is the ninth track on the project: “Pomegranate.” This track is the best example of what Kota The Friend does best: He offers perspective. In this one Kota spans topics from prayer, to idols, to money. Toward the end of the track he mentions taking for granted certain things, which results in the rapper reminiscing about his life before the fame. Talking about his daily struggles, he raps, “when everything you wanted you get it, then all you want is peace / and that comes with a whole different struggle homie ain’t nothing free.” Yes, Kota keeps it real. If you’re not in it for the lyrics, then you’ll be in it for his rich, gravely voice and undefeated rhythm. If you’re not in it for the flow and vocals, then the lyrics will do it for you. If you’re here for both, then I might’ve just found your new favorite rapper. It’s time to GO put Lyrics to GO, Vol. 2. on repeat.

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