Yung Bleu
was releasing solid mixtapes of melodic and pop-ready rap for years before his notoriety exploded in 2020 with a
Drake
remix of his smoky, aching track "You're Mines Still." The song was
Bleu
's first to crack the charts, and he builds on that momentum with his ambitious studio debut
Moon Boy
. Over the course of the 15-track album,
splits his energy between thoughtfully constructed hooks aimed at mainstream appeal and flows that effortlessly switch between gentle gliding and toothier delivery. The sunny R&B flavor of the
Chris Brown
and
2 Chainz
-assisted "Baddest" sits alongside sharper tracks about warring in the street like "Contract Killers" or piano-loop-led atmospheres of heartbreak and struggle like "Angels Never Cry." The album meanders somewhat through its various styles, and there are several less memorable tracks among the stronger material, but
ultimately gels regardless.
is at his best when he's matching powers with his collaborators, and selections like the jazzy, understated
H.E.R.
duet "Tired of You" and the cloudy ambiance of "Beautiful Lies" with
Kehlani
push
's already versatile range even further. ~ Fred Thomas