Drug addiction. Depression. $uicide. I Want to Die in New Orleans is the debut, full-length album released on September 7th from the rap duo $uicideboy$. Hailing from New Orleans, the group has put their struggles and life stories within the 42 minute length of the album, using news clips from local news stations that depict the stories and events that have affected them both while growing up. Combining a supremely dark aesthetic, genuineness, and influences from 90’s Memphis rap, I Want to Die in New Orleans is a fantastic album that doesn’t stray away from the $uicideboy$ previous bodies of work, but shows progression and an overall improvement over past releases.
To start, this album is one that should be listened to from start to finish. Yes, there’s individual tracks that are stand-outs. But, to get the full effect of the message the $uicideboy$ are trying to communicate, this needs to be listened start to finish. The tracks messages and transitions between tracks are more effective and pack a harder punch when listened in the order of track listing.
The transitions between tracks also gives us glimpses within the lives of both Ruby and $crim. Using newscast audio between tracks about shootings and the breaking of the levees during Hurricane Katrina give the listener chilling audio clips to lace the bone-chilling tracks together. It also works with the name of the album, I Want to Die in New Orleans, as a majority of the clips deal with the destruction of the city, it’s people, or the drugs given to people to cause self-destruction.
There are a batch of hazy, drugged out tracks that are slower in delivery but punctuate the issues they’re speaking about perfectly. “King Tulip” talks about each individual’s struggle with drug usage and being left depressed and lonely because of it. “Nicotine Patches” talks about where they’re at currently in life, especially when Ruby says that fans are screaming $uicide saved the day, although the topics $uicideboy$ cover in their tracks are quite deadly.
“Long Gone” is also another slower track, with melodic singing that accompanies the tranquil beat in the background. “122 days” is also another slower song, but it’s one of the big standouts within the track listing. The drugged out, yet soothing flow from $crim is one that is hardly rivaled from other artists currently. The bridge from Ruby into $crim’s verse is also beautiful, using cries for help from Ruby into $crim going into his drugged out flow.
Don’t worry though, there are a lot of hard hitting tracks on this album as well. “Bring Out Your Dead” brings the tension and hard-hitting bass that helped the $uicideboy$ blow up in the first place. $crim finishes with screaming vocals, that are chilling but also make perfect sense, considering the group once labeled themselves as “death rap” or “trap metal”.
“Krewe Du Vieux” is also a banger, and another perfect standout on this album. Using techniques previously mentioned, the combination of singing and a hard hitting pace makes this track stay on repeat. “WAR TIME ALL THE TIME” is by far the most hard hitting track on the album, it sounds like a damn warzone. Gun samples, the general rage in both $crim and Ruby’s flows, and the transition Ruby chanting that he’s declaring war makes this song fitting for charging a hill amidst a war.
The album finishes up with two tracks that are an absolute treat for $uicideboy$ fans. “F*** the Industry” is a heartfelt message about the two’s dealings and experience within the music industry, but hits listeners with a surprise at the end. BONES, of TeamSESH fame, an underground legend, makes his presence felt by giving an obituary for the two to close out the album. This connection is majestic for fans of both, as $crim did some beats for BONES on LivingSucks, and the two have been teasing a potential collaboration album.
“I No Longer Fear The Razor Guarding My Heel IV” is also a special treat for long time $uicideboy$ fans. Considering the other three were standalone releases, a compilation of tracks that weren’t used on full projects, they’re always intricate and well put together.
This edition of “I No Longer Fear The Razor Guarding My Heel” is by far the best yet, with elements of pop-punk, mellow raps, and old Memphis rap. The “You can feel the bullets from my steel, son!” sample is one of the hardest on the entire album. It sticks in your head and has you repeating it throughout your day. It’s a beautiful compilation that was added as a bonus to the end of the album.
Overall, I Want to Die in New Orleans is a fantastic album that was well worth the hype and wait from the $uicideboy$. This album will be in my rotation for a long time, and I don’t see it leaving it for a long while. Standout tracks for me are “122 Days”, “Krewe Du Vieux”, “WAR TIME IS ALL THE TIME”, and “I No Longer Fear the Razor Guarding My Heel IV”. Give this album a listen, it’s available on all major streaming platforms as well as Soundcloud. You won’t regret it.