Kota the Friend dropped his sophomore album “EVERYTHING" May 22. Brooklyn-bred MC melodic flow matches perfectly with the heavy jazz-influenced beats that grace the entire album.The self-produced project is an ode to the present and to the future bringing better times. This is definitely a project that was needed doing times like these. Kota touches subjects of relationships, future wants, enjoying the now, and most importantly what it means to have everything. With big features from Joey Bada$$, Bas and others to help to create this upbeat album. He even has his son Lil Kota spit a view bars on the outro song.
Opening the first track with “Heyo, did you miss me? / I missed you/ I'm back “. “Summerhouse” is telling the audience that Kota is back and filling in the time since we last heard from him. “Couple of L's/couple of blunts/ couple of wins/Couple of drinks/couple of girls/couple of trips/Couple of bags/I got my foot on the gas” gives a casual glimpse of what has been going on in his life but also lets the listener know that this time he isn’t letting up. At the outro of the song he gives his meaning of what everything is to him. He says, “What means everything to me is love/Everywhere I go, everything I do, everywhere I am/ There has to be love, there has to be positive vibes/ Life is too short for anything negative/ And anything that you don't love, so for me love is number one/ It means everything".
The first single off the album, “B.Q.E” ft Joey Bada$$ and Bas is an ode to where all three MCs are from, New York. The title comes from the abbreviation of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway also known as Interstate 278. The chorus gives a wakeup call saying “ Ayy, is you gettin' on this train?/ Miss it and you gon' be late/ You could catch another wave/ But we hoppin' on the B-Q-E/ Doin' 90 on the B-Q-E/ You could find me on the B-Q-E/ Get behind me on the B-Q-E” basically meaning that if whoever doesn’t follow them now they are going to miss out on the success these three are chasing after. Each rapper tells how they give respect to the city because that’s where they learned everything that made them into who they are today. It’s almost like a love song to their borough
Kota gives us more ideas on what EVERYTHING is by having Lupita Nyong’o and Lakeith give what the word EVERYTHING means to them. Lupita talks about how it means everything to her to not be "gas light", to be heard, and to be free. She tells of how having someone around to help is important to her just to learn grow and of course sky gaze is everything to her. Lakeith’s idea of having EVERYTHING is to have nothing. He says “As long as there is something to strive for/ Something to continue to work toward/ We um, validate our existence, um/ Just try to have some fun while you doin' it” which I have to admit it very Lakeith.
“Away Park” tells a story of a near perfect relationship that Kota. “From Kool-Aid to champagne, train rides to valet/ Good days from bad days, room sticks to last names/ No job to good job, from livin' single to good times/ Hellos to goodbyes” he reminisces on a young relationship growing into a mature love story. The vocals from Kaiit beautifully floats throughout all the track and especially her verse that closes the track. “She been tryna to get away way, away-way/ I was tryna do the same thing, the same thing/ I can take you to a safe place and make space/ We just tryna get away-way, away-way” gives details of how this couple finds a piece of mind in one another. They enjoy it so much because they can be real with one another.
“EVERYTHING” is an album that dropped just in time for summer. All the way through he gives positive affirmations to the situation he has going on in his now. Those vibes and advice throughout the project are something that we definitely should take and try to implement in our lives during quarantine. From the bomb features to the real verses “EVERYTHING” captivates the listener from track one to track twelve. I honestly was surprised when the album ended. From the first time I heard it I replayed it three times and do such every time I listen to it. After listening to this I pondered about what my everything is. My EVERYTHING is beautiful sunsets, summer night swims, late nights with my friends, the feeling of hearing music for the first time, and accomplishing anything that furthers my future. I highly advise that you listen to this album and then ask yourself, what’s your EVERYTHING? Leave what your EVERYTHING is in the comment box below.
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