Lefty Doing Things Right

After dropping what I thought was a great project this year with JasonMartin in Can’t Get Right, I was looking forward to seeing what Ghetto Heisman was going to be—a project with a much wider spread of producers and noticeably more features. Will it feel as focused? This will be my first full project of his that isn’t directly connected to a producer. Time to see what Lefty is offering up.

Ghetto Heisman has a similar but different vibe than Can’t Get Right. Both have moments of high energy and gangster flair, but also give Lefty the room to get personal and let the beats chill. However, Ghetto Heisman leans slightly more into a Hispanic sound, and the beats here, while good, don’t hit quite as hard as the ones on his last project.

Lefty himself makes songs I like, and when he’s focused, he makes songs I love. This didn’t exactly feel like the most focused Lefty can be. There are some good bars and rhymes here, but generally, there’s a feeling that there wasn’t a JasonMartin, an industry veteran, to help guide things. The only song here I’d say I don’t really like is San Gangster Valley; the flow from Lefty just wasn’t working for me. Some of my favorite tracks, though, are Bikini Bottom, J Wow, Nicola’s, Suavemente, Run Outta Drugs, Thugs Mansion, and ETA.

Hate him or love him, Lefty Gunplay is a recipient of—and himself a—Ghetto Heisman for Baldwin Park. He’s put in the work, and this project is another solid notch in Lefty’s belt. If you’re into this kind of West Coast rap, this is worth a listen. It’s not his best output, and he’s not a lyrical miracle worker, but he’s a force in his lane. If he stays focused and buckles down, Lefty can achieve big things.

Standout Tracks: Bikini Bottom, Nicola’s, Suavemente & ETA

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑 (6.5/10)