Boldy stamps an exclamation point on an outstanding 2025 run

I know Boldy James has had some other monster years—don’t get me wrong—but it feels like people are sleeping on the work he’s put in during 2025. In a year that’ll go down as one of the best in recent memory, few artists have put out as much music at such a consistently high level as Boldy James.

For their second project of the year, Boldy and Nicholas Craven have teamed up again to deliver Criminally Attached—a tape packed with great beats and even greater bars.

Nicholas Craven came through once more with these 10 beats. Jazzy, beautiful, soulful tunes—many of them so good I’d happily listen to them with no vocals, like Quaker Oats (instrumental version). Sometimes that means I’d almost prefer them without vocals, but not here. The production is that stunning, and Boldy matches it bar for bar. Marrero-level beauty this time, lol.

“Walnut Grove” is an incredible opener, and then we get the two singles back-to-back. I personally prefer “Infrared Dot Com” over “No Blemishes,” but both are great. “Fully Smack” is a low-key vibe that still hits hard, especially with those cold Boldy bars at the top about the 11 souls. “Thumb Of Craven” goes crazy, and whenever Boldy links with high-caliber producers like this, he enters an unstoppable rap state. The features are solid—they don’t steal the show for me, but they definitely don’t hold the project back either.

This is one of Boldy’s best drops of 2025, and that’s really saying something given how stacked his year has been. Nicholas Craven continues to prove why he’s one of the underground’s top producers while slowly but surely creeping into the mainstream. Boldy James is on fire right now, and this 2025 run cannot be overlooked.

Standout Tracks: Walnut Grove, Infared Dot Com, Fully Smack, Thumb Of Craven & Mr. Quaker Oats

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑(9.5/10)