A Solid Debut Bound by Heavy Influences

Released September 18th 2026

As a big fan of the West and West Coast hip-hop, I’ve been tuned into AZ Chike longer than a lot of people. For most, the first time hearing him or seeing his name was on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX track “peekaboo.” Since then, AZ Chike has been building momentum, and it’s all leading up to his debut album, No Rest For The Wicked.

“Mercy” starts the album off. It’s a song I like, but it felt like one that could have been better. The buildup in the beat took too long with the repetitive style, and by the time the beat finally drops, the song is basically over. “Lamb Truck Keys” follows and isn’t a song I love. The beat is good, but it doesn’t blow me away, and that hook is bad—the first, but not the last, hook I feel that way about on this project. “Sky Rockets” is fine; it’s good to see AZ Chike get personal, which he does throughout the album, but it’s not a song I have any interest in returning to. “God’s Favorite” is the first track on No Rest For The Wicked I fully enjoyed. The beat brings heat, AZ Chike did what he does best, and he finally delivers an enjoyable hook.

“Look Like My Mama” with Tyler, The Creator was a single I didn’t fully get into initially, mostly because of the production, but in the context of the album, I actually like it more. That’s partly because it’s surrounded by a few songs that unfortunately don’t grab me. Compared to “The World Is Ours,” which also features Tyler, it’s a masterpiece—because “The World Is Ours” is by far the worst song on the album. It sounds like a CHROMAKOPIA throwaway, and I don’t mean that in a good way. Similarly, word is that “Negative” is a track from the GNX cutting room floor. If so, thank goodness it was left off, because “Negative” is one of the weaker songs on No Rest For The Wicked. That said, there’s a solid handful of favorites on this album, like “God’s Favorite,” “Look Like My Mama,” “Wonder,” “Packed Up,” “Uncomfortable Conversations,” and “Hateful + Ungrateful.”

This is a tricky album. There are a few tracks I really want to take away from No Rest For The Wicked, and while the rest aren’t terrible, they have elements and moments that keep me from being all in. AZ Chike needs to work on his hooks and, for me, establish a clearer individual identity. There’s a bit too much Tyler, The Creator and GNX influence hanging over this project. As a debut, this is solid, but AZ Chike isn’t a brand-new artist, so I’d like to see things stepped up for whatever he drops next.

Standout Tracks: “God’s Favorite,” “Wonder,” “Packed Up,” “Uncomfortable Conversations,” “Hateful + Ungrateful”

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑 (7/10)