KenTheMan Takes the Mic, Not Quite the Reins

The other day on the Hip-Hop High Society podcast, The Roundtable, we were talking about upcoming releases, and this project from KenTheMan came up. I haven’t actually tuned into KenTheMan before, but based on what the homies were saying, it sounded like I might enjoy her music. So I decided to check out this EP that just dropped, I Love 304s. You’ve got my attention with the title, lol. So I gave it a shot, with slightly mixed results.

First off, KenTheMan is a solid rapper. She brings good flows and rhymes that rarely slip up. Lyrically, it’s not the deepest, but I don’t always need that if the music is hitting the right way. The main issue I found with KenTheMan comes more from her delivery. Unfortunately, I just didn’t feel like KenTheMan really controlled the songs here or commanded attention. Obviously, she’s popular, so it’s a me problem, but there are plenty of women MCs that grab my attention and keep it. It just didn’t happen here on I Love 304s from KenTheMan.

I Love 304s is a 5-song EP clocking in at just under 15 minutes. With a short project, there’s little wiggle room. Thankfully, KenTheMan can deliver some solid tracks and hold her own for the lane she’s in. On I Love 304s, there are two styles: laid-back pimp shit like “Pimp K” and “They Call Me.” Good songs, with “Pimp K” being the better of the two. On the other side are the turn-up songs, a bit more my style, and I think KenTheMan pulls them off a bit more than her other style showcased here. These are the songs where Ken takes the reins and drives the track herself a bit more. There’s a consistency here that I appreciate; I just wish it was on a slightly higher level.

I try not to have expectations, but I’ll admit I was hoping for a little more here from KenTheMan. I’ll likely continue to tap in, and maybe she’ll grow on me. It’s happened to male and female MCs alike. But it’s going to be tough to overcome a delivery problem from an artist that probably wouldn’t agree. Like I said, she’s successful, so what do I know?

Standout Tracks: OMG

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑(5.5/10)