Big K.R.I.T. - 4Eva Is A Mightly Long Time - 2x LP Vinyl

2022 repress on colored vinyl - When artists set out to pursue a career in the music industry, the overwhelming majority have dreams of going from rags to riches, from an unknown talent to having their name on the marquee for all to see. Creativity, in its purest form, is fueled by passion, however, when the business side of the music begins to creep into the picture, things tend to get a bit complicated. Unfortunately, this leads to many dreams of fame and fortune to be deferred. This is the predicament that Mississippi rep Big K.R.I.T. found himself in during his tenure as an artist signed to Def Jam Records, with whom he inked a record deal in 2010.

Riding high off the release of his critically acclaimed mixtape, K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, Big K.R.I.T. was touted as one of the leaders of the new school, being mentioned in the same sentence as future platinum artists like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. Critics predicted he was the next southern lyricist to set the rap world on fire. However, when his debut album, Live From the Underground, eventually arrived in 2012, it would fail to resonate with rap fans at large, resulting in marginal sales and a lack of interest surrounding the project. When his sophomore effort, Cadillactica, also underperformed commercially, it was believed that maybe K.R.I.T.'s pairing with Def Jam may have been more of a detriment than a career boost. This would all be confirmed by both sides when K.R.I.T. broke ties with the label in 2016.

The news may have appeared to be a setback initially, but K.R.I.T. would flip the script by deciding to go back to his roots and make music in the spirit of the tunes that originally exposed him to the hip-hop community. A little over a year later, Big K.R.I.T. has emerged from the shadows with, 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time, a double album that attempts to silence any whispers he'll fade into obscurity. This project, marking a triumphant return for the former phenom, consists of two portions: one with songs delivered from the vantage point of Big K.R.I.T. the artist, and the other as Justin Scott the person, which looks to separate man from the music in transparent fashion.

After nearly three years absent from the music scene, making a good first impression is essential to setting the tone for what fans can expect as they get into the thick of the album. Big K.R.I.T. wastes no words and leaves no prisoners on the 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time opening salvo "Big K.R.I.T." The song, which Big K.R.I.T. produced himself, finds the rapper laying it on heavy over bluesy keyboards and guitar riffs. "Knocking on the door, hoping someone answers, yeah, I call that faith/This mouth of mine has turned down water for wine, I still recall that taste," he rhymes. Alluding to the bitterness that engulfed him following his departure from the major label system amid soul-stirring vocals from Rolynne Anderson, Big K.R.I.T. comes across as a man possessed, resulting in an intense introduction that serves as a foreshadowing of things to come.

The brooding vibe continues on the DJ Camper-produced "Confetti," on which K.R.I.T. ponders, "What's a crown if you don't protect it, nigga?/What's a name if they don't respect it, nigga?" before dropping heady couplets like, "Nailing in they coffin, the cost of them being off it/Balling since Iverson crossed you, winner's circle my office."

Known for being more of a self-contained artist than a serial collaborator, Big K.R.I.T. invites a few guests to join him throughout 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time, as T.I. rides shotgun on "Big Bank," and Lloyd assists in smoothing things out on the mid-tempo jam "1999." With a hook built around interpolations of R&B trio Guy's classic "Piece of My Love" and the Juvenile twerk anthem "Back That Azz Up," in addition to Big K.R.I.T.'s measured slick talk, "1999" comes across as a high-powered single without requiring him to stray too far out of his comfort zone—a balance that proved to be challenging in the past.