From a Birds Eye View

North Carolina rapper Cordae ascended at an almost unimaginable rate, moving from the release of his first single to Grammy nominations and Super Bowl commercial appearances in just a couple of years. Cordae's early songs displayed so much character, technical ability, and uncommon approaches to lyricism and attacking his beats that his rapid rise to mainstream acclaim seemed almost predetermined by his talent. For his second studio album, From a Birds Eye View, he doubles down on the neo-soul undercurrents of his 2019 debut, The Lost Boy, subtracting almost all of the trap elements and club-minded bass of his earlier releases in favor of dusty, organic drums and tightly arranged production full of warm soul samples and live instrumentation. The result is a smooth, sometimes mild-mannered rap record with lush production. Cordae returns to themes of family, grief, and being in the game for the long haul, as he's joined by guests as prestigious as Lil Wayne on the jumpy "Sinister," Stevie Wonder and Freddie Gibbs on the dreamy glisten of "Champagne Glasses," and spots from Eminem, H.E.R., Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, Gunna, and more. ~ Fred Thomas