Moon Boy

Recording information: Conway Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Crosby recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA; D.O.E. 3, Beverly Hills, CA; Dauphin Street Sound, Mobile, AL; Empire Studios, San Francisco, CA; Soul Asylum, Atlanta, GA; VMG Studios; Windmark Studios, Santa Monica, CA.
Yung Bleu was releasing solid mixtapes of melodic and pop-ready rap for years before his notoriety exploded in 2020 with a Drake remix of his smoky, aching track "You're Mines Still." The song was Bleu's first to crack the charts, and he builds on that momentum with his ambitious studio debut Moon Boy. Over the course of the 15-track album, Yung Bleu splits his energy between thoughtfully constructed hooks aimed at mainstream appeal and flows that effortlessly switch between gentle gliding and toothier delivery. The sunny R&B flavor of the Chris Brown and 2 Chainz-assisted "Baddest" sits alongside sharper tracks about warring in the street like "Contract Killers" or piano-loop-led atmospheres of heartbreak and struggle like "Angels Never Cry." The album meanders somewhat through its various styles, and there are several less memorable tracks among the stronger material, but Moon Boy ultimately gels regardless. Bleu is at his best when he's matching powers with his collaborators, and selections like the jazzy, understated H.E.R. duet "Tired of You" and the cloudy ambiance of "Beautiful Lies" with Kehlani push Moon Boy's already versatile range even further. ~ Fred Thomas