Signing to a major label placed Big K.R.I.T. in a conundrum the moment he scribbled his name on the dotted line.  While 2012’s Live From The Underground had its moments, it was severely hindered by sample clearance issues, a product of releasing a project for purchase.  Then Kendrick Lamar threw the gauntlet on “Control”, openly challenging his peers to up the quality of the work being fed to consumers.  Enter Cadillactica, a conceptual album where each track ties into the creation and eventual destruction of the similarly titled planet.  K.R.I.T.’s creativity glows radiantly from the opening slate of tracks: “Kreation”, which imagines the planet’s formation as well as “Life”, which features radio transmissions of observations made while perusing the cosmos in search of life.  Even “My Sub, Pt. 3”, which perceives the 808 drum as the “big bang” that structured the planet, adds to the album’s narrative.

Each track is also able to stand on its own, another testament to KRIT’s ability.  The title track, along with the brash “King Of The South”, are lyrical exhibitions of double time flows and rhyme schemes as well as evidence of the South’s ability to match their Northern contemporaries.  The album’s latter half balances the record, reflecting on physical hardships (“Angels”) and spiritual exploration (“Third Eye”, “Saturdays = Celebration”).  What hampers K.R.I.T. is when the album strays too far from the concept and K.R.I.T. allows his comfort zone to steer Cadillactica.

“Mo Better Cool” is a smooth posse cut, featuring the likes of fellow Alumni member Big Sant and Texas royalty Devin The Dude and Bun B, but it is a track that KRIT has virtually done (“Pull Up”) several times before.  “Mind Control” unites K.R.I.T. west coast legend E-40 for a great rap moment, despite the latter (and Wiz Khalifa) failing to hold serve alongside K.R.I.T.’s barrage of rhymes.  Cadillactica delivers where Live was ineffective, especially from a musical standpoint.  KRIT relies on few samples, leaning heavier on varied instrumentation and he sounds reinvigorated lyrically as a result.  While handling the bulk of production duties, he also hands the reins to a select few that only support his overall vision.  While comparisons of Cadillactica to OutKast’s ATLiens growing by the day, it is amusing that more do not compare Live From The Underground to Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.  While the latter two albums were Earth bound content, the former both find their niche amongst the stars.  Perhaps this is the start of K.R.I.T. discovering his place in this wide-ranging genre called hip hop.

Highlights—Angels/Do You Love Me/Life/Saturdays=Celebration/Third Eye

Skip It—Mind Control/Mo Better Cool