Dave East - 'Karma 2' Review

Dave East is showing no signs of slowing down.

His discography now spans 13 mixtapes with a debut album still in the works. In 2017, he dropped Paranoia: A True Story, and Karma—the latter being a project with DJ Holiday. Still hungry as ever, he’s back with more.

Karma 2 is East’s second mixtape this year and follows up Paranoia 2. The nineteen track project secures guest appearances from the likes of Fabolous, Lil Durk, BlocBoy JB, Trouble, and more. So just how does it stack up next to his other releases?

His latest effort is more ambitious than the first Karma. East stands as the bridge between underground acts and established OGs like Fabolous. With a knack for introspective storytelling as well as gangsta-rap stuntin’, he finds the balance between both worlds on Karma 2.

There’s the gritty non-fiction he delivers on “My Nigga Dead (Interlude),” where he recounts the loss of a close friend. At its core, it’s a track about reaping what you sow—or karma. Apparently the last time they spoke it was about “some bread.” Sadly, East didn’t find out he was gone until he “got off of tour”. What’s striking is how he seems numb to this by the end of the track… as if he knows many more blowing in the wind…

As far as Dave East records go, “Levelin Up” is sunnier. The sample lingers over this track, popping in for chipmunk-pitched melodies. East boasts about his progression and how far he’s come from when he would “get on the train” or “get on the bus”. Now he “fills up the tank” and “fills up a blunt.” And of course… Fabolous shows why his career has enjoyed such longevity—his punchlines and metaphors are top-notch.

But it’s “I Ain’t Goin” that sounds like the perfect marriage between flexing and stony reflection. He revisits episodes of his past, as he makes the hook his mantra, and the production from MurdaBeatz A Morgue. East rides the beat effortlessly; he didn’t even need the feature from Trouble. Still, this is a phenomenal collaboration from the two.

In the age of streaming, bloated projects with over 20 or 25 songs are becoming more commonplace. At just under twenty songs, Karma 2 only feels slightly swollen; it’s mostly cohesive. Dave’s fan base is loyal and growing so he doesn’t need to follow any trends. Him and his team could’ve condensed this track list a little more for effect.

The lesser known acts could’ve gone harder too. With the pace that he raps at and the bars he delivers, some of these features sound underwhelming alongside East. Then there’s the bewildering “Us” ft. Gunna—although, it’s more like Gunna ft. Dave East. It’s a great track but East compromises his style and follows Gunna’s lead on this one; not what I expected from him.

Essential Tracks

• “I Ain’t Goin” ft. Trouble
• “Cut Em Off” ft. Don Q
• “My Nigga Dead Interlude”
• “Levelin Up” ft. Fabolous
• “No Stylist” ft. BlocBoy JB
• “Nobu”
• “I Don’t Understand It”
• “Scale And A Razor”
• “Highly Anticipated” ft. Lil Durk
• “We On” ft. Border Bucc

The Verdict

This may be East’s best project thus far. He’s improving and doubling down on what makes him special as an MC. These days, the “King Of New York” talk is well and alive. Rainbow troll, Tekashi 69, thinks it’s him. Cardi B thinks it’s her. Joey Badass has always felt like the king.

If Dave East isn’t in this conversation by now, then there’s a problem. Harlem’s torch-bearer is shining bright right now, with more fire still to come.

Karma 2 is a B+.