West-coast’s finest Ab-Soul has always been a mercurial presence, and when he fully locks in, he’s an absolute beast. On his new album Soul Burger, Ab-Soul goes absolutely nuts.
Soul Burger follows Herbert, the album that Ab-Soul released two years ago. It also follows some big moments this summer — Ab-Soul reuniting with his old Black Hippy comrades at Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out concert and in his “Not Like Us” video. In recent months, Ab-Soul has released weeks like “Squeeze 1st 2” and the JID collab “Crazier.” He only announced the release of Soul Burger last week, but the album is here now. It’s a full-length tribute to Ab-Soul’s late friend DoeBurger.
Soul Burger opens with “9 Mile” track, an allusion to the first scene from the movie Belly, and it’s an appropriately epic intro where he interpolates Eminem‘s 8 Mile: B-Rabbit vs Papa Doc scene. The rest of the LP has plenty of big-name guests, including Vince Staples, Doechii, Lupe Fiasco, Ty Dolla $ign, JasonMartin, Blxst, and Punch. The late DoeBurger makes an appearance, too. ScHoolboy Q doesn’t rap on the album, but he contributes production, as do people like 9th Wonder, Terrace Martin, and Beat Butcha.
In the first verse of the second part of the song, Soulo raps: “I am broke, I am on f–king drugs / Don’t owe s–t, I’m paying rent but my babies mom / I take a 7.62 for Top Dawg / I did jump off a bridge on Del Amo Boulevard / I’m blessed but question why God would have mercy on a junkie / Biggest lie I ever told was that it ain’t about the money / Hopped out the rabbit hole but now I’m really trippin’ / I’m still standing here screaming “F–k the whole system” / Couldn’t care any less if you judge me b–ch / You don’t know what the f–k I did for this s–t / And I don’t know much, but I do know this / I got the game in a headlock, I’m like Draymond / Yo, you think you f–kin’ with the squad just a little bit? (No!) / Dream on, and then apply for your Nembership.”
This, as well as the title of the track is in reference Eminem’s “8 Mile” movie. The first line is a direct reference to a line said by B-Rabbit “I am white, I am a f–king bum, I do live in a trailer with my mom.” Next lines are also reference to Eminem’s lines: ““I’m still standin’ here screaming, “F–k the Free World!” / Don’t ever try to judge me, dude / You don’t know what the f–k I’ve been through / But I know something about you…” Ab-Soul practically rapped his version of entire B-Rabbit’s verse in the final battle of 8 Mile against Papa Doc. You can listen to the song below:
