![]() ![]() The video’s bright yellows, reds, and greens leap off the screen. ![]() Smino and his “monkey” (really a lemur) entertain guests with the help of a crew of aunties-and a version of Smino meant to look like his father, complete with gray hair, thick-rimmed glasses, and business-casual attire. One of them relays the sight of Smino “riding around with a whole monkey on his lap,” then quickly gets to the reason for her call: “That nigga done went and got real Hollywood or whatever, but I did hear he was having a kickback tonight though.” And so begins the charming conceit of the video: a giant dinner-turned-party, hosted at the rapper’s family home. The video for “L.M.F.,” the album’s first single, begins with a phone conversation between two women. The 27-year-old’s newly released sophomore album, NØIR, builds on his years of making funky, soulful music. He weaves multiregional R&B into the tapestry of his rap. He delights in the indulgent poetics of slant rhyme. Louis–bred rapper twists his voice into dizzyingly distinct harmonies. However, in a departure from “tradition,” Smino has also swerved away from the glossier beats Nelly would commission from the likes of The Neptunes in favor of in-house, Dungeon Family-esque beats swimming in jazz and funk influences that complemented his hazy contemplation on on his debut album, Blkswn.Smino isn’t afraid to get a little weird. Like his forebearer Nelly, whose dominant run in the mid-2000s helped put St Louis and Missouri on the map, Smino incorporates sing-song melodies into a freewheeling flow that captivates and stuns listeners with bursts of unexpected, quotable goodness. Sometimes, it feels like the only way to keep up with Smino’s fevered, stream of consciousness storytelling is to be in a dream state yourself as you listen to him yelp and croon his way over skittery, jazzy, funky loops like those of his previous singles, “ Anita” and “ Wild Irish Roses.” Fortunately, he’s become more accessible on his latest project, Noir, which, despite its moody-sounding moniker, is as bright as the St. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. ![]()
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