Ptbsyndicate (Paid To Breathe Syndicate, in full) is a seasoned record label, with multiple projects now under its belt, and at its helm is Bob DeNiro, a Delaware native who shares a name with the famed thespian.
As a teenage prodigy in his own right, he started out making beats and bumping to them amongst other songwriters. He made his way into sound engineering, wading slowly into video production, before realizing he could actually put together and release his own full projects.
From his decades-long career as an inner-city rapper comes his third album, “Evil Genius 2”, a 20-track LP that is inspired by Bob’s relationship with his ex-fiance and his long journey into hip-hop notoriety. In it, he chronicles everything you would expect of a city-hardened grinder.
“Evil Genius 2” might be his third full-length album, but it’s his fifth project: a respectable number of projects to have under your belt. This 20-piece masterpiece is both lyrically and sonically compelling. The lyrical exhibition is fascinating, expressive, and sophisticated, and the instrumentation provides fans and listeners with a heartfelt project stitched together by a rich tapestry of sounds and textures. Each track is distinct from the previous one while remaining coherent and seamless as a whole.
The sheer talent and skill that goes into the production of a song is often lost in the mix, but this album is a clear demonstration of how important it is to pay attention to the intricacies of sound design. “Wake Up,” for example, is an appealing and wavy track featuring Zookie, who is signed to a fellow Delaware native and grammy nominated producer SAP. The track has an engaging start marking the tempo of this euphonic stunner and the lyrical ingenuity delivered in an exceptional style sounding ethereally satisfying. When he said “Money Like a Joke, if you broke you wouldn’t get it…” I felt that. The way he smokes those bars on tracks like “Out The Way and “Wake Up” should be a reason for concern for the other established rappers – he is coming for y’all!
There’s also a decent amount of female hooks infused into the harder, more bare-knuckle track like “Chemicals,” “Where It Ends” and “Whatever You Need”: often sing-songy, catchy vocal riffs meant to offset the breakneck speed with which most of the verses are exceptionally delivered in.
Of the tracks where Bob shows himself willing to stop and pace his breath, the result is almost always an introspective venture, meditative contemplations on everything from gang violence, drugs, distrust among peers, all the way to love, intimacy and his familial relationships.
With fluttering 808s in “Get Better”, Bob manages to hedge closer to a sound with a mainstream appeal all the while conserving his unique lyrical prowess. As if Bob’s fire wasn’t enough, fans are also treated to a top-tier verse from Richard Raw, whose superb approach and flow transform this track into one of the most impressive featured verses on the album.
Dig a little deeper into his lyrics, however, something must be said, too, about the range and depth of imagery that Bob DeNiro shows himself more than capable of: “Over my shoulder she’s pulling me closer […] Something about you is different; something kind of energy’s miss”
The peaceful impact provided by “When It’s 2AM” with its intriguing hooks and the way DeNiro reflects on a few themes such as money, trust, and prior relationships in his makes it the ideal sound for late-night introspection. Is there anything that this album doesn’t have?
There is so much to ingest even in tracks like, “I’m Sorry”, “Make a Wish” and “Was It Real.” Overall, “Evil Genius 2” is a very consistent affair, a very entertaining album that hold its energy during all its twenty tracks, making us wonder what will be the next steps of the evil genius Bob DeNiro.
Check out the attached stream to listen to Bob DeNiro’s new album “Evil Genius 2”!
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