Released on Oct. 24, “GOLDFISH” is a collaborative album between legendary producers The Alchemist and Hit-Boy. The project displays the immense skill and experience of both artists blending the versatile and RZA-esque style mastered by Hit-Boy and the sample reliant and often non-percussion focused technique of The Alchemist.
The name of the album, “GOLDFISH,” is representative of the main theme of the album, being stuck in an environment which is suffocating. This is also reflected in the album’s cover, which depicts a fish bowl.
Opening with “Doing My Best,” a Hit-Boy composed track that resembles the sound of 90s hardcore rap, the project starts off aggressively. The lyrics fit this style, with confident lines such as “I’ve been through all the motions / The people who hurt you the most are the ones you close with.” This song acts as precedent for the immense emotional output felt throughout the album.
“Show Me The Way” is the first Alchemist produced track of the album. The beat clearly differentiates itself from the Hit-Boy tracks, with it using almost no percussion, mostly reliant on repetition from cut up samples. The tone of the song is more lighthearted than previous tracks, with lines such as “My life a movie / And lately it’s scary as horror flicks, but I find the beauty.” The lines reflect on the success of Hit-Boy and The Alchemist, with the two being some of the most successful beat makers of the last couple decades.
Continual messaging is found in the Hit-Boy produced track “Ricky.” The name “Ricky” refers to the character from the 1991 film “Boyz N the Hood,” a movie which was instrumental in showing the issues felt by Black Americans living with extreme poverty in large urban areas. Lines such as “Movin’ too casual, you could end up a casualty, dawg / The pain, grief and perseverance, yeah, I mastered ‘em all,” and “I’m breaking out from this emotional incarceration” illustrate the mindset of someone who is desperately attempting to escape what they perceive as an institutional bubble trapping them from success.
Collaboration between three of the greatest hip-hop composers of all time is heard on The Alchemist composed track “Celebration Moments.” The song has a guest feature from producer and rapper Havoc, formerly one half of the legendary rap duo Mobb Deep. The lyrics of the track go along with its title, reflecting over and praising life– “Life is precious, make the moments last / Capture memories, make ‘em frozen in a photograph.”
“Walk In Faith” shows that despite being known for their production, Hit-Boy and The Alchemist are both lyrically talented. The lines “Became a kingpin from a minor sale / Can’t trust a soul on this earth ‘cause even time will tell,” and “Watchin’ the birds soar, I used to imagine how flyin’ felt / Now I’m outer space, up in the stars next to Orion’s Belt,” prove that the decades of experience has also increased both artists ability to paint a picture using words instead of just beats.
Griselda rapper Boldy James is seen on The Alchemist led track “Not Much.” The track uses a slowed down, instrumental based beat to facilitate a calm yet elegant tone. Boldly James proves his 15 years in the game with bars such as “Never mix money with blood, welcome home to Big Hit / From the land of the scandalous to the zone of the misfits.”
Faith concludes the project “GOLDFISH,” with the song “God Is Great,” a self reflective track that attempts to spread wisdom to the listener. The song begins with “Dear Lord,” being formatted in the way of a prayer. After a series of lyrics praising the success of both men’s careers, the track finishes with the words “God is great.”
Overall, “GOLDFISH” is a production masterpiece. With two of the most influential hip-hop composers of all time and their own unique styles, this album has created some of the best beats of the year. Along with immaculate production, the project follows an inspiring narrative of breaking out of a confining environment.
