BE MORE GRATEFUL

Affirmations and resolutions can prove to be helpful self-empowerment tools, and DaBaby seems like one of those people. For the Charlotte rap star’s fifth proper album—his first since 2022’s <i>Baby on Baby 2</i>—he symbolically steps back into the spotlight after a tumultuous period with <i>BE MORE GRATEFUL</i>. The titular attitude of gratitude permeates the proceedings here, manifesting via the erudite rap game rejoinders of “PAPER LOW” and the highly personal musings of “RAIN RAIN”. He opens up about his own pain on the melodic and melancholic “WHAT ABOUT ME” and exposes his interpersonal vulnerability amid the reflections of “MARINATING” and “MIC CHECK”. Speaking more on his own experiences, he proffers unsolicited albeit useful advice for others on “LETTER TO MY YN” and the snarky, soulful “OUT YA BUSINESS”. That said, <i>BE MORE GRATEFUL</i> is hardly some resolutely sombre affair from the rapper who gave us “ROCKSTAR” and “Suge”. He gets gratifyingly explicit for “POOTIE TANG” and the R&B-infused “DON JULIO LEMONADE” and goes full lothario on the persuasive “BABY DADDY MUSIC”. With its indulgent 808 bump and relentlessly risqué lyrics, “POP DAT THANG” draws upon Miami bass raunch and Freaknik free-spiritedness to yield a modern sexy romp. He employs a similar tactic on the party-starting “SHAKE THE SPOT”, its low-end rumbles and Splack Pack nods serving as a Southern hip-hop homage.