Lil Boosie
The Leak

Contradiction usually breeds confusion, but, within hip-hop, a measured dose of duality can produce large amounts of intrigue. Iconic figures like Nas and 2Pac built classic catalogues with their creative side-switchin’, and if his latest mixtape, The Leak, is any indication, Louisiana’s Lil Boosie is capable of following suit.The disc opens with “Undeniable Talent,” where Boosie brags, “Jewelry like Slick Rick/Keyshia Cole saw me, said, ‘Boosie, that’s too much shit.’” Going from gaudy to grown man, he follows with the bluesy “Doin’ This for U,” where he puts family above all else, droppin’ lines like, “I got a mama so sweet/But her heart so weak, she can’t heal without me.”Boosie quickly switches his stance and spits seductive venom at the hearts of young women on the sinfully good “I Ain’t Coming Home Tonight.” On the unapologetic player’s anthem, Boosie Bad Azz balances a remorseful hook (“I ain’t coming home tonight/I know it ain’t right”) with blatant lies (“Tell my girl that I got studio time”), but even in the midst of infidelity you feel the rapper’s plight.Despite his natural conviction, Boosie relishes the spotlight and, at times, overindulges in vanity. On the standout “Act a Donkey,” he quips, “I always wanted to be on TV/So I’ma do some shit so they can see me,” then utilizes his diamonds to cause a chain reaction on “My Victim.” Even when gangsta-toned songs like “Never Been a Bitch” and the dreary “In My Hood” miss their mark, Boosie tiptoes the line between sinner and saint with enjoyable results. With each release, Lil Boosie continues to evolve, proving that there is some good in the Bad Azz.---Maurice G. Garland