If you know gangster rap, you know the name Payroll Giovanni. The Detroit rapper's been down with Doughboyz Cashout from the jump, but he's been consistently putting out excellent solo projects like 2013's Get Money Stay Humble and last year's formidable Stack Season. Now he's back with Big Bossin Vol. 1, produced entirely by percussion extraordinaire Cardo, and it's already one of the top tier rap releases of the year. Cop it on iTunes or stream it on Spotify below.

At 18 tracks, you would think the project might be a little longwinded, but Pay is so charismatic and Cardo's sound palette so diverse that the whole thing is just one dope ass 68-minute joyride. It's got a hardcore West Coast bounce to it too, despite Cardo being a Dallas native.

Payroll's got range with the flow, slowing it down to make every word impact or speeding it up to reflect the rush of street life. His music isn't one-sided; as much as he enjoys the fruits of his work, the pain beneath the hustle shows through the cracks. Don't sleep on Big Quis either. The DBC soldier absolutely murders both of his features on the tape too.

As good as Big Bossin Vol. 1 is, Pay and Cardo have already begun work on a second installment. For now, sit back and pop this on. Our favorites include the intro, "Real Plug" and "Get Yo Shine On," but the whole thing slaps from front to back.

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