It's pretty safe to say that this was the summer of Bobby Shmurda. Whether it was seeing everyone from Rihanna to amateur golfers hitting the Shmoney Dance, or not being able to say the words "a week ago" normally ever again, the cultural impact of "Hot Ni**a" in pop culture was undeniable. The viral hit even allowed the 20-year-old Flatbush native to perform the song on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, quickly making his late night debut at such an early stage in his career. But would his first major label project, Shmurda She Wrote, live up to the hype?

The short answer is yes. The compact, five-track EP begins with "Worldwide Ni**a," an uptempo, trap-drill hybrid track, with a hook handled by fellow GS9 member Ty Real. The track is an extremely a propos way start to the project, for its gritty references that serves as an accurate representation and reminder of how unexpected Shmurda's meteoric rise to fame was. "Man this shit crazy / Just the other day we was just over there shootin' niggas," says Shmurda at the track's outset.

Up next comes the EP's climax, the ubiquitous banger, "Hot Ni**a." Though one couldn't go a day without hearing the song over the course of the past few months, the song possesses an ironically charming quality that keeps one coming back for more. "Bobby Bitch," the project's third track, and Shmurda's most recent single, piggybacks off the formula of "Hot Ni**a." With its minimalistic production, catchy hook, and rhymes about catching bodies, the formula seems to have worked its magic yet again.

The next track on the project is "Living Life," a raucous jam with a hook handled by yet another member of the GS9 crew, Rowdy Rebel. The track serves as yet another reminder of where the 20-year-old rapper came from. "Lemme tell you bout my bonkers life / I was selling white, homies bout to cause some wreck tonight / Ain't no chick tonight, police looking for us left and right," says Shmurda. On the hook, Rowdy Rebel recounts the life that he, Shmurda, and countless other young black man in the hood live on a daily basis, followed by a verse from Rebel which states how their lives have changed now after fame, saying now that he's "living large."

Just as the EP started on an appropriate note, the project also ends in a similar fashion. The fifth and final track, "Wipe The Case Away," is perhaps a peek into what is to come from Bobby Shmurda. The track is drastically different from the first four tracks on the EP, taking on an almost gully R&B feel. The melodic beat is backed by a crooning vocal sample, and the catchy hook sung by Ty Real shows off the musical range that Bobby and his crew possesses. The track is centered around Bobby trying to beat a felony charge, and asking his lawyers to do everything in their power to get the judge to erase the case from his permanent record. Bobby's storytelling abilities shine on this track, and make one wonder if we can expect more tracks like this from him.

When listening to Bobby Shmurda, one shouldn't expect to be blown away with metaphors or wordplay. Shmurda gets straight to the point, telling his story how he sees fit, and does it unapologetically. While Shmurda She Wrote is far from a perfect project, the EP showcases the uncanny ability that Bobby Shmurda and his GS9 crew have to tell their gritty stories in a way that gets people moving, along with giving glimpses into their musical potential.—Marvin Jules

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