To say that The World Is Yours 2 is Rich the Kid’s most forgettable release is something of an empty criticism, considering the self-anointed “hottest rapper in New York” (a lie so brazen it’s not even worth dissecting) has been releasing some of the most personality-devoid hip-hop of the last few years. Rich’s big thing is that he has a lot of money… and that’s it — he brings nothing else to the table in terms of lyricism, his delivery is absolutely pedestrian at best, and his indifferent production usually just slaps some heavy bass onto a middling 808 beat. That’s all still true of his latest, a collection of 16 lazily slapped-together tracks of pure meaninglessness, but the extra insult to injury here is the astonishing list of features Rich the Kid has been able to assemble and completely waste. You know you’re squandering your resources when Lil Pump sounds stone sober (“Rockets”), when both Ty Dolla Sign and a bored Miguel phone in what little singing time they have (“Woah”), when Nav somehow sounds less jaded than you (“Wrong Thing”), and especially when Big Sean of all people gives the most thoughtful verse on the entire album. There’s no joy to be found anywhere on The World Is Yours 2, a lifeless vanity project from some wealthy douchebag who only became somewhat relevant after Kendrick Lamar jumped on a remix to his highest charting song, “New Freezer.” Unsurprisingly, Kung-Fu Kenny doesn’t make an appearance a second time around, hopefully learning a lesson that the rest of the rap industry should duly take note of.
Published as part of What Would Meek Do? | Issue 8
