Kool A.D. – Word O.K.

<a href=”http://koolad.bandcamp.com/album/word-o-k” data-mce-href=”http://koolad.bandcamp.com/album/word-o-k”>WORD O.K. by KOOL A.D.</a>

PGM has always been big into Das Racist (RIP), the brainy, pop-culture savvy hip-hop group which came up all the way back in 2008 (Obama wasn’t even president back then!). While it’s been two years since the group disbanded, the group’s individual members, Heems and Kool A.D., have been busy at work on their own project. While we haven’t heard anything from Heems’ upcoming album, Eat Pray Thug, Kool A.D. (aka Victor Vazquez) has been prolific. His December mixtape Not O.K. featured outtakes from his then-upcoming debut album, and today we finally have the final project, Word O.K. Featuring an impressive list of guests, including Mr. Muthafuckin Exquire, Toro Y Moi, Lakutis, Talib Kweli, and many others, this is easily the most impressive DR-related release since the group’s demise. Where Kool A.D.’s previous mixtapes have been at times overstuffed, containing brilliant fragments buried under mounds of filler tracks, Word O.K. is short and sweet, never lingering too long on any one goofy idea. Album opener “Open Letter” is characteristic of Vic’s pared-down approach: over a jazzy, spacey beat, Vic seems to tease himself in the studio, mumbling “Hey/ Just sent this email to myself/ Gonna read it off of my phone now.” It’s a beautifully self depreciating moment, and gets the album rolling in the best way possible. Stream/download the entire thing from Bandcamp above, and check out the video for “Open Letter” below. You won’t regret it.