Dreezy has at all times been a tough grafter with formidable potential. Arriving to the mic with authoritative braggadocio, vivid lyricism, and playful puns, her serrated raps and easy wit mirrored her earlier years finding out poetry. Whether or not it’s her oft-celebrated characteristic on Hitmaka’s “Thot Field” remix, the reflexive “Spar,” or her razor-sharp loosie “Beatbox Bday Freestyle,” her true-to-form technicalities as a lyricist have granted her entry to writing periods with J. Cole and Kanye West. Nonetheless, it hasn’t all come simple, and she or he’s confronted obstacles cultivating these moments of buzz right into a holistic breakthrough. “Physique,” Dreezy’s 2016 duet with Jeremih and her first tune to succeed in the Sizzling 100, showcased her singing—elevating her profile whereas sidelining her rap expertise. She’s tried to rectify that lately, however with an inconsistent launch schedule and few standalone moments, she by no means fairly discovered her stride within the mainstream.
Her newest pivot aligns her with quintessential hip-hop producer Hit-Boy, recognized for sparking much-needed life into Nas’ latter-day discography. Their 10-track collaborative album, HITGIRL, marks Dreezy’s first as a newly unbiased artist. Huge Dreez believes within the “hit woman” moniker wholeheartedly, declaring herself a “prime 5” lady in rap (and never 5) throughout the menacing opener “They Not Prepared.” Seamlessly slithering out and in of an array of circulate patterns throughout three minutes, Dreezy’s typically subdued however foreboding cadence makes for a rousing pay attention. Though she’s mighty right here, the quicker circulate wedged into brief spells throughout her first and second verses leaves extra to be desired.
Since her first viral launch in 2014, a tackle “Chiraq,” Dreezy has embodied town that raised her. Following the identical strategy of personifying town and tributing it, she throws “one other one up for the South Aspect” on “Vibez.” Right here, she attracts upon each the nice and the dangerous in a matter-of-fact drawl. “I’m from that metropolis the place catchin’ a physique a strategy to get well-known,” she warns on “Sliders.” This isn’t an admission made in disgrace however a automobile to acknowledge her progress. It’s these moments of transparency that illuminate the place precisely Dreezy’s ambition originates.
When she addresses romance and relationships, Dreezy speaks overtly about her place and circumstances each out and in of the sales space. Hit-Boy’s manufacturing all through speaks to the pair’s rising synergy. On “Simple,” Dreezy’s vivacious supply blossoms as she makes it recognized that she’s not afraid of males and she or he’ll stand beside friends of any gender and name out those that’ve wronged her. It’s a poignant show of duality that ladies resembling Lil’ Kim and Trina have by no means shied away from: combating sexism in rap and romance alike as they maneuver throughout, round, or over males to realize what they need. As she echoes that sentiment, Dreezy extends a daring lineage.
