What It Means To Be King
Von's second studio album and first posthumous release, What It Means To Be King is the Chicago native's follow-up to his 2020 debut, Welcome to O'Block, and will be “packed with the gripping stories and ferocious bars his fans know and. adore,” according to a press release.
Album Review
TOP 5
5. Evil Twins
King Von and Lil Durk definitely try to out-evil one another in “Evil Twins.”
King Von and Lil Durk’s chemistry is on point in “Evil Twins.” Over a pretty dramatic beat, the two O Blockians rap back and forth about the bodies they’ve acquired and being tempted to shoot at their enemies. The coldness/hostility that they spit their bars with will definitely make you check if your Brinks system is working properly.
4. War
“War” embodies Von’s brand, to me. It also screams out how ready he was to fight for his life.
To say that Von sounds wicked in “War” is an understatement. In the song, he relies on demented rap deliveries to let the world know that he was uncatchable and vindictive. He literally sounds like a villain that, at this point, I think only The Batman could stop. Overall, the song is riveting, violent, crazy, and horrifying.
3. Straight To It
When King Von first came out, I actually thought that he was a drill rapper, mainly because one of the first songs I heard by him was “I Am Who I Am” with Fivio Foreign. “Straight To It” is another drill banger by Von that features Fivio, and as expected, they sound like naturals in it.
Doesn’t it sound like Von had a blast making “Straight To It?” He has a pep to his step in the song that is glaring. As for Fivio Foreign, he sounds like his usual sly, unassuming, and congested self in the song (Fivio is slowly becoming my favorite rapper).
2. Facetime
Two Chicago legends join forces for “Facetime.”
I truly feel like G Herbo and King Von love/loved their guns. Like, if they can legally marry them, they would. In “Facetime,” the two rappers talk about letting their guns off in traffic, bringing their guns to school, and using their guns to get rid of stains on walls. While Von sounds like a straight shooter in the song, Herbo comes across as more-so tamed and willing to let his guys do his dirty work in the streets.
It’s astonishing how frequently 6ix9ine’s name is mentioned by both alive and fallen rappers.
1. Don’t Play That
I really didn’t know that Von could make a track like “Don’t Play That.”
You don’t hear people say this much anymore but f**k it, I am going to say it: This song is very fun to listen to. “Don’t Play That” features a beat with a great rhythm, lyrics that are both hood romantic and demonic, and flows that will make you say “uh” after each bar. All in all, “Don’t Play That” is a certified hit.
Do you know who else “don’t play that?” the MLB.