Lil Durk’s “Just Cause Ya’ll Waited 2” Album Review
Lil Durk has been in the game for around 10 years now. A decade in Hip-Hop is no small feat and that in it’s self deserves a lot of respect. My earliest recollection of hearing Durk was on 2013’s “Everything All White” featuring Yo Gotti.
Lil Durk has been around since the beginning of Chicago’s “Drill” era of music and has lasted as long as anyone who bubbled during that time.
From my time of first hearing Durk to now, he has dropped a ton of projects. His latest effort “Just Cause Y’all Waited 2” peaked as high as #5 on the Billboard 200 Chart his second project to peak in the top 5 following 2019’s “Love Songs 4 The Streets 2” which peaked as high as #4.
I give my song by song review of Durk’s 15 track project below.
Track 1: Different Meaning
The intro of your project has to be good. There’s no way around it, with the amount of new music constantly being released you don’t have 3 to 4 tracks to lure listeners in. The intro gives an idea of what we should expect on the project. However the intro can’t be the best song because you don’t want to let the listener down while listening to the entirety of the project.
Durk does just that on Different Meaning. Combining with Morgan O’Connor, 12 Hunna & frequent producer DY Crazy (need a collaboration tape from Durk & DY) Durk harmonizes his pain and speaks on the trails of living in the ghetto. Personally, this is Lil Durk at his best, mastering the balance of street tales and melodic flows.
“They told me to go pop & give the trenches up”
TRACK 2: Street Affection
Track 2 is equally as important as the intro of a project. Let’s say for instance an artist misses on the opening track, track 2 is the insurance plan and savior for some projects.
Luckily “Different Meaning” was a hard track so on “Street Affection” Durk is living up to the expectations provided on the intro. Lil Durk has been through a lot and has lost a lot of people in his young life and he expresses the pain from those experiences in his music.
On Street Affection you can feel Durk’s pain from his time in the street and how it affects him till this day.
“They ain’t doing they job they aint serving and protecting. Even street n*ggas need that love & affection. Big homies not big homies they ain’t trying to give direction.”
TRACK 3: 3 Headed Goat (Feat Lil Baby & Polo G)
Lil Baby & Polo G are having two of the best runs in Hip-Hop this year not only have both rappers killed just about every feature that they’ve had but they both also dropped their debut albums this year.
On 3 Headed Goat Durk provided a solid verse leaving the auto-tune alone and switching up his flow but Polo G stole the show. Polo G & Durk working on music together is a passing of the torch in a sense and a good sign for Chicago Hip-Hop.
TRACK 4: All Love
I feel Durk’s ability to self-analyze in his music is undervalued in my opinion. Durk has the ability to harp on past experiences and use it to make a dope track.
All Love is just another example of Durk doing just that. Durk addressees past situations in a positive manner by letting everyone know its all love.
TRACK 5: Gucci Gucci (Feat Gunna)
On Gucci Gucci, Durk is joined by Atlanta’s star Gunna (who also released an album this month). At first I didn’t like this song much but as I continued to listen it grew on me. Gunna & Durk’s verses are solid and the production is really good.
If you’re a fashion junkie you’ll like this one.
Track 6: Viral Moment
My personal favorite on the project, Viral Moment like All Love was released prior to the project but it makes no difference on how good this song is.
On Viral Moment, Durk is as introspective as ever. Reflecting on his come up and what he went through on his way to where he is currently. Durk even sounds hopeful for better days in the track, speaking of times when his city was once peaceful.
“I said the blocks can be back one he said you back hoping”
Track 7: 248
248 is another one of my favorites off the tape I’ve been bumping this track since last month when it was leaked on Soundcloud as “Therapy”. The song is therapeutic actually
“Get high then & I treat the mic like therapy because I talk to it“.
Durk speaks on life changing conversations with his Auntie and even how his daughters behavior is weighing on him and how being at so many funerals has made him numb to thought of death. Per usual Durk lets it be known that the support from his peers is not always not as strong as he thinks it should be something as a creative, I can relate to.
Track 8: Triflin Hoes
Unlike Gucci Gucci which appeared earlier on the project I didn’t like Triflin Hoes off the first couple of listens and I’m still really not feeling the track. Just felt out of place with the other tracks and theme of the project.
Track 9: Internet Sensation
After the massive success of “Home Body” Durk would be foolish to not continue to make songs for the ladies. On Internet Sensation Durk shows more love for his lady and is proud to say that the internet hasn’t had any negative impact on his relationship. The track also shows growth as Durk expresses how he didn’t think him or his closet friends would ever fall in love.
Track 10: Street Prayer
If you haven’t noticed already Durk is heavily invested in the streets. Although now he has music to focus on the streets are still apart of Durk. Whether he’s still in the streets or not is not of my business, but one thing that is for sure is that Durk will always make songs dedicated to street life.
Durk doesn’t glorify street life as much as he regrets what happened or continues to happen. Even Lil Durk knows the streets need a prayer.
Track 11: Chiraq Demons feat G Herbo
I’m not a fan of the current term demon around music but hey it is what is it. It’s a trend and artist are using it frequently throughout songs and even naming songs after them, hence Chiraq Demons.
Although I don’t like the title, the song is hard and reminiscent of the “OG” Chicago Drill sound. Durk’s verse was good but Herbo took over the track when his verse came in
Track 12: Doin Too Much
Doin Too Much is the shortest song on the project but it’s sure to brighten up your mood. Durk isn’t in this deep reflecting state that we normally find him in on a majority of his tracks. He is just having fun and enjoying being young and rich
Track 13: Broke Up In Miami
Broke Up In Miami is another one of the few tracks that I didn’t enjoy from the project. Although it’s not a bad song, I’m not the biggest fan if “Love Song” Durk but songs like these aren’t made for me to like and that’s cool.
Track 14: Turn Myself In
Turn Myself In is the first song released of the project. The song dropped when Durk was fighting a gun case and literally dropped before he turned himself in.
Durk questions if God can really hear his plea for help and stresses the important of seeing his kids before ultimately turning himself in.
Track 16: Fabricated
Atlas, we’ve reached the outro of Just Cause Y’all Waited 2. Earlier I spoke on how important it the intro and second song on a project is although for different reason, equally as important is a projects closing track.
Having bangers throughout a tape just for it to end flat can leave a and taste in a listeners mouth which is the last thing you want to happen because this will be the last song heard from you until you drop something new.
Fabricated, is one of the better songs on the project in my opinion. Also as I stated earlier when Durk gets into that bag where he just gets in the booth and lets out his pain is where we get our best tracks from him.
Durk peaks back into the past and even mentions how times was when he dropped “Dis Ain’t What You Want“.
Overall JCWY2 is a good listen, it’s exactly what I expected to hear from Lil Durk music made to inspire built of pain and emotion. Durk in a has mastered his sound knowing what works best for him and what his fans love to hear from him hence the success of his latest projects.
Take a listen to #JCWY2 below.