Larry June is on a roll as of late and Doing It For Me exhibits more of his immaculate West Coast vibe that’s as alluring as it is resplendent.
Release date: August 9, 2024 | The Freeminded Records/Empire | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Stream/Purchase
I’ve been waiting to talk about Larry June for a little bit now, specifically ever since I heard The Great Escape from last year. That album with The Alchemist on production was certainly a top hip-hop album of 2023, teeming with bangers smooth as eggs and lyrically compelling stories of a lush California life. That’s Larry June‘s lane nowadays, occupying similar places as other rock-solid rappers like Boldy James, maybe Isaiah Rashad and the Griselda crew ain’t too far off, but they all do things a bit differently.
For my money, Larry June‘s probably the best with this particular sound lately, certainly the most consistent. Dude’s dropped at least two projects a year since 2018. His music is transportive, a veritable power fantasy of money, women, and nice-ass cars, many of which adorn his album covers – as he puts it on “Where I’m Going”, ‘it’s a motherfuckin’ movie‘. I know we’re all about ‘eat the rich’ lately, but Larry June‘s a self-made man, someone taking care of himself, an inspiration to many in one way or another, but ultimately his latest album title says it all: Doing It For Me.
It’s really easy to fall into the opulence in rap because often it’s presented in such an alluring fashion, even if it’s greatly exaggerated or pure posturing. With June, it’s a bit different though. While there’s still a romantic sense to it, the lifestyle he raps about feels more realistic, attainable, possible, especially with California as a backdrop. We all grew up with highly romanticized media that portrays the rich and famous more than the blue-collar Mexican father working from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM to feed his family each day and send money back over the border to support those unable to come stateside. What also helps is June raps about very desirable things to a lot of people: attractive partners to be with, nice cars that don’t break down, and fancy furnishings at your place to make you feel comfortable and successful.
This and more is what makes me unable to stop listening to Doing It For Me. Literally every song goes hard, but every song goes hard if you know what I mean. Some of these joints are straight up soul- or funk-infused R&B tracks like “A Little While” and “Stinson Beach”. The former is about keeping company at arms’ length without commitment while still enjoying them and what they contribute to your life. So, dating I guess, but there’s something more wholesome than usual with all of it. It’s got a neatly-sung hook from June himself, setting boundaries of wanting affection and not to control her, but they can’t fall in love. Some of the more telling lines are in the first verse: ‘Two seater, a black coupe, so baby, pack light/Me and you against the world, but only for the night/Bright lights, nice dinners, sometimes I never hit/Sometimes I just need a girl that I can vibe with‘. “Stinson Beach” on the other hand is straight crooning on top of wobbly bass and guitar complete with spoken word (don’t know from who though – it’s not June) in the middle that emulates the old hits, along with blissful horns at the end. Easily the most tender moment on Doing It For Me and one of my faves. Teeko killed it on production.
If you want something a little more rugged though, Larry June‘s got you. “Real Talk, Pt. 2” retains the smooth factor, but lays it over some more traditional hip-hop drums and groovy bass for June to flex hard and relatively fast vocally. The beat makes me dance like this lizard, and the line ‘you got hoes, I got hoes, ni**a, we both thots‘ made me laugh out loud. “Where I’m Going” is similar with June getting in touch with his trapper side with ‘MACs in the kitchen like Mickey D‘ that feeds his picturesque life (‘Fell asleep on the yacht, woke up wearin’ linen/Fell asleep on the plane, woke up to a million‘). I love the pianos in the beat and that fried bass is about as West Coast as it can get. Although there’s no prominent features on this album which I think is to its benefit, I will say YG would have fit nicely on this track.
Much of the tracklist just reads like Larry June‘s itinerary for a given day – “Meet Me in Napa”, “Breakfast in Gold Coast”, “Imported Couches” – but one of the most succinct and even relatable moments on the album is “Cleaning My Spot”. It’s billed as an interlude and I don’t know why because this sure as hell is just a fully-fledged song (it’s not even the shortest one either) with a robust, calming, flowery beat and June’s unique timbre over it saying all the ways his life is like a mission on Vice City, something most people in our generation can immediately draw in our heads – hell, I pictured him in Tommy Vercetti’s famous tropical blue shirt during this particular song. You can hear seagulls and the ocean in the background too, perfectly encapsulating just about everything that June’s about on Doing It For Me.
This album for me isn’t so much a goal for me and likely you to attain – I’m a couple years older than Larry June, have bad knees, and don’t have a plug – as much as it is a reflection of success for the San Francisco rapper. I like success stories and hip-hop is filled with them. What sets Doing It For Me apart from the rest though are the obsessive dedication to the vibe, taking West Coast rap’s sound and putting it on ice to relax with. Each song is a textbook example of how to command good energy while still spitting real shit, and, lifestyle aside, he’s a relatable person between his desires to just chill after the hustle, spend time with pretty people, and enjoy life with any security he can, you know, secure. I may not be going to Wine Country any time soon, but this album’s still a reminder to forge our own Napa in whatever way we can, ideally with some good-ass music playing the whole way.
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