Harlem native Smoke DZA should an artist on everyone’s radar. Serious! DZA has been blazing a trail musically all while blazing a bag of kush for years now. Last year’s Don’t Smoke Rock, his collaboration with veteran producer Pete Rock was one of the better rap albums of the year.
Yet, when we hear industry heads name their top NYC emcees, he’s often left out the conversation. That would be enough to justify the chip on his shoulder that DZA rhymes with, or at least that’s how he rhymes on his new album, Not For Sale. The 12-track LP debuted April 20th finds DZA fighting against an industry and giving multiple reminders that your opinion don’t make him shit.
Take the track, “The Game.” DZA takes at aim critics with darts like, “What are you shitting me?/You’re really a vulture, you’re not for the culture/to tell me what shouldn’t be/that was a good one, silence the jubilee/do you believe, it’s equal with you and me?/truthfully/keep it all way tall, you just a regular civillian/this for all my hustlers, trappers, Holla if you still here/thought I would fade away/but nah because I’m still here.” Riding over a slow drag of a track that reminds me of an unfinished Juicy J beat, DZA pairs it with a cool hook “Big Bank take little bank (ball)/Blue Face Benny Franks/gas is not the issue/keep something in the tank/As long as I stay like this/I could never sink”
DZA continues his blitz on doubters on the Joey Badass assited, “The Mood.” Produced by longtime collaborators, 183rd, Smoke waste no time sending out a word to any doubters “It ain’t for purchase/got to take this game in doses/the realist shit don’t always get too much promotion“ he ends the song “Had a couple losers tell me I couldn’t win/see you taking off, that’s when that hating shit begins/see you walking on water, they say it’s cause you couldn’t swim.”
Smoke really shines on the bragadocious banger, “The Glow.” Smoke took on a few fakes. “Niggas be thinking they profits/misleading the youth while they profit/me I’m still trying to process/how they be using their logic/we know he a square, he deny it/he say he the plug, I’m like I guess/Guess he gonna front till his dying breath”
While he might not a mainstream name, some of the acts that rode with him on this mission were. DRAM joins him on “The Come Up” and Ty Dolla $ign comes through for “The Love”. Vado, Bodega Bamz, Veleous, LevyGrey, Dom Kennedy and Cozz also add vocals to the project.
Overall, if you were Smoke DZA fan prior to hitting play, you were impressed. If you weren’t familiar with the Kush God, then this was a good introduction. Stellar production from the likes of 183rd, LevyGrey and Cardo, coupled with memorable bars should make giving this album some play worthwhile.
Stream his new project below
Smoke DZA Not For Sale
Toke up and listen to Smoke DZA’s new Not for Sale album below.
Smoke DZA’s Not for Sale Album Tracklist
1. “The Legacy” (produced by BobGnarly)
2. “The Mood” featuring Joey Bada$$ (produced by 183rd)
3. “The Come Up” featuring DRAM (produced by DJ Steel)
4. “The High” featuring Velous (produced by DJ Relly Rell)
5. “The Hustle” featuring Bodega Bamz and LevyGrey (produced by LevyGrey)
6. “The Love” featuring Ty Dolla $ign (produced by DJ Relly Rell)
7. “The Lifestyle” (produced by Cardo)
8. “The Antidote” (Produced by LevyGrey)
9. “The Game” (produced by LevyGrey)
10. “The Glow” (produced by LevyGrey)
11. “The Soul” featuring Vado (produced by BobGnarly)
12. “The Hookup” featuring Cozz and Dom Kennedy (produced by Girl Talk)