Progress is always something that fans want to see in artists. Oakland’s Brookfield Duece  and Atlanta’s John Blunt got together for a second installment of their Boondocks Saints series, making impressive strides in sound quality and looking to build a franchise. The noticeably well-produced mixtape and impeccable chemistry indicates that the duo – who have never actually met in person – went back to the virtual drawing board and made adjustments from top to bottom for this sophomore project.

Through all of the improvements, the pair managed to maintain the cinematic theme of losing one’s way along an originally honorable path throughout the project. The Easter Day drop plays through like a party soundtrack, wasting no time kicking out neck-cracking bangers and hypnotic hooks. Duece’s Portland influences are clearly found throughout the album, as is the production of heavy-hitting NW producers Bravo Domo and Jahosh, who account for 5 of the beats on the lengthy 16-track project. In addition, Drew Locs produces the Samuel The 1st-assisted Inner City Blues which originally premiered on WOHM.

John Blunt’s impact on the album shouldn’t be understated either. Formerly known as Ceeza Luciano, the Charleston native currently residing in ATL brings a gruff yet flexible flow to the table, nailing hooks and murdering verses. His verse on the Father Dom Interlude stood out to me; I felt like he used the opportunity to really show out. He also powers one my favorites in the Jahosh-produced Dats It.

QuoteThe integration of the Bay Area sound and Atlanta sounds plays well, boasting bouncy yet gritty vibes laced with intelligent and impassioned rhymes from two distinctly different but ultimately complimentary styles. While most of the album runs uptempo, the latter 3rd of the project tames down, offering gems like the reggae-tinged Idle Hands and the cinematically hopeful Regret. The party joints really rule the album though, and they do so overwhelmingly by leaning on dynamic production and attention-grabbing hooks.

A strong return for the unlikely duo with a NW twist. I really didn’t know what to expect when I got this and was pleasantly surprised by the sheer amount of quality content. Turn up the volume and check out Boondocks Saints 2, you might learn something!