Kodak Black, “Back For Everything.”

Kodak Black has had quite a lot go down the last few years—between serving time in prison for weapons charges, getting pardoned by the former president, taking a plea deal on his sexual assault case, and most recently getting shot. One might expect someone in his position to be extremely tired, or perhaps lashing out, yet there’s this middle ground he manages to operate in throughout Back for Everything, an album that’s colored mores with moments of introspection.

Throughout the album, Kodak Black has shown his ability to adapt to the changing soundscape of hip-hop, as the influence of drill definitely comes out on several tracks. Opener “Let Me Know” sees the rapper feeling disgruntled and frustrated with those around him who revel in his struggles and failures. His disheartened flow highlights his angst, and he wonders if he is always going to have people looking down on him. The title track features light ambient and etherial synths that flutter over the snares, while Kodak raps about his success and power.

Single “Grinding All Season” highlights his mindset of working hard to attain success, not being afraid to get his hands dirty if he needs to. “Smackers” is probably the weakest song on the album, largely due in part to some awkward stumbles in line delivery at a few points—but it’s hard to tell if this was intentional or an accident since it never seems to pop up again. “On Everything” delivers a more minimalist sound with piano and flute pairing as Kodak emphasizes his dedication to his work and output first and foremost, as he tries to get his affairs in order.

We really start to get into the meat of the album with “Sink My Ship.” Here, Kodak Black raps over a rising and falling ambient instrumental, expressing his unwillingness to flinch in the face of his detractors that only want to watch him fail. Followed up with “Usain Boo,” he samples Flo-Rida’s “On and On” as he relishes in this feel good number. “Vulnerable (Free Cool)” features a light guitar melody that glides over a smooth bass and snare pairing while Kodak attempts to reconcile his feelings of self-hate while pursuing a woman he’s interested in.

Zaytoven takes the reigns on production with “Elite Division,” on which Kodak explores how his ties to the streets have not been cut since he gained fame, and how it’s led him to continue looking over his shoulder.

“Omega” is easily the most introspective we see Kodak Black get on the record, as he examines how the streets shaped him during his youth, surrounded by gangsters, and thus he adapted to the lifestyle. He emphasizes the theme of “education” by way of learning from one’s surroundings, and he even reflects on how he completed his education from behind bars.

Lil Durk makes an appearance on “Take You Back,” where he and Kodak both seek to make amends with past lovers whom they’ve cheated on, rapping over another very minimalist piano track. “He Loves The Streets” and “I Wish” see Kodak reflect on how his music is both informed by and has an effect on what goes on in the streets. He laments his wish to distance himself but he cant seem to pull himself away from it all.

Follow editor Tim Hoffman at Twitter.com/hipsterp0tamus.