Dave East‘s lastest album Fortune Favors The Bold dropped on July 14th, and although the New York rapper said he took inspiration from the John Wick film franchise, none of that action-packed bravado can be heard on the project. Fortune Favors The Bold boasts impressive features from some of the most highly touted names in the industry like G-Eazy, Cordae, and Wu-Tang Clan members Ghostface Killa and RZA, this album sets high expectations. However, while Fortune Favors The Bold showcases East’s ability to curate excellent beats and assemble a star-studded guest list, the album fails to deliver a cohesive and memorable body of work.
From his college basketball days to his successful music career, Dave East has always exuded a strong, muscular presence, and that raw energy often translates into his rapping style. However, on Fortune Favors The Bold, it seems like he’s struggling to find his footing, with his verses lacking distinctiveness in how cliche they are. The track, “WDGAF,” featuring G-Eazy, for example, perfectly demonstrates the potential of the album’s production with a jaw-dropping beat by Mike-WiLL Made It. Still, the repetitive nature of the song’s hook and Dave East’s nap-inducing delivery are supremely disappointing.
Dave East Returns With A Star-Studded Album
Throughout the album, the features shine, outdoing East on his own album. Collaborations with talented artists like Kid Capri, Tyga, Ty Dolla Sign, Jadakiss, and G-Eazy add depth and variety. However, this also accentuates Dave East’s mediocrity on the mic, leaving listeners a desire to take anything of value from East’s performance.
The album’s highlight quality is its exceptional production work. East’s choice of soul-sampled and chopped-up beats elevates several tracks, consistently creating a captivating soundscape for the listener. “Rich Problems” stands out for its beautiful beat, featuring goosebump-inducing piano chords and a spellbinding escalation in world building. It’s a shame that East’s lyrical content doesn’t match the quality of the production, as the album perpetually lacks substantive verses.
Despite a few stand-out moments, Fortune Favors The Bold suffers from being bloated with 24 tracks and a runtime of over an hour. The lengthy tracklist makes the album a bit disorganized, and some songs start to blend together, resulting in a forgettable experience.
Listen To Fortune Favors The Bold Here:
Lyrically, Fortune Favors The Bold falls short of leaving any sort of impact. While Dave East’s nostalgia on “Rich Problems” evoke emotion, the lack of nuance in other verses leaves listeners yearning for more insights.
Fortune Favors The Bold has moments of greatness, especially with the top-tier production and notable guest features. However, it’s Dave East’s uninspired performance that ultimately holds the album back. While he successfully assembles an impressive roster of talent, the lack of memorable moments from East leaves the listener wanting more from the main artist. With a more focused and concise approach, this could have been a fantastic project in East’s discography. Ultimately, the album falls into the realm of “meh” and fails to make a lasting impact.
