8.0/10.0

Authors Recording Company’s first signed artist, Danny Watts, has just released his debut album, Black Boy Meets World. For those who are unfamiliar with the name, Danny Watts is an artist from the beautiful city of Houston, TX. He is well-known for his lyrical ability & introspective content. Carrying a deep, heavy tone that mirrors the subject matter he presents in his music, Watts embodies a style of artistry that reflects Houston’s more lyrical entities in southern hip-hop. What you receive from Black Boy Meets World is what many would regard as his most solemn, personal and complete work to date. From releasing one of his first projects in 2012, Watts Riots, to personally working with beatscene producers such as KVZE & Ghost McGrady, Watts has maintained an identity that has inevitably matured on his debut.

The album was entirely produced by former Stones Throw artist Jonwayne (who founded Authors Recording Company upon leaving the legendary Los Angeles label) & features co-production & guest features from beatscene heavyweights such as DIBIA$E, Zeroh, Kiefer & Jeremiah Jae. As you dive into the album, the atmosphere is set in stone from the moment the record begins. You can hear keys played throughout the project (handy work from Kiefer), which is one of the many jazz elements that define the mood of the record. And undeniably provides a   near-perfect backdrop for Watts to deliver at a high-performance level.

Watts touches upon many of the troubles he goes through in life throughout the album. In a splendor of metaphors and imagery, he speaks on witnessing death personally, growing up in the city, & striving to be an outstanding father. The consistency of the record speaks volumes about how solid it is, likely due in part to the fact the entire album was finished within a single week (at Alpha Pup Records’ recording studio). Black Boy Meets World succeeds in capturing an essence of a streaming conscious that allows it to flow from track to track so well that it’s difficult to tell whether or not it was recorded in chronological order. While one may claim that its’ lack of “mainstream buzz” is a downfall, it’s 100% fair to say that Black Boy Meets World is an underground gem that deserves all of the attention it has received thus far, and more. It is a highly recommended album to check it if you’re looking for something outside of current contemporary hip-hop.