One might assume though that if there is a ‘Light Pack’ there may be a more intense ‘Dark Pack’ yet to come — or at least something similar.

It’s been three long years since Joey Bada$$ released his acclaimed magnum opus ‘All Amerikkkan Bada$$’ — an album so powerful in its message that it was always going to be interesting to see what he followed it up with. ‘The Light Pack’ definitely sees Joey Bada$$ in a newer light – gone are the gorgeous pop hooks and exceptionally tight production for a lo-fi classic hip hop sound.

‘The Light’ takes a great keyboard sample from the track ‘What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life’ by Cal Tjader. This sample is surrounded in a backdrop of vinyl crackle, with ambient rain and thunder involved. Joey Bada$$ blasts in lyrically slating the Grammy’s. He also noted in a June 2020 Instagram post that the Grammy Awards was “shit that the white man [tries] to give you to validate your dopeness.” It’s nice to hear Bada$$ touch on this subject in his music. The addition of piano over this track, especially towards the end, is so subtly beautiful. There’s a sense of pain in this track that’s present throughout the release. This track is awfully similar to ‘I Against I’, a track on Jedi Mind Trick’s classic album ‘Violent By Design’. 

‘No Explanation’ may be the best track on the record. Pusha T’s feature really enhances this song (but I feel like any rap track benefits from an appearance from that guy). This collaboration was announced back in 2018 and is the first between the two. Lyrically, this track speaks about the mind: ‘But I got other things on my mind that's much bigger (Yeah) / Like bein' the voice to this voiceless generation / And fill the void (Right), I can't avoid this temptation’ The use of the word temptation may be a callback to the track of the same name on his previous release, creating an intertextual thread one can trace throughout the two projects. It feels like Joey Bada$$ is struggling to be as articulate with his overt social outlook and may be trying to demonstrate that throughout this EP. When he says ‘Been in my mind, harder to find’ it almost seems like maybe doesn’t really know what to do or write.

‘Shine’ is the last track from this release and probably the weakest track of the three. At times it just feels like Joey Bada$$ doesn’t know exactly what he wants to say. There’s an apathetic quality to the music. Lyrically, this track looks at Joey Bada$$’s new life compared to that of the world he was in back in 2017. It indicates his difficulties adjusting and finding balance between life and fame. The track features a sample from legendary Roy Ayers track ‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine’, giving the music a real summery shine to it. It’s nice to hear Statik Selektah help with production on this record (as they’ve been working together since Bada$$’s earliest releases). Also present on production for ‘No Explanation’ is Swizz Beatz and Sean C & LV.

One of my biggest issues with this release is that it rarely feels like these tracks are a step forward for Joey Bada$$. ‘No Explanation’ is an incredible track but the somber mood of these three tracks together remind me of the sadder tracks on Joey Bada$$’s last album. Though maybe just as tight production-wise, it was the anger and the directness of that anger which captivated me with his music and that is sorely lacking in this release. Something about this release makes me think that there is still more to come from Joey Bada$$ this year. And you can’t help but feel like all these tracks are too short. With most of them ending abruptly you’re really left craving more. One might assume though that if there is a ‘Light Pack’ there may be a more intense ‘Dark Pack’ yet to come — or at least something similar.