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While he has built up a strong, widely varied discography, its always the smooth pimp raps that keeps you coming back to Hus Kingpin. A perennially underrated pioneer in the East Coast revival scene, Hus has done it all: A vice themed Big Ghost collab, Brazilian Christmas albums, and even Bjork remixes. But it is the lauded Threesome series which best represents his talents and persona. Continuing a prolific run, Hus’ newest installment still manages to exceed expectations.
Threesome 3 takes the aesthetic of its predecessors to an extreme; The production here is simply ostentatious. Layered in dancing pianos, vinyl cracks, and old school soul, the album frankly exudes sex and luxury, but subtle synths (such as those on “Invulnerable”) maintain the psychedelic, futuristic sound Hus has leaned into lately. Iconic samples such as Maxwell’s “Till the Cops Come Knockin” and a playful spin on “93 Till Infinity” make for something fun to uncover every minute and a pure hiphop listen.
Not only does the erotic production match Hus’ lyrics perfectly, but they also provide a platform that really lets his rapping shine. On Threesome 3 more than ever, his rapping is at the forefront to the point that every bar is heard and clicks. While Hus might have themes of luxury and pimping in the vein of Willie the Kid or Roc Marciano, he raps with an intent on imagery and storytelling over technicality. Tracks like “Gonna Be” and “Layover Love” see him walking us through a night and interpolating conversations with his girls; Rather than cramming unnecessarily dense flows and rhymes, he simply puts us in the shoes of a true mack. Buried within the shit talk is often some true wisdom and portraits of a loving relationship.
Other highlights include “Price of Love”, which has a vocal sample that matches nicely and makes for a nice call and response with Hus; “International Players”, featuring a tight verse from Tha Musalini (whose collaboration with 9th Wonder matches Threesome’s energy); And “Milliseconds”, which sees Hus really pondering upon the beautiful things in life. Overall, Hus Kingpin needs more recognition for his recent work. Whether it be these slick pimp raps or something more out there for the scene, he’s one of the funnest listens and hardest workers to keep an eye on.