Kevin GatesBest Kevin Gates Albums Ranked

Islah (Deluxe)

pitchfork

8.5

“Gates' major-label debut Islah, released this week on Atlantic Records with few pushbacks and (even more astonishingly) almost no big-name guest spots or features, suggests that no-holds-barred candor is working for him. The album is a sustained and triumphant outpouring, and Gates gives every good, bad, and ugly thing he has.”

Luca Brasi Story

pitchfork

8.0

“Louisiana rapper Kevin Gates is a star on par with Lil Boosie around his stomping grounds in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, but he hasn’t had much luck in popping nationally. His mixtapes peruse an emotive, melodic style that often gets him lumped into the same milieu as introspective lady-killers like Drake and Future.”

Stranger Than Fiction

pitchfork

7.6

“The Louisiana rapper's follow-up to the excellent The Luca Brasi Story finds him world-weary in all the spots where he was starry-eyed and reflective. While the pop hooks are played down, Gates' knack for detailed, despairing storytelling cogently picks up the slack.”

By Any Means 2

pitchfork

7.5

“The Baton Rouge rapper is still a fearsome MC in his prime. His latest mixtape cuts the distance between his singsongy, hook-driven punches and his cold, levelheaded lessons.”

By Any Means

pitchfork

7.5

“With his Atlantic debut looming on the horizon and a higher profile than he's ever enjoyed, the Baton Rouge rapper Kevin Gates' newest mixtape is packed with uptempo anthems, chest-pumping bravado, and a 2 Chainz guest spot. The beats here are a little bigger than in the past and have more of a sheen to them.”

I'm Him

pitchfork

7.4

“The follow up to 2016's revelatory Islah offers another showcase for the Baton Rouge rapper's fully formed and gloriously weird personality.”