After Huntsville, Ala. rap duo G-Side released iSLAND in 2011, they called it quits. The separation involved no Twitter beefs or scandalous dramatics, though; rather, ST 2 Lettaz and Clova claimed that the breakup was mutual, and the amicable musical divorce comes to a close with their return, marked by the new full-length Gz II Godz. The duo pick up where they left off with their humble-focused style, suggesting that, despite the time away, they haven't changed much.
In the years marked by the duo's absence, rap has undergone quite a few sonic changes; most notably, Lex Luger's booming maximalism that kicked open the decade has been replaced with the west coast minimalism of DJ Mustard. Gz II Godz sounds largely indifferent to that shift, with a majority of the album production handled by their frequent collaborators Block Beattaz. From the weightless “2004” to the sleepy bass buzz of “Bassheadz”, the album sticks closer to the trance-y, dreamy sound that the duo's gained notice for; indeed, Block Beataz’s ephemeral synths and light trunk-rattling thump make for staring into stars on a late-night drive.
G-Side’s primary lyrical concern is focused, again, on achieving financial success without resorting to illicit means. ST 2 Lettaz and Clova rap about international flights, smoking weed, and fashion trends, but their moments of braggadocio are grounded in G-Side's day-to-day musical grind. On “Statue”, they rap, “Tell them build a statue/ Build a statue of a real nigga/ In the middle of the city,” which reveals them buying into their own established legacy. But Gz II Godz also finds G-Side zeroing in on preserving their name, which, for them, means striking a balance between figuring out how to pay rent and continuing to expand their fanbase.
In an interview with SPIN that announced the duo separation, ST 2 Lettaz admitted, “We needed a fresh start or a fresh look—it had gotten stale,” which was perhaps a realistic view of the group's future. Honesty has always been located at the core of G-Side’s music, but they remain striving nonetheless, and Gz II Godz is the work of a duo that have only gotten wiser since they last rhymed together.
