Stunna 4 Vegas has a great gig. He gets to be the hype man to DaBaby, one of the world’s biggest rappers: he pops up for a few guest verses, shows off his ice in the background of his Instagram snippets. But no rapper wants to be “the other guy” for long. Since DaBaby’s breakout a year ago, Stunna has been itching for a moment of his own. The North Carolina rapper’s latest album, RICH YOUNGIN, is Stunna’s attempt at scoring the solo spotlight.
There’s a case to be made that Stunna 4 Vegas’ songs aren’t that much different from DaBaby’s; they both rap over spare, bass-heavy beats with a barrage of puns and run-on sentences. They even have the same flaws: a narrow taste in production and unmemorable punchlines. One of their first viral singles as a duo was “Animal,” the trunk-rattling marathon that set the blueprint for DaBaby’s sound. It was technically Stunna’s song, but DaBaby got all of the attention. And that’s understandable, because DaBaby’s personality is magnetic. He can go viral without saying a single word; he’s suave like that uncle that has a new car every time you see him. Stunna 4 Vegas is far less interesting.
RICH YOUNGIN is supposed to be Stunna 4 Vegas’ rags-to-riches story—you know, the one where you announce that your pockets at one point weren’t fat, but now they are. “Nigga really got rich in six months, for real, I watched that shit with my own fuckin’ eyes,” says an unknown voice on the album’s intro. “Really three, but that nigga spend too goddamn much.” Stunna spends the rest of the time making money sound boring. There are no stories about the lavish purchases he’s made, no details about spending a rack on his family. He doesn’t even tell you anything about North Carolina, except that he lived there.
Most of the time Stunna 4 Vegas is going through the motions. His pop culture references are dated, like he hasn’t turned on the television since the second Bush administration: Robert Horry, Damon Wayans, Roll Bounce starring Bow Wow. And he shouts with little enthusiasm over production from up-and-coming beatmakers. Some inject the project with much-needed life, like 20’s flute-sampling “WET,” and others contribute to the mess, like the Beat By Jeff-produced “F*CKING UP FREESTYLE,” which sounds like Stunna trying to have a conversation in a truck with engine problems. But even when the beat is strong, Stunna has nothing notable to add. “Russian” only has that title because it’s produced by Rvssian, and if that wasn’t already clear, the hook goes, “I’m smokin’ West Coast Cure in a Russian/And I’m on a beat by Rvssian.”
When Stunna settles back into a complementary role, he thrives. “CHANGE MY LIFE,” alongside Blac Youngsta, is a heart racer. Then there’s “DO DAT,” the song that justifies the entire album. Next to DaBaby and Lil Baby, Stunna holds his own, even as Lil Baby teaches Stunna how to properly stunt with the line “My dollars and followers match.” RICH YOUNGIN isn’t the moment that Stunna hoped it would be, but at least his life is great. He’s got money and can afford Offset verses, and even as his music stumbles, he can always return to executing the perfect money phone alongside DaBaby.
