Back when Domo Genesis released his first album, not a lot was known about Odd Future. This was in August 2010, and his Rolling Papers was for many listeners the first introduction to the crew's disorienting, insular world. It also raised a simple question: What is all the fuss about? The album was low-key and low-ambition-- it was, after all, called Rolling Papers. It showed that Domo lacked Tyler, the Creator's force of personality or Earl Sweatshirt's prodigious wordplay, and its influences (MF Doom, Wiz Khalifa) were obvious. It's also a fairly agreeable record, and that too cut against the rapidly growing narrative of Odd Future's divisiveness.
Now, of course, things are much clearer. As the members of Odd Future continue to splinter off for individual projects, it's easier to see where they fit into the puzzle. Domo is still low-key-- as a rapper he seems to have little interest in the type of controversy Tyler craves-- but it would be hard to call him low-ambition anymore. If there's one thing that stood out about the crew's OF Tape Vol. 2 from March, it was the force with which Domo is now rapping. Contrary to what we heard on Rolling Papers, Domo Genesis is taking rapping seriously.
That increased professionalism is carried over to No Idols, Domo's new collaborative album with producer the Alchemist. Being serious about the art of rapping is far from a virtue in and of itself (as, say, Slaughterhouse proves). But with Domo it coincides with his evolution into a surprisingly good technical rapper. He's no star, but No Idols is a very solid record. It's the sort of thing Curren$y has made a career out of.
It's refreshing to hear Domo carry his own record, but the masterstroke of No Idols is his pairing with the Alchemist, whose beats fit the shift in Domo's career. Where Rolling Papers leaned hard on bright, airy keyboards, the Alchemist's productions are strictly in the lineage of the sort of East Coast lyricism that Domo is now nodding to. His beats here are strong in their own right, but never try to compete with the rappers. That stands in stark contrast to the jarring melodicism that peppers Tyler's production work on Rolling Papers. Alchemist's beats are dark and noirish, but not in a way that intends to convey malice. The tones are almost soft to the touch, with a vibe of relaxation and playfulness that keeps things from feeling too serious. One example is "All Alone", which features a cooing female vocal sample rubbing up against some grunting likely taken from a kung-fu film. But there's also the weed tribute "Me and My Bitch", which is built on undulating keyboards that paw at your face.
Domo still gets outshined here when Earl or Action Bronson show up, but he's not out of his league. His type of internal rhyming ("Oh so cocky, you can't stop me in this ol' Versace") also isn't spectacular, but it's certainly above workmanlike. There's also a powerful exuberance in his voice that feels fresh and invigorating, and it's crucially far from the snide and aggrieved shit-talking you often hear from contemporary rappers who work within the same frame. Domo is probably never going to be the standout member of Odd Future, but No Idols is a better album than the amateurish Rolling Papers indicated could be in store. His decision to team up with the Alchemist shows a judicious, deft touch, and that alone is encouraging.
