New Orleans rapper Curren$y and producer the Alchemist have been so prolific on their own that it’s easy to forget the impact of their 2010 debut Covert Coup. Even before they joined forces, they were distinct figures within the moody landscape of underground rap. But together, their music never sounded so dark; their songs were foreboding yet relaxed, like a cloud of purple haze wafting through an abandoned alley. The duo recorded most of Covert Coup the day they met, and Alchemist credits Curren$y, aka Spitta, with inspiring the subsequent rapper collaborations that have become his calling card.
As their styles have mutated over the years, the partnership has remained strong, and Continuance doesn’t hide that excitement: “I pictured the listening session for it while I was still in here rhyming,” Spitta raps, barely a minute into opener “Half Moon Mornings.” The duo works because they coax themselves just far enough outside of their comfort zones to put outre spins on their laidback capo aspirations. These minor tweaks to a reliable system define Continuance, the next chapter in one of rap’s most fruitful pairings.
On paper, Spitta’s writing and delivery seem at odds. His Nawlins drawl is laidback, but his writing is often hyperfocused, turning the smallest details of any verse into marquee attractions. The chocolate Range Rover with tan seats he describes on “Reese’s Cup” and the coral-colored Air Maxes on “Corvette Rally Stripes” elevate the sense of personality and place in each scene. When he opens “Whale Watching” with the line, “This shit sound like a Saab,” you hear the engine purring precisely. Whether he’s describing an outfit or aspiring to be as fly as the gangsters in Scarface, Spitta knows how to hold your attention.
This descriptive flair extends to his wordplay and the surprises he encounters in everyday life. On “Obsession,” he pulls the occasional gut-busting one-liner out of thin air (“He tried to hide that bitch in him, it came out/Gender reveal” from “No Yeast”) and marvels at other’s come-ups through legal weed and cryptocurrency. The smooth jazz-lounge atmosphere Alchemist conjures on closing track “Kool & the Gang” complements Spitta’s verse about providing for his son. “My son too young to know that he a prince,” he raps, sounding settled and thoughtful.
The beat selection across Continuance reflects how far Alchemist has stretched himself musically. There are reminders of the moody boom-bap of the past (“Obsession,” “Signature Move”), but the production builds on the slight expansion of 2016’s The Carrollton Heist and 2018’s Freddie Gibbs collab Fetti by further embracing the psychedelic and minimal sounds Alchemist has favored for a while. The drums and vocal sample on “No Yeast” are paper-thin, homing in on the intricacies of Spitta and Boldy James’s verses. On standout “Louis Baggage,” Alchemist places a winding guitar lick over light drums, which bring the best out of guest Babyface Ray, who could stand to snag a full-length rapper-producer collab of his own.
Both Spitta and Alchemist have been active for over 20 years, and they’ve proven how far the slightest bit of fine-tuning and experimentation can take you. “Sound like your shit a motherfucking façade/Sound like you ain’t really comfortable with who you are,” Spitta growls on “Whale Watching.” Continuance isn’t an overhaul of the blueprint established on Covert and Carrollton, nor is it straight-faced fan service. It’s a space for two rap veterans who are comfortable enough with their chemistry to continue prodding at their margins.
