5: Big K.R.I.T – Return of 4Eva

Most rappers use early career mixtapes to introduce themselves to listeners and highlight their uniqueness, but Big K.R.I.T was a little more ambitious in 2011. With Return of 4Eva, the Mississippi native aimed to put an entire region on his back. With Wayne in a post-Rikers stupor, Outkast semi-retired, and rap’s obsession with all things twangy waning significantly, K.R.I.T shared honest stories over warm, perfectly-paced beats that reminded everyone of the previous golden age. More impressively, though, he created a sound that’s distinctly his—one that we’ll be looking forward to hearing for years to come.

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