After Chicago rapper Lil Durk exploded from his 2020 feature with Drake, some people could have predicted that he would be the one helping another artist explode within the next four months. He landed a feature on unknown Memphis rapper and “1017” signee, Pooh Shiesty. With the song between the two going viral on tiktok in the span of weeks, the music video has amassed nearly 50 million views on YouTube. In a smart business move, Shiesty capitalized on his viral stardom with his debut album “Shiesty Season,” and rap fans were interested to hear if he had more from where that song came from. 

The album opens up with “Shiesty Season Intro.” It’s a fairly short track to start the album, but Shiesty does it with his Gucci Mane inspired beat and slow-spit bars. It’s still a pretty effective intro, with him almost claiming that he’s about to introduce you to a once in a lifetime rapper. After the nearly two minute track is over, he takes us into the hit single from the album, “Back in Blood (feat. Lil Durk).” Shiesty was able to pull a major feature from the Chicago legend, and Durkio gave a typical hard verse over the dark and demented beat. The single took the world by storm and is already one of the most popular songs of 2021.

“Guard Up” was another single dropped before the album. It has a solid hook over a lighter instrumental, and Shiesty continues his new tear into the rap game. His influences come into full fruition with his song “Ugly” (feat. Gucci Mane). Trap legend Gucci Mane, who co-signed Shiesty to his 1017 label, showed where Shiesty’s influences originate from. Most people were able to tell when he was featured on Gucci’s “So Icy Gang” tape that he was the newest protege, and the mumbling style is so similar.

“Neighbors” (feat. BIG30) was another single released before the album. It’s another dark refresher to the album, but starts to begin the repetitive pattern that the album carries into one of the best songs on the album, “50 shots.” It’s another banger level track with a catchy hook and grimy lyrics. These are the types of songs that if Shiesty keeps pumping out, they will make him a star.

The eighth track “Box Of Churches” (feat. 21 Savage) completes the one two punch with its predecessor and provides a much needed fresh feature from 21 Savage. The combo between him and Shiesty works incredibly well over the unique beat, and the catchy hook talking about a Box of Churches’ chicken is not only hilarious but clever. “Making a Mess (feat. BIG30 & Veeze)” is an intriguing track. We see the second feature from his good friend, BIG30, but the track doesn’t hold up. With solid but generic flows the song just sounds like a total filler, along with a good portion of the middle point of the album.

The last gasp from Shiesty comes with “Choppa Way.” It’s pretty much the last great song on the album and embodies what is so interesting about his style and shows his true potential. The different flows he can throw at the listener while changing his voice takes incredible talent, and it’s another wonderful track that shows where his career can definitely go. The rest of the album however, isn’t the same. After the tenth song, it pretty much becomes straight filler from there on out. 

“Take A Life” and “Gone MIA” are solid background music, but just don’t add anything to the album. With the filler in the middle of the album, he could have easily shortened this tape into a 10 song project, but instead it drags on forever. Once you get to the features on “Big 13 Gang,” and the final solo track “See Red,” it becomes almost hard to listen to. It’s not like the quality of the music is bad, but it just gets so repetitive. Certain artists like Future or Playboi Carti have mastered the art of repetitiveness, but they keep the track interesting through either their style of rapping or the instrumentals they use. 

“Master P (feat. Tay Keith) is a solid way to end the album, but the damage was already done. It’s a typical hard hitting, yet slick beat from producer Tay Keith, and Shiesty switched up his flow enough throughout the album to keep my interest despite nearly having me lost at the end of the album.

Shiesty could take two directions. He could use his obvious lifestyle and creativity to turn into one of the next young rappers to become incredibly huge across the country, or he can keep overusing the same flows like artist “DaBaby” and his music could grow old incredibly quick. The album is a four out of ten, and it isn’t a bad album by any means. It just didn’t stay interesting for 49 minutes of listening. How his career trojects to next is all up to his creativity.