It's been a while since I've heard an ode to my hometown of St. Louis, Mo. Leave it to a fellow STLien to deliver a dedication that stretches from North County to the South Side. Smino locked with his go-to producer, Monte Booker, for a midtempo, bass-heavy bop that's almost as colorful as his own cadence. As with most Smino cuts, his gift of melody elevates the production, he pushes the limits of conventional song structure and some things could go over your head if you're listening too slow. "Rice & Gravy" sticks to the ribs because it's slightly more settled, while still sounding like nothing and no one in hip-hop right now.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
