It’s always nice to hear New Orleans talent drop quality work from home. It warms the heart and shows natives that you can be stellar without leaving the city. The flavor Paasky brings on his newest project In Times Like These is his own, locally sourced and seasoned with smooth Southern talk and various styles and flows that keep real rap alive.

Paasky released his fifth full-length album, The Fifth Child, in October 2020. It felt very authentic, very polished, and very 5th Ward. His 2021 features with Kingikeem (“Make It Out”) and glbl wrmng (“Well Sh*t” featuring Pell) made it clear that he had no shortage of top-tier content.

In July, he returned with this all-new project, offering a mix of contemporary instrumentals, a few soul samples, and Southern beats with groovelines reminiscent of the No Limit era.

In Times Like These starts with “Yoski”—no hook, no time wasted, and all bars. The punch-packer sets the tone for the album, while a message from the legendary Pimp C adds another layer to the musical journey on track two, “Supreme Baller Like.” Paasky’s flow and approach speaks to hip-hop purists who still love Biggie like he does. The rhymes are heavy on the metaphors and wordplay with a focus on the mentality, perks, and flyness that comes with a hustler’s lifestyle.

The rest of the album shows Paasky’s versatility while staying on brand. The production by Jon Mercure and Professor Bling lays a solid foundation for a resonating voice like his. They leave space for melodic features from Kendal Banks and LeLe Shepard to fit perfectly, with quality rap verses from Mercure himself.

In Times Like These is a 27-minute journey into the lifestyle of a young and successful New Orleans hustler. The musicality and texture here show the scope of hip-hop knowledge Paasky and his team have. The album is a sonic highlight for the city this year. It says that in times like these, in the midst of a pandemic, one can still stunt.

—Tyree Worthy