Shottaz 4Eva [Deluxe]

Dallas rapper MO3 was experiencing an uptick in exposure when he was shot and killed in November of 2020. Earlier that year, his collaborative mixtape with Boosie Badazz, Badazz MO3, had produced multiple songs that had millions in streaming numbers as they brought MO3's unvarnished lyrics of street life and high-energy approach to performance to legions of new listeners. Posthumous release Shottaz 4Eva shows multiple sides of the late rapper's talents. Tracks like "Out the Gym," "They Can't," and "Money Mya" highlight MO3's gift for relentless powerhouse flows, mixing heavyweight verses with hooky choruses. Conversely, the emotionally moving "Outside" and the Kevin Gates-featuring "Broken Love" tend more toward pained Auto-Tuned melodies and bars centered around street struggles. Additional contributions are made throughout the album by Tre Dae, Og Bobby Billions, Foogiano, and of course Boosie Badazz. Shottaz 4Eva is a bittersweet testament to MO3's greatness, offering a complete picture of his range, passion, and the potential that he had to climb to even greater heights. ~ Fred Thomas