Horse＜Purple Vinyl＞

Minneapolis rapper/singer Prof built up a major local following before signing with Rhymesayers Entertainment and gaining more widespread exposure. However, right before Rhymesayers was about to release his 2020 album Powderhorn Suites, the label dropped him due to lyrics and social media posts deemed misogynistic, in addition to allegations of abusive and predatory behavior. He eventually released the album on his own Stophouse Music Group, and the controversy helped push the album into the Top 40 of the Billboard 200. Horse, his 2023 follow-up, also charted. Prof has always maintained a rowdy, hedonistic persona, and while hes still playful and goofy here, he seems like hes making the effort not to repeat the mistakes of his past. Even though he states "I need a safe space for me to get toxic" on the opening track, it rarely feels like hes try to push the audiences buttons. Much of the album showcases Profs slippery flows and offbeat sense of humor, which occasionally strays into self-deprecating, as on the Method Man-featuring "Subpar" ("Im doing subpar, how are you?"). The albums more serious, introspective tracks appear towards the end, with "Heaven" and "Tombstones" both contemplating death and the afterlife. "Creek Boy" is a more assured boost of self-confidence, with Prof expressing his gratitude for how far hes come in his life and career, yet the obscene outburst at the end makes it clear that hes just as cocky and immature as ever. ~ Paul Simpson