J Duff is one of the few rappers that are on their way to stardom. The 2012 XXL Freshman Class was filled with has-beens and never-weres, leading listeners to find the best new artists. I believe that J Duff is on a path to become a household name, and this is because of his incredible wordplay and punchy beats. His flow comes forth on the disc’s first cut, Can’t Stop Me Now, as a less sloppy Yelawolf. The complexity of his lines is reminiscent of Chris Webby or early Eminem, but the subject material is much less dorky than the former and less self-aggrandizing than the latter.
Prepare For Glory blasts past the four-minute mark, purely relying on J Duff’s lyrics to push the track past the finish line. The Introduction should be seen as an important rap album because it contains a cohesion to the disc’s 14 tracks that few rap albums can achieve. Even when the tempo of the disc changes (particularly noticeable on Lonely), I feel that J Duff’s output is constant. This is something that even storied artists like Jadakiss or Lil Wayne are unable to do; despite the slower feel of Tear Drops, there is no sense that J Duff has slowed down
I particularly dig the inclusions of featured artists towards the end of The Introduction. Whether it is on Tear Drops (featuring Lara Janine) or I Could Be (Rob the Rockstar), there is considerable momentum created on the latter reaches of The Introduction. Keep an ear out for J Duff — I believe that he will get the attention and acclaim that he deserves if he can keep the momentum and fire that he presented on The Introduction.
Top Tracks: Can’t Stop Me Now, I Could Be
Rating: 8.4/10
J Duff – The Introduction (CD) / 2012 Self / 14 Tracks /http://twitter.com/jduff_ / http://jduff.bandcamp.com/