It’s become nearly impossible to follow Chicago’s rising hip-hop scene without encountering a beat or two from producer Luke Almighty. Over the past few years, he has proven his knack for putting on new talent and boasts a roster of big voices both from the city and all over (Supa Bwe, Yung Bans, Warhol.ss) that continues to grow. Now, Almighty calls upon that roster for his own project. With features from many of his longtime collaborators and an appearance from Chicago legend Twista, ‘Class Clown’ gives the most cohesive look at the producer’s talent yet.
Almighty put his name in the spotlight last summer with the release of his debut mixtape ‘Deliver Us From Evil’, and while that project offered a deep-dive into a sound he was already known for, ‘Class Clown’ expands upon his skills. Almighty proves he’s still in his bag when balancing hard 808s influenced by Chicago drill production and ambient synths on tracks like “Believe That”; Rappers KOMLA, KILLKAIN, and SANTIAGO trade verses on this song over rolling hi-hats and an eerie melody. While honing this sound, Almighty also experiments with more melodic elements and sampling, with songs like “Brand New” offering an upbeat change of pace. The 20-song tracklist makes it difficult at some points to maintain momentum while listening, but Almighty still makes sure to end the project on a strong note with two of its best tracks. “Out The Dirt” showcases CP and Clutch sharing a sentimental moment, and KAMI comes through on the final song “Colorful Money”, offering one final reminder of what Luke Almighty does best.
Stream ‘Class Clown’ below: