Stevie Crooks - Diamonds & Guns

Diamonds & Guns... What are two gifts guaranteed to make any woman’s face light up with joy and gratitude? Sorry, thought we were playing Jeopardy for a moment there. Anyway, this mixtape title/intro track finds first-time featuree Stevie Crooks spinning a lyrical depiction of his worldview around the two titular commodities. Over his own catchy, headphone-worthy boardwork (anyone know where those vocal samples come from?), Crooks comes with an intriguing, if somewhat abstract mix of braggadocio, vivid imagery and allusions (he even namedrops Genghis Khan, which may be a Booth first). Fortunately for those who don’t catch his metaphorical drift, the rapper gives us the Cliff Notes on verse three, offering not one but several possible readings of the record’s themes – and, presumably, those of the street album as a whole. If, after listening to this intro track, you’re anxious to hear Stevie Crooks drop some more lyrical gems, you can find plenty more on Diamonds & Guns (the mixtape), released February 1 and available now online.