Following a nearly three-year absence, Nav returned to the rap music scene, dropping his newest project and fifth studio album, “OMW2 Rexdale” on Friday, March 28.
Nav was raised in Rexdale, a neighborhood within the central core of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Leading up to the album dropping, the rapper made it clear he wanted to tap back into his roots and old style for the upcoming project.
The album spanned 14 songs with a 36-minute runtime. Considering that Nav’s last three albums have eclipsed the 20-song mark in a much shorter period in between releases, the rapper seemed to have truly adjusted his mindset heading in.
The album begins with a mellow “Sinking” where a singular guitar and a female-led chorus guide Nav through the simple track, a step back from the rapper’s usual fast-paced intros fans have seen in past works.
From there, Nav bounces back and forth between his rapping styles in the following songs. The following track features Don Toliver, where he and Nav produce another melodic masterpiece in “You.” The collaborations between these artists never seem to fail, as Don has been featured on three of Nav’s last four albums, including a certified platinum record with “Lemonade.”
Tracks like “Burbs” and “Back to Business” bring fans back into a typical Nav style, with his fast-paced rapping and catchy beats that can be played at full volume in your car. The rapper also included a feature from one of the hottest names in rap right now, Playboi Carti, fresh off his long-awaited “Music” album.
The remainder of the tracklist establishes heavy melodies with futuristic beats lining the background of Nav’s vocal performances. While many fans doubted Nav’s ability to tap into his old style when he joined the rap game in 2017, listeners seemed surprised by the sudden change of approach. Certain hip-hop publications called it “the moodiest album of his career.”
Nav has production credits on every album track, increasing his resume as a dual threat in the rap game. The artist has always had his hand in the cookie jar when it comes to self-production and producer talents, dating back to 2015 when he created the beat behind the hit diss track “Back To Back” by Drake.
The album gives fans a little bit of everything. You know what you’re getting into when you turn on a Nav project, and this piece of work is no different, despite him tapping into his older self at times. To be honest, I don’t see many moments in the track list where the album hits a bad spot. The theme stays stable throughout the runtime while differing in intricate ways for fans to stay attached to the music.
For a 35-year-old rapper like Nav, who got such a late start in the industry, it’s nice to see him continue to deliver consistent hits while hanging around with other big artists in the rap game.