BJ The Chicago Kid, 1123 | Album Review 💿

Although not characterized as flashy, R&B singer/songwriter BJ The Chicago Kid delivers another solid, highly enjoyable R&B album with ‘1123.’

Everything that is flashy and incredibly shiny doesn’t always end up being the most well-rounded.  There are plenty of artists, bands, and musicians who capture the headlines because they are flashy, though at the same time, they may not always deliver the most consistent, enduring music.  BJ the Chicago Kid certainly isn’t a headline-grabber, but he definitely should be.  After a three-year hiatus, the Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter returns with an excellent sophomore album, 1123.  There are no glaring cons to be found.

“Feel the Vibe” 

✓ “Feel the Vibe” definitely establishes a ‘vibe’ to commence 1123.  Following an intro by BJ the Chicago Kid, featured guest Anderson .Paak drops the sole verse of the record.  Rapping, Paak is on autopilot, telling us about his come-up and smoking some potent weed.  As for BJ, he brings the soulfulness with a chill-vibe-filled chorus – “We got macaroni and cheese, collard greens and chicken inside / Can’t forget the cornbread / Talkin’ shit with the old heads.”  #Roll Up. BJ gets funky on ✓ “Champagne” where the bubbly has got him totally to’ up and sexed-up to the nth degree.  The songwriting isn’t filled with depth, but the point is loud and clear – the alcohol has made him want to have some sexy time with his bae.

✓ “Get Away” continues the consistency and excellence of 1123, featuring JID, Buddy, and Kent Jamz. This is an urban contemporary joint with plenty of hip-hop cues. Even BJ the Chicago Kid is in rapping mode (verse one), bringing some street-wise sensibilities. Buddy and JID drop the second and third verses, while Kent Jamz sings the sexy, soulful chorus and the brief, rapped fourth verse.  BJ drops an outro, which is followed by classic, adult contemporary R&B harmonies. Although “Get Away” is long, it’s among the crème de la crème on 1123.

“Time Today”

If “Get Away” was more contemporary overall, BJ the Chicago Kids goes throwback on the incredibly expressive and soulful ✓ “Time Today.” Although it’s clear that BJ can sing any- and everything, he sounds more ‘at home’ and potent on a neo- / retro-soul cut such as this one, particularly on the chorus where his assertiveness really shines through.

“I got time today-ay, yeah
I got time today-ay, yeah
Lead me to the spot, I’ll lick every drop
I’ll be dippin’ in your honeypot, throw away the clock.”

“Get Away” was a relatively tight three-minutes-and-twenty seconds, while ✓ “Can’t Wait” expands to nearly five minutes.  The good news is that “Can’t Wait” is a thrilling five-minute-ride. Brought to the feasting table are high-flying vocals and a minor-key, hip-hop-infused backdrop that fuses just the right amount of old-school and contemporary R&B.  Eliminating predictability, there’s a production switch that occurs during the last minute-and-a-half of the song, featuring a slick, rap verse by BJ.

Unsurprisingly, the sexed-up slow jam “Back it Up” feels like a natural follow-up, with Eric Bellinger setting the tone from the beginning (intro, pre-chorus, chorus, first verse, pre-chorus, and chorus).  BJ finally arrives for the second verse and later the bridge, final chorus, and outro, but if there’s one rub it’s that there’s more Eric Bellinger than BJ.  That said, “Back It Up” appears on Bellinger’s album, The Rebirth 2 as well…  Merely in the context of 1123, it’s another winner, and the “yeah, yeah, yeah” backing vocals are a superb touch.

“Playa’s Ball”

“1123’s Playa’s Intro” precedes one of the surefire bops of 1123, ✓ “Playa’s Ball” featuring Rick Ross.  If you’re an R&B fan who longs for the good old days of soul or even neo-soul, “Playa’s Ball” is that joint that’s going to make you feel the nostalgia.  Vocally, BJ the Chicago Kid delivers one of his best vocal performances, showing off the colorful nature and ripeness of his pipes.  As far as the collaboration goes, Rick Ross is the perfect rapper for this particular cut – he excels on more chill, luxurious, and slower joints.  Also, the piano sounds marvelous by all means – sounds like an upright.

BJ keeps things soulful on follow-up ✓ “Too Good.”  The bass line is one of the biggest selling points, coupled with that dusty, old-school groove.  He sounds so natural here, blessing the listeners with awesome expressiveness, nuance, and riffs.  There’s nothing flashy about the songwriting or even the production work, but it’s a perfect fit for him by all means. “Close” inches back to 00s R&B, while still keeping one foot to the door of the past, specifically that 90s adult contemporary / grown-folks sound.  No new ground is broken, nor does it need to be – BJ flexin’.

“Rather Be with You” 

Reaching homestretch, 1123 continues to impress, particularly the consistency. “Rather Be with You” is groovy, thoughtful, and as well-rounded as anything else that graces the album.  Vocally, BJ the Chicago Kid continues to compel.  Great moments include the vocal harmonies, harmonic progression, and the pre-chorus and chorus sections.  On the penultimate joint ✓ “Worryin’ Bout Me,” BJ embraces the hip-hop influenced R&B of the 2010s, with surprising effectiveness.  Sure, he brings more soul on earlier cuts like “Time Today,” “Too Good,” or even “Playa’s Ball” which also features a rap feature, but his versality is undeniable. Offset certainly doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but, like Rick Ross earlier, he feels like the right fit for this particular cut.

Arguably, the trap-soul cut “Worryin’ Bout Me” could’ve been the final song of 1123.  It’s a crowd-pleaser for sure, but BJ the Chicago Kid opts for a more ‘thoughtful,’ pop-infused R&B record with “Reach” featuring Afrojack. There is no other song on the album like “Reach,” which makes it a breath of fresh air as the closing number.  Like everything else, it’s well-rounded without any truly pronounced cons.

Final Thoughts

BJ the Chicago Kid isn’t the flashiest artist in the game, particularly under the umbrella of urban music.  That said, he’s definitely among the best, incredibly consistent, and painfully underrated.  His debut album, In My Mind was a gem, and so is the follow-up, 1123.  Are there any deal-breaking moments on 1123? Absolutely not.  One of the best albums of 2019, regardless of genre. 

✓ Gems: “Feel the Vibe,” “Champagne,” “Get Away,” “Time Today,” “Can’t Wait,” “Playa’s Ball,” “Too Good” & “Worryin’ Bout Me”

BJ The Chicago Kid • 1123 • Motown • Release: 7.26.19

Photo Credit: Motown