Brand new mixtape & the 7th overall from Detroit, Michigan veteran Boldy James. Breaking out in the fall of 2013 off his Alchemist produced debut M.1.C.S. (My 1st Chemistry Set), there was a point where Nas’ independent label Mass Appeal Records had them on their roster for a little while before getting locked up. Once coming home, Uncle Al would help get his name back out there once getting out by dropping the Boldface EP around Christmas 2019 & then the sophomore album The Price of Tea in China. Manger on McNichols produced by Sterling Toles was as equally fantastic & the Griselda Records-backed Versace Tape EP was a tad bit disappointing given how rushed it was. Bo Jackson though would become his most critically acclaimed work to date & Super Tecmo Bo was almost as great for an EP. Fair Exchange No Robbery produced by Nicholas Craven, Penalty of Leadership, Mr. Ten-08 produced by Futurewave, the Conductor Williams-produced Across the Tracks, the Harry Fraud-produced The Bricktionary & the Carlo Anthony-produced Hidden in Plain Sight were all welcomed to warm reception additionally. Token of Appreciation produced by Chuck Strangers was much better than both Murder During Drug Traffic & Permanent Ink, the Antt Beatz produced Hommage left people divided although I didn’t mind it, coming off the V Don-produced Alphabet Highway & the Killing Nothing sequel Conversational Pieces respectively by showing up Late to My Own Funeral. Coming off his Roc Nation Records debut Criminally Attached, he & Craven are running it back for Trapper’s Alley 3: Hell or High Water.
The 2nd & final single “Summer’s Eve” kicks things off with a soul sample talking about seeing so many leave to the point where he no longer fears death whereas “Mama Maxine” featuring 218bojay keeps the drumless vibes going ensuring anyone who fucks with them will end up in the trauma unit. “My Last Try” blends chipmunk soul & boom bap talks about trying to put wings on a brick to make the glass fly prior to “Beautiful Snow” featuring Chip$ & Dave Hill getting in their coke rap bags.
“False Accusations” reaches the halfway point of the tape soulfully recalling a point in his life where he was incarcerated for a crime he didn’t even commit & once “Hamburger Helper” featuring Chip$ reunites the pair to kick off the 2nd leg opulently talking about counting up all the extra money they have laying around, “Powerhouse” featuring Chip$ & Lethalias Grain finds the trio asking if having green thumbs makes them gardeners & the cocaine hitting harder than powerpunches.
Wrapping up Trapper’s Alley 3: Hell or High Water’s final moments, the song “Grinding My Gears” soulfully talks about how he wouldn’t have ever imagined making a career out of his criminal experiences while “Don’t Tell Me (Trinidadian James)” flexes that his whole entire squad’s in the heavyweight division. The lead single “Death & Taxes” finishes up with this drumless gangsta rap outro explaining there being only 2 things in this world that we can’t escape.
Boldy James never disappoints whenever he locks in with Nicholas Craven for an entire project & that’s the main reason I’m usually very praiseful of their material, but I would necessarily put Trapper’s Alley 3: Hell or High Water on the same pedestal as Fair Exchange No Robbery & Penalty of Leadership or Late to My Own Funeral if you wanna include a more recent example. Craven’s drumlessly jazzy yet soulful production & Boldy’s gangsta/coke raps are like Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen although the guest list can be somewhat spotty.
Score: 7/10