Maino. The name and face are familiar but many of the masses have yet to really listen to him enough to have an accurate opinion on him. Despite the success of three singles off the first album, most notably “All the Above”, Maino remains under the radar, and highly underrated. With a good first album and a noticeable singles under his belt, Maino set to take on the sophomore album. A make or break, because its been known to either prove you have it or you don’t, peak fans interest or make them doubt. And with 3 years in between albums, one EP a few mixtapes, but not a lot of radio or video presence, and not a lot of features, the deck is kind of stacked against Maino. And to ratchet the pressure up a little more, Maino called his last mixtape I am who I am, the album before the album, and considering the mixtape was good, it adds pressure to not let the mixtape be better than the album.
But one listen to Maino’s music proves that he’s a fighter, a survivor and focused.
Ready to show and prove, Maino steps up to prove he belongs, and delivers The Day After Tomorrow an album about the trials and tribulations, goods and bads of having success.
If the I am who I am, mixtape was the album before the album, then Maino definitely just dropped two good albums, because it lives up to it in every way.
The album shows so much growth, this is grown man music, its balanced, extremely soulful, and most importantly focused.
The production is soulful and cinematic, but tailor fitted for him and his style and make a perfect combo. If you want to know how good a rapper, is slow down the beat, and don’t overproduce the track. Put him on a soulful, introspective track
bare bones, drums bass, them the booth and their lyrics. No gimmicks, no extra fast pace or beat that hides what’s being said or beat that makes everyone sound good, on this album Maino’s beat selection is such that it focuses on letting you hear what he has to say and he excels on the soulful tracks. Check for “Heaven for a G” as a standout over the Emotions sample of “I Could Never be Happy”.
The song making is on point.
There are a lot of mid tempo and slow songs, but there is something for everyone and every occasion, check “Cream” ft./ T.I and Meek Mills for you club fix.
The album probably wont get a lot of radio play, as I don’t hear a watered down enough radio single, its very street, very honest. “Unstoppable” may have the best shot for crossover success or “Let it Fly” f/ Roscoe Dash
Lyrically, its not intricate lyricism, complex rhyme schemes, but it heart felt and real. Check for tracks like “Messiah” and “Day after tomorrow”.
The features are well placed, and not over shadowing, they compliment but don’t make the album, not in overabundance and honestly not needed, but don’t take away form the album either. Maino clearly proves that he can hold an album down by himself. The features are honest, not forced or gimmicks.
I rate the album 4 stars out of 6. Its good, ride out, chill, and smoke music.
