Having spent time on indie labels such as Mello Music Group and self-releasing his own material, veteran Detroit rapper Finale now returns on Focus Records with his fourth album entitled “The Good”. With some irony, it honestly tracks that this review comes a day after Father’s Day and coincides with the album cover: In this case, it’s a painting of Finale as a child being held by his grandfather. For most of the album, Finale holds down the lyrical part on his own and has very few guest stars. Also, about five songs come with a “b/w” in the title, with said tracks functioning like double vinyl singles. So, on that note, the album technically begins with four tracks embedded in the first two.
Wasting no time in his first album since 2020, Finale starts things off with “The Good b/w Whatever’s Left”. Respectively produced by DJ Manipulator & DJ Jewels Baby, fellow Motor City music alumnus Tynah also makes an appearance. For the former, Manipulator creates a menacing beat made from an eerie sample as Finale mixes the word “good” in each of his bars, emphasizing his need for good things and not material excess. On the b-side, Jewels’s beat makes use of horns and vivacious vocal samples as Finale proclaims that the word “good” will be used throughout the album. Next up is the airy “Take the Time b/w Mirrors”. The first is an lush production courtesy of DJ Manipulator as Finale spits introspective rhymes about making time for things, but never having enough of it. Jah Freedom’s sorrowful “Mirrors” has Finale reflecting his own rhymes back at himself, essentially challenging himself. The Trox-produced “Thanks 2 Hip Hop” is Finale’s ode to the genre for giving him an outlet for his thoughts. Nottz Raw produced “District 12” and it sounds very lively with the background vocals, bells coupled with snares, and a piano sample.
“Gunna’s Lament” is a flex for Finale’s his storytelling muscles with the gist of the message being to not trust the inauthentic, even some of his fellow rappers. Finale’s gravelly voice and flow shines on “Self Checks & Balances b/w Roses”. Produced By DJ Manipulator & Mark Cooper, the a-side has boom bap drums with a clarinet sample while the b-side has a dense lo-fi sound to its production. “Job’s Not Finished b/w Bread & Butter” starts with Jae Diamondz’s head-nodding drums and a murky string sample as Finale gives a lesson in respect for burgeoning emcees. For Willie B’s “Bread & Butter”, it contains a xylophone sample throughout and has braggadocio rhymes from Finale. Marv Won laces a gloomy beat for “Honor the Code” and begins the first verse with Fatt Father going last, making these two the first guest rappers to make appearances on the album. The scratched in chorus of “Stop schemin’ and lookin’ hard” sums up the destroy-my-opponents mentality of the verses. Finale speeds up is flow on the yU the 78er-produced “Patience”, keeping up with yU’s blues guitar lick samples and hi-hats. DJ Manipulator makes use of a vintage soul sample for the exultant “Luther Stickell” as Finale “catapults the real shit to strongholds of foolish niggas who follow the wrong codes.”
“Enough” is a dark and foreboding soundscape thanks to Jamil Honesty, with Finale detailing his come-up and knowing what his limitations are. The first single “Wishing” is produced by Apollo Brown and features record scratching and cuts from Focus Records head-honcho DJ Illogik. Mr. Brown’s sample chops result in a head-nodding soulful beat as Finale spits stream-of-consciousness rhymes highlighted by the lush vocal sample of “wishin’” throughout:
The final quarter of the album begins with the posse cut “4 Rounds” and features Guilty Simpson, IamGAWD & Phat Kat. Produced by Mute Won, the hard drums and light jazz samples are the right sonic canvass for the emcees to add their words to. Chicago’s IamGAWD has some of the best lines on the track such as “I planned it all out, now I’m watchin’ the tape shake / You the type of nigga to convicted of date rape / Chester the molester-ass nigga, you couldn’t handle a queen/ You probably more +protein+ than eight stakes.” The bassline-heavy “DWMB b/w Know It All” is first provided by yU and sounds like a late ‘90s Soulquarians production. “Know It All” by Jamil Honesty has wild drum programming and Finale wavers between losing interest not being impressed by things. DJ Jewels Baby loops a Motown sample on “A Good Time to Go”, a melancholic eulogy for fallen Detroit hip-hop artists. Lastly, is the Kev Brown-produced “Just Rap” featuring yU & Homeboy Sandman. Each emcee comes with their own take on what it means to rap sans gimmicks and over-the-top imagery. Overall, “The Good” is rooted in Detroit’s rap scene, with Finale enlisting mostly Detroit-based hip-hop artists to contribute as he curates. A veteran in the game with lots on his mind, “The Good” shows that Finale is one of many long-time Motor City rappers who’ve survived not by the skin of their teeth, but by being substantively capable artists.