Young Crazy & Pyrex - Gin In The Pot (Review)
The DMV has put the bright lights on the musical talent that represents the region. Thanks in large part to Pusha T creating Heir Wave Music, exposing new artists from Virginia and the crop of articles of DMV talent to watch out for. But nothing is as special as the area’s best up-and-coming rapper/producer combination joining forces to make a 10 track tape full of energetic trap bangers that would dominate John Wall’s club scene.
Young Crazy comes from the city of Norfolk, Virgina, where he's seen his fair share of gang violence and could be considered a different atmosphere than what DMV describes. He has been able to work with Pusha, record in Timbaland's studio and met a litany of big names. Pyrex Whippa hails from Baltimore, Maryland and has been apart of platinum records along with Grammy nominations. From Dreamville's newest collaboration Revenge of the Dreamers III on tracks "Sunset" and "Costa Rica" to DaBaby's last great record "Pony", he has had a hand in some of hip-hop's best music from 2019.
So naturally, the two come together and have an instant connection from the jump on Gin in the Pot. Young Crazy comes through with witty one-liners and tight-knit flows along with Pyrex's daunting drums, like on the title and introduction track "Gin in the Pot". Crazy has a slew of bars that are hard-hitting and introduce the energy being brought for the next 25 minutes.
"He thinks I'm a great artist in the studio 'cause I think quick, I think I'm a great artist 'cause outside of the studio I like to paint shit."
Or another bar that's as real as they come,
"Why you think he certified, we used to send that boy up the block, I don't need IG to be verified, bitch I'm verified with that glock./ You think he drippin' n****, that's how you die in fashion, he thinks that's funny well this 40 gonna have you dying laughing."
Young Crazy and Pyrex pick up the mood with tracks like "Boston Celtics" and "Cash Involved", with upbeat drums flossing while still sticking to his street code. "Indecent Exposure" sounds like it could have found a place on the Savage Mode series, with it's sirens and hard-hitting drums and unlimited reminders of DMV lifestyle coming from Young Crazy about putting faces on ads and running up on dudes treating them like Shaq asking "where them bricks at?"
Towards the end we get some of their most cohesive tracks yet, like on "Vegan" that continues this haunted aura that comes from the depths of the DC/Maryland/Virginia region with another streak of great one-liners like "I swear if boy don't watch his mouth I'll send his ass a dental plan" or "the way we turned him to a vegetable we screaming fuck tomatoes!" Pyrex gives Crazy a steady beat on "Pressure" to quietly glide on and we find a bit of versatility in Crazy's harmonies with "Heart of a Goat" to finish off the record.
The duo vibe off Gin and reviving stories of DMV's cruel past. It's painting pictures of the chemistry they have in the studio. Pyrex makes the drum-kit 101 that everyone wants to rap over and Crazy taunting anyone in his path and bringing caution to the wind. It's an obvious connection that should be intertwined for years to come.
