Power
| Power | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 9 September, 2022 release cover | ||||
| Mixtape by | ||||
| Released | 16 August, 2019 | |||
| Recorded | 2018–19 | |||
| Studio | The Don Studios (Honolulu) | |||
| Genre | Hip hop · drill | |||
| Length | 58:37 | |||
| Label | La Familia Records · Imperial Worldwide | |||
| Producer | Nardo · CeeCeeDaBeast · Hawken · BreeZee · Streetside · 80210 · JJROLLEM · 9th Chamb3r · Turnstreet · Wonderkidd · Audio Anarchist · DJ Blocksquad · Murda D | |||
| Blaxkface Killer chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Power | ||||
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Power is the second mixtape by Sierran rapper Blaxkface Killer. It was released on 16 August, 2019, by La Familia Records and Imperial Worldwide. Production was primarily handled by BreeZee, alongside several other record producers, including Nardo, CeeCeeDaBeast, Hawken, Streetside, 80210, JJROLLEM, 9th Chamb3r, Turnstreet, Wonderkidd, Audio Anarchist, DJ Blocksquad, and Murda D. It features guest appearances from Splash Godd, Lil Deep, Krash, Yung Uzi Mane, and Yung Maco. The mixtape was supported by three singles: "Dior", "Twin Nem", and "Check The Score", which are all certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The mixtape was given a deluxe edition a week later, titled Power (Reloaded), with five additional songs. The mixtape would later be reissued on 9 September, 2022, three days following three years' since its release, including the top-20 hit on the chart, "Coupe", released a week prior in promotion.
Power is a hip hop, trap, and drill record. The mixtape received critical acclaim from music critics, who praised its energy, lyricism, and Blaxkface's vocal performance, with publications describing it as "energetic" and "grimey". The mixtape appeared on several publications' lists of the best albums of 2019; The Huntington Beach Post and Sierra Media placed it in their top ten. Power debuted at number seven on the KS Sunset 100, becoming Blaxkface Killer's first top-10 hit on the chart. In the Kingdom of Sierra, the RIAA certified it gold. The mixtape peaked in the top 50 of record charts in the United Commonwealth, Superior, Brazoria, Germany, Spain, Antilles, the Anatolian Republic, the United Kingdom, and the Skandinavian chart.
Background and recording
Following Wilson's release from prison in November 2018, with him releasing his 23 NovemberEP First Day Out, he would gain a substantial buzz surrounding his remix of Big Drizzy's "First Day Out". The release of the music video, which was directed by Marcus Martin and released on 29 November, would lead to him securing a recording contract with indie record label La Familia, founded by fellow Plainsfield native rapper Splash Godd. As part of signing this recording contract, Wilson would change his rap name to Blaxkface Killer, replace the 'c' with an 'x' based on his purported hatred for Crip-affiliated gangs due to his allegiance to the Kamino bloodset. Blaxkface would later be featured on three songs from the label's compilation album, included the RIAA gold-certified single "Wild Story".
On 11 March, 2019, Wilson would release the song "GTA", a song noted by many publications for Wilson's story-telling abilities and the track's drill production, in addition to Wilson gaining further publicity for revelations surrounding his criminal past. The single's cover art showed Wilson throwing up gang signs in Marcus Stevens's office alongside Splash Godd and BreeZee. Splash Godd would later state that the track was recorded "a few minutes" after Wilson had signed a recording contract with Imperial Worldwide Records. In 2019, Blaxkface had decided to leave his home in Porciúncula, Gold Coast. The primary option was his home-town of Plainsfield, but instead he opted to move to Honolulu, Hawaii. In Honolulu, his management, Gold Tone Entertainment, who he had been signed with during his imprisonment, helped Blaxkface set up with a home and studio time at The Don Studios. On 7 June, 2019, Blaxkface released "Dior", the lead single of his debut mixtape, which was teased initially as Behind Bars. The single was a breakout in Sierra, gathering millions of views on VidStream. In a Sierra Media interview, Blaxkface stated he had freestyled the entire thing, spending "maybe 20 to 30 minutes [on it]". After gaining popularity, the song has been remixed by labelmate and rapper Yung Maco.
Blaxkface first revealed the second single, "Twin Nem" featuring rapper Splash Godd, at a listening party in early June 2019. It would released on 19 July, 2019, with the video trending at number one on VidStream for two weeks. with early reviews and fans describing it as "groundbreaking". The third single, "Check The Score" featuring Yung Uzi Mane, would be released on 2 August. After being delayed a week from its initial release date of 9 August 9, it was released on 16 August.
Reissues
On 1 September, 2019, Blaxkface would perform a freestyle during an interview with Newstar, with the freestyle trending at number two on Bubbler. On 5 September, Blaxkface would post on bubbler, "refresh my page at midnight. get flamed ask coast how that hot shit feel 🌎🔫". The following day, on 6 September, the mixtape was reissued as Power (Reloaded), including an additional five songs with guest appearances from Swagga Boy and Swae Sixteen. This edition of the album would later be released on vinyl. On 9 September, 2022, the mixtape was re-released to commemorate its third anniversary. This reissue included four new tracks: "Coupe", a remix of "Wild Story” featuring Splash Godd, "Lurkin" featuring Lil Zones, and "Flexin'".
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 82/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| WhatMyMusic? | 8.4/10 |
| The Unionist |  
|
| Sierra Media | 8.4/10 |
| La Brea Times | B |
| Newstar |
|
| The Porciúncula Times | 9.0/10 |
| Sunset 40 | 8.5/10 |
| Music Box Magazine | 7.9/10 |
| Zeke Media | B+ |
Power was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the mixtape received an average score of 82, based on 19 reviews. Aggregator WhatMyMusic? gave it 8.4 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.
Derek Cleveland of The Porciúncula Times stated that Power "presents Blaxkface Killer as impressively adept at reconciling his influences into a sound that is hype as it is violent, even at its most unpolished— an ultimately hopeful exploration of how trauma manifests." Daniel Harvey from Newstar described the mixtape as "musically excellent, morally problematic". Writing for Music Box Magazine, Maddox Stevens called the mixtape's composition "authentic", stating "the 20-song project is Plainsfield drill's, in a larger capacity, most well-rounded release to date." Jay Wilder of Sierra Media called it "different from your average hip hop album", highlighting its drill aesthetic and stating, "Blaxkface's voice is already enough to set him apart from other artists coming out of Plainsfield, there's energy felt in his music that keeps you engaged. We'll have Power to remember that energy forever." In a less enthusiastic review, La Brea Times's Danielle Walsh said the mixtape features some "slightly lackluster" songs, however, she highlighted that "Blaxkface Killer's latest is one for the mosh-pitting party-goers and ganglords".
Year-end lists
| Critic/Publication | List | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| The Huntington Beach Post | Top 20 Albums of 2019 | 10
|
| Sierra Media | Top 50 Albums of 2019 | 9
|
| Newstar | Top 100 Albums of 2019 | 7
|
| The Unionist | Top 20 Rap Albums of 2019 | 17
|
| Music Box Magazine | Top 50 Albums of 2019 | 23
|
| Sunset | Sunset's 50 Best Albums of 2019 | 18
|
Commercial performance
Power debuted at number seven on the KS Sunset 100 chart, earning 41,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. In its second week, the mixtape climbed to number two on the chart, earning an additional 87,000 units. The mixtape later sold 91,000 units the week the deluxe was released. This became Blaxkface's first KS top-ten album. In its third week, the mixtape dropped to number four on the chart, earning 58,000 more units. In its fourth week, it dropped to number nine on the chart, earning 39,000 units, bringing its five-week total to 316,000 units. On 5 January, 2020, it was reported that the mixtape sold over 500,000 copies and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Following Blaxkface's death, Power re-entered the Sunset 100 at number five, earning 68,000 album-equivalent units. On 2 August, 2021, the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over two million units.
Track listing
Track listing adapted from Wave Radio.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "War With Us" | Hakim Wilson · Jasen Prince · Taevion Reid | Nardo · 4sight | 2:59 |
| 2. | "Twin Nem" (featuring Splash Godd) | Wilson · Jeoffrey Bennett · Carl Burton · Casen Hunter · Marcus Hudson | CeeCeeDaBeast · Hawken · BreeZee | 2:55 |
| 3. | "2 A.M." | Wilson · Tyrone Davenport | Streetside | 2:00 |
| 4. | "Money Power Respect" | Wilson · Kelsey Craig | 80210 | 2:35 |
| 5. | "Deep Wounds" | Wilson · Jarmal Jacobs | JJROLLEM | 3:00 |
| 6. | "Dreaming" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:54 |
| 7. | "Mannequin" (featuring Lil Deep) | Wilson · Qasim Carter · Deana Curtis · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:43 |
| 8. | "Wild Story" | Wilson · Dyonte Gordon · Pheonté Dunn | 9th Chamb3r · Turnstreet | 2:26 |
| 9. | "Dior" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:36 |
| 10. | "Beat Dat Body" (featuring Krash) | Wilson · Raffiel Marshall · Hykeem Terrace | Wonderkidd | 1:48 |
| 11. | "Welcome To The Party" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:34 |
| 12. | "Check The Score" (featuring Yung Uzi Mane) | Wilson · Jorden Farelle · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:41 |
| 13. | "Scenario" | Wilson · Hudson · Dremonte Douglas | BreeZee · Audio Anarchist | 4:01 |
| 14. | "Went Silly" | Wilson · Gordon · Jakobe Adkins · Burton | 9th Chamb3r · DJ Blocksquad · CeeCeeDaBeast | 2:43 |
| 15. | "Cash App" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:38 |
| 16. | "Element" | Wilson · Marquise Garett | Murda D | 2:15 |
| 17. | "Better Have Your Gun" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:20 |
| 18. | "Gangstas" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:40 |
| 19. | "Through Da Storm" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:15 |
| 20. | "Dior (Remix)" (featuring Yung Maco) | Wilson · Lewis Carter · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:50 |
| Total length: | 58:37 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21. | "For A Fact" (featuring Swagga Boy) | Wilson · Clay Mcguire · Terrace | Wonderkidd | 3:36 |
| 22. | "Power Freestyle" | Wilson · Stefon Hayes | Merdyz | 1:42 |
| 23. | "We Getting Money" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:01 |
| 24. | "Richer Than Ever" (featuring Swae Sixteen) | Wilson · Swae Walters Jr. · Hudson · Douglas | BreeZee · Audio Anarchist | 3:05 |
| 25. | "Drive The Boat" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:41 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dior" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:36 |
| 2. | "Gangstas" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:40 |
| 3. | "Welcome To The Party" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:34 |
| 4. | "Coupe" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:03 |
| 5. | "Power Freestyle" | Wilson · Hayes | Merdyz | 1:42 |
| 6. | "Dreaming" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:54 |
| 7. | "Twin Nem" (featuring Splash Godd) | Wilson · Bennett · Burton · Hunter · Hudson | CeeCeeDaBeast · Hawken · BreeZee | 2:55 |
| 8. | "War With Us" | Wilson · Prince · Reid | Nardo · 4sight | 2:59 |
| 9. | "Scenario" | Wilson · Hudson · Douglas | BreeZee · Audio Anarchist | 4:01 |
| 10. | "Flexin'" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:38 |
| 11. | "Element" | Wilson · Garett | Murda D | 2:15 |
| 12. | "Better Have Your Gun" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:20 |
| 13. | "Went Silly" | Wilson · Gordon · Adkins · Burton | 9th Chamb3r · DJ Blocksquad · CeeCeeDaBeast | 2:43 |
| 14. | "Cash App" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:38 |
| 15. | "Check The Score" (featuring Yung Uzi Mane) | Wilson · Farelle · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:41 |
| 16. | "Beat Dat Body" (featuring Krash) | Wilson · Marshall · Terrace | Wonderkidd | 1:48 |
| 17. | "Mannequin" (featuring Lil Deep) | Wilson · Carter · Curtis · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:43 |
| 18. | "For A Fact" (featuring Swagga Boy) | Wilson · Mcguire · Terrace | Wonderkidd | 3:36 |
| 19. | "Richer Than Ever" (featuring Swae Sixteen) | Wilson · Walters Jr. · Hudson · Douglas | BreeZee · Audio Anarchist | 3:05 |
| 20. | "2 A.M." | Wilson · Davenport | Streetside | 2:00 |
| 21. | "Money Power Respect" | Wilson · Craig | 80210 | 2:35 |
| 22. | "Deep Wounds" | Wilson · Jacobs | JJROLLEM | 3:00 |
| 23. | "Wild Story (Remix)" (featuring Splash Godd) | Wilson · Bennett · Gordon · Dunn | 9th Chamb3r · Turnstreet | 3:14 |
| 24. | "Through Da Storm" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:15 |
| 25. | "Dior (Remix)" (featuring Yung Maco) | Wilson · L. Carter · Hudson | BreeZee | 3:50 |
| 26. | "Lurkin" (featuring Lil Zones) | Wilson · Zachariah Jones · Terrace | Wonderkidd | 2:28 |
| 27. | "Flexin'" | Wilson · Hudson | BreeZee | 2:38 |
See also
- Music (Altverse II)
- C-class articles
- Altverse II
- 2019 albums
- Albums produced by 80210
- Albums produced by 9th Chamb3r
- Albums produced by Audio Anarchist
- Albums produced by BreeZee
- CeeCeeDaBeast
- Albums produced by DJ Blocksquad
- Albums produced by Hawken
- Albums produced by JJROLLEM
- Albums produced by Murda D
- Albums produced by Nardo
- Albums produced by Turnstreet
- Albums produced by Streetside
- Albums produced by Wonderkidd
- La Familia Records albums
- The Don Studios albums
- Blaxkface Killer albums
- Hip hop albums by Sierran artists