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Boldy James Stays “Hidden in Plain Sight” (EP Review)

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This is the 8th EP from Detroit veteran Boldy James. Breaking out in the fall of 2013 off his Alchemist produced debut M.1.C.S. (My 1st Chemistry Set), the Detroit lyricist would later go on to land a contract with Nas’ independent label Mass Appeal Records 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 at the beginning of last year. This was followed up with the Sterling Toles-produced Manger on McNichols which was as equally fantastic, but the Griselda Records-backed Versace Tape EP was a tad bit disappointing given how rushed it was. Bo Jackson became one of his best & Super Tecmo Bo was almost as great for an EP despite IceColdBishop’s verse on “Hot Water Tank”. Fair Exchange No Robbery produced by Nicholas Craven also became one of his most acclaimed bodies of work until Penalty of Leadership surpassed it & Mr. 10-08 produced by Futurewave is up there too as is the Conductor Williams-produced Across the Tracks at the beginning of the summer & The Bricktionary produced by Harry Fraud. A month after the latter, Carlo Anthony’s joining him for Hidden in Plain Sight.

“I.S.D.A.M.L. (I Sold Dope All My Life)” starts the EP with a drumless, funky instrumental talking about being in the drug game forever whereas “Dirty Dancing” reminds us that no one wins when the family feuds & wants to make sure y’all bring your dance shoes. The title track featuring Conway the Machine & Styles P brings a jazzier vibe to the beat spittin’ that gangsta shit & after the “Wire Taps” skit, “1st & 15th” featuring King Hendricks goes for a cloudy boom bap flare talking about supplying the coke.

ZelooperZ joins Boldy on “Big Wigs” fusing chipmunk soul & trap together sitting back as they watch everything blossom after going from being at the bottom to chillin’ at the spot sittin’ on $600K prior to “Brick James” swapping out the chipmunk soul elements of the previous joint in favor of jazz rap calling for Only the Family Entertainment founder Lil Durk to come home since he got arrested last month & sending his condolences to their biggest signee King Von, who was murdered several years ago.

Carlo’s primarily known the Detroit trap scene so a lot of people were expecting it to be a lot like The Bricktionary in terms of sound, but he completely proved everyone wrong by trying out sounds that’re new to his wheelhouse. His production goes from drumless to jazz rap, chipmunk soul, boom bap & cloud rap in the span of 18 minutes so Boldy James can finish off 2024 the way he started it: Applying pressure.

Score: 9/10

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