Jay Critch Drops ‘Jugg Season’ Album

Firing up New York City with his no-nonsense flow and expensive tastes, Brooklyn’s Jay Critch has his borough on his back. Taking his fate and his bag into his own hands, Critch shares  Jugg Season, an expansive and effortlessly fly new album. With a cover that finds Jay surveying his kingdom from the top of the Barclays Center, the new album is the culmination of Jay’s five years as a crucial figure in his city’s scene, brimming with the confidence of a hot shot upstart made good. Incorporating sounds from the Five Boroughs and beyond, the 19-track project bounces from the Shiny Suit Era to the SoundCloud explosion to the heyday of the Coke Boys, with Critch serving as a versatile and charismatic navigator. The 24-year-old Clinton Hill native flashes a lyrical maturity that nearly matches his ambition, weaving his own history with the rich heritage of NYC rap music.

Jugg Season recruits producers from all over the rap map, with contributions from plugg maestro MexikoDro, heady Chicago sound architect BrentRambo, Atlanta impresario Richie Souf, West Coast magicians RonRonTheProducer and ThankYouFizzle, plus more. The tape’s 19 tracks provide plenty of opportunity for Critch to unfurl disrespectful flexes and visceral bars, as he dances over icy keyboards on “No Edits,” processes his pain on the guitar-flecked “Tuscan,” and reestablishes his Hood Favorite status on the towering “Cargos.“ “Raincoats” pairs Critch with Detroit rhymer Baby Money for a motivational hustler’s anthem, and reunites with mentor Rich The Kid for “Missiles,” an atmospheric banger that easily could’ve fit on one of the classic Rich Forever tapes. Most notably, Critch goes toe-to-toe with Max B on the aptly-titled “Still Wavy,” combining Max’s signature melodies with Critch’s hard-headed snarl.

Since he burst onto the scene as a teenager with singles like “Ad Libs” and the beloved Hood Favorite mixtape, Jay Critch has been one of New York’s favorite sons. His collaborations with Rich The Kid and Famous Dex on the Rich Forever mixtape series remain the stuff of legend, but he hasn’t stopped switching up his style or releasing new heat for the streets. His 23-track 2021 effort Critch Tape found the artist expanding his sound to absorb drill and other prevailing street styles. The tape featured collaborations with fellow New Yorkers Fivio Foreign and Lil Tjay, as well as influential figures Skillibeng and Drakeo The Ruler. Critch recently expanded his CV to include modeling, as he modeled for the Kors x Ellesse campaign alongside Emily Ratajkowski in 2022.

With Jugg Season in the books Jay Critch seeks to resume his Five Borough takeover. Stream Jugg Season everywhere via Talk Money Ent./EMPIRE.

© 2023, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.