Boldy James lives and breathes rap music, feeding the streets with quality albums at an astonishing pace. Today, the acclaimed Detroit wordsmith connects with accomplished producer Antt Beatz to release Hommage, their new collaborative project, and Boldy’s fifth new album of 2025. Hommage is available on all platforms via EMPIRE.
A fixture in Detroit’s underground for nearly two decades, Boldy James often forged his own path through the music industry, collaborating with national figures and linking up with East Coast behemoths like Westside Gunn and The Alchemist. With Hommage, Boldy steeps himself in the sounds of his hometown, trying his hand at the booming Detroit sound that has taken over rap music this decade. He finds the perfect production partner in Antt Beatz, who has been a favorite for Detroit artists since his work with Team Eastside in the early 2010s, and has since crafted hits for artists like Lil Baby, Tee Grizzley, 42 Dugg, and Icewear Vezzo. With occasional assistance from co-producers like Helluva on “Tetris” and “Super Mario,” Antt provides Boldy with a widescreen take on the 313 sound, crafting instrumentals with creeping pianos, subsonic bass, and atmospheric synth pads, ideally suited for Boldy’s flow and delivery.
Fellow Detroiters Baby Money and Bandgang Lonnie Bands appear to offer contrasting perspectives–Boldy and Lonnie trade boasts about their ice over dramatic pianos on “Met Me,” while Baby Money makes a seismic impact on “Off The Richter.” Closing track “Dead Flowers” serves as the album’s end credits, as he shouts out his longtime associates and stacks flexes with flair.
A new gem that shines even among his ever-growing catalog, Hommage is Boldy James’ and Antt Beatz’s love letter to Detroit, presenting a pristine version of a sound that took over the game. Stay tuned for much more music from Boldy James soon.
© 2025, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
