Freeway - Free At Last: Album Review

Free At Last has been a long time coming. Considering that Freeway dropped his debut album in 2003 he is just now following up with his sophomore album. Freeway has managed to stay relevant in today’s fickle music climate through his collaborations with his crew Ice City, State Property, Features on Roc-A-Fella albums (pre and post Jay & Dash split) and the ever important mixtape scene. Let me be clear from the beginning, the wait did Freeway good because he does not suffer even a hint of the often mentioned sophmore slump.

The album starts off with the reflective “This Cant be Real” featuring Songstress Marsha Ambrosius which gives a verbal time line of Freeway’s life from childhood until the break up of Roc-A-Fella records supported by a mellow beat designed to make the listener hear the lyrics. Freeway continues to spew fire over the album such as “Things just ain’t the same for gangstas, but I don’t give a f*ck I’m back with out a Just (blaze) track/ Try to reach out and work but he ain’t chirp back” and in the same song starts the third verse off “Things just ain’t the same for gangsta’s, I’m back without a track from Kanye it’s all good/ The dash on the 760 is all wood, I got the heat in the stash I use the nine lethal/ we different people and when ego’s collide, pride coincides and it brings out the evils/ Fact is he’s too busy, I’m too gutta, I was fucking with him when niggas was like who is he?” Freeway quickly answers questions why some of his past collaborators did not show up on this album.

Although past collaborators did not show up on this album, Freeway gets a ton of support from a superstar cast, from icon Jay-Z on the infectious “Roc-A-Fella Billionaires”, 50 Cent on the Freeway’s attempt at a radio friendly single “Take it to the Top”, to the legendary Scarface lending his piercing lyrics on “Baby Don’t Do It”, Past collabo king Busta Rhymes and gruff voiced super lyricist Jadakiss on the chilling “Walk Wit Me” and Florida’s ultimate Hustler and labelmate Rick Ross on the soon to be club banger “Lights Get Low”, Freeway’s album gives more than enough by way of collaborations. With such a strong supporting cast, Freeway still manages not to be outshined and still maintains control of his own album.

Though as mentioned Freeway is missing Just Blaze and Kanye beats, song’s such as current single “Still Got Love”, “Free at Last” and my personal favorite “When They Remember” show that Free at Last is in no need of production help. Although I was hoping to see summer classic “Don’t Act Like They Don’t Know” with Virgina verbal slinger Skillz on the album, Freeway has truly dropped a strong album that is sure to be a hood classic. Hopefully this album will find equal success and praise outside of the hood. If you have a chance to check it out give it a listen, you won’t be disappointed but rather surprised.