August Alsina - The Product 3: stateofEMERGEncy

It’s been five years. Five years since we have received any real music from August Alsina. Besides a handful of features here and there, this is the first album that we have received from him since his sophomore project.

With that being said, I’m just glad to have something. While writing this, I’ll try not to be bias. In speaking with a friend of mine, he urged me to not be bias and to state the facts. But in this situation, it’s hard and I think unless you give ALL the facts, it’ll be hard to put this tape into perspective, period.

Since 2014 and even before, August Alsina has had it hard at least from what we know. But since 2014 he has struggled with having an auto immune disease named Gullain - Barré Syndrome which can cause damaged nerve cells and paralysis. With that, that has caused him stints in the hospital as well as not being able to walk at times. On top of that, him struggling with going blind and even more struggling with the death of his sister/sister in her loss to cancer, thus becoming the sole provider of his nieces.

If you go back before then, August also lost his brother (who was the father of these three beautiful girls) to murder in 2010 leaving them now without a father and mother. Even then, with his father being a crack addict, step father being a crack addict, not having the best relationship with his mother, dealing with his own addiction to Percocets and the rumored relationship between him and Jada Smith, that is a lot, for any person to go through, to say the least.

With all that being said, that brings us to the album, the Product 3: stateofEMERGEncy. This album is just what it says, a state of “Emerge and see”. The third part in his product mixtape series, this is all about Augusts’ growth over the years. In this album we get to hear some flashbacks of his former sounds and life growing up in Nola (listen to the product 2) but also we get this more developed and wiser August. Although we get to look at his past growing up and all his struggles, we also hear him talk about the lessons he’s learned, his views on God, his new life with his “Naughters” (Nieces & Daughters), his relationships, his disease, being molested and so much more.

Sitting at and 1hr and 30 minutes, it’s pretty lengthy with 27 songs (in which I even had to break it down into thirds) but I assume with all the lack of music he’s put out over the years, this will do.

Now in my attempt to be honest, I also have to state the cons. While only having 5 features, some of the features weren’t as solid as they could've been. I enjoyed features from Darrel Walls (singer from the Walls group), and Yo gotti. But the Juicy J and Lil Wayne feature he could’ve did without. Honestly he really could’ve held it on his own. I’m not much of a fan of long tapes and I feel that it being more concise could’ve made it just that much more cohesive. Although it seemed drawn out, honestly I’m just glad we got music from him, considering you know, everything.

I do not believe this is his best project at all as he has soo much more to give. I think he has yet to reach his pinnacle. But all in all, August Alsina we’re glad to have you back.

P.S. If you haven’t checked out his new Youtube doc do so. I’ll throw the link below.

Rate: 7.9 (Boost just for him showing up)

Favorite Tracks: Today, Round, Lessons, Fly Far, Brakes Ft. Yo Gotti

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