Bo Jackson (album)
| Bo Jackson | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 13, 2021 | |||
| Genre | Hip-hop[1] | |||
| Length | 44:03 | |||
| Label | ALC | |||
| Producer | The Alchemist | |||
| Boldy James & The Alchemist chronology | ||||
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| Boldy James chronology | ||||
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| The Alchemist chronology | ||||
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Bo Jackson is a collaborative studio album by American rapper Boldy James and American record producer the Alchemist. It was released on August 13, 2021, through ALC Records.[2][3] It features guest appearances from Benny the Butcher, Earl Sweatshirt, Roc Marciano, Stove God Cooks, Currensy, and Freddie Gibbs.[4] It peaked at number 94 on the UK Album Downloads Chart.[5]
Background
Bo Jackson is the fourth collaborative project by Boldy James and the Alchemist, preceded by My 1st Chemistry Set (2013), the Boldface EP (2019), and The Price of Tea in China (2020).[6] The album takes its title from Bo Jackson.[6] The album's cover art was hand-made by the Alchemist.[6]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Beats Per Minute | 84%[7] |
| HipHopDX | 4.1/5[8] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10[1] |
Chase McMullen of Beats Per Minute stated, "As grave as it is grand, Bo Jackson is an album that feels deceptively immediate."[7] He added, "The Alchemist has opened the doors wide on this one, inviting us in without restraint, right into the awaiting jaws of Boldy James' slickly sinister, bubbling vision."[7] Dylan Green of Pitchfork commented that the album "continues to match James' descriptive paranoia against Alchemist's ever-expanding palette."[1] Tom Breihan of Stereogum stated, "while thousands of rappers have rhapsodized about their own criminal histories, vanishingly few have done it with the atmospheric grace and clinical detail that Boldy brings to Bo Jackson."[9] He added, "the thing that sticks is the connection between Alchemist and Boldy — the way Alc can find the right frequency to bring out Boldy's impeccable craftsmanship and send him into a deep memory zone."[9]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complex | The Best Albums of 2021 | 44
|
|
| Consequence | Top 50 Albums of 2021 | 18
|
|
| The Fader | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 29
|
|
| Paste | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 34
|
|
| Rolling Stone | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 45
|
|
| Stereogum | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 31
|
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Double Hockey Sticks" | 3:25 |
| 2. | "Turpentine" | 3:23 |
| 3. | "Brickmile to Montana" (featuring Benny the Butcher) | 2:40 |
| 4. | "E.P.M.D" | 3:38 |
| 5. | "Steel Wool" | 3:22 |
| 6. | "Photographic Memories" (featuring Earl Sweatshirt and Roc Marciano) | 3:53 |
| 7. | "Speed Trap" | 2:06 |
| 8. | "Diamond Dallas" (featuring Stove God Cooks) | 3:26 |
| 9. | "Flight Risk" | 2:06 |
| 10. | "Illegal Search & Seizure" | 2:37 |
| 11. | "Fake Flowers" (featuring Currensy and Freddie Gibbs) | 3:46 |
| 12. | "3rd Person" | 3:31 |
| 13. | "First 48 Freestyle" | 3:15 |
| 14. | "Drug Zone" | 2:55 |
| Total length: | 44:03 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[16]
- Boldy James – vocals
- The Alchemist – production, front cover collage
- Benny the Butcher – vocals (3)
- Earl Sweatshirt – vocals (6)
- Roc Marciano – vocals (6)
- Stove God Cooks – vocals (8)
- Curtis Chambers – additional guitar (8)
- Currensy – vocals (11)
- Freddie Gibbs – vocals (11)
- Eddie Sancho – mixing
- Joe LaPorta – mastering
- Mr. Krum – design, layout
- Mvsa Photography – photography
Charts
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[5] | 94 |
References
- ^ a b c Green, Dylan (August 17, 2021). "Boldy James / The Alchemist: Bo Jackson". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ Jones, Abby (July 23, 2021). "Boldy James and The Alchemist Announce New Album Bo Jackson, Share "First 48 Freestyle": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ Jones, Abby (August 13, 2021). "Boldy James and The Alchemist Drop New Album Bo Jackson: Stream". Consequence. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (August 13, 2021). "Boldy James and The Alchemist Share 'Bo Jackson' f/ Benny The Butcher, Freddie Gibbs, and More". Complex. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ a b c Sayles, Justin (August 18, 2021). "How Alchemist and Boldy James Found the Cheat Code on Their New Album, 'Bo Jackson'". The Ringer. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
- ^ a b c McMullen, Chase (August 13, 2021). "Album Review: Boldy James & The Alchemist – Bo Jackson". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ Brake, David Aaron (August 27, 2021). "Boldy James Makes Case For Griselda's Best Rapper On Alchemist-Laced 'Bo Jackson' Album". HipHopDX. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ a b Breihan, Tom (August 18, 2021). "Boldy James & Ka's Majestic Psychedelic Rap Journeys". Stereogum. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ^ "The Best Albums of 2021". Complex. December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
- ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2021". Consequence. December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ "The 50 best albums of 2021". The Fader. December 14, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Paste. November 29, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone. December 3, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2021". Stereogum. December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ Boldy James & The Alchemist (2021). Bo Jackson (CD booklet). ALC Records.
Further reading
- Buford, Jayson (August 13, 2021). "The Alchemist and Boldy James Discuss Making Their New Album 'Bo Jackson'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- Schube, Will (August 18, 2021). "How Boldy James and the Alchemist Became a Dream Team". Complex. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
External links
- Bo Jackson at Discogs (list of releases)