In an effort to reclaim his underground following, Logic (a.k.a Bobby) has released his second studio album in eight months that gives you that “2011” Logic vibe; a vibe that even Bobby seems self-aware about, as he mentions it multiple times on this album.

I’m unsure of how you felt after Logic’s studio album, “Everybody,” dropped (or, if you were even listening to him) but for me, that was the album where, as a fan, I felt confused.

Filled with commercial success, the album lacked the Logic I fell in love with on “Young Sinatra,” “Under Pressure” and “The Incredible True Story.” As much as Logic references that time of his life on this new album, it seems as though I wasn’t the only one who felt some type of way. 

On the second song of the album, “Wake Up,” Logic raps, “Instead of just sittin’ on the bench, I’m reconnectin’ with the streets.” As an artist who’s experienced the kind of success most Datpiff artists only dream of, I can’t expect to be connected to Logic’s lyrics as I once was.

But, as far as music production goes, this album was definitely that of “underground” Logic, just a more polished version.

With great soul, jazz and funk samples that can be heard on songs like, “Village Slum,” “Ayo,” “Lightyear” and many more, it’s not even an argument that Logic and 6ix, his longtime friend and collaborator, ear for sound is unmatched. 

Sticking to the theme of recapturing his underground days, Logic took a creative route by putting scripted skits at the end of most of the songs, where they detail a day of him driving from Maryland to D.C. for a concert performance. In these skits, you’re painted images of Logic and friends being held at gunpoint at a convenience store, the rapper smoking his first blunt and the relatable relationship shared between him and his long-time friends.

Fortunately, reclaiming his underground fan base isn’t impossible, like putting toothpaste back in its tube. But, like losing weight, it will take a consistent and conscious effort to realize the goal.

With Logic being an independent artist, if restoring his underground sounds is what he wants, he has the freedom to do exactly that. Seemingly, he’s coming to his senses about record labels and their influence over his music and others.

We can never forget rule number 4080 laid out by Tribe Called Quest: “Record company people are shady.”