On Pieces Of A Man, Mick Jenkins’ sophomore studio album, the Chicago rapper delivers his elliptical flows with greater self-assurance than ever as he offers up a kind of retrospective of his life. The ever-observant, incisive lyricist embraces neo-soul beats and vocals, giving Pieces Of A Man a warmer, more worn-in sound than previous projects. Mick sings and raps about topics greater than himself, so when he stunts (which is infrequent) you know he means it. Another part of that mellowness is the album’s overall commitment to assessing, with nuance, a hard-working adult who still likes to get stoned. This is recommended for fans of BadBadNotGood, deM atlaS, & Noname.
