Well executed concept album from Chicago rapper Serengeti (read title as “3”, not “the third”). Kenny Dennis is a character created/played by Serengeti, a now regular-guy Chicagoan with a moderately successful rapper past. Here, he reunites with his friend and former partner in rhyme Ders (Anders from “Workaholics”), but they create a new electro rap group called Perfecto (instead of reviving their hardcore 90s group Grimm Teachaz). Ders isn’t doing anything else, mostly finds the idea amusing, tags along for the tour, hilarity and fallings out ensue. Serengeti does pretty much all of the rapping (and it’s great if you’re into his jokey but actually kind of reflective stream of consciousness style). He’s got a good talky flow and a good gruff midrange voice (with prominent Chicago accent here). Beats are mostly straight-forward but well executed funk and rock sample based stuff (so more Grimm Teachaz than Perfecto).

RIYL: Serengeti, Atmosphere, Prince Paul’s solo concept stuff

1. twangy soul/rhythm guitar, big fat loping drums, shouted soul samples. a bit of scratching at the end. lyrics about the narrator’s wisdom and day-to-day routine. funky, catchy, funny. 2:43
2. more twangy guitar, this time with some shuffling drums and a more laid back feel, beat halts for a bar occasionally. occasional woodblock accents. complaints from the narrator about how people only ever talk about gang trouble in chicago and not all the other stuff that happens. “turn off; turn it on; turn it back up.” 4:03
3. buzzy melodic line (synth sample maybe?), but doesn’t feel “electronic”. basic boom/clap drum line, beat winds down a bit occasionally. lyrics about riding around, hanging out, hitting up house parties, trying to cut loose, hangovers, mackin, getting into fights, etc. 3:55
4. echoing fuzzed psych guitar loop, rolling drum break, kenny’s friend talking about how he’s not doing anything and wants to get the old group back together. “win big, lose big, no break evens.” 1:11
5. mid-range guitar plucks, rich bass, boomy drums. skit about kenny’s bandmate being a big unsure about their new direction, the electro group “perfecto”. 1:16
6. RZA-esque scratchy soul loop, skit about how their doing regional shows. 1:08
7. (FCC: “shit got real weird”, “what the fuck are you doing?”) warbly synth loop, shuffling strutting break, skit about how things are going OK on the tour but with looming tension. 1:47
8. opens with classic sounding drum break on its own, then kenny starts rapping on it after a couple bars. sunny spare guitar loop and scratches come in around :30. narrator telling the listener to calm down and explaining how he’s got it under control. conversational rapping style. 2:22
9. more classic gritty hip-hop production, fuzzy guitar (?) loop, drums are laid back but still snap. narrator complaining about his lazy cousin (who later becomes a snitch). narrator says he taught said cousin to walk again, but i’m skeptical. 3:11
10. (FCC: "shit", once; "damn", a few times) swaying beat, wistful organ over buzzy bassline and clattering drums. occasional breakdowns and sound effect interjections. narrator complaining more about his deadbeat cousin. would go well back-to-back w/ #9. 2:32
11. waterlogged piano, chill surf guitar loop, sample w/ two guys talking about a girl. narrator talking about hitting the bar, seeing the girl from the title, running into friends. weird vocal sample loop towards the end (“dancing stops”). 2:27
12. bluesy guitar and harmonica loop over clattery drums. some additional electric guitar in the background later. narrator talking about how he does things on his own schedule. 3:53
13. twangy country-ish guitar loop over steady drums. the group gets an important show opportunity (big regional talent show), but division is afoot because of a new opportunity for ders. 2:10
14. (FCC: fuckin, shit) cymbal heavy break, skit with argument in the group. 0:59
15. half-hearted short freestyle from ders over rolling break and a bit of guitar. 0:34
16. chirpy bright sped up soul loop, fast shuffling drum break. opportunity from #13 evaporates for ders, and now the split was all for naught. and turns out maybe perfecto wasn’t such a bad idea. 2:26
17. growly droney midrange synth line (like a little tremolo on a note or two on a 303), halting drum break with some snare rolls and breakdowns. rap like stream of consciousness sleep talking with worries about owing money, having missed out on stuff, how the listener needs to calm down and back off. counterpart to #4. “no even stevens.” silence about 5 seconds before end. 3:51
18. halting shifting drums, a watery looped piano (?) note, warbly piano line over all that. ticky cymbal hits get added at points. “all you need now is a little clarity, a little therapy.” 1:43
19. slooow fuzzed out low-pitched guitar, heavy, not quite soaring but has that end of the album reflective vibe. chimes/bells in the background. intermittent loping drums. reminisces and regrets and such. 4:25

recommended: 2, 1, 12, 9, 18, 10, 17