Kidd Lee - Chapter 20 (Album)
The sophomore effort from North Carolina’s best kept secret, Leandrea Carroll has arrived. Now on the big 20, the lyricist we all know as Kidd Lee is back with more of that inspirationally intense introspection. On the album’s intro, which sets the tone for the entire record, we get a sample of a woman talking directly to those who may need to, not only hear the words she’s speaking but heed them. Not entirely sure who’s speaking but she’s one hell of an orator, as is Lee, who is absolutely comfortable with who she is as a human being, a woman & an artist. “I Am” is one of those soliloquies you’ll wanna repeat to yourself whenever you wake up & stare at your reflection, ready to tackle whatever circumstances may come to you each day. The lesson she urges you to walk away from after this number is to not allow the things you’ve gone through & mistakes you’ve made along your journey to define you, irrespective of how many people may try to convince you otherwise.
“Oh No” indeed cause Kidd Lee ain’t nothing to play with lyrically. Her flow is too immaculate as she grabs that bull, that Devil by the horns & snaps those babies clean off its head. The Devil just may cry for making the better angels of her nature weep. The samples she utilizes are balanced so beautifully, offering you so much motivation throughout. “Letting Go” is one of the hardest lessons we may learn in this lifetime, whether a past love or familial relationship, etc etc, it’s no easy task. Kidd is as self aware a MC as they come. Even after all the hurt she’s had to overcome after cutting out the deadwood, she remains “Unshakeable”, unbreakable, you name it. She’s the “Head Not The Tail” but she’s coming for both of them. This is the result of her entering her fears & gaining the utmost confidence, so much so that she’s swinging at those who looked down upon her & made her self conscious about herself with such gusto.
She can’t look back, only forward, no retrogression, as hard as it may be to forgive & forget. She understands that she’s been “So Blessed” to have had God “Reveal The Snakes” that were slithering in her garden for longer than she may even care to specify but she’s now “Made New” friends in this juncture in her life & career that only continue to champion her & for that, she’s grateful. Whenever you’re actually doing something in life & with your life, when you’ve been killing it for as long as she has, people will call you “Overrated” but they can “Say What They Want” cause truthfully, they only running off at the mouth cause they can’t seem to pinpoint their own “Identity” as she has. On the album’s outro, she continues to “Take It” all in, whether good or bad & utilize it all to the best of her abilities. After all, it’s only fuel for her to continue to strive for better. Never complacent with her position in life but proud of the progress God has allowed her to make nonetheless.