Belly Of The Beast fluctuates between darker hip hop tracks with political and thought-provoking themes to more upbeat jazz and soul inspired songs which wouldn’t be out of place at a house party.
Lyrics are at the forefront, and it’s clear that Citizen Kay put a lot of work into every word he speaks. The lyrics flow well, are intelligent and are often quite personal, with Barred a track that stands out as one that challenges social norms.
These Kicks is definitely one of the dancier parts of the LP, featuring a solid beat mixed in with elements of rock to really make it stand out. It’s a pretty good starting point for anyone new to Citizen Kay. Who Are You follows in kind, with strong jazz elements that bring it to the foreground and differentiate it from the rest of the tracks, it’s a definite highlight.
With a good selection of themes to draw from and a few guest verses to keep things fresh, Belly of the Beast is a decent rap album. It places Citizen Kay firmly on the map as someone to watch for the future.
