Modesty should earn respect, not braggadocio. So although Lil’ Wayne will (unjustly) find more success rapping than some tattooed art school grad/Midwestern rapper like Coolzey, that doesn’t mean he deserves it.
The Honey is an interesting album. It’s not that he’s a parody of rap per se (like one of his influences…Weird Al), although he is imitating other styles any rap fan has heard. So what’s he doing?
Mash Biz Markee, Weird Al, and Slug’s personalities together; you might end up with something along Coolzey’s lines. Listen to “Little By Little” and try not to want to befriend him. Listen to “Retina Scan” and remember why you fell in love with hip hop in the first place.
He isn’t just a poor mans imitation. With guests like Sadat X (from Brand Nubian) and Copywrite, he’s proven he can make impressive friends in the rap world. There are, at times, a storm of sounds reminiscent of Jedi Mind Tricks (thank you Italian sounding samples) and at times an overabundance of references to loving ladies and weed. Coolzey doesn’t sound like a thief or copycat, he sounds like a fan and a fun loving guy.
And you know what? It feels good to hear a rapper mock himself, credit his influences, address stumbling blocks, and so much more – it’s nice to hear someone who isn’t just writing raps about how great he is. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and a lot of folks should feel awfully flattered after hearing this.