Curren$y & Harry Fraud’s “Never Catch Us” Displays Duo’s Evolved Chemistry (Album Review)

Here we have the 24th studio LP from New Orleans, Louisiana rapper, songwriter & record executive Curren$y. Starting with No Limit Records in 2002, he would then hop over to Young Money Entertainment & Cash Money Records in 2006 & eventually branched out in 2008 with his own label Jet Life Recordings. The man has since made a name for himself by dropping a handful of projects every single year with my favorites including the Harry Fraud-produced Cigarette Boats, the Alchemist-produced Covert Coup, the prominently Ski Beatz produced Pilot Talk series, The Carrollton Heist, the Lex Luger produced Motivational Speech, the Statik Selektah-produced Gran Turismo & Continuance to name a small handful. Last time I covered Spitta was when he had So So Def Recordings founder Jermaine Dupri produce For Motivational Uses Only & was intrigued by the Never Catch Us singles.

“Drop Zone” couldn’t have started any classier with it’s sumptuous trap instrumental talking about turning blank pieces of paper into all kinds of things whereas “Checkpoints” works in some great vocal sampling to run up the score by selling dope & cheffing up more. “Dream Machines” featuring Premo Rice gets on some laidback jazz rap vibes talking about their lifestyles leading into “Airport Industries” featuring Wiz Khalifa dreaming of the finer things.

Conway the Machine & Rome Streetz join Spitta for “Money Magnet” embracing a boom bap flare talking about them being able to attract paper just before “Zack Morris Phone” featuring Bruiser Wolf strips the drums discussing the concept of perspective. “Duct Tape” gets back on the trap tip refusing to partner with cowards & flying with the loudest until “True Lies” featuring Babyface Ray, Styles P & 03 Greedo uniting the quartet talking about playing seriously & cool.

“No Wrinkles” featuring Fendi P hooks up these strings & hi-hats showing off their smoothness widen it comes to women while “320 Estate” featuring Dave East soulfully explains their first rule being not to speak ill of them. “All Season Long” featuring D.R.A.M. & Jay Worthy has these prominent synthesizers suggests those who lie to kick it ain’t your friends while “Encrypted Messages” psychedelically asks what you raising the top for.

The continuous themes of past fan favorites Cigarette Boats, The Stage, The Marina & The Outrunners are prevelant during the course of Never Catch Us showing the evolution of Curren$y & Harry’s chemistry for the past decade or so. Nearly every guest come correct with their verses, Spitta himself sounds focused & the production eclectically bounces between boom bap to trap & jazz rap.

Score: 8/10