Big K.R.I.T.: Live From the Underground

With his first official full-length on Def Jam, Big K.R.I.T. aims to solidify a budding legacy. His is an anachronistic style; Live From the Underground’s beats are equally reminiscent of Hypnotize Minds and Southernplayalistic. 8Ball & MJG lend “Money on the Floor” a classic, syrupy feel (meanwhile, 2 Chainz reminds us that his leisurely delivery isn’t far removed from that of his Memphian predecessors). Ludacris makes a brief but convincing appearance on the ho-baiting “What U Mean.” Underrated nu-soul man Anthony Hamilton adds welcome warmth to “Porchlight.” B.B. King steals the show on the psych-inflected “Praying Man.” Aside from a few pointless moments - including a skit where K.R.I.T. finds himself breaching the mainstream “by way of the South,” as if the region hasn’t run the mainstream for years - Underground is expectedly solid. Not groundbreaking, but ground-standing, at least. (3 out of 5 stars)