By the dawn of the 2020s, Che Noir had become one of the most talked-about emcees to emerge from Buffalo, New York's fertile hip-hop scene. Her initial albums and mixtapes revealed her as a confident, striking lyricist with an unflashy, no-nonsense flow who feels right at home rhyming over earthy production recalling rap's golden era. Following the release of 2019's The Thrill of the Hunt 2, one of several Noir recordings produced by 38 Spesh, Detroit beatmaker Apollo Brown reached out and expressed his interest in working with her, and he gradually sent her batches of beats to write lyrics to. She flew out to Detroit when she was ready, and the album was recorded in a matter of days. Considering the short but unhurried time period it took for the record to come together, As God Intended is remarkably focused and direct, in addition to showcasing Noir's range of styles, techniques, and subject matter. On one hand, she gets deeply personal on songs like "Daddy's Girl," in which she reflects on how her father wasn't present while she was growing up, and how it's affected the course of her life. The Gil Scott-Heron-sampling "Winter" examines relationship drama, while tracks like "Follow the Wisdom" (with a guest rap by Skyzoo) and "Hustle Don't Give" (featuring a weathered Black Thought of the Roots) detail life's struggles while stressing the importance of remaining strong and refusing to give up. While the majority of Noir's lyrics are grounded in stark reality, her ability to craft a compelling fantasy narrative is evident on the grim but fascinating "12 Hours," which innocently starts out with a group of friends getting ready for a party before escalating into a murder scene over a simple but grave misunderstanding. On a lighter note, "The Apple" celebrates the natural beauty and magic of black women, and "'94" is a fond reminiscence of the sounds Noir was raised on, recalling how Lauryn Hill, 2Pac, Foxy Brown, and others inspired her and shaped her understanding of music. The song ends with her assurance that someday she'll be recognized in the same breath as her heroes. Throughout the album, Apollo Brown's production is rich and emotion-heavy without upstaging Noir's austere poetics, masterfully supplying her verses with strong drums and heart-stirring textures and melodies. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi

1		Anti-Social
2		Blood Is Thicker
3		Hustle Don't Give
4		Money Orientated
5		12 Hours
6		Hold It Down
7		Daddy's Girl
8		Worth Gold
9		The Apple
10		Freedom
11		Follow the Wisdom
12		Winter
13		Live by the Code
14		'94