Self-released via his own CTA (Chasing the Art) imprint following deals with numerous major and independent labels, Godfather is the 11th studio album from British MC and producer Wiley. Announced in March of 2016, the album was delayed numerous times, even being scrapped at one point, before finally arriving in January of 2017, at which point Wiley stated that it would be his final album. He'd made this claim before when his previous album, Life Is a Game of Snakes Ladders, appeared in 2014. At that point, grime was experiencing a revival in popularity in the U.K., and it's only grown since then, with Skepta's Konnichiwa deservedly winning the 2016 Mercury Prize, and younger MCs such as Stormzy and Novelist achieving critical acclaim and chart success. In the past, Wiley has resisted being categorized as grime, let alone the godfather of the genre, but here he fully embraces the title, reclaiming the throne before gracefully bowing out. With nothing further to prove, he makes a definitive statement with this album before leaving the genre to the new generation, openly acknowledging the success of British rappers such as Meridian Dan and Giggs. Simply put, Godfather is a solid hour of what Wiley does best. The album is energetic, triumphant, and constantly thrilling. The rhymes are brash, confident, and direct, and the beats are tough yet intricate and playful. The tracks are crafted by notable grime producers such as Preditah, Rude Kid, and Darq E Freaker as well as promising lesser-knowns such as CJ Beats and JLSXND7RS. Songs like the excellent single "Can't Go Wrong" are bombastic without being obnoxious; the vibe here is more celebratory and encouraging than threatening or repellent. Only once does the album slip into more slick, R&B-influenced territory, with the calmer, more reflective "U Were Always, Pt. 2." Built around an SWV sample and featuring a cameo from Skepta, the track is a refreshing interlude, and sounds sweet and natural in contrast to some of the more calculated, chart-baiting tracks on Wiley's major-label efforts. After that, it's back to the hardcore, with highlights including "On This" and "Laptop." If Godfather really is the conclusion of Wiley's recording career, he's ending it on an extremely high note. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi

1		Birds N Bars
2		Bring Them All/Holy Grime
3		Name Brand
4		Speakerbox
5		Back With a Banger
6		Joe Bloggs
7		Pattern Up Properly
8		Can't Go Wrong
9		Bang
10		U Were Always, Pt. 2
11		On This
12		Bait Face
13		My Direction
14		Like It or Not
15		Lucid
16		Laptop
17		P Money Remix