Cashus King has been on a tear over the course of the last year and a half. Ever since the pandemic began, he’s dropped a slew of projects including Weightless, AGAPE vs Nameless, and HeavenManEarth, as well as dropped singles like “HBCU” and “Sit Calm” to help build momentum. His recent project, Weight of Wind, takes all his hard work, creativity, and energy and blends them into one. A smorgasbord of insightful, relaxed, and dense songs, it presents the best and brightest aspects of CashUs music and still leaves room for growth. 

An analogy that explores the heaviness or lack thereof of life, WOW starts with the album’s intro “Betrayal of the Brain’s Mind”. Building on his tradition of insightful intros, Betrayal explores the concept of mental health and the rampant violence that’s native to his Los Angeles neighborhood. The two-part breakdown in this song is followed throughout the album, which gives the listeners a treat of double the value per song. Cashus’s barrage of bars sets the tone for the project, and sets up one of the album’s standout cuts, “God is a MC (The North Remembers”). High tempo, the song’s rock and roll feel immediately draws listeners in as he paints the picture of himself as a god emcee. 

Carrying on the tradition of West Coast lyricism and music, the album’s production, which comes from longtime producer Clouded Slum, allows for a cohesive sound that makes this project shine. Listening to the project, you can easily spot the influence of his favorite West Coast emcees including groups like South Central Cartel and emcees like Kurupt. 

Production aside, WOW’s strength lies in how it’s able to present listeners with abstract and hefty ideas yet deliver them in a melodic and easy-going way. Songs like “Boom Bap Cadillac” explore life’s trials and tribulations accompanied by Spiderman and superhero visuals, while Black Israelis” skillfully examine the lineage of black Americans entering the new world. Other standout cuts include “Zombie Nation, “Forever and a Day (Enter the Dragon), and “To Understand (We is They”). At its best, the Weight of Wind carries on the tradition of Cashus’s earlier gems and, rather than duplicate, blazes a fresh path towards the top.