At just 18 years old, Luh Tyler was dubbed the “next-gen” in rap. His rise from unknown rapper to stardom was so rapid that he doesn’t even realize how he took off or landed. Two years ago, Ski Mask the Slump God had given him a guest spot on a song and within 12 months, XXL had branded him “the real Bart Simpson.” If it makes you suspicious that a rapper who wasn’t old enough to drink alcohol OR When the vote was pushed so hard, you’re a savvy media consumer. There are people who go viral by accident and have success with it, but when you’re a teenager signed to Atlantic Records, it’s much less likely to be a fluke. “Mr. Skii” is his second album for the label, and that shows he’s a project they’ve invested in, not just a TikTok trend they wanted to make a quick buck off of.

“In my rhymes I talk about money, I don’t promote violence/All these bitches on my body, I’m a pimp like Scottie” Tyler jokes on his single “Young Nigga.” It’s a little weird that he’s making a reference to Scottie Pippen, since he left the Bulls two years before Tyler’s career. BORN. I give him the benefit of the doubt for simply respecting NBA history so much, but it actually raises more questions. On the surface, it’s also refreshing to say he’s not promoting violence, but the rest of the album breaks that promise. On “First Show,” he provokes his enemies. “Niggaz hate my move, this shit get boring/My first show, I might have had your bitch in the front row/White bitch, look like Elsa, had to let her go.” Imagine this scenario not start a fight. I’ve seen people at concerts start fights over far less.

Since Tyler is a rapper from Florida, I guess we can let him do his own version of “Take It to Da House” on “TH2DH,” but I still prefer Trick Daddy’s version (get back to rapping—we miss you, Trick). It’s cool that his dad breaks up the house party in the music video, but couldn’t Maurice Young be in there somewhere? If the visuals are anything to go by, we get dangerously close to “promoting violence” when he throws his money and chains at the feet of someone who is clearly angry with him. Then maybe we need a better definition of “promoting.” Is he saying he’s going to take out someone who tries to take what’s his? Let’s look to “2 Slippery” for answers.

“My mistake, my pockets is deeper than the sea, nigga/You don’t bring nothing to the plate then I can’t eat with you/All that shit you do is fake, you’re just a hypocrite/They say my flow is so cold but I still bring heat, nigga.” Well, he goes straight to the line and presses it. heat is at least ambiguous here, but I’m going to split hairs here for Luh Tyler. Unlike a lot of rappers his age or a little older, he doesn’t rap about how many bodies are on his face in every song, nor do I see him flashing “heat” in his videos. In that regard, he sticks to his promise not to promote violence, but he definitely pushes buttons and tries to provoke people by showing off how good he is at it at such a young age. As he says right at the start of “Change My Wayz”: “I said goodbye to all my haters.”

Tyler’s flow is interesting, and by that I mean he actually has one. He doesn’t sing his lyrics or try to correct his pitch much, both of which are welcome changes for a modern rapper. He speaks very quietly, but the music has been adjusted so that you can hear him clearly. It’s hard to imagine him singing the songs in concert the way they were recorded on the album because no one in the hall would hear him over the crowd, let alone the speakers, but I could be wrong. Despite the huge hype surrounding him, the only big highlight is Kodak Black on “7 AM in Munich.”

“Mr. Skii” shows that Luh Tyler does have future potential, but that’s tempered by the amount of ice around his neck and the euros in his pockets. He’s enjoying the fruits of a major label deal at a young age, and even if I told him to plan for his future, he’s not interested in the advice of someone his father’s age like me. Maybe he’ll listen to his own father though and put some of the money aside instead of spending it, or at least invest some and reap the dividends later. The rap business is fickle, and people may be calling you “the real Bart Simpson” now, but when that fame disappears in a year or two, you can eat your shorts for breakfast.