Codeine Cowboy

Babyface Ray secured his standing in Detroit hip-hop over more than a decade’s worth of records, not the least of which being his 2022 pairing *FACE* and *MOB*. Firmly in his independent bag, he maintains the high quality of those standout projects on *Codeine Cowboy*, a narcotized trip that accentuates the themes found in his existing body of work while going deeper on other routes. Early on, fans will gravitate to streetwise cuts like “American Psycho” and “Kick the Cup Campaign.” Over time, however, a clear desire to explore R&B vibes crops up, particularly notable on “Nobody’s Perfect” and the JMSN collab “Don\'t Misuse Me.” Though his guests here represent an assortment of locales, those with close ties to Michigan (such as Lil Yachty on “Wavy Crete” and Veeze on “Half Sleep”) provide some of the most memorable features. Detroiters G.T. and Samuel Shabazz show up with their A-games for the faded “I Know” and the breezier “Sin Aire,” respectively, with the latter returning for thought-provoking closer “1 On 1 Talk With God.”