Before the Fame

Yhung T.O.’s second solo release of 2017 walks the same Vallejo streets as Mac Dre lyrically, although T.O.’s sinuous, lightly Auto-Tuned vocal is as much Vandross as hyphy. And like *On My Momma*, this EP moves between boasting and introspection. Opener “Slidin’” does both within the same song, covering threats (gangs and police overreach) and joys (sex, love, and currency) over sunny soul samples. “Tutu Gang” loops funk guitar in a hopeful, mournful lament for T.O.’s little brother.