Back in November, Dave East showed the world what another collaboration with DJ Drama would sound like when he released, Book of David.
Tapping in with long-time collaborators Buda & Grandz, DJ Drama’s flawlessly added his infamous Gangsta Grillz commentary and ad-libs to Book of David. According to East, he and Drama have known each other for quite some time, but felt now was the perfect time for a follow-up collaboration.
“Once I felt like I had a strong body of work that was very street oriented, I felt like I haven’t done one of those in while,” said East, due to the expansion of his portfolio as an actor and his overall brand.
Dave East and DJ Drama’s relationship developed when East dropped his 2015 his Gangsta Grillz mixtape, Hate Me Now. Now the two are back 7 years later, picking up where they left off. This time around both East and Drama have are at much higher stages in their career and how they approach their craft.
“As long as I’m constantly creating something new, it’s fun for me and the people who support me,’
The Survival rapper was more intentional about giving his core fans bar heavy tracks similar to his mixtapes of the past.
“I approached a lot of this album like a freestyle,” East says. “I didn’t think too deeply on the record. Let me just get in there and get my energy off and the response has been incredible.”
One of East’s best examples of this is on his track “GODbody,” where he forgoes a typical hook and shows a dichotomy between his current life from his one growing up.
Dave East’s Book of David project is out now. Check out the Harlem rapper break down more of his latest work in the video below.
