In this episode of the NFR Podcast, hosts Luca and Anthony dive into their review of Lil Baby’s 2025 album “Wham”. With tracks like “Listen Up,” “Dum,” and “Dumb and Dumber” featuring Young Thug and Future, the album brings a blend of familiar sounds and standout moments, but leaves some expectations unmet.
Performance
Lil Baby’s performance on Wham received a mixed reception. While it shows more drive and hunger than his 2022 release It’s Only Me, the album still keeps him in a comfort zone. The best moments come on tracks like “Dumb Dumb and Dumber” and “F*ck You Two Times,” where Baby’s energy and delivery stand out, but the album overall doesn’t quite break new ground.
Features
The album features a mix of strong and underwhelming collaborations:
- Strong: Young Thug and Future deliver solid performances on “Dumb Dumb and Dumber,” while GloRilla shines on “Red Bone.”
- Underwhelming: Travis Scott, Rod Wave, and Rio Rodriguez’s contributions don’t leave a lasting impact.
- Mixed: 21 Savage’s verse is decent but standard, although the length of his contribution works in its favor.
Content
Lyrically, the hosts argue that ‘Wham’ mostly focuses on the typical themes of braggadocio and luxury, with few moments of introspection. Tracks like “Streets Colder” provide a glimpse into Baby’s personal side, but these moments are few and far between. The overall content, according to the hosts, feels one-dimensional, lacking the depth fans have come to expect from his earlier works.
Production
Luca & Anthony note that the album’s production follows a familiar formula, with generic trap beats that occasionally hit the mark. The mixing on several tracks, however, leaves something to be desired. “Dumb Dumb and Dumber” stands out as the production highlight, showcasing a more energetic and polished sound.
Replay Value
They agreed that the album has a limited replay value, with only 3-4 tracks standing out among the 15 tracks. At least there’s an improvement in the album’s length, clocking in at a more digestible 41 minutes compared to the bloated runtime of It’s Only Me.
Overall Score
While Wham is a step up from It’s Only Me, Luca & Anyhony reveals that it still falls short of the high bar set by Lil Baby’s peak period from 2018 to 2020. According to them, the album shows little in terms of artistic evolution and leaves many fans wanting more. This, as they argue, marks Lil Baby’s second consecutive release that didn’t live up to the hype.
