Young Nudy's 'DR. EV4L' Lures Hip-Hop Fans' Attention Away From J. Cole

Much of the mainstream rap rage last week surrounded J. Cole. From 'The Off-Season' – the stellar prequel to his rumored final album, 'The Fall Off' – to his first pro basketball games in Africa.

But don't sleep on the sneaky arrival of Young Nudy's new project, 'DR. EV4L.'

Across 13 songs appear major guests like Lil Uzi Vert, G Herbo and 21 Savage, who's also Nudy's cousin. Herbo is the only new artist collaborator present, as Nudy and Uzi have previously made magic on a pair of tracks, "Money Spread" and "Extendo," and Nudy and Savage rarely, if ever, miss.

The album follows Nudy's official debut, 'Anyways,' which dropped in Feb. 2020 and opened at #109 on the Billboard 200. Tough timing, as the pandemic would then shut down the country.

Reflecting how unconcerned Nudy is with trends, 'DR. EV4L' hit streaming services on a Tuesday rather than a Friday. It quickly peaked at #2 on Apple Music's Top Albums chart, alongside heavy hitters like Cole, Nicki Minaj and Moneybagg Yo.

Even if Nudy's violent subject matter can be a bit repetitive, fans didn't seem to care too much. They applauded his keen ear for beats, many appropriate for a nightclub mixed with a haunted house of mirrors.

Both swaggy and savage, this energy expands on what's present on several of Nudy's earlier projects like 'Nudy Land' and 'Slimeball 3.' You can gauge the vibe of each just by looking at the spooky cover art.

At 28, Nudy seems to be slowly but surely leaving the shadows where he's comfortable and entering the same limelight as his Atlanta peers like Savage, Young Thug, Lil Yachty and others.