Whether we all agree or not, debut albums are crucial in the music industry because they can determine the artist’s career and longevity. YFN Key2fly just released his debut album, Sorry 4 The Wait. Join me as I break down the tracks one by one and determine if this is a step-up or a step-down.
“Did U Wrong” started with a mellow keyboard vocal sample that is unique because it contradicts the overall flow of the track. The flow and cadence of this track are smooth; it doesn’t sound forced.
I have to give props to YFN Key2fly for his singing parts. Even though they’re short, he gave us a glimpse of his singing abilities. It’s very rare to hear a bit of orchestration in rap songs because of the belief that, first, it might not work, and second, we rarely hear that kind of sample. But on this track, it worked its magic.
It’s refreshing to hear a real instrument sample in an evolving industry that is heavily reliant on synth samples, and if I can be honest, “Sorry For The Wait” nailed that early 2000s sound with a touch of YFN Key2fly’s style. I appreciate the fact that this track features high and low melodic rap vocals. It showcases YFN Key2fly’s skills in melody creation.
I may be wrong, but I tried listening to this track multiple times to check for any Melodyne or autotune integration, and I’m not hearing anything. I’m not entirely correct, but if I am right, then hats off to YFN Key2fly for those vocal skills.
By the third track, “Down In Tears,” the intro samples just keep getting better and better. This is the type of production that everyone needs to follow. It’s easy to create a track, but to have this level of production with samples is on another level.
“Down In Tears” is not the most explosive track to come out of this album, but it goes hard because of the elements attached to it, like the samples, the beat, YFN Key2fly’s flow, and its simplicity. I would take this track any day over the usual mumble rap songs that are released.
The beat on “More Than Friends” goes hard! The flow and cadence on this track work perfectly with that hard beat.
What I appreciate about this LP is that every track offers something different without compromising YFN Key2fly’s identity. YFN Key2fly’s flow is his own, and you cannot compare it to others; that should be every artist’s first goal: to have a voice and not just a voice, but to own it every time.
The changes in lyrical pace are what make “Money Fetish” different from the other tracks. The beat used in this track is another reason why every artist needs to spend time in the studio working closely with the producers. You can have fire lyrics, but if the production is weak, then the track is just “another” track. YFN Key2fly took the time to make every track on this album as beautiful as possible.
I firmly believe that the first twenty seconds of a track are the most crucial part because it can be the artist’s buy-in for listeners to keep listening. Sure enough, “So Lonely” started with the phrase, / It get lonely at the top that what they told me./ That phrase alone created this interest in me to listen to the whole track, and that, my friend, is how you make people listen.
To end the album, we have “Outro,” which has a different and interesting flow. It’s not your usual YFN Key2fly flow and cadence, which for me, is a perfect way to end an album.
Overall, Sorry 4 The Wait exceeded my expectations. It’s an album worth exploring and listening to for hours on end. It’s not the most explosive of all albums that came out in 2024, but it goes hard, and all the efforts, edits, and timeless hours in the studio are worth it.
Follow YFN Key2fly on social media. Stream Sorry 4 The Wait today!
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About the Author
He has been in the music industry for two and a half decades. Currently, he plays bass guitar for a rock-reggae band called EnjointPh and a funk-fusion trio called Banky. He also hosts a podcast titled Usapang Musiko with Ervin Besana, which explores topics such as music, arts, and philosophy.
