2018 has been a great year for New Orleans, Louisiana’s Curren$y. The Jet Life pilot recently became a father. Meanwhile, musically, he released one of his best works to date care of the Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist collaboration Fetti. Spitta also dropped a standout guest verse on Cozz’s wavy “Badu,” from the Dreamville release, Effected.

Although Curren$y has a truly unique delivery that can seem more conversational than rapping to some, the former member of Master P’s 504 Boyz and Lil Wayne’s Young Money team was raised by lyrical legends. “GRAND” shows that. The song, which is more than a freestyle, pays respects to Grand Puba’s 1995 “I Like It (I Wanna Be Where You Are)” hit.

Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist Are Money. Stream The Fetti Project (Audio)

The MC raps about cars, staying the company of beautiful women, and driving through his city to relieve life’s stresses. “Mute them boys that’s always talkin’ that mess / Cop coupes, park cars, that’s a light flex / Lifestyle Rap? That’s my genre, I guess / Founder, forefather, sportscar auction baller / Lowrider Impalas, executive quarters,” he raps with tight compound rhymes.

The N.O. O.G. reworks Puba’s chorus, and then has a little fun with the bridge into verse number two, just as Maxwell did 23 years ago. “Can it be he stayed away too long? / Is Kanye still ridin’ ’round with Trump? / Hope if he hear this he don’t get mad / Just give us some vintage sample tracks.” The stream of consciousness flow addresses everything from Spitta’s imported Stan Smith kicks to the loss of New Orleans peer Young Greatness. The MC sounds great on the vintage vibraphone and drum track (produced by Mark Sparks). That song cleverly wove in samples and references to songs by Michael Jackson, Debarge, The Stylistics, Cal Tjader, and The Crash Crew.

20 Years Ago Grand Puba & Brand Nubian Reunited And Put Egos Aside (Video)

In other news, 2DopeBoyz reports that Spitta and producer Ski Beatz (JAY-Z, Camp Lo, Talib Kweli) are headed to the runway with Pilot Talk IV. Since the first installment in 2010, the collaborative series was a crucial part of Curren$y’s career. In 2015, he released the third volume. Ski shared the boards with Cool & Dre, Harry Fraud, and Frank Dukes. Jadakiss and Wiz Khalifa were among the guests. Hopefully Ski, who was cutting some hit records in a similar chamber to Puba’s ’95 style, is taking note.

#BonusBeat: Puba’s exceptional original: