Kutt Calhoun is a 46 year old MC & business executive from Kansas City, Missouri who came up as a hype man for Tech N9ne & amongst the first to sign to Strange Music alongside Krizz Kaliko. He ended up dropping 4 albums & 2 EPs with the local independent powerhouse before starting his very own EMPIRE Distribution imprint Black Gold Entertainment named after his classic Strange victory lap. The only 2 projects he’s given us on his own so far are his last EP Kuttin’ Loose & his 5th album Persona Non Grata: Truth Be Told, but is returning after a nearly 4 year hiatus in the form of his 4th EP.
“I’m Back” is a fun way to set it all off from the dirty south-inspired beat to the lyrics telling the world of his return in the rap game whereas “Let ‘Em Know” takes the eerie trap route talking about there being a time & place for literally everything. The song “Been So Long” works in some hi-hats & spooky backdrop encouraging to walk down with him to see if you can truly feel the pain he’s lived while the penultimate track “Therapy” creepily declares that he ain’t slowing down anytime soon. “Last One Left” though is a great sendoff to the EP whether it be the piano trap instrumental that DJ Pain 1 whips up or Kutt’s lyrics about being the last of a dying breed.
Dude’s discography has always been consistent from the early days as a Strange Music household name to even the 2 offerings he’s given us since carving his own path, so I had no reason to have any worries going into Residue & it sure enough wound up being a solid comeback for Kutt. You can genuinely tell that he sounds passionate to be spittin’ again & the production is more consistent than the last album was.
Score: 7/10