OT9 Beno stays true to his roots on both a personal and sonic level. Time and time again, he’s proven that he’s one of those rappers who can architect an aura. Once he starts to spit with his signature gritty voice, the energy soars. Furthermore, the Brooklyn-born musician draws from his home state by tapping into drill-oriented beats.
Lyrically OT9 Beno reflects on his upbringing, social status, and grind mentality. Also, he shoots warning bars at opps who become too boisterous with threats. In hindsight, he prides himself on keeping it 100. His experimental sound is an introduction to the Fully Active curator’s versatility.
Right on the heels of his project Fully Active, which garnered over 100,000+ streams on all DSPs, OT9 Beno is back with the predecessor, Fully Active 2. The themes on his newest LP focus on his come-up, blessings, and all-or-nothing approach in life. Likewise, the 11-track project sees the 800 Foreignside signee blocking out hate. In three tracks, he expresses his desire for a one-in-a-million type chick.
While most of the records are drill-ridden, OT9 Beno leaves room for R&B offerings like “Money Up.” He even spits on an Ashanti-sampled instrumental in “64/93 (feat. FactRap AO).” By the end of Fully Active 2, listeners will better understand OT9 Beno’s origins and current lifestyle. Those praying for his downfall will also think twice as OT9 Beno verbally illustrates their karma.
While the whole album deserves multiple spins, two standout tracks are “I Ain’t Got It” and “Money Up.”
In “I Ain’t Got It,” OT9 Beno drops a PSA for the bottom feeders out there.
Over the spine-chilling instrumental, he emphasizes that his success comes from early mornings and sleepless nights. In other words, he had to put the work in to be where he is today. But, unfortunately, some individuals expect a bag to be handed over on a silver platter.
He spits,
“You better get up off your a**/Better go and get a bag/N*ggas keep asking me ‘Beno let me hit that weed’/N*ggas keep asking me ‘Can I get a track for free?’/I ain’t got it/I’m getting money my n*gga/I make deposits.”
As the song continues, he iterates how success isn’t handed to someone on a silver platter. But rather, it’s given to those who remain focused on their goals. Regardless of the glitz and glam, OT9 Beno states that he’s still on the grind. Detailing his ascension, he raps
“I was broke back then, now watch me flex in an all-black Beam/They know what I rep.”
“Money Up” is a moody R&B drill offering that finds OT9 Beno diving into his singing prowess. From a lyrical stance, he thinks back to a time when he was down and out. But, in the end, the hip-hop star came out victorious. He advises his haters to get their money up. Their envy stems from not being financially secure. At a certain point in his life, OT9 Beno had to figure out how to become wealthy. Now, he finds himself rolling in dough.
In a moment of full transparency, he raps
“I was f*cked up/They lookin at me now/Big bankroll bussin’.”
When the sneers and negative retorts intervene, he shrugs it off. Why? Because the naysayers didn’t contribute to any part of his success.
“I got it on my own, did this sh*t on my own/Ain’t nobody give me sh*t n*gga,” he delivers.
Overall, Fully Active 2 showcases the atmosphere OT9 Beno’s music has. This project really stresses the importance of staying true to yourself and not folding under pressure.
