Scooda Sease – Personal Pressure (Album Review)

Charleston has been a hotbed for underground hip hop talent in the south for some time now. Among the city’s most notable artists is Scooda Sease, who has been a maverick in the scene since 2015, but has been away from the scene the past few years. With the release of his latest album, Personal Pressure, he re-emerges with a handful of high PSI tracks.

Scooda Sease probably has one of the most slept on discographies in the city. His catalog has everything from Carolina anthems to features from southern legends, Project Pat & Pastor Troy, so I was excited to listen to this new project. His usual high energy, realism, and signature unrelenting love for the city of Charleston is fully present in Personal Pressure.

Starting off hot with “Reloaded”, Scooda Sease sets the record straight with what to expect with his resurfacing on Charleston rap scene. He stands clear on the fact that he’s only involving himself with quality, and it’s business over BS. This track sets the tone with horns, gritty 808’s, and Scooda Sease’s unwavering confidence and competitive flow.

“Blessed” drops in with dark, mumbling 808’s and sharp snares, as he gives you a deeper, more internal look at the pressure that molds Scooda Sease. He talks about how joining the military changed his life and how he’s stayed solid through the high’s and low’s of finding success as a man, entrepreneur, and artist.

“I had to make a choice because my momma strugglin / basic training, here I come, ya boy in the wind / I’m glad I joined the military cuz it saved my life / I had to make some changes so I took a sacrifice / fast forward a couple years I’m in a different state / I love the Queen City but ya boy couldn’t stay / repossessions and evictions I done had em all / now I’m a homeowner and I got two cars”.

Make the sacrifices, bounce back from the falls, and stay true — #GxldApproved sauce from Scooda Sease.

Personal Pressure continues to raise the meter with a few club anthems including “I Just Want Some Money” and “I Just Want A Freak”. These surefire bangers provide energy for the motivated hustlers to crank up to and still gives the ladies something they can break a sweat dancing to.

Riding off the high tempo bounce of these jams comes “Eat When I Wanna” which is an ode to reaping the benefits of the hard work, persistence, dedication needed to ‘eat when you WANT not when you CAN’. Another #GxldApproved anthem for the go-getters.

I admire the flow of Personal Pressure and that Scooda Sease stayed true to the upbeat, motivational trap sounds of album, but still found pockets to give some love to the ladies. “I Should Be The One” featuring Marcus Allen gives strong Pretty Ricky vibes, as Scooda and Marcus Allen tell the ladies how and why they are the ones to fulfill all their needs in this ‘hood love’ anthem.

Bringing the album to close, is “No Mercy”. Re-entering the heavy trap bass, crunk pocket of the album, Scooda Sease takes us out with affirmations of his future and a glimpse of what’s to come after he applies Personal Pressure to the underground hip-hop scene and eventually the world.

Scooda Sease presents a well-rounded return with this album, and sprinkled in a bit of something for everybody. Personal Pressure is another classic addition to the rapper’s already impressive catalog.

Check out the album below and hit the links in the article to check out #GxldApproved artist Scooda Sease.