At its core, COI, the sophomore album by Boston-born, New Jersey-raised, and Los Angeles-based rapper-turned-popstar Coi Leray, is fun. And sometimes, that’s the only thing you need from an album. Premiering last Friday (June 23) via Uptown Records, COI follows 2022’s Trendsetter, and offers 16 tracks that could each easily make their way into Summer 2023 best-of playlists come September.
Featuring samples from and interpolations of the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Technotronic, and, of course, Lesley Gore (to name just a few), COI is an exercise in musical inspiration across genres. Opening track “Bitch Girl” puts a spin on the Hall & Oates track “Rich Girl” and quickly becomes an early standout, despite being under two minutes long. James Brown is cited as a feature on “Man’s World,” similarly sampling 1966’s “It’s Man’s Man’s World,” but even the features from currently-living artists such as Saucy Santana and Giggs fit into the larger picture of the album.
On Instagram, Leray expressed gratitude ahead of the album’s release, saying “can’t believe my sophomore album about to really drop. Truly grateful… sky is the limit.”
While it isn’t the next groundbreaking work of lyrical genius or an inspiration for the next generation of concerto virtuosos, COI is sure to be making its rounds in the weeks to come — we might as well lean into it.