BY ZAHAAN RIYAZ//
Since his 2021 debut mixtape, San Antonio’s newest talent Mike Dimes has had a viral hit, lined up tours with Denzel Curry and EARTHGANG, and finally quit his supermarket job. On the path to make a name for himself and his collective, Dimes unabashedly declares himself the god of a new world unbeholden to industry trends. Surrounded by overly processed vocals and bland production, Dimes brings grit and raw personality in beautifully simple ways, showcasing the best modern Southern hip-hop has to offer.
IN DIMES WE TRUST clearly has the parties, clubs, and cars in mind. The title plays off the official motto of the United States, “In God We Trust,” and Dimes makes it clear that he is ready to be worshiped. This album oozes arrogance and Dimes is shamelessly cocky and Southern, blending styles from Texas, Memphis, and Atlanta all into one. The beats, most of which come from underground Youtube producers, are hard hitting and aggressive with enough bass to blow out car speakers. Mike Dimes matches that intensity perfectly; everything about him demonstrates the ferocity and hunger of an artist who will stop at nothing to make it big.
Dimes’ sets the tone perfectly with the album’s intro “HOME,” a song driven by triumphant horns and heavy bass that complement his deep voice and steady flow. From the very first line, “This young boy from Texas so excuse my grammar,” he tells you exactly what to expect from this project: simplicity and high energy only the South can bring. From there, he keeps pushing forward, delivering witty line after witty line, barely pausing to breathe.
That same energy carries over into the next few tracks as every song from “RELIGION” to “LUV” features that consistent signature flow backed by classically dirty Southern production reminiscent of the Three 6 Mafia crunk era. Dimes keeps the tracks short and sweet, with all but one song being less than three minutes long. His bars and one-liners aren’t as dense as some of hip hop’s lyrical hard hitters but they don’t need to be. He knows exactly which lane he fits in and expertly cruises along, keeping his foot firmly on the gas.
The crunk vibe continues with “WHERE THE PARTY AT?” hosting a feature (one of just two on the album) from arguably the subgenre’s most prominent new artist, Duke Deuce. The duo complement each other extremely well; Duke’s verse is a welcome addition that shows out without overpowering or taking attention away from Dimes. The song flows smoothly into “NO TRENDS,” a single all about Dimes making his own path and bucking popular trends which ironically was used in a TikTok trend earlier this year.
The album slows down slightly towards the back half with groovier production on “SAME GANG” and “SNOW WHITE”. While well written, Dimes’ awkward singing voice on the hook is hard to ignore, illustrating the most prominent issue with this album. For as enjoyable as Dimes’ sound is, he seldom varies from his formula and the few times he does show why. His monotone voice is perfect for rapping but comes across extremely flat while trying to incorporate melodies. He leaves a lot to be desired in terms of vocal range but for an artist as young and new as he is, this isn’t something to be worried about yet.
Fortunately he jumps right back into the driver seat with “WISS,” one of the strongest tracks on the project. An ascending violin intro is followed by an intense beat drop that rocks you to your core before Dimes’ drops in with his funniest and most technically complex flows yet. Clever lines referencing current events and pop culture like “I hit up Joe Biden, I need me a stimmy my n****” and “She think ’cause I’m paid, we can have a lil’ baby” flawlessly encapsulate the humor and personality Mike Dimes can have in his songwriting.
The project ends with “WHO IS MIKE DIMES?”, one of the more introspective cuts on the record as Dimes reflects on the people who doubted him in the past and how those experiences made him the man he is today, saying “I remember they ain’t know the boy / Got some money in my pockets now they love the boy” in the chorus. Later, he raps “I put death over designer shit I’ll buy a fit from Shein / But this Louis came from Louis, spent two hunnid on these jeans”; a great metaphor for how he might never be able to fully escape his past hardships but he’s evolved past struggling financially. Lines about his mom’s faith in him, his disregard for those that look down on him, and an outro about achieving the dreams he had as a teenager round out a fantastic end to the project.
While it’s still early, IN DIMES WE TRUST is easily one of the best rap albums of the year so far. 2022 is shaping up to be a breakout year for Mike Dimes– with another great record under his belt all eyes will be on him as he continues down the road towards superstardom, revving his engine loudly and proudly.