JID’s Grammy-nominated God Does Like Ugly is not necessarily as refined as previous efforts like DiCaprio 2 or The Forever Story, but with it the Atlanta rapper still shores up his claims as one of the best MCs out right now. He flexes complex flows and vivid storytelling on tracks like “Gz,” demonstrating a talent for lyricism that continues to develop to dizzying heights, and his slower collaborations with artists Don Toliver and Jessie Reyez show off a commitment to more than just rapping his ass off. He always keeps a foot planted in gritty reality though: For example, rink jam “Sk8,” featuring inventive Atlanta duo Earthgang and Princess of Crunk Ciara, juxtaposes a bouncy beat with tensions between different neighborhood gangs threatening to ruin a good time. There’s love for the complexity of it all, with various sides of Atlanta getting a shoutout. Features are a huge strength of the album, which includes microphone acrobatics from Vince Staples on “VCRs” and scene-stealing verses from legends Pusha T and Malice of Clipse on “Community,” but JID holds his own among the star-studded supporting cast. Fellow Atlanta rapper Young Nudy opens.
7 p.m. at Marathon Music Works
1402 Clinton St.
