Be rich in good works, not in dollars? Assured reunification with our creator? A story of a suicidal friend?

They’re all covered in hip-hop artist KB’s second and newest album, “Tomorrow We Live.”

Released last Tuesday, “Tomorrow We Live” is predicated around the idea that, as believers in God, our hope lies in God’s promise of a perfect heaven. The record revolves around the fact that while our earthly lives will forever be plagued by strife and conflict, Earth isn’t our final resting place.

There are a variety of tracks on the album that address lots of different issues. The first song, “Rich Forever,” is counterintuitive to the message the majority of today’s music conveys. The track reminds listeners that money will fade and ultimately prove worthless, and that the last thing on God’s mind on judgement day will be the amount of money we made on Earth. Instead, KB encourages listeners to be rich in good deeds and faith — things that matter.

One of the more unique tracks on the album that kills two birds with one stone is “Lights Go Out.” In it, KB describes both his love for his wife and Christ’s undying love for the church by highlighting the fact that KB won’t leave his wife’s side, nor will Jesus leave our side. The song also features Blanca in the choruses, creating a catchy sound.

This catchy sound is also present in track No. 3, “I Believe.” The song is derived from the popular chant at sports games (“I believe that we will win”), but it isn’t just about KB’s favorite team getting the W. The song is a microcosm of the album itself, getting listeners excited about Jesus’ return, the real win.

In addition, the record takes on a celebratory tone, found in “Sideways”,  “Always and Forever” and “Fall in Love with You.” “Sideways” takes the cake for my favorite track on the album. The song features fellow rapper Lecrae, and it commemorates how KB and Lecrae are different — not because of how much money they’ve made, how many girlfriends they’ve had, or because they think they’re better than other rappers. They’re different because they rap about substance and about Jesus, subjects a lot of hip-hop artists don’t dare touch.
“Always and Forever” is the perfect song to be played at a wedding ceremony as it celebrates the bride and groom’s vows, and “Fall in Love with You” is an acoustic track that describes KB’s love for his son, both catchy and fun.

As much as I enjoyed this release, there are a couple aspects to it that I wasn’t a fan of. For example, the combination of the mainstream beat in “Drowning” and auto-tune of KB’s voice makes for a very unappealing sound, masking the positive message. The same goes for “Ima Just Do It” (featuring golfer Bubba Watson). The robotic sound heard in the chorus doesn’t exactly jive with the feel of the rest of the album, and the broken structure of the song is confusing to listen to.

Overall, “Tomorrow We Live” is a solid sophomore album from KB. I really enjoyed the angle it takes because it’s preached in undertones in a few other rappers’ records, but KB’s emphasis was refreshing. It’s most definitely worth your time to check out.