NAV Is Back: OMW2 Rexdale, Album Review

After three years of keeping the absolute lowest of keys, Nav is back with possibly his best album to date. Never being one to participate in the arms race for controversy and virality (unless you count the "post Nav bowling when they least expect it" meme), Nav has continued to work in silence and let his success speak for him. Following that same mantra, Nav has blessed us with OMW2 Rexdale.

Nav takes us along a journey of reflecting upon his personal growth, love life, and even his musical career as a whole. The moody atmospheric production on this project gave Nav the space for some truly vulnerable lyricism, resulting in a project that feels the most true to him. 

This album was a masterclass in sequencing. Taking twists & turns and gradually building up to faster, more celebratory tracks like "BURBS" and "UNLIMITED", Nav reminded us how fulfilling a well-thought-out thematic album truly is. 

Starting off with "SINKING", Nav immediately set the tone for brutally honest introspection. Nav doesn’t shy away from a good love song. In this case, instead of a love letter, it’s almost like a love apology. Right off the bat, Nav details the entanglement of his addiction and love life. The lines “Thought what we had was love, girl, why you wylin' on me? This shit I'm on got me stuck, so you know where to find me,” perfectly summarizes this standout first track. 

Shifting gears, Nav is in the "BURBS", which is arguably the album's most commercial track. Hearing that Wheezy Outta Here tag instantly brought back memories of their Emergency Tsunami collab tape, a renowned fan favorite. Nav delivered a rap performance worthy of any workout playlist; this up-tempo track is sure to receive the most radio play, and deservingly so. 

Piggybacking off the upbeat "BURBS", we get an even lighter jam with "UNLIMITED" featuring Playboi Carti. If you’re a fan of Carti leaks, you’ll recognize this song from a snippet that at the time featured Offset. Hearing this track on the album was a complete surprise, but it fit seamlessly. Despite lacking the Offset feature, "UNLIMITED" is a carefree dance track that doesn’t take itself too seriously. You can’t help but laugh and smile when you hear Nav say, “I could fuck around, go deep voice just like I'm Carti.” Practically breaking the 4th wall, it’s Nav’s way of saying that despite the serious undertones of the album, he still has a sense of humor and is having fun. 

Another standout that taps back into Nav's softer side is "NXXD YOU". Feeling like a prequel to "SINKING", "NXXD YOU" is the type of love you feel in the middle of a relationship. The steady 808s with some gradually bright notes blend to create a classic summer jam. My favorite line on this song, “When I'm with you, I'm excited for no reason,” which pretty much summarizes this song as a whole. It’s a positive melodic track that will go down as one of his best. 

Oh shit… she broke up with him🫣. Directly after the blissful track "NXXD YOU", we get "REAL ME" produced by long-term collaborator Metro Boomin. “Pick up the phone when I call. Pick up the phone when I'm callin' you Girl, I hate it when you stall Girl, I hate all of the stallin' you do.” That’s all I needed to hear, Nav is back in his bag with this one. Taking another twist and turn, Nav delivers one of his most emotional tracks to date. Here, Nav pleads to this now-infamous girl and gives his fanbase a raw look into how his drug habits affected his love life in real time.

He doesn’t really care tho, we up ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.Nav just went on a three-track run with the next song, "RED". This comeback melody of the century is by far my favorite piece on the album. With a beat switch reminiscent of "Nights by Frank Ocean (yeah, I said it), "RED" is NAV reflecting after a loss and ultimately reminding himself that he’s ultimately always successful by himself (indirect "Myself "reference). We can add “I'm the man, I got more hoes than Flavor Flav (Flavor Flav); Hi-Tech in the Fanta, that's my favorite flav'” to the list of the most fun lines on this album and add the entire track to your playlist.

OMW2 Rexdale does exactly what the title says; NAV returns to his roots with an album reminiscent of his original sound, this time crafted masterfully. Narratively, OMW2 Rexdale tells a story of Nav reflecting on his life, thankful for his success even through the trials and tribulations that got him to where he is today. Sonically, it’s complex and diverse enough to keep you hooked. Combined, this is a project you can play from start to finish with practically zero skips. It’s my favorite project of the year, and personally, it raised the bar for complete albums in hip-hop going forward in 2025.