Diggy Simmons - Unexpected Arrival Review

Despite what the album title may suggest, witnessing Diggy Simmons channel his time and energy over the last three years into being an artist is a move that was all but expected. A descendent of Rap royalty, the ambitious 17-year-old now offers up his debut Unexpected Arrival in hopes that he too can join the upper echelons of Hip Hop supremacy.

Overall production on Unexpected Arrival is melodically impressive, with each arrangement setting the appropriate tone for Diggy’s words. Whether it’s the triumphant introduction of "Hello World" or the serious tone found on "I Need To Know," Simmons has little trouble capturing his feelings with backdrops tailor-made for the scenario. Likely something he’ll be encountering for years to come, the latter track touches on his life as a cautious celebrity. Whether it be his new flame, thirsty friends or recent acquaintances, Diggy makes it clear that he’s aware of relationship pitfalls that can occur, and its fruitful wisdom that speaks to his maturity....full text Diggy’s debut album, Unexpected Arrival is an amazing showcase of what new generation superstar power sounds like; it could easily be labeled a cultural soundtrack for the worldly minds of today’s youth.

Offering listeners a smorgasbord of subject matter, the young Jetsetter proves his album title dead-on by mixing motivational speech on cuts like the celebratory “Hello World” and triumphant “Glow In The Dark” with unflinchingly conscious dialogue as heard on “Unforgivable Blackness.”

As inspirational as Unexpected Arrival will prove to be, above all, the album is unequivocally grade-A rap.
...full text Unexpected Arrival is far better than most of the haters, and frankly the realists, expected, but is exceeding low expectations enough to build a career on? Run DMC is in the hip-hop hall of fame because they didn’t sound like anything we’d ever heard before; for all his polished skill, what is Diggy Simmons doing that we haven’t heard before? Without his famous name and reality tv pedigree, is the music enough to truly break through an already over-saturated game? Frankly, I don’t think so, but if Diggy proves me wrong it wouldn’t be the first time he achieved the unexpected....full text At a time when albums are pushed back until they are forgotten, it is surprising when any rapper actually releases their albums. Diggy Simmons finally released his debut album, two years after being signed to Atlantic Records. Born into hip hop, it could have been easy for Diggy Simmons to let the pressure get to him. But, what is evidenced on the first song heard on Unexpected Arrival, Diggy Simmons is confident.

Unexpected Arrival is an album full of hits and there are very few topics Diggy Simmons does not touch. He even revisits the “N-word” controversy of 2007, going against his uncle, Russell Simmons, supporting the term “nigga,” but he did denounce “nigger.” Overall, the album is impressive, especially for a man who has yet to reach the legal age of adulthood. In many ways, Diggy Simmons has proven he is very intelligent and ahead of his time. Simmons is intelligent, but not in a way where he goes over people’s heads. He was very successful at bridging the gap, making music all hip hop fans can enjoy and also music parents approve of, which can only lead to more record sales....full text