Don't Look Down (Mr. Lif album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Don't Look Down
| type = studio
| artist = Mr. Lif
| cover = Don't Look Down (Mr. Lif album).jpg
|border=yes
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2016|04|15}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Hip hop
| length = {{Duration|m=36|s=24}}
| label = Mello Music Group
| producer = {{hlist|Alex "Apex" Gale|Taylor "Made" Rivelli|Caliph-Now|SlopFunkDust|Edan|Fakts One|Pas Doo|Synesthetic Nation Music}}
| prev_title = I Heard It Today
| prev_year = 2009
| next_title = The Life & Death of Scenery
| next_year = 2016
}}
Don't Look Down is the fourth solo studio album by American hip hop artist Mr. Lif. It was released by Mello Music Group on April 15, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1858650/mr-lif-whizdom-feat-blacastan-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/|title=Mr. Lif – "Whizdom" (Feat. Blacastan) (Stereogum Premiere)|work=Stereogum|first=Collin|last=Robinson|date=February 11, 2016|access-date=November 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016135114/https://www.stereogum.com/1858650/mr-lif-whizdom-feat-blacastan-stereogum-premiere/news/|archive-date=October 16, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2016/04/mr-lif-let-go-premiere-stream/|title=Boston Boom-Bap Treasure Mr. Lif Is Back With the Jazzy 'Let Go'|work=Spin|first=Dan|last=Weiss|date=April 4, 2016|access-date=November 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608151738/http://www.spin.com/2016/04/mr-lif-let-go-premiere-stream/|archive-date=June 8, 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.37895/title.mr-lif-announces-dont-look-down-album-release-date-cover-art-tracklist|title=Mr. Lif "Don't Look Down" Album Stream, Cover Art & Tracklist|work=HipHopDX|first=Soren|last=Baker|date=April 15, 2016|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624181620/http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.37895/title.mr-lif-announces-dont-look-down-album-release-date-cover-art-tracklist|archive-date=June 24, 2016|url-status=live}} A music video was created for "Let Go".{{cite web|url=http://archive.massappeal.com/premiere-mr-lif-ft-selina-carrera-let-go-video/|title=Premiere: Mr. Lif ft. Selina Carrera "Let Go" Video|work=Mass Appeal|first=James|last=Johnson|date=May 17, 2016|access-date=November 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127222631/http://archive.massappeal.com/premiere-mr-lif-ft-selina-carrera-let-go-video/|archive-date=November 27, 2018|url-status=live}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-look-down-mw0002920597|title=Mr. Lif - Don't Look Down|work=AllMusic|first=David|last=Jeffries|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109153421/https://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-look-down-mw0002920597|archive-date=November 9, 2018|url-status=live}}
| rev2 = HipHopDX
| rev2score = 3.7/5{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.2713/title.mr-lif-dont-look-down|title=Mr. Lif - Don't Look Down|work=HipHopDX|first=Aaron|last=McKrell|date=April 27, 2016|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513084905/http://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.2713/title.mr-lif-dont-look-down|archive-date=May 13, 2017|url-status=live}}
| rev3 = Pitchfork
| rev3score = 7.0/10{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21729-dont-look-down/|title=Mr. Lif: Don't Look Down|work=Pitchfork|first=Sheldon|last=Pearce|date=April 18, 2016|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160703154302/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21729-dont-look-down/|archive-date=July 3, 2016|url-status=live}}
| rev4 = PopMatters
| rev4score = {{Rating|7|10}}{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/mr.-lif-dont-look-down/|title=Mr. Lif: Don't Look Down|work=PopMatters|first=Emmanuel|last=Elone|date=April 12, 2016|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110113510/https://www.popmatters.com/mr-lif-dont-look-down-2495442257.html|archive-date=November 10, 2018|url-status=live}}
| rev5 = Vice
| rev5score = {{Rating-Christgau|hm2}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/rdzmmm/praise-to-the-most-blessed-expert-witness-with-robert-christgau|title=Praise to the Most Blessed: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau|work=Vice|first=Robert|last=Christgau|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=June 17, 2016|access-date=September 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927005503/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/rdzmmm/praise-to-the-most-blessed-expert-witness-with-robert-christgau|archive-date=September 27, 2019|url-status=live}}
}}
Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork gave the album a 7.0 out of 10, saying, "Don't Look Down openly acknowledges doubt but never succumbs to it, instead using it as a balance for self-righteousness." Aaron McKrell of HipHopDX gave the album a 3.7 out of 5, calling it "a captivating foray into the struggles of humanity and the way to overcome them."
On April 15, 2016, BrooklynVegan included it on the "Five Notable Releases of the Week" list.{{cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/pj-harvey-kevin-morby-ashley-shadow-sam-beam-jesca-hoop-mr-lif-reviews/|title=Five Notable Releases of the Week (4/15/16)|work=BrooklynVegan|first=Andrew|last=Sacher|date=April 15, 2015|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806180943/http://www.brooklynvegan.com/pj-harvey-kevin-morby-ashley-shadow-sam-beam-jesca-hoop-mr-lif-reviews/|archive-date=August 6, 2016|url-status=live}} On June 14, 2016, The New York Observer placed it at number 7 on the "Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2016 (So Far)" list.{{cite web|url=http://observer.com/2016/06/the-best-hip-hop-albums-of-2016-so-far/|title=The Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2016 (So Far)|work=The New York Observer|first=Ron|last=Hart|date=June 14, 2016|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830000121/http://observer.com/2016/06/the-best-hip-hop-albums-of-2016-so-far/|archive-date=August 30, 2016|url-status=live}} Allan Raible of ABC News placed it at number 47 on the "50 Best Albums of 2016" list.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/50-best-albums-2016/story?id=44357092|title=50 Best Albums of 2016|work=ABC News|first=Allan|last=Raible|date=December 30, 2016|access-date=November 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515224427/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/50-best-albums-2016/story?id=44357092|archive-date=May 15, 2018|url-status=live}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Pounds of Pressure
| extra1 = {{hlist|Alex "Apex" Gale|Taylor "Made" Rivelli}}
| length1 = 3:24
| title2 = The Abyss
| extra2 = Alex "Apex" Gale
| length2 = 3:14
| title3 = Everyday We Pray
| extra3 = Taylor "Made" Rivelli
| length3 = 3:22
| title4 = Let Go
| note4 = featuring Selina Carrera
| extra4 = Caliph-Now
| length4 = 3:22
| title5 = A Better Day
| note5 = featuring Erica Dee
| extra5 = SlopFunkDust
| length5 = 3:36
| title6 = Whizdom
| note6 = featuring Blacastan
| extra6 = Edan
| length6 = 2:52
| title7 = Mission Accomplished
| note7 = featuring The Perceptionists
| extra7 = Fakts One
| length7 = 3:36
| title8 = World Renown
| note8 = featuring Del the Funky Homosapien
| extra8 = Pas Doo
| length8 = 3:29
| title9 = Ill
| extra9 = Synesthetic Nation Music
| length9 = 3:53
| title10 = Don't Look Down
| extra10 = Synesthetic Nation Music
| length10 = 5:36
| total_length = 36:24
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Bandcamp edition bonus track{{cite web|url=https://mrlifmmg.bandcamp.com/album/dont-look-down|title=Don't Look Down {{!}} Mr. Lif|work=Bandcamp|access-date=September 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616164529/https://mrlifmmg.bandcamp.com/album/dont-look-down|archive-date=June 16, 2019|url-status=live}}
| title11 = World Renown
| note11 = Dan the Automator mix; featuring Del the Funky Homosapien
| length11 = 3:48
| total_length = 40:12
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|989023|Don't Look Down}}
{{Mr. Lif}}
{{Authority control}}