Stik Figa is an emcee originally from Topeka, but now based in Fort Worth. He released his breakthrough solo album, As Himself, on Mello Music back in 2012. In 2019, he returned to this theme of exploring himself and his roots on Not Quite Himself. Now, in 2023, he’s closing this trilogy with Pookey: Stik Figa Finds Himself….

For this particular project, Stik Figa teamed up with Fort Worth producer DJ Sean P, who you might know through his work with Krum (fka Playdough), Cas Metah, or Manchild, just to name a few. In practical terms, what he’s bringing to this project is some classic soul-sampling boom bap, the kind that warms the soul and instantly feels familiar the first time you listen to it. This is the perfect soundscape for Stik Figa, who is taking a look back at his family and friends and the city he grew up in, and just taking stock of all the different factors that shaped him into the person and the artist that he is today. This could be anything from the wisdom passed down from his parents and other older relatives, to the hard lessons of messing up yourself and having to learn and grow moving forward. It could also just be taking to task the B.S. that you might buy into as a young person, such as the image of “keeping it real,” and learning with age that there was a lot to that that wasn’t “real” at all. Throughout all this, Stik Figa is finding a great balance between being playful and having fun with the project and finding these moments to get serious and introspective and maybe impart some wisdom he’s picked up over the years. What really makes this album special, though, is the way that Stik Figa and Sean P were able to work in some recordings of his parents, sister, and cousins, to really make it feel like you’re just sitting around the table getting to know Stik Figa on that level.

Sometimes albums are so straightforward and accessible, it’s easy to overlook how good they actually are. Pookey is so easy to listen to and enjoy, you might think this album is simple, but Stik Figa and Sean P did a lot of work to make it feel so good, and Stik Figa in particular really opened up and put a lot of himself into the music, while still making sure the rhymes were tight and the hooks hit just right.