The Heat Index: Mick Jenkins • Michelin Star

On his latest album, The Patience, Mick Jenkins exudes a sense of liberation and newfound creative freedom. No longer constrained by an unfavorable label situation, the Chicago emcee's renewed drive and determination are palpable throughout the 11 tracks of this project.

The album opens with “Michelin Star,” and Mick wastes no time showing what he’s been cooking. Set against a backdrop of jazzy piano chords and a horn section, Mick flexes his penmanship with animated flair and razor-sharp focus. Lines like “I’m hooking big fish out these waves / Still remember minimum wage” underscore his renewed hunger and resonate powerfully, making every bar quotable and every verse enthralling to dissect.

The Patience also contains a handful of fun double entendres involving other artists’ names, with my favorites being Frank Ocean’s in “Guapanese” and Pharrell & Chad Hugo’s in “Show & Tell.” However, it's the chorus in “Michelin Star” that continues to linger in my head weeks after its release: “Speakers knock, but I didn't get it by my lonely.”

Mick’s deep and commanding voice, one of the best in music, remains a captivating force. Its acerbic tone compels listeners to scrunch their faces even harder, while the use of smooth background vocals layered into the production further enriches the incisive songwriting and brings balance to the record.

It’s wild to consider that Mick might have held back during his time under Cinematic, but “Michelin Star” and The Patience undoubtedly earmark the beginning of a new and exciting era for him.