If Pigeon John represents a “new generation of just regular dudes,” then hip-hop is in for a promising future. While this Angeleno’s last album, Pigeon John Sings The Blues, was heavy on self-deprecation, here he exudes pure confidence with producers RJD2, DJ Rhettmatic, and newcomers supplying the uptempo heat. On “Freaks! Freaks!” John tells females who paid him no mind, “It’s the boy that you laughed at/Didn’t give me a chance now I drive a Cadillac/So what, it’s 12 years old/Baby, it’s still cold.” With his head held high, he humorously reflects on the many ways he’s been fired (“I Lost My Job Again”) and even grills God on why he let the world take a turn for the worse (“As We Know It”). Free of reservations, this regular dude brings forth his best album to date.