Killing Nothing

Killing Nothing
Studio album by
Boldy James and Real Bad Man
ReleasedMay 20, 2022 (2022-05-20)
GenreHip-hop
Length42:51
LabelReal Bad Man
ProducerReal Bad Man
Boldy James and Real Bad Man chronology
Real Bad Boldy
(2020)		 Killing Nothing
(2022)		 Conversational Pieces
(2025)
Boldy James chronology
Super Tecmo Bo
(2021)		 Killing Nothing
(2022)		 Fair Exchange No Robbery
(2022)
Real Bad Man chronology
Mood Swings
(2022)		 Killing Nothing
(2022)		 Real Bad Flights
(2022)

Killing Nothing is a collaborative studio album by American rapper Boldy James and American record producer Real Bad Man. It features guest appearances from Crimeapple, Knowledge the Pirate, Rome Streetz, and Stove God Cooks. It was released on May 20, 2022, through Real Bad Man Records.

Background

James Clay Jones III, better known as Boldy James, is an American rapper based in Detroit. Real Bad Man is an American streetwear line and record label helmed by Adam Weissman, who is based in Los Angeles. They previously released a collaborative album, Real Bad Boldy (2020), with the former on vocals and the latter on production.

Killing Nothing is their second collaborative album. It is Boldy James' first studio album since Super Tecmo Bo (2021). The album consists of 13 tracks. It features guest appearances from Crimeapple, Knowledge the Pirate, Rome Streetz, and Stove God Cooks.

Release

The album was released on May 20, 2022, through Real Bad Man Records. Music videos were released for "5 Mississippi" and "Sig Sauer".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
HipHopDX3.9/5
Pitchfork7.3/10
Sputnikmusic4.0/5

Andrew Sacher of BrooklynVegan stated, "Like on Real Bad Boldy, RBM's production gives classic boom bap a hypnotic update, which is the perfect backdrop for Boldy's cold, hardened storytelling." Riley Wallace of HipHopDX wrote, "Much like their previous collaboration, the generally low-tempo MC sounds especially menacing over dark, full-bodied soundscapes." He added, "While not wildly inventive, his new release brims with realness, continuing to position Boldy in the top tier of street rap." Preezy Brown of Vibe called the album "a full-bodied offering that further validates James' distinction of being one of the premier talents in the genre." Mehan Jayasuriya of Pitchfork wrote, "As usual, James doesn't waste an inch of the canvas, packing each song with tightly-constructed bars." He added, "Given the pace at which he's been working these last few years, it's remarkable how focused Killing Nothing feels: there's no fat to speak of across the record's 43 minutes."

Accolades

Accolades for Killing Nothing
Publication List Rank Ref.
BrooklynVegan 8 Best Rap Albums of May 2022
—
Vibe The 25 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2022
6

Track listing

Killing Nothing track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Water Under the Bridge"3:31
2."All the Way Out"2:49
3."Game Time"3:15
4."A Hundred Ninety Bands"3:33
5."Meddlin'" (featuring Crimeapple)2:51
6."Cash Transactions" (featuring Knowledge the Pirate)3:33
7."Open Door" (featuring Rome Streetz and Stove God Cooks)3:26
8."Ain't No Bon Jovi"2:55
9."Bo Jack (Miller Light)"2:55
10."Sig Sauer"3:36
11."5 Mississippi"3:01
12."Seeing Visions"3:31
13."Killing Nothing"3:55
Total length:42:51

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Preezy (May 20, 2022). "Here Are The Rap Albums That Raised The Bar This New Music Friday". Vibe. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  2. ↑ Simpson, Paul. "Boldy James". AllMusic. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Crone, David. "Real Bad Man". AllMusic. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  4. ↑ Jones, Abby (April 16, 2025). "Real Bad Man & Boldy James Announce New Album Conversational Pieces: Hear Tracks With El-P & DREAMCASTMOE". Stereogum. Archived from the original on January 24, 2026. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  5. ↑ Graves, Wren (May 21, 2022). "Boldy James and Real Bad Man Share Banging New Album Killing Nothing: Stream". Consequence. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  6. ↑ Mlynar, Phillip (November 4, 2022). "For Boldy James, Patience is a Virtue". Bandcamp Daily. Archived from the original on November 7, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  7. ↑ Darville, Jordan (May 4, 2022). "Boldy James announces new Real Bad Man collaboration Killing Nothing, shares "All the Way Out"". The Fader. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  8. ↑ Breihan, Tom (May 20, 2022). "Stream Boldy James & Real Bad Man's Tough New Album Killing Nothing". Stereogum. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  9. ↑ Realbadman (May 20, 2022). "Boldy James & Real Bad Man - 5 Mississippi [Official Video]". YouTube. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  10. ↑ Realbadman (July 22, 2022). "Boldy James & Real Bad Man - Sig Sauer [Official Video]". YouTube. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 Wallace, Riley (May 23, 2022). "Boldy James & Real Bad Man 'Killing Nothing' Rekindles Their Chemistry". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 Jayasuriya, Mehan (May 23, 2022). "Boldy James / Real Bad Man: Killing Nothing". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  13. ↑ Jack, Benjamin (April 22, 2023). "Boldy James and Real Bad Man Killing Nothing". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  14. 1 2 Sacher, Andrew (June 1, 2022). "8 Best Rap Albums of May 2022". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  15. 1 2 Brown, Preezy (January 3, 2023). "The 25 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2022". Vibe. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Killing Nothing | Boldy James & Real Bad Man". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on September 21, 2026. Retrieved November 7, 2026.
  17. ↑ Boldy James (2022). Killing Nothing (CD liner notes). Real Bad Man Records.