‘Life is Beautiful’ review: New album from Larry June is an uneven but pleasant listen

For Larry June, life is about the little things. The San Francisco native’s music is simple (maybe too simple for some), but it has the immediate appeal of turning the mundanities of life into something worth marveling over. Throughout his extensive catalogue, you’ll see track titles like “Breakfast in Monaco” or “Porsches in Spanish” where he details imbues everyday experiences with new life through his signature nonchalant tone.  Larry makes music for people with good credit scores, even if you don’t really have one. He makes it saucy to have a good life and be about your business.

Leading up to 2023, June released numerous joint projects with heavy hitters like Harry Fraud and Cardo. But the stars aligned when The Alchemist reached out to collaborate. To get an Alchemist production credit on your album feels like a rite of passage for any rapper. At this point, Al has achieved legend status, cementing himself amongst the other greats in the space like Madlib, DJ Premier, and J Dilla. When The Great Escape released, it marked a new creative spark for June. The new spotlight afforded him a bevy of new fans (including myself) and started his excellent album run that has led us here to Life is Beautiful.

Much like 2023’s The Great Escape, Al’s production is the establishing shot for which the rest of the album will be centered on. His loops are misty, hazy, sometimes dark, but always luxurious. On that 2023 release, Larry and Alchemist struck gold. In 2025, they attempt to recreate that same magic, but with 2 Chainz in the mix as well. The result is a pleasant listen, albeit a lopsided one that doesn’t take too many risks.

Life is Beautiful largely follows the same playbook as The Great Escape with The Alchemist serving as the album’s anchor. The two rappers don’t deviate too far from their respective styles, which creates a distinct and definitive experience. Larry’s ability to craft simple, yet evocative imagery remains second to none. On the excellent opener “Munyon Canyon”, he sets the tone right away, speaking on his affinity for smoking with a nice view and bagels with cream cheese.  It’s a serene vision, one that we as regular people can buy into. There is an underlying paranoia in this verse, however, that seeks to invade this picturesque description. When Larry raps about having “20 cameras on his crib”, it’s an acknowledgement of how fragile this beautiful life can be.

Much of Life is Beautiful sees both rappers reflecting on their success and, in some cases, the price that comes with it. Whether it be on “Generation” where 2 Chainz laments the negative impact that drugs have had on the new class of rappers, or June detailing his work ethic in music while juggling being a father, the perspectives they offer can only come from an older emcee.  These vulnerable moments are sprinkled throughout the record and they are definitely the highlights. Alchemist’s production compliments these moments greatly by crafting loops that paint a vivid portrait of two rappers reveling in their success, while acknowledging the personal costs. It gives off the vibe of peering off the balcony, taking a huge breath of fresh air, while staring at a view of the ocean with the knowledge of all that it took to get there. Very cinematic indeed.

Both artists deliver a smattering of quality performances,  it’s actually 2 Chainz who comes through with the higher batting average. His approach to punchline rap has always been hit or miss, albeit leaning more towards success in the later part of his career. At his best, Chainz has always been a very evocative rapper using his bars to offer quick and immediate eyebrow raisers.

Over these beats, he becomes a storyteller able to weave narratives in just a few bars. Alchemist’s loops also give him room to show off a variety of excellent flows and pockets like on “Colossal”, where the tone is menacing and loose. Fatherhood and mentoring frequently appear in his bars, which lets him tap into the larger narrative of the album as a whole. He’s also just really funny too. More rappers need to start telling their opposition that they got their cologne from CVS.

Therein highlights the notable weakness of the album, however. To be frank, this should have been an album with just 2 Chainz and The Alchemist. Larry June has never been a rapper that lyrically punches above his weight, but usually has allowed his smooth cadence and flow to carry him forward. He’s able to insert a level of momentum into these songs that propel them forward, whereas Larry simply isn’t able to match his pace.

A lot of his performance on Life is Beautiful ends up coming off as tepid and his flexes come off as forced, almost as if he’s trying to convince us of how good things are for him. On “Epiphany”, Larry’s flow is largely forgettable, but worse than that, his bars feel unfocused and scattershot. It can seem like he’s punching in, which slows the pacing of the album down to a crawl. This only furthers the gap between Larry and 2 Chainz.

The pleasant tone of Life is Beautiful serves as both a highlight and a lowlight. Alchemist’s production gives both Larry and 2 Chainz room to tap into their strengths and don’t push them too far out of their comfort zones. Unfortunately, the album doesn’t reach the highs of The Great Escape and lows are much, much lower. Even with Larry’s somewhat lackluster performance, 2 Chainz is able to pick up the slack and add life to these loops. It’s as straightforward a listen as you’re likely to get in 2025.

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Life is Beautiful can be streamed or purchased on Bandcamp.

Mark Wesley