Karma 3

Karma 3 is a mixtape by American rapper Dave East. It was released on August 14, 2020 via Mass Appeal/Def Jam Recordings. Production was handled by several record producers, including AraabMuzik, Mike & Keys, DJ Paul, Dougie On The Beat, G Koop, Jake One, MP808, OGTha3, and SAP. It features guest appearances from Jozzy, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Benny the Butcher, Bino Rideaux, Doe Boy, Mary J. Blige, Popcaan, Trey Songz, Trouble and Young Dolph. The album debuted at number 36 on the Billboard 200.

Karma 3
Mixtape by Dave East
Released	August 14, 2020
Length	52:42
Label	Mass Appeal Def Jam
Producer	araabMUZIK Audio Anthem Buda and Grandz Citoonthebeat Dizzy Banko DJ Paul Dougie On The Beat G Koop Jake One Little Island Maki Mike & Keys Mike 'Kuz' Kuzoian Motif Alumni MP808 OGTha3 Omar Grand Sap S. Dot Triple A V Don
Dave East chronology
Karma 2 (2018) Karma 3 (2020)
Singles from Karma 3
"Handsome" Released: April 22, 2020[1] "Envy" Released: October 20, 2020[2]

A deluxe version of the mixtape followed on October 23, 2020, with features new from Dej Loaf, Junior Reid, Chris Brown and G Herbo, as well as the "Handsome" remix featuring Jeezy.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	82/100[3]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Clash	8/10[5]
HipHopDX	3.7/5[6]
NME	[7]

Karma 3 was met with a positive reception. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 82 based on four reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[3]

AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung said, "the album is very much substance over style, showcasing East's deft wordplay and storytelling talents without too many flashy distractions. On that end, Karma 3's production is robust and straightforward, evoking another time and place with old-school samples and head-nodding beats".[4] Eero Holi of Clash said, "The tough guy act only gets you so far, though. And that is why 'Karma 3' really comes alive when East exposes his character's soft underbelly. ... Memories tainted by regret and guilt – the flip side of nostalgia – resonate in Motown-style acoustic instrumentation and chunky Golden Era beats combined with a supreme cast of vocalists".[5] Will Lavin of NME said, "A charged effort with dynamic results, 'Karma 3' may not be as flawless a spectacle as 'Survival', but it's not all that far off. And it's definitely the best entry in the 'Karma' series. East remains consistent, unapologetically flying the flag for New York hip-hop".[7] Eric Diep of HipHopDX said, "While Karma 3 isn't the show-stopping follow-up to Survival, East is still going to outwork any MC, dropping album after album until he's good and ready to hang up the mic".[6]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Handsome"	David Brewster Jason Esosa Idehen John Groover Michael Ray Cox Jr.	Little Island Mike & Keys	2:53
2.	"Unruly" (featuring Popcaan)	Brewster Andrae Hugh Sutherland Ruben D. Sosa Jr.	Citoonthebeat	4:12
3.	"The City" (featuring Trey Songz)	Brewster Tremaine Neverson Douglas Whitehead Daniel Walsh Harvey Price Shawn Carter	Dougie On The Beat	2:22
4.	"Get the Money" (featuring Trouble)	Brewster Mariel Semonte Orr Abraham Orellana Rafael X. Brown	araabMUZIK Audio Anthem	3:38
5.	"Thank God" (featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie)	Brewster Artist Julius Dubose Orellana Betty Newsinger John Tout Michael Dunford	araabMUZIK	4:35
6.	"Said What I Said" (featuring Doe Boy)	Brewster Cotrell Dennard Marcus Rucker Tivon Key	Motif Alumni V Don	3:47
7.	"Broke or Not" (featuring Jozzy)	Brewster Jocelyn Donald Edgar Nabeyin Panford Miles Franklin Paul Kyser	Nabeyin Super Miles	3:00
8.	"Mission" (featuring Jozzy)	Brewster Donald Terrell McNeal Oliver Grose III Darwin Cordale Quinn Tyrone Griffin	MP808 OGTha3 C Gutta Beatz	3:03
9.	"Menace"	Brewster Robert Mandell Jacob Dutton Groover Cox Jr.	G Koop Jake One Mike & Keys	2:56
10.	"Fuck Dat" (featuring Young Dolph)	Brewster Adolph Thornton Jr. Paul Beauregard Darnell Carlton Jordan Houston Ricky Dunigan	DJ Paul	3:41
11.	"Blue Story" (featuring Bino Rideaux)	Brewster Brandon Rainey Matthew Athanasiou Michael Kuzoian	Maki Mike 'Kuz' Kuzoian	3:53
12.	"Stone Killer" (featuring Benny The Butcher)	Brewster Jeremie Pennick Daniel Garcia Francis Ubiera Shawn Thomas Kuzoian	Buda and Grandz S. Dot Mike 'Kuz' Kuzoian	3:13
13.	"Envy"	Brewster Jonathan King	SAP	2:57
14.	"Know How I Feel" (featuring Mary J. Blige)	Brewster Mary J. Blige Deandre Sumpter Omar Perrin Andre Atkins	Dizzy Banko Omar Grand Triple A	4:50
15.	"Believe It or Not"	Brewster Garcia Ubiera Thomas	Buda and Grandz S. Dot	3:42
Total length:				52:42

Charts

Chart (2020)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[8]	36
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9]	23
US Top Rap Albums (Billboard)[10]	22

References

1. A., Aron (Apr 22, 2020). "Dave East Gets It Out The Mud On "Handsome"Dave East - Handsome". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
2. George, Rachel (October 20, 2020). "Dave East shares the visual for his single, "Envy"". ABC News Radio. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
3. "Critic Reviews for Karma 3 [Mixtape] - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
4. Yeung, Neil Z. "Karma 3 - Dave East | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
5. Holi, Eero (August 16, 2020). "Dave East - Karma 3". CLASH. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
6. Diep, Eric (August 30, 2020). "Review: Dave East's 'Karma 3' Is A Testament To His Prolificness". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
7. Lavin, Will (August 14, 2020). "Dave East – 'Karma 3' allbum review". NME. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
8. "Dave East Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
9. "Dave East Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
10. "Dave East Chart History (Top Rap Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2020.