Released on September 19, 2025,
via BYLUG Entertainment and EMPIRE.
For at least fifteen years now- first with Doughboyz Cashout and then solo – Payroll Giovanni has been around. Time and again, he plays a leading role in the remarkable odyssey of Detroit rap. He shapes it, supports it, and represents it, always in step with its evolution. The cover of this latest album illustrates that once again. As the time of normalization arrives for the raw local style, it shows this street rapper swapping his small-time hustler outfit for an elegant suit with a bow tie – though the luxury watches remain clearly on display.
Having been involved with the music industry from early on, the former Doughboy Payroll had already softened his bitter formula when he leaned on Cardo’s smoother production. He proved willing to embrace a more melodic style of rap, and he hasn’t abandoned it, judging by this fairly polished, well-crafted, and well-produced album. It features plenty of sunny sounds evoking a Californian climate rather than Michigan’s cold. It’s a fine piece of work, drawing as much on collaborators from other regions (DJ Fresh, and of course Cardo) as on Payroll Giovanni himself and local stars (Helluva, DamJonBoi). It also reflects a man taking stock and reassessing his path.
At this point, I’m at a crossroads,
Head to the unknown or be a lost soul
Bein’ comfortable or have regret
That I ain’t put the shit to the max.
These are the opening lines of the album. At this point in Payroll Giovanni’s career, it’s no longer just bragging about criminal exploits and expensive watches. It’s the prose of a man who has lived, and who reaffirms his philosophy. These are the words of an experienced hustler who, over smooth and rounded instrumentals – far from the energetic beats and frantic rhythms of earlier days – often speaks in the past tense and lays out his principles. “Get Money & Mind My Business,” for instance.
Yet the eternal Payroll is still there. Proud, sharp, and insolent, he expresses his disdain for the competition (“Memory”), sometimes alongside Peezy, his Eastside Detroit counterpart (“Inner City Rich Niggaz”). And when Helluva returns to the controls on “Hustle Did,” it’s incredibly satisfying. When the classic Detroit formula comes back with DamJonBoi – even in an introspective mode (“Maybach Paths”) – it’s a joy. When Payroll reflects on his questionable associations over a Doughboyz Cashout-style backdrop (“Still Buddies”), it’s as compelling as ever. The streetwise life lessons of “Even When You Up” hit hard. And to round things out, a few softer, principle-driven tracks like “Flights & Reservations” are excellent too.
The album is titled If Not Me Then Who, and it’s a fair question. If Payroll Giovanni isn’t the greatest rapper from Detroit, then who, indeed, deserves that title?
