On “Don’t Rush,” Buddy speaks about the approach he’s taken to his career in music: integrity, and marching to the beat of his own drum instead of desperately trying to keep up with industry standards. “I could never fall off, that’s what sets me apart/I done made it this far from incredible art,” he insists. “I don’t need a diss song that could give me a buzz/I don’t need a hit song that could play in the clubs.” The credo has served him well, as the Compton, California, rapper/singer’s career is approaching 20 years since he began working with Pharrell as a teenager in the late 2000s. His latest album is titled after his birth name, Simmie Sims III, and legacy is clearly on his mind. A convocation by his namesake father bookends the album, and songs like “Reasons” and “Round Me” find him grieving the death of loved ones, pondering over strained relationships with other family members, and figuring out how to maintain inner peace through it all. He’s also dealing with heartbreak: “Bittersweet” (featuring Kent Jamz, of West Coast rap trio Overdoz.) weeps through the aftermath of a breakup caused by his own mistakes, hoping that his ex will still be around once he gets his shit together. The album isn’t all sad times, though: “OTW” is a hyphy-styled party starter with Kalan.FrFr, and he runs the streets trading bars with Huey Briss on “Hopped Out.” When he’s not showing his expertise in the melodic West Coast sound that he’s perfected over the past decade-plus, he’s playing in house music sounds (“House Jam,” featuring rising DJ/producer FAUCET) and folksy vibes (“Marmalade”).