Mozzy – “BMX” review

Sacramento, California emcee Mozzy back for his 5th extended play. Becoming a fan in the summer of 2017 off his debut 1 Up Top Akh & he went on to be featured on the soundtrack for Black Panther only 6 months later & drop 6 more full-lengths through his EMPIRE-backed Mozzy Records prior to Memphis veteran Yo Gotti landing him a contract with Collective Music Group/Interscope Records. His major label debut Survivor’s Guilt was more poignant than what Mozzy had done previously & Children of the Slums exemplified growth in his rap career & personal life, although Brash Dummies became a letdown. Last time I reviewed him was when some Intrusive Thoughts were revealed, enlisting Mr. Green to fully produce BMX.

The intro “Poppin’” kicks things off with this soulful beat talking about a conversation being cute if it doesn’t regard thousands of dollars whereas “Never Get Enough” takes the symphonic boom bap route instrumentally suggesting to give it all here. “Get Back” continues the sampling of soul music talks about having a couple bands on deck & after the crooning “Be Bool” tells a homie of his to chill, “Do the Business” ends the EP admitting he handles the work side of things.

Some of Mozzy’s output for the past year & a half hasn’t really caught my interest if I have to be truthful, so hearing Mr. Green was fully producing BMX raised my expectations & I’m firmly adamant of the possibly that it could become his greatest EP. The soulful boom bap production is a breath of fresh air compared to the trap/nervous sounds were used to hearing from him & that makes more than enough room to deliver 8 & a half minutes of hunger.

Score: 4/5

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Mathematics – “Black Samson 2: The Saga Continues” review

Mathematics is a 55 year old producer, DJ & graphic designer from Queens, New York known for being the turntablist for the almighty Wu-Tang Clan as well as the creator of their iconic logo. His solo debut Love, Hell or Right arrived in 2003, which was followed by the sophomore effort The Problem & Soul of a Man respectively. Prelude to the Answer & The Answer both came out when I was 16, coming off last spring’s Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman to drop a sequel.

After the intro, “God Body” by AZ & Method Man kicks things off with this boom bap intro talking about always being prepared for battle whereas “Knowledge My Wisdom” by Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa & Planet Asia soulfully finds sagacity in what all 3 of them have learned in their lives. “Choices” by Hue Hef hooks up a piano-driven boom bap instrumental to talk about gambling our future while “Dominant Confidence” by Che Noir & Ransom makes up for with their consciousness.

“Brolic” by Cormega & Rome Streetz begins the 2nd half talking about the strong penmanship both of them possess while “Hustle” by Cory Gunz & Grafh boasts they made movies in the backrooms of the kitchen. The organ-woven beat on “Hennessy Pure” by Chedda Bang, Nic Waves & Skyzoo was hard even if the latter had the best verse at the start while “730” by Illa Ghee, NEMS & U-God preceding the outro ends Black Samson 2: The Saga Continues on a more hardcore note.

I still believe Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman felt like more of a Wu group album than The Saga Continues… did almost a decade ago, but Black Samson 2: The Saga Continues much like the previously mentioned full-length would fit in Mathematics’ own solo discography since the appearances of Wu-Tang members are kept to a minimum. Putting some of the lackluster performances to the side, I can’t dismiss him further demonstrate his growth behind the boards.

Score: 3/5

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Young Chris – “Or a Bullet” review

This is the 4th extended play from North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania rapper Young Chris. A member of the State Property crew & 1/2 of the Young Gunz subunit, he has since dropped a total of 16 solo mixtapes as well as 3 extended plays & 2 collaborative projects within nearly 2 decades, with the Cardiak-produced The Revival being my personal favorite of the bunch. Coming off the drumless Made in Philly with MadeinTYO this spring & Catch a Vibe a couple weeks ago, Or a Bullet picks up right where the counterpart left off.

Wale appears for the intro “Fly Talk” so they can spit braggadocio together over a old school boom bap beat whereas “Foreigns in the Trenches” featuring Phil Adé finds the pair talking about driving expensive cars around their respective hoods. “On My Soul” featuring Dave East, Freeway & Ransom leans toward a chipmunk soul vibe instrumentally referencing the late WWE Hall of Famer Muhammad Ali just before “The Golden Chile” soulfully talks about people plottin’ on him.

“Try My Hand” moves on from there pleading for God to not let him be misunderstood leading into “Drama Occurred” featuring O.T. the Real & Reese Bangem painting imagery of the gangsta lifestyle with O.T. having the strongest guest verse of the 2. “N****s in the Joint” talks about the very people he took extras from whenever he has enough supply for the whole town at large while “Different Kind of Animal” spends the last minutes of Or a Bullet flexing his level of lyrical skill.

I’m kinda happy that Young Chris decided to split Catch a Vibe & Or a Bullet into 2 separate halves because as much as I found myself enjoying the predecessor 14 days ago, this new EP doesn’t really impress me as much because I feel like the production’s a bit of a step down outside of a few spots & a couple guests. If he’s able to get some fire beats from people like Hit-Boy or 9th Wonder & Nicholas Craven, I feel like that would bring the best outta him.

Score: 3/5

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Blaze Ya Dead Homie – “Last Rites” review

Physical exclusive 5th extended play from Mt. Clemens, Michigan rapper Blaze Ya Dead Homie. Originally 1/2 of the 2 Krazy Devils, the Insane Clown Posse eventually signed him to Psychopathic Records & his eponymous debut EP as well as his full-length debut 1 Less G n da Hood would become some of the hatchet’s most beloved material at the turn of the millennium. Colton Grundy: Tha Undying introduced us to his alter-ego & Clockwork Gray received the same praise as his earlier material, departing Psychopathic after the Mike E. Clark-produced Gang Rags to make the sequel Reborn the inaugural release for his childhood friends Twiztid’s label Majik Ninja Entertainment in tandem with his own imprint Grundy Entertainment. It’s already been a decade since The Casket Factory but coming off Cadaver & Dead Serious, his Last Rites are being read.

“Smoke” starts us off with Blaze talking about not being the one to provoke while “Armed & Dangerous” instrumentally embraces a rap rock vibe cautioning that he has a gun on him. “Sold” experiments with trap metal airing out the people who’ve sold their souls to the Devil & once “In Between” awkwardly talks about there being no one to blame other than ourselves, the outro “No Tomorrow” ends Last Rites explaining shit ain’t been the same since he came to the game although I much prefer the Stir Crazy remix.

If you’re going into Last Rites expecting it to be a bunch of leftovers from the Dead Serious sessions kinda like what The Casket Maker was to The Casket Factory, you’ll be surprised to hear that a great deal of this EP doesn’t have as much of a Jelly Roll influence as Blaze Ya Dead Homie’s most recent album we got over the summer since the production fluctuates between rap rock along with trap metal & regular trap music to compliment the wicked gangsta performances he solely handles contrasting his longtime associates making appearances throughout Dead Serious.

Score: 3.5/5

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Smoke DZA – “We Outside” review

New York emcee & songwriter Smoke DZA enlisting Hollywood, California production duo Mike & Keys to produce his 22nd extended play. Starting out over 2 decades ago as 1/2 of Smoke & Numbers, he would eventually go on to achieve a cult following of his own by dropping 7 albums as well as 10 mixtapes & a plethora of EPs along the way. My personal favorites include the sophomore tape George Kush da Button, the Pete Rock-produced 4th album Don’t Smoke Rock & the whole 183rd-produced Ringside EP saga. It’s been a few years since Flying Lotus produced Flying Objects & was more excited for We Outside than some of his latest output.

“Exact Change” featuring Fergie Baby & Kai Ca$h finds the trio calling for everyone to celebrate even if the odds are against your favor but once “Statue of Limitation” featuring Benny the Butcher has both of them trying everything they can to keep the energy, “We Gon’ Be Straight” featuring Big K.R.I.T. hits the midway point of the EP linking up over a soulful boom bap instrumental issuing a promise of everything sorting itself out when it’s all said & done.

Beanie Sigel & Styles P both appear during the soulful “Diamonds Can’t Save You” to discuss the type of shit you don’t typically see on cable television while “1v1 vs. the System” featuring Reuben Vincent brings some keys & horns in the picture so both of them can talk about battling a corrupt governmental regime. “Food for Thought” featuring Bun B & King Chip spends the remaining minutes of We Outside encouraging people to never lose sight of the mission.

As much as I liked the recent collab EPs he did with The Musalini & Memphis Bleek earlier this year Uptown Saturday Night & Trees Open Doors, I do find We Outside to be a step above the likes of On My Way to Berlin or Road Trip to Amsterdam because of Smoke DZA’s socially conscious lyricism over Mike & Keys’ production ahead of the midterms 24 hours from now. I certainly wasn’t expecting a guest on every single song either.

Score: 4/5

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Twiztid – “Monsters” review

Here we have the physical exclusive 18th studio LP from Detroit, Michigan’s demented duo & Astronomicon founders Twiztid. Consisting of Jamie Madrox & Monoxide, they originally started out as part of the House of Krazees alongside childhood friend The R.O.C. in 1992 before their initial disbandment 5 years later. Almost immediately after, the Insane Clown Posse took Jamie & Mono under their wings by signing them to Psychopathic Records as who they’re known as today. They would become the label’s 2nd biggest act being their mentors off projects like Mostasteless, Freek Show, Mirror Mirror, The Green Book, W.I.C.K.E.D. (Wish I Could Kill Every Day & Abominationz. Shortly after the latter was released, Twiztid left Psychopathic to form Majik Ninja Entertainment in 2014. Since then they’ve released 8 albums & 10 EPs on their own label, my favorites of which being /ˌrevəˈlāSH⁽ᵊ⁾n/ & Glyph. Coming off Welcome to Your Funeral produced by Rob Zombie’s engineer Zeuss, they dropped Monsters on Devil’s Night.

After the intro, “No Evidence” finds them sinisterly talking about covering up the murders they committed whereas my favorite track “‘Til the Cops Come” instrumentally leans towards a funky boom bap vibe looking to party until law enforcement shuts it down. “Now I’m Homicidal” talks about murdering every last person who’s against them leading into “Don’t Sank” calling for everyone struggling to stay afloat instead of succumbing to their depression & there’s a bar where Monoxide’s clapping back at people who’ve hated them before the Psychopathic days.

“Gotta Be Me” wraps up the 1st act responding to the “I Get It, Twiztid / Deal with the Devil” diss Long Live Evil diss Alla Xul Elu put out shortly after their MNE departure & throwing their severed heads in the crowd at last year’s Hallowicked while “I Just Wanna Kill” kicks off the 2nd half talking about once again never meeting anyone they didn’t want to take the lives of. “Devil Deja Vu” makes it clear they don’t give a fuck how far out from heaven they are & the final song “I Don’t Care Anymore” preceding the outro wraps up Monsters sending a message to those who has their hearts.

It’s wild to me that Twiztid destroyed all the unsold copies of Monsters when they could’ve easily put them up on the MNE Store when Fright Fest ended & give it a streaming release set for a later day instead of having it coincide with Songs of Samhain V: Outside of Heaven because this definitely makes up for the disappointment I had with both the latter becoming the weakest in the Songs of Samhain series whether it’s the production abandoning the rock influences or the wicked verses occasionally tackling themes of mental health & nonconformity along the way.

Score: 4/5

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Trizz & Twisted Insane – “1950 Hallow Creek Drive” review

West coast underground veterans Trizz & Twisted Insane hailing from Inland Empire & San Diego, California respectively enlisting MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 to fully produce a new collaborative studio LP. One of whom came up when Brotha Lynch Hung signed him to Madesicc Muzicc & the other made a name for himself for pulling off the chopper style without sounding corny in addition to forming his own label Brainsick Muzik. They’ve crossed paths with each other several times over the years & 1950 Hallow Creek Drive looks to celebrate Halloween in the most appropriate manner imaginable.

After the “Whatever You Do, Don’t Knock” intro, “Treats” immediately talks about how trick or treating on Halloween got them going apeshit over a trap instrumental whereas “Hallow Fiends” featuring Bleezo finds the trio on some boom bap vibes explaining that the only thing you hear on this night of the year is the screams of their victims. “Hive Mind” blends jazz rap & trap to address their collective consciousness prior to “Horror Year” dismembering the bitch made off the top.

“Ziplock” continues from returning to the boom bap to depict the lifestyle of a gangsta while “Ebola” gives us a look at the level of sickness each of them possess. “Grindhouse” embraces a trap sound again turning up the level of wickedness together just before “MRI” talks about putting holes in the necks of anyone disrespecting them. “This Sounds Like…” heinously lets the world know what typa shit they be on & “Ransom” wraps up 1950 Hallow Creek Drive giving us 1 last gangsta rap track.

I still believe Coronella with the Psychopathic Records subsidiary Chapter 17 Records’ CEO Ouija Macc stands as my favorite collaborative effort Trizz has done, but there’s no doubt in mind that 1950 Hallow Creek Drive has earned the right of becoming a very close 2nd. Him & Twisted Insane meshing their distinctive styles of gangsta-tinged horrorcore over 7 production varying from boom bap to trap & jazz rap makes for an appropriately bloodcurdling half hour even if I felt like Bleezo’s sole guest appearance was alright.

Score: 4.5/5

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Zukenee – “Nightmare on Slay St” review

Atlanta, Georgia rapper/producer Zukenee celebrating Halloween with his 9th extended play. Starting in the spring of 2021 off his debut EP Undiscovered, he would continue to make a name for himself in the underground by putting out a couple more EPs in Castle & Playful alongside the debut mixtape Stop Playing. Subsequent exclusive singles like “OJAYS” & “Chest” would later become amongst his best singles since both of them were released in the span of a year & a half preceding Player Slayer. Guillotine, Birth of St. Slay, Slaytanic, Knight Shift, Eye Love U, Zuminati & the Trapped in the Dungeon series have all followed since. Coming off last month’s B4BB and Blunts & Blades, he’s putting Nightmare on Slay St exclusively on his SoundCloud page to celebrate the spookiest time of the year.

“Gangsta” produced by Toom of Vanguard Music Group opens up combining some pianos & hi-hats to talk about living like a G whereas “Tom Ford” hooks up some 808s flexing that he smokes big gas & stays pissing off the hoes. “Yen” brings these plinky keys in the picture so he can touch base regarding him consistently catching Ws & running bags up back-to-back just before “Ik Bout Dat” talks about his knowledge of making paper & spending it.

Cade gets behind the boards during the song “Mariah” boasting of his money looking like chapters even though he’s not trying to read a book & once “We Could’ve Been Something” works in these horns that immediately command the attention of those listening right when you press play observing a woman with serious potential of becoming a scholar stooping herself down to a stripper so she can make some quick cash, “Teapot Can Talk” finishes the EP discussing how he mixes lean with tea.

This guy’s dropped a total of 6 projects in the span of 10 months with the moderately received Zuminati & B4BB being the weakest & many considering both installments of the Trapped in the Dungeon duology to be their favorites of the bunch although I’d say each of them aren’t too far behind Blunts & Blades. That being said: Nightmare on Slay St is still a nice way for Zukenee to surprise his fans considering the fact he announced it literally a whole week prior.

Score: 3.5/5

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Noah Mejia – “Platinum After Dark” review

Noah Mejia is a 25 year old producer from Los Angeles, California who was introduced to in the spring of 2023 when he produced the opening track off Sk8star’s 2nd mixtape whole new meaning. He would go on to work with a handful of trap artists ranging from SoFaygo to $crim of the $uicideboy$ & even Lucki, coming off a small handful of stand alone singles that he’s been dropping since the very beginning of 2026 to compile a solo debut extended play of artists rapping over his beats for less than 10 minutes.

“Ballright” by Boohavinn made for a decent trap intro talking about being the flyest muhfucka walking the Earth & flexing his connections to the mob whereas “I Don’t Need Love!” by Cashjunko explaining he’ll only fire his Glock if his girl in the mood. “Shine” by D. Savage co-produced by Rio Leyva kicks off the 2nd half talking about running these bands up while “1500” by Diorvsyou finishes the EP calling out broke ass bums with some buzzing synths Internet Money Records in-house producer Synthetic provides.

If we ever get a full-length studio debut from Noah Mejia at any point going forward, I hope I find myself enjoying it a lot more than I did Platinum After Dark considering I personally was left on the fence with it in general. The first couple guests don’t really stick out but once you get past it, I’m not gonna dismiss Noah handling 75% of the production with the exception of the outro & or the performances picking up towards the backend of it.

Score: 2.5/5

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Kurupt & Snoop Dogg – “The Hollow” review

New collaborative extended play between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania emcee, songwriter, actor & occasional producer Kurupt alongside Long Beach, California emcee, songwriter, media personality, actor, entrepreneur, record executive & WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg. Both of whom met each other in the early 90s at the Roxy when they engaged in a 20 minute battle & signed to Death Row Records not too long afterwards, celebrating Halloween by taking their chemistry to new heights for The Hollow.

“Neighbors” after the ”Our Gang” intro kicks things off with this futuristically funky beat from Rick Rock telling us where they’re from & after “Priceless” takes a more luxurious route instrumentally thanks to Uncle Snoop himself talking about money not meaning shit when everything in life’s going the way it’s supposed to, “Get Yours On” featuring G Perico finds the trio goes full g-funk so they can tell everyone to get what’s rightfully theirs.

Soopafly appears during “Fuss About It” to commence the 2nd half refusing to complain of people building them up to tear them down while “A Dog Party” finds Snoop holding it down by himself calling for people from the suburbs to the slums to go crazy. “Survival” reunites with Young Gotti only to kill everything it had going for it by using AI for the final version of it when the original in May didn’t include that technology whatsoever until “Almost Broke My Collar” concludes The Hollow having Snoop rock it solo 1 last time.

It was telling Kurupt & Snoop Dogg were planning to have an entire collection of material when both singles came out within the span of 5 months almost 6, I completely understand why The Hollow arrived in preparation of Tha Kingpin linking up with Hus Kingpin this Christmas Eve for their own collab album Kingpin’s Theory & the Cuzznz’ eponymous LP over a decade earlier. Aside from ruining the lead single through AI usage, the classic west coast vibes & the boastful performances.

Score: 3.5/5

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