Che Noir – “After 12” review

This is the 4th EP from rising Buffalo emcee Che Noir. Coming on my radar by extensively collaborating with 38 Spesh, she would really change things up earlier this summer by enlisting Apollo Brown for one of the illest albums of the year: As God Intended. However, Che herself has decided to start hopping on the boards & showcase her beat-making skills on the self-produced After 12.

After the “Foxy’s Intro”, the first song “Cruise Control” talks about riding through the city over a mystical beat whereas the next track “Hunger Games” with Ransom & 38 Spesh finds the trio talking about starving for greatness over a churchy instrumental. The song “Reasons” with Jynx sees the 2 talking about backstabbers over a lush soul sample while the track “Divine Knowledge” talks about thinking better when it’s harder to see over an alluring instrumental. The song “Moment in the Sun” with RJ Payne & Sa-Roc finds the 3 talking about not speaking about shit unless they know it over a piano & some vocal harmonies while the closer “Grace” talks about wanting it all over an uplifting beat.

Pretty solid follow-up to As God Intended if you ask me. There are a couple features that I personally could’ve done without, but Che’s production is honestly just as dope as her lyricism & I can only imagine her perfecting it as time goes on.

Score: 3.5/5

Elxtt – “Hell of a Year” review

Elxtt is a 26 year old MC from Atlanta, Georgia who’s been around for a years now. He recently came back from a hiatus after completing college & dropped a new EP this past summer called Just Tryna Rap but fast forward 5 months later, he’s already following it up with his full-length debut.

The album kicks off with “Hell of an Intro”, where Elxtt recaps 2020 over a trap beat with some somber piano chords. The next song “Who is You?” boasts over an instrumental with some rubbery bass & a woodwind while the track “Letter to the City” make numerous references to the Atlanta hip hop scene over a beat that reminds me of College Dropout-era Kanye. The song “Blood on My Jordans” talks about the streets calling him over an instrumental with a well-incorporated sample while the track “Been Ready” with Eleonor Elias is an acoustic flavored R&B ballad that’s just alright.

The song “Ball Hog” talks about being just that over a feel-good instrumental while the track “East Coast Flow” talks about being from Atlanta over a rambunctious beat. After the “Elyon’s Interlude” the song “Therapy Session” gets confessional over an alluring instrumental while the track “Let You Down” with Ice sees the 2 talking about heartbreak over a dancehall beat

The song “West Coast Flow” is a decent rendition of 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up” down to the instrumental while the track “Rico Suave” talks about partying over a Latin flavored beat. The song “Underdawg” talks about being slept-on over a luxurious trap instrumental & then the album ends with “Thoughts on a Beat IV”, where Elxtt speaks what’s on his mind currently over a classy beat.

I think this is a solid album & can definitely see Ellxt only improving from here. The passion is undeniably there in his delivery & even thought I really appreciate how diverse the album ranges, a few of the joints wear it’s influences on their sleeves so hard to the point where it can be distract. Nonetheless, I’m curious to hear what this cat does from hereon out.

Score: 3.5/5

Ketch P – “Untitled” review

Ketch P is a 40 year old MC from Inkster, Michigan who started off as part of the quartet Street Justice. He eventually went solo & put out 3 mixtapes in the late 2000s, but Ketch took a hiatus in 2013 & returned last fall by dropping the fantastic comeback tape Gift Certificate under Middle Finger Music. This was followed up a couple months ago with the full-length Out of Nowhere but almost 3 months later, he’s surprise-dropping an untitled EP that he recorded with Black Milk about a decade ago.

Things start off with “Barricade ’08”, where Ketch spits about being the livest over soulful beat. “The Virus” with Guilty Simpson sees the 2 comparing their music to that of a sickness over a grimy instrumental while the song “Grind Mode” talks about hustling over a suspenseful boom bap beat. The penultimate track “Shut the Phuck Up!!” sends a message to all the haters out there over an instrumental with some beautiful background vocals talks about & then the closer “My Detroit” with eLZhi & Trick-Trick finds the trio paying tribute to their hometown over a churchy beat.

Man even though the material on here is 10 years old, it sounds like they made it earlier this year because these joints in 2020 still sound really good. Black Milk kills it on the boards as he usually does & Ketch P’s lyricism is just as raw as he is today. Looking forward to the albums he has with Bad News Brown & 2 Door Coupé.

Score: 4/5