ScHoolboy Q – “CrasH Talk” review

ScHoolboy Q is a 32 year old rapper from SoutH Los Angeles, California wHo came up at tHe beginning of tHe decade as 1/4 of Black Hippy. He released His first 2 albums Setbacks and Habits & Contradictions independently, but it wouldn’t be until 2014 tHat He would make His major label debut witH Oxymoron. THis would be followed up witH Blank Face LP a couple years later, wHicH I personally consider to be Q’s best work yet. However, 3 years Have passed & He’s now returning witH His 5tH full-lengtH album.

THe opener “Gang Gang” details His drug dealing past over an eerie trap beat from DJ Fu wHile tHe next song “Tales” takes a look back at Q’s criminal past over a somber DJ DaHi & Jake One instrumental. THe track “CHopstix” is a painfully boring “club banger” if you wanna call it tHat & even tHougH I do enjoy tHe gritty lyricism on “Numb Numb Juice”, it sounds unfinisHed & tHe beat is dime a dozen. THe track “Drunk” is a moody alcohol antHem wHile tHe song “Lies” witH YG takes a jab at tHe people wHo’ve said false tHings about tHem over an atmospheric beat from Sounwave. THe track “5200” gets murderous over a vibrant beat tHat doesn’t quite matcH tHe lyricism wHile tHe song “Black Folk” is a jab at an unnamed fraud over a cloudy beat.

THe track “Floating” witH 21 Savage talks about being on drugs over a murky beat wHile tHe song “Dangerous” describes the famous lifestyle over a psychedelic instumental. THe track “Die wit ‘Em” gets murderous over a monstrous Cardo beat wHile tHe song “CrasH” talks about going on over a Boi-1da instrumental tHat cHops & screws PRHyme’s “Boom”. THe penultimate track “Water” witH Lil Baby is an awkward brag despite tHe godly feeling in Cardo’s production & tHen tHe album finisHes witH “Attention”, wHere Q talks about praise & passion over a decent boom bap beat.

I don’t know what else to say, this is EXACTLY what I expected. It’s a lot more commercial which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it sounds just as forced as Jay Rock’s last album Redemption was.

Score: 2.5/5

Alla Xul Elu – “Church of Xul” review

Alla Xul Elu is an Ohio based horrorcore trio consisting of Billy Obey, Joey Black & Lee Carver. They started off as a duo, releasing their first 2 albums Head of Horns & Sci-Co in 2015. 2 years later, Lee joined & they dropped their debut EP Necronomichron that same year. However, it wasn’t until last year that the Xul made their biggest break to date with Twiztid signing them to their label Majik Ninja Entertainment. Their latest album/MNE debut The Almighty that dropped last fall is a modern horrorcore masterpiece in my eyes & now to accompany Twiztid’s brand new album Generation Nightmare, the 3 are back with their 2nd EP following their appearance at the 2nd annual Astronomicon.

After the “Welcome” intro, the first song “In the Church of Xul” slowly yet sinisterly tells us what goes in their world whereas “We Are One” advises you to believe over a nocturnally atmospheric boom bap fusion. “Preay” gets more murderous lyrically over a nocturnal instrumental while “To the Tome of the Black Tongue” hauntingly talks about possession. “The Goddamned” nears the conclusion by continuing the murderous themes & “Xuligans” finishes with a tribute to their fanbase with an old school boom bap approach to the beat.

Despite being an EP, this is just as fantastic as The Almighty & would prefer this over Generation Nightmare since it exemplifies why Alla Xul Elu has become the most exciting horrorcore act in the past year or so. It sounds a lot darker than that previous album & I love how they hold it on their own to prove that they’re really are bringing a breath of fresh air in such an underrated subgenre of hip hop.

Score: 4.5/5

Twiztid – “Generation Nightmare” review

Twiztid is a horrorcore duo from Detroit, Michigan consisting of Jamie Madrox & Monoxide. The duo started off as members of the House of Krazees with The R.O.C. before splitting off in 1997, eventually being taken under the wings of the Insane Clown Posse & signing to Psychopathic Records shortly after. They ended up staying with them for 15 years & sporadically wrestled during the first few years after Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) was formed, leaving the hatchet at the end of 2012 to form their own label Majik Ninja Entertainment in 2014. But now coming off the final Vans Warped Tour last summer as well as the 2nd year of their own annual pop culture convention a couple months ago, the demented duo & Astronomicon founders are back on the scene with their 12th full-length album.

After the “Live Forever” intro, we dive into the first song “Phlegm in the Windpipe”. A rap metal fusion where Jamie & Paul pretty much take a jab at society. The track “Speak Of” talks about being unique over an instrumental with some rubbery bass & a quirky synth while the song “Something New” speaks of changing the game over an abrasive beat from MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7.

The track “Siamese Amazement” is a throwback to the punk sound that they dabbled with on Mutant, Vol. 2 while the song “Sick Mind” talks about being insane over a bass-heavy trap beat from Godsynth. The track “Here with the Dead” vents about their stresses over an empowering instrumental while the song “Disappear” talks about escaping drama & the chaotic beat is perfect.

“Bring Me Back” serves as an energetic companion to the previous joint while the song “Magic Spellz” is pretty much a refined sequel to Twiztid’s last attempt at going nu metal on “Nothing to You”, which landed on their previous album The Continuous Evilutions of Life’s ?’s. However I don’t know if it’s just me, but Monoxide kinda sounds like he’s impersonating Eddie Vedder on here.

The track “Livin’ @ the Bottom” talks about celebrating themselves over a Three 6 Mafia influenced trap beat & after the short but motivating Jamie solo cut “Skit 17”, the song “Let It Flow” boasts about their skills over a minimalist beat. The track “Don’t Be Hatin’” with Young Wicked pretty much speaks for itself over a bouncy instrumental while the song “Role Models” makes clever references to all of the celebrities who’ve committed heinous sexual acts lately over a gloomy beat.

“Wreck” to me sounds like a cliched rock song that you can find in a sports video game while the song “If It Matters What I Think Now” is a dedication to people who have their backs over an acoustic guitar passage with some drums thrown in. The track “4 the Nightmare Children” is a grimy ode to the outcasts & after the “End of the Beginning” outro, the final song “Strike” is a gruesome showcasing of Twiztid’s newly formed supergroup with Alla Xul Elu called the Venomous 5.

At first in felt that Generation Nightmare was better than Fearless Fred Fury because I was disappointed with it altogether even after the fact that parts of the “Fury!” video were filmed at my uncle’s store. However the more I’ve sat with it, I happen to find myself going back to Fearless Fred Fury & even it’s bonus EP Flip the Rat a lot more comparison. The production is kinda catered to that Warp Tour sound which makes sense considering that they performed as part of last year’s Warp Tour lineup & they previously performed in ‘03 Warp Tour, it’s that the results are decent.

Score: 3/5

Rico Nasty – “Anger Management” review

Rico Nasty is a 21 year old rapper from Palmer, Park, Maryland that I first caught wind of last year with the release of her Nasty mixtape, which showcased a unique personality in Rico as well as her eclecticism. However, she’s now teaming up with Kenny Beats to deliver her debut EP.

The EP kicks off with “Cold”, where Rico talks about being the hottest female spitter in the game right now over an industrial beat. The next track “Cheat Code” talks about biters over an abrasive beat while the song “Hatin’” is an ode to boss bitches & I love how they revamp the same sample that JAY-Z & Timbaland used for “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”. The track “Big Titties” with EARTHGANG sees the 3 talking about their lifestyles over a quirky beat & after the “Nasty World” skit, the song “Relative” talks about how Rico’s fame as affected those around her over some somber piano chords & heavy bass. The track “Mood” feels more like a Splurge joint since he takes up a bulk of it while the song “Sellout” talks about loving yourself over a moody trap beat. The EP then finishes with “Again”, where Rico celebrates her success over a spacey trap beat.

Yeah, this is Rico’s best work yet. Her lyricism is sharper & Kenny just goes to show that he’s one of the hottest producers in the game at this very moment.

Score: 4/5

Kevin Abstract – “ARIZONA baby” review

Kevin Abstract is a 23 year old rapper, singer/songwriter, producer & director from Corpus Christi, Texas who made his debut in 2014 with MTV1987. He followed it up 2 years later with the fantastic American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story & then the following year, he rose to stardom as the de facto leader of the best boyband since 1 Direction themselves BROCKHAMPTON. However after a rough 2018, he’s back with his 3rd full-length album.

Things start off with “Big Wheels”, where Kevin raps about his personal demons over a synth & some hi-hats from Jack Antonoff & Romil Hemnani. Not a bad opener, but it sounds unfinished. The next song “Joy Ride” melodically reflects on how he would never listen over a some soothing horns while the track “Georgia” talks about being at peace over a relaxing instrumental. The track “Corpus Christi” raps about feeling like a loner as well as addresses Ameer Vann being kicked out of BROCKHAMPTON over a prominent synthesizer while “Baby Boy” is a full-blown psych-rock that touches down on an ex.

The track “Mississippi” is a somber R&B cut telling his loved ones not to get it twisted with him while the song “Use Me” reflects on going from growing up rough to being successful over an atmospheric beat. The track “Peach” by Geezer is a psychedelic tune about a past relationship while the song “American Problem” literally sounds like a leftover from Childish Gambino’s last album “Awaken, My Love!”. The penultimate track “Crumble” is a guitar ballad about getting back to his lover & then the album finishes with “Boyer”, where Kevin talks about how he & this guy can’t run forever over a banger beat.

While it’s no American Boyfriend 2, this in my opinion is still the 2nd best release in Kevin’s solo discography. He continues to show how diverse of an artist he is & the production is detailed, but he drowns in his influences on some of these cuts to the point where it’s distracting. Noneless, it’s still worth checking out if you’re a big BROCKHAMPTON fan.

Score: 3.5/5

Erick Sermon – “Vernia” review

Erick Sermon is a 50 year old MC & producer from Islip, New York known for being a member of EPMD & the Def Squad. However, it was’t until the early/mid 90s where he made his solo debut No Pressure & followed with a sophomore effort Double or Nothing under Def Jam Recordings. Following the DreamWorks Records-backed Erick Onasis as well as Music & React under J Records, he contemplated retiring in the summer of 2004 with Chilltown, New York under Universal Music Group. He fortunately made a flawed yet solid comeback over a decade later with E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception) & he’s at it again with his 8th full-length album.

After the “Payne Intro”, the first song “Wake Up (No Fear)” brags about his skills over a futuristic instrumental while “Da Wave” continues the lyrical themes of the previous joint over a vintage Rockwilder beat. “Tha Game” featuring AZ & Styles P sees the 3 dissing people only out for the fame over a bass-line & a soul sample while “Go” with No Malice talks about life in the streets over a luscious boom bap instrumental.

“My Style” with N.O.R.E. & Raekwon sees the 3 showing all of their unique styles over a laidback soul sample while “That Girl” with Big K.R.I.T. is a smooth dedication to Southern womenz “Cabinet” shouts out a plethora of legendary MCs over yet another funky instrumental & “Stay Real, Pt. 2” with Keith Murray & Nature is a fantastic sequel to a highlight off No Pressure.

The song “Zion” with Xzibit alongside David Banner & even Shaquille O’Neal spit battle bars over a boom bap beat with a sinister piano lead while “May Sound Crazy” with Devin the Dude & Too $hort finds the trio getting romantic over a g-funk beat from DJ Battlecat. “300 E” is essentially E-Dub charismatically boasting over a beautifully futuristic instrumental from Rockwilder album & it all finishes with the Apathy produced title track, which is a heartwarming dedication to his grandmother.

E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception) still has its after all this time, but Vernia sticks out as the greater album of the 2 he’s given us since making music again. Only a couple tracks I could’ve done without yet through it all, Erick really sticks to his guns lyrically remembering his late grandmother Vernia Mims with the guests mostly adding into the equation & the production mostly handled by The Green-Eyed Bandit himself is top notch including the contributions from a few noteworthy great producers.

Score: 4/5

Tech N9ne – “N9NA” review

This is the latest full-length outing from the highest-selling independent hip hop artist of all-time; the King of Darkness himself: Tech N9ne. If anyone is far behind in his catalog, the dude has made himself one of the hardest working men in the culture by dropping at least 1 or 2 albums a year since 2016 & his previous one Planet ended up being one of his best ones yet. However with a new tour starting earlier this week, he’s celebrating by releasing his 21st album.

After the “Le Horde” intro, we dive straight into the first song “Lord of Weird”. Where Tech pretty much proclaims himself as just that over a gloomy trap beat. The title track serves as a reintroduction for N9na’s new fans with MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7’s trunk-knocking production fitting like a glove while the song “Hit the Ground Running” with JL & King Iso sees the 3 talking about how no one can stop them over a trap beat with some acoustic strumming over an eerie beat. The track “Like I Ain’t” reflects on his accomplishments while the song “Green Lit” with Iso alongside Tech’s latest Strange Music signee Maez301 sees the 3 calling out people who double crossed them over an infectious instrumental.

The track “Chuki Fever” is a shot at everyone jealous of his success over a somber trap beat while the song “Fuckin’ Do It” with Futuristic & JL is a decent alcohol anthem with a skeletal trap beat. The track “Don’t Let Me Fall” is a boring diatribe of a 1-night stand with a simplistic beat while the song “You Line!” with Krizz Kaliko viciously attacks frauds with a perfectly suiting beat. The track “EDI’s” serves as a tribute to edibles with a monstrous beat while the song “Rata” takes a surprising direction in Latin territory & it somehow works.

The track “F.T.I. 2.0” serves as a vicious sequel to the iconic “Fuck the Industry” off his 2001 classic Anghellic while the song “She Fell” is a moody sex tune with a horrendous hook. The track “Sink” talks about depression with a gorgeous bass-line while the song “H.O.B. (History Of Bitches)” talks about crazy chicks trying to come back into his life over an atmospheric beat. The track “Ion Memba” recalls his past addiction with an average C-Mob verse over a spacey bass-heavy beat while the song “Active” talks about gang life over a nocturnal instrumental.

The track “EF U (Easier For You)” with Jelly Roll is a heartfelt dedication to the broken with a pretty guitar passage while the song “I’m Caught Crazy! (4Ever)” is essentially Tech embracing his insanity over a nocturnal instrumental. The closer track “I’m Sorry” is a triumphant ode to his family & then there’s the bonus track “Disparagement”, where he & King Iso diss their haters over a generic trap beat.

While I personally prefer Planet, this is still a solid listen. Of course Tech brings his A-game lyrically & I like how he kept the features minimal just like that previous album, but some of the production choices on this one in comparison could’ve been better.

Score: 3.5/5

SOB x RBE – “Family Not a Group” review

SOB x RBE is a hip hop quartet from Vallejo, California consisting of Slimmy B, Yhung T.O., DaBoii & Lul G. I first caught wind of them last year with the song “Paramedic!”, which was a personal highlight for me on the soundtrack for the near perfect Marvel film Black Panther. They quickly followed this up by releasing their first 2 albums with EMPIRE Distribution entitled GANGIN’ & GANGIN’ 2, but both of them were incredibly average. However after striking a new deal with Def Jam Recordings, they’re now teaming up with Hit-Boy to deliver their 3rd EP.

The opener “Chosen 1” has a spacey instrumental & while I can appreciate the message, it doesn’t even sound fully written. The next track “Both Sides” sees all 4 talking about choosing sides over an eerie bass-heavy trap beat while the song “Stuck in the Streets” gets murderous over a druggy beat while the titular song gets braggadocious over an atmospheric beat.

The track “Can’t Fold” viciously flexes their wealth over a hyphy beat while the song “W.Y.O. (What You On?)” is a buttery, mediocre sex tune. The track “Ran Off wit It” reminisces about all the crazy things they did before the fame over a smooth instrumental while the song “Young Wild Niggas” is self-explanatory & the instrumental is monstrous. The EP then finishes with “Scoring”, where the group celebrates their newfound success over a pretty piano instrumental.

This is EASILY the group’s best outing yet. The production that Hit-Boy brings to the table is more hard hitting than that of SOB x RBE’s last 2 albums & everyone sounds hungrier than ever.

Score: 3.5/5

Split Prophets – “The Forecast” review

The Split Prophets are a hip hop collective from Bristol, England, United Kingdom consisting of Datkid, Upfront MC, Res 1, Joey Paro, Bil Next, Flying Monk & Badhabitz. Forming in 2012, they would go on to drop their first couple of EPs The High Life and Southbound & Down the following year. They would eventually make their full-length debut at the beginning of 2016 with Delta Bravo Kilo, returning 3 years later with their 3rd extended play.

Datkid & Upfront MC hop over a jazzy boom bap beat during the intro “Bad News” pleading to stop with all the nonsense whereas “Mustard” goes for a cavernously raw approach instrumentally talking about how every single member has been taking their own steps in becoming more successful. “Paperback Book” blends a guitar sample with some kicks & snares for a hardcore hip hop joint reminiscent of the ‘90s just before “You Do You” comes across a bit more atmospheric talking about doing your thing.

“My Team” gets the 2nd half going aggressively making it clear that nobody can match their individual flows while “6 Deep” brings back the jazz rap influences so they can tell all their haters that they’re never quitting & the haters can live with it in misery as far as the squad’s concerned. Joey Paro & Upfront MC team up on “The Monsoon” going back-&-forth with each other over an organ sample leading into Flying Monk joining them for the intro “Oii”.

Needless to say: the Split Prophets has collectively been on a musical hiatus since Delta Bravo Kilo with everyone focusing on their solo careers but whenever they’re ready to reunite for a sophomore effort, The Forecast hints at what we can expect from them in the best ways imaginable. Badhabitz’ jazzy boom bap production feels reminiscent to Illinformed’s & lyrically, they’re aren’t too far behind from the Cult of the Damned in the sense that every MC has their own way of sticking out.

Score: 4/5

Camouflage Regime – Self-Titled review

The Camouflage Regime is a newly formed hardcore hip hop duo consisting of 2 East Coast underground heavyweights: former Juice Crew member Tragedy Khadafi & Army of the Pharaohs leader Vinnie Paz. The 2 have collaborated with each other a couple of times in the past (most notably the iconic Jedi Mind Tricks joint “Genghis Khan”) but now, they’re teaming up for their highly anticipated debut.

The album kicks off with “Bloody Jungle”, where Paz & Tragedy get murderous over an eerie Stu Bangas beat. The next song “Canaan’s Bracelet” with Agallah sees the 3 spitting that gun talk referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE Champion & WWE Tag Team Champion The Iron Sheik over a piano-inflicted boom bap beat while the song “A Warrior’s Fate” is laced with vicious battle bars over a sinister beat. The track “Cinematic Echo” boasts about their skills over a soulful beat while the song “Jummah Rituals” gets back on the violence tip over an apocalyptic beat.

The track “Fibre Optic Weapons” with Ill Bill sees the 3 vividly describing life in the streets over an ominous beat while the song “Nocturnal Militia” talks about how they ain’t ready to die over another keyboard-inflicted boom bap beat. “The Most Gracious” pretty much speaks for itself over a piano & some strings while the song “Thought Machine” gets conscious over an abrasive beat. Lastly, the closer “Persian Legacy” talks about being military minded over a boom bap beat with some keys & a killer guitar.

It’s been a few years coming & at the end, I enjoyed it. Paz & Tragedy could’ve padded it out with a few more tracks, but their chemistry really shines & the raw production suits them fantastically.

Score: 4/5