Duffel Bag Hottie – “Could Be Worse” review

This is the 4th studio LP from Buffalo, New York rapper Duffel Bag Hottie. Known as one of the earliest Black Soprano Family Records signees, he’s dropped his last 3 full-lengths along with 5 mixtapes & a couple EPs through the label. Ghost of Rick James stands out the most in his discography personally although I’d be remised if I didn’t mention all 3 entries of the Max Julian trilogy each include essential tracks of their own. Shut Down the Dance Floor made his return in late February over a prison phone & over 6 months later, he’s still applying pressure suggesting it Could Be Worse.

“Reminisce” hops back on the phone over a sample-woven trap instrumental to talk about not doing this music shit for the fame although he’s confident that he’ll become rich once he finally comes home whereas “Hottie & 3s” goes for a boom bap vibe explaining that money’s important than anything all because it feeds his family.

We get a sequel to “Story Time Duff” talking about being in his own lane compared to Tory Lanez & I can’t really blame him for saying that because I’d much rather listen to prison Hottie than Peterson, which quickly became one of 2025’s worst albums only a week after Duffel Bag Hottie’s previous EP at the start of the year.

“You & Me Against the World” blends chipmunk soul & trap to talk about his real ones holding him down from behind prison walls leading into “315 Newburgh” talking about getting your bag stolen if one ever comes around his parts. “Niggas Duckin Jail Calls” airs out those ignoring Duffel’s calls when he’s able to dial up those he cares for while “We Miss You Prodigy” remembers the late Bandana P of the infamous Mobb Deep.

The song “Rere Love” continues the soulful trap hybrids flexing that he never needed features from anyone while “Miss Me with That” featuring K Pistol finds the pair brushing off any & all bullshit. “71 Redrum” featuring Jae Skeese contains my favorite guest appearance of the 2 talking about Duffel still smiling through the pain while “Free VV” rounds out the album maintaining hopeful of trying to make it out for his babies.

Responding to the criticism of Shut Down the Dance Floor several months earlier, Duffel Bag Hottie’s point about how things Could Be Worse still ring true since he’s fortunately still with us albeit incarcerated. The production’s a lot similar to that previous EP we got 24 hours prior to 17-time WWE world champion, 4-time WWE tag team champion & 5-time WWE United States Champion John Cena turning heel on the current 2-time WWE Champion Cody Rhodes & the prison phone verses Duffel spits are still more entertaining than Tory Lanez’ new album.

Score: 3.5/5

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The Musalini & Wais P – “Choose or Lose” review

This is a brand new collaborative EP between from New York emcees The Musalini & Wais P entirely produced by Boston veteran Statik Selektah. One of whom has been signed to Jamla Records for the past few years now recently releasing a sequel to Pure Izm produced by Khrysis & the other also put out an EP with Khrysis last year called Hocaine. We’ve only heard them together once on a Planet Asia single last summer, so them uniting on Choose or Lose was exciting as a fan of Mu$ & Statik.

“Can a Player Live?” featuring Izzy Hott kicks it all off with a bluesy boom bap instrumental talking about forever gliding with no roadblocks of any kind in sight whereas “Return of the Mack” goes for an orchestrally dusty vibe to take us through the perspective of pimps. “How to Knocka” shows listeners the proper way to knock a bitch down keeping it in the basement instrumentally just before “Live in the Flesh” silkily takes about bringing it live & direct.

To get the 2nd half started, “4 Real” featuring Planet Asia clarifies that you’re fucking with 3 of the best MCs out currently maintaining a raw boom bap edge leading into the synthesizer heavy “Cashmere Coast” also featuring Planet Asia once again flexing that they’re dead nice. “Sake Bombs” brings some refreshing organs into the fold talking about their statuses being already solidified & “Pimpin’ Saved” ends with a warning that Mu$’ next LP could possibly get him banned.

If fans of either or have ever wondered what The Musalini & Wais P would sound like doing a whole entire body of work with one another, Choose or Lose collides both worlds with one another over rich boom bap production from the Showoff Records founder himself Statik Selektah to offer the player protocol of running to the game instead of running away from it.

Score: 4/5

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Salute da Kidd – “Time Heals All Wounds” review

Detroit, Michigan emcee Salute da Kidd enlisting his Wisemen brethren Bronze Nazareth to produce his sophomore effort in its entirety. Joining the Wu-Tang Killa Beez offshoot with Phillie alongside Bronze & his late brother Kevlaar 7, they would later welcome Illah Dayz & June Megalodon to the group after their debut Wisemen Approaching for their 2nd & final album to date Children of a Lesser God. It’s already been a decade since we’ve visited Diggstown & da Kidd’s coming back after 13 years to reflect on how Time Heals All Wounds.

After the “Thaw” intro, the first song “Why?” makes his comeback official over a boom bap instrumental talking about losing a decade of his life in the penitentiary & the difficulty of being fair because life has never been that way whereas “Eastside Hustle” featuring Kurt Solid finds the 2 teaming up to describe what it was like trying to survive on the eastern parts of the Motor City.

Termanology appears during the chipmunk soul infused “Rock Magician” to talk about stacking the currency to stay current & after the “Way We Were” interlude, “Grandma’s Prayers” gives off a gospel boom bap vibe reflecting on the days he was counting down to his freedom leading into the late Kevlaar 7 posthumously appearing on “Black Roses” chopping up more soul samples referring to themselves as the rarest of jewels.

“For Ours for Hours” featuring Hollywood Dots the Oncelor sees the pair talking about time being precious & getting to work since it’s eternally ticking faster than we know it over a prominent vibraphone throughout the beat while “Aura Elite” featuring Bronze Nazareth himself & Wuzee joins forces over a boom bap instrumental with some pianos to discuss their distinctive atmospheres being amongst the greatest to ever done it.

38 Spesh saves one of my favorite features for “Bob & Weave” linking up so they can conquer the rap game together maintaining a boom bap sound while “Sliders” featuring June Megalodon & Recognize Ali unites all 3 of them to see who can go the hardest for almost 4 minutes with heavy pianos & Salute talking about not manning up during his incarceration.

“James Worthy” featuring HNIC Pesh rounds up Time Heals All Wounds’ final leg with a soulful boom bap crossover referencing the 3-time NBA Champion Big Game James of the Los Angeles Lakers while “Seldomville” introspectively talks about the only thing up he gives up now is prayers. The appropriately titled “Storm Survivor” finishes up the LP sampling an organ & throwing some final thoughts at us regarding his prison sentence.

Since Kevlaar’s been protecting Salute da Kidd’s spirit for over a decade, Bronze Nazareth comes off Funeral for a Dream fully produced by his childhood friend Apollo Brown to help his Wisemen family make Time Heals All Wounds the most special entry of both in his discography. Salute lyrically reflects on his time behind bars with the guests adding their own different perspectives to it & Bronze Nazareth’s boom bap production rivaling the 78% he did of Diggstown.

Score: 4/5

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Saigon – “Paint the World Black” review

Brooklyn, New York emcee Saigon finally releasing his 6th studio LP entirely produced by Buckwild under It Goes Up Entertainment distributed by Strange Music & Virgin Music. Breaking out in the early 2000s off his debut mixtape Da Yardfather, it wouldn’t be until 2011 when he would make his full-length debut by dropping The Greatest Story Never Told under Suburban Noize Records. The album would spawn a sequel to fulfill his contract with the Spade the following year & then a final installment on his own imprint Squid Ink Squad Records in 2014. He returned from a 6 year hiatus in 2020 by signing to It Goes Up/Strange & dropping the STREETRUNNER-produced EP 777: The Resurrection & fulfilling that deal on Pain, Peace & Prosperity the next spring. Following a quick trip back to The Jordan Era under Payday Records last spring, Da Yardfather’s linking up with Buckwild to Paint the World Black under It Goes Up Entertainment alongside Strange Music & Virgin Music.

“Yardfather Talk” after the “Over the Break” intro opens up with some horns & a guitar talking about his music being too analytic for critics while “Write Back (Hear Me Now)” after the “Dear God” skit working in some sampling to acting the exact same things he did last time. “Well Wishes” fuses gospel & boom bap talking about wanting nothing but the best for those who turned on him leading into the “Meet Raymond Riches (Fame & Riches)” skit.

We get a soul sample chopped up on “Whose 4 da Young?” providing words of wisdom to the youth & Saigon doing this music shit for them prior to the passionate “My Child” pleading God for him to let his kid grow up in the world due to the state it’s been at these past 8 months. “No Witness” featuring Benny the Butcher hooks up a dope flute sample throughout talking about being O.G.s on the lowkey while “2000Now (Crowd Go Wild) starting the 2nd half by showing us how he likes hip hop to sound.

“Toxic Love Story” blends pop rap & R&B together for a look at a relationship where he & his girl are constantly arguing with each other over & over again but after the “187.4 FM DJ Titty Toucher” intermission, “Bare Necessities” talks about his altruism contrasting the greed that these so called “ballin’” artists are so overcome by & “Dying Never Goes Outta Style” tells the story of a child running wild.

After the “Let’s Talk About Love” skit, “Any Love” winds down the last few minutes of Paint the World Black observing a whole lotta jealousy these days asking if there’s any love left in the hearts of the population & the closer is a sequel to “Yardfather Talk” talking about opportunity knocking at his door. Only for it to be Raymond Riches, who introduced himself during a skit midway through.

The Jordan Era was a big improvement over Pain, Peace & Prosperity as a love letter to the mid 80s/late 90s except Paint the World Black raises the stakes exactly how I thought he would because it moves 777: The Resurrection behind itself for the right of becoming Saigon’s best project of the 3 he has put out since signing to the It Goes Up Entertainment subsidiary of Strange Music. From the lyricism to the production, he & Buckwild are merely doing what they felt was normal to them & pulling it off excellently.

Score: 4.5/5

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Billy Obey – “Rhymebook of the Recently Deceased” review

Portsmouth, Ohio emcee/producer Billy Obey celebrating his born day with his official solo debut. Known for being a founding member of the almighty Alla Xul Elu, he alongside Joey Black & later Lee Carver have spent the past 7 years building up their independently owned Long Live Evil record label as a brand you can trust within the underground wicked shit scene with the Super Famous Fun Time Guys & S.O.N. joining LLE’s roster. In preparation of Xul’s upcoming 7th album No Masters, the Rhymebook of the Recently Deceased is getting cracked open.

After titular intro, “Never Trust the Living” opens with an occult rap rock/boom bap crossover going 187 on all these other rappers whereas the industrially raw “Creepin’ It Real” talks about being an artist when it comes to murder. “Ugly on the Inside” poses the question of whether or not one sees a good person or someone like him when looking at the mirror while “Snake Oil Salesman” talks about searching for something that isn’t soil.

“Saviour Save Your Breath” hits the halfway mark by suggesting that nothing can be said to change his ways since he’ll always be the same while the infernal boom bap cut “Hell’s Wear the Heart Is” talks about being a certified psycho born & raised staying higher than his city’s abortion rate. “Life Sentence” makes it a mission to let the world know he’s writing his life away when he goes while “Family Portrait” talks about still being out of place even in frame.

The song “Taking Me Places” begins the Rhymebook of the Recently Deceased’s final pages by discussing how creativity has taken him farther than he could’ve ever imagined & daydreaming of slowing down just before “When I Saw You” talks about the only way he’d ever leave this woman he’s obsessed with is in pieces. “Someone Else, Somewhere Else” finishes the LP by tackling the difficulty of accepting the timeline we’re living in no matter the hand you’re given.

It was hard to tell whether when or if Billy Obey would ever release a solo project since Lee Carver previously dropped Massacre Mask & The Backstabber’s Handbook prior to him joining Alla Xul Elu but regardless of whether or not Joey Black decides to put out a solo effort now that Xul left Majik Ninja Entertainment couple months ago, Rhymebook of the Recently Deceased makes for a properly great introduction of what Bill Now the Science Cow can do on his own with the industrial boom bap sound A.X.E. is known for & their lyrically wicked lyricism.

Score: 4.5/5

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Matt Phoenix – “Still Dreaming” review

Kansas City, Missouri rapper, singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, DJ & audio engineer Matt Phoenix releasing his full-length solo debut. Formerly a frontman for Anti-Crew & Sage N Sour, he has since become an in-house producer for Strange Music in recent years & later signed to King Iso’s newly Project Be Well Inc. distributed by the Strange subsidiary It Goes Up Entertainment as a recording artist. Interestingly enough, Matt wants to make it clear he’s Still Dreaming only 24 hours from It Goes Up finally making up for the new Saigon album Paint the World Black produced by Buckwild getting continuously delayed.

After the “Awakening” intro, the self-produced title track fuses industrial hip hop with pop rap talking about him trying to keep a smile on his face when it’s harder than it seems whereas “Meltdown” switches things up with an explosive trap metal song & the screamed vocals can’t help but remind me of the late LINKIN PARK frontman Chester Bennington. “Let Me Be” featuring King Iso finds the 2 looking to do it their own way over a piano instrumental while “Primetime” featuring Joey Cool & Ubiquitous talks about being on their grind dabbling with trap.

“Sacrifice” wraps up the first leg of Still Dreaming giving off more pop rap energy talking about rather facing destiny than live off of someone else’s time leading into “Sober” featuring King Iso reunites for a poppy trap metal crossover hoping that they’ll kick the habit of drinking alcohol some day. “Unconditional” raps about criticisms of him writing for the Hell of it when he’s clearing his vision while “Lost” sings over some crescendoing guitar work that he feels stray.

The most surprising feature on Still Dreaming is none other than the Snake & Bat original and Ear House Inc. co-founder Krizz Kaliko during the poppy “I’m Not a Robot” exploring the struggle of feeling inadequate in a relationship filled with all kind of technological metaphors while “Identity” finishes Matt’s debut album with a synthpop button singing about him feeling like he’s a completely different person than he once was & that he’s ready to open his eyes.

From producing for the likes of former Strange Music acts like the previously mentioned Krizz Kaliko or the CES Cru to some or their current signees like Joey Cool or Jehry Robinson, it’s been shaping up to be a huge month for the Kansas City indie major & Still Dreaming emphasizes Matt Phoenix’s artistry to newer heights whether be his vocals fluctuating between rapping, singing & screaming or the eclectic production.

Score: 4/5

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Read the PDF – “Listen, It’s Too Late. The Jig’s Up!” review

Read the PDF is an MC/production trio consisting of mR. pOrTeR, Focus… & Dem Jointz. One of whom is Eminem’s current hypeman originally known as Kon Artis of D12 & the other 2 are known for being in-house producers for the Quincy Jones of hip hop Dr. Dre’s very own Interscope Records imprint Aftermath Entertainment. dEnAuN would eventually become an in-house producer for the label & some point, releasing their debut EP a year after their full-length studio debut By the Time You Look Up N.C. What We Doin’.

“Listen” starts with a hardcore hip hop intro with incredibly sequenced beat switches from all 3 members basically hopping over their own instrumentals dismantling their opponents whereas “It’s Too Late” finds the trio talking about how 2026’s gonna be different for them. “The Jig’s Up” wraps up Read the PDF’s inaugural EP with them taking shots at those tricking them structures similarly to the opener.

Listen, It’s Too Late. The Jig’s Up! finds each member creating their own individual sonic universes & merging them together onto a single track for a rawly authentic 3-song hip hop EP becoming a uniquely conceptual meeting of 3 visions from a group of Aftermath Entertainment in-house producers who all have their own different experiences in the past as MCs.

Score: 4/5

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Crimeapple – “Bulletproof Chicken” review

Hackensack, New Jersey lyricist Crimeapple tapping in with V Don for his 18th studio LP. Becoming a fan of his in the fall of 2017 with his 4th EP Sweet Dreams along with the Big Ghost Ltd. produced full-length debut Aguardiente that following spring, his profile in the underground grew exponentially from there. Discography standouts include the DJ Skizz-produced Wet Dirt, the DJ Muggs-produced Medallo, Cartagena, Breakfast in Hradec, Sin Cortar, the Preservation-produced El León, the official Aguardiente sequel Bazuko, the Mello Music Group-backed This, Is Not That produced by Apollo Brown & more recently Rose Gold. Over 3 months later & Bulletproof Chicken has arrived only a few days into September.

“Scrape the Pot” sets the tone with a drumless piano sample flexing his knack for customer service resulting in fiends coming back for more whereas “Railroad Avenue” goes for a jazzier direction talking about his neck being like an arcade. “Victor Charlie” takes a luxurious boom bap approach getting in his mafioso bag lyrically & “4.99 Special” divides itself into 2 halves with a beat-switch in the middle asking what you have to floss after getting on his dignity.

T.F. & Crime link up on the drumless “Groundhog’s Day” talking about getting money repeatedly leading into “Brazil” featuring Primo Profit returning to the boom bap to show off their strict policy of keeping their potencies high. “Wings” featuring Bruiser Wolf eerily unites the 2 to talk about needing the chicken & needing to make the pay while “Ocean Drive” finds himself hitting the district to show what the wrist do.

The title track begins the final leg of Bulletproof Chicken by stacking bread to the ceiling over an exuberant boom bap instrumental while “Clientele” goes off-the-dome for 105 seconds sampling soul music & spitting mafioso lyrics on top of it. “Fluegame” rawly talks about not being bestowed from his position in the underground & “Scooby Sweaters” caps it all off with a boom bap beat mixed with vocal harmonization in the background getting real serious with it as if he already hasn’t been.

Over 3 months since Rose Gold completed the trilogy that Wet Dirt started & Breakfast in Hradec bridged, what has already been a prolific year for V Don continues since he can now add Crimeapple to the growing list of names he’s produced for after Boldy James & Estee Nack respectively. What the New York producer cooks up here is a healthy mix between boom bap, drumless, jazz rap & chipmunk soul to back Crime’s mafiosi pen-game.

Score: 4.5/5

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Jamil Honesty – “M.E.M.O.I.R.S. (Music Evokes Memories Offering Inspiration, Radiating thru Sound)” review

Here is the 5th studio LP from Staten Island, New York born albeit Baltimore, Maryland based emcee/producer Jamil Honesty. Getting his footing in off the strength of his debut mixtape Verses, he would go on to build a name for himself but putting out 3 EPs & a full-length debut serving as a sequel to one of the EPs that Hobgoblin produced. He would later release the Harbor Kidz’ self-titled debut, the Krazyfingaz-produced The God Honest Truth, the Machacha-produced Give Us Our Daily Bread, the final installment of the Martyr Musik trilogy & more recently Shots from the Soviet produced by Giallo Point. Almost 10 months later, JR Swiftz is getting brought in to fully produce M.E.M.O.I.R.S. (Music Evokes Memories Offering Inspiration, Radiating thru Sound).

After the “Foreword” intro, the first song “Chakra’s Cuts” refuses to worry about the future since what’s for everyone else is in the cards whereas “Follow Me” works in a boom bap instrumental to talk about being the living truth others speak of. “Real Rap” suggests that it’s carry-on if others aren’t carrying the culture & being out for legacy & wanting to be remembered as a lyrical paragon just before “‘94 Nas (The Chip Tooth Era)” featuring Jay Royale finds the 2 outclassing their competition like they’re substitutes.

“4evaNyce” starts the 2nd half with a jazzy boom bap beat talking about being nice with for all eternity leading into “Gold Teeth & Beepers” dustily advises to speak truthfully & giving fanatics what they’ve been craving. The title track works in a piano sample to tell ghetto stories with a plot twist while “Tennis Filas” featuring Awon, Blu, Kev Brown & Griot Noy turns the jazz influences back up for a 4 minute cypher. “Summer 90’s” finishes up by reflecting on what summer felt like to him 3 decades earlier.

Similarly to how Shots from the Soviet has already cemented itself as Jamil Honesty’s finest EP, M.E.M.O.I.R.S. (Music Evokes Memories Offering Inspiration, Radiating thru Sound) has officially taken over the spot of the predecessor 10 months ago & I’d strongly recommend both if you’re still sleeping on him. JR Swiftz’ cinematic production matched with Jamil’s precise lyrics make the album feel more like a time capsule of an era that we all miss crafted with precision & soul for fans of uncompromising hip hop rooted in sincerity.

Score: 4.5/5

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Vybz Kartel – “Heart & Soul” review

Vybz Kartel is a 49 year old DJ, singer/songwriter, entrepreneur & businessman from Kingston, Jamaica who’s widely crowned as the King of Dancehall subgenre of reggae similarly to roots reggae icon Bob Marley becoming recognized as as the symbol of the entire genre that he helped pioneer. For over 3 decades, the Adidjahiem Records founder has released over a dozen EPs & full-lengths including during his decade long prison bid for Clive “Lizard” Williams’ murder. Literally a week after A John John Masterpiece & we already have another album from the Worl’ Boss.

“They’re Outta Love, We Aren’t” opens with a tribute to his fiancée Sidem Öztürk whereas “I Know” sings about her love for the Teacha makes him feel like no other women exist to him. “You Walked Away” takes 153 seconds to address everything that happened with his ex-wife & Short Boss Muzik founder Tanesha Johnson leading into “11:45” continuing to sing about his fiancée.

Ishawna joins the Worl’ Boss on “Bad Bad Bad” blending dancehall & house so they can discuss what women truly like in men just before “Ghetto Girl Chosen” jumps over a bashment beat only for him to beat it out of order. “Can’t Leave You Alone” continues the dancehall vibes singing about praying to God that he & his lover live forever while “In Too Deep” talks about his favorite city name being toxicity.

The title track begins Heart & Soul’s final moments by promising to give the Apple of his eye the time of her life as long as she trusts him with those 2 things while “Cinderella Ballroom” sings about him continuing to be here for a long time for a fun time. “You Know G.O.A.T.” finishes up the LP with 1 last reminder of why he’s called the King of Dancehall.

I’ve already covered Spice’s last album Mirror 25 & Shenseea in the past, so it isn’t my first rodeo when discussing dancehall. Other artists whose music I’ve enjoyed in the past include the late dub pioneer Lee “Scratch” Perry, the entire extended Marley family from Stephen & Ziggy to YG, the late Peter Tosh & his son Andrew, the late Bunny Wailer, the late Gregory Isaacs, Jimmy Cliff, Buju Banton, Mavado, Popcaan, Koffee, Bounty Killer & VP Records to name a few. Heart & Soul however has to be one of the most passionate LPs Vybz Kartel has put out since being freed taking heavy inspiration from his engagement.

Score: 3.5/5

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