Blaze Ya Dead Homie & Bukshot – “Blockwork Morgue” review

Here we have a brand new collaborative EP between alongside Detroit, Michigan emcee Blaze Ya Dead Homie & Louisville, Kentucky emcee Bukshot. One of whom broke out within the underground by signing to the Insane Clown Posse’s very own label that runs beneath the streets Psychopathic Records for his 2000 eponymous debut EP & the full-length debut 1 Less G n da Hood, with the other notable for founding Mobstyle Music. Both of whom have collaborated with each other numerous times in the past & are taking it further with Blockwork Morgue.

After the “Night at the Morgue” intro, the first song “Blockwork” produced by MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 starts with an off-the-wall trap heater explaining the way shit works around the block whereas “Panicking” featuring Jamie Madrox delves further down the hardcore rabbit hole altogether getting everyone against them in panic mode. “Do It” fuses boom bap & rap rock talking about how they was out in the streets pushing weight while the grisly “War Story” addresses the people who want beef with them.

“J.A.F.U.D. (Just Another Fucked Up Day)” featuring Monoxide on the remix puts some rap rocks influences up on display as the official closer of the EP talking about going through another stale day & the remix of “Take an L” featuring Drive-By off Helter Skelter: The Accomplices II includes a new verse from Boondox that can hang with the original highlight from that previously mentioned album in Buk’s discography.

Buk’s been teasing this EP for almost a couple months now & I’m happy that he decided to finally put it out after a phat opening set at the St. Andrew’s Hall basement The Shelter for the release party of the House of Krazees’ reunion LP 31 last night. 7’s production doesn’t miss & both MCs elevate their chemistry by colliding 2 unique worlds in the underground wicked shit scene to start Devil’s Night 2024.

Score: 4/5

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Icewear Vezzo – “Live from the 6, Pt. 2” review

Detroit trap veteran & Iced Up Records founder Icewear Vezzo releasing a sequel to his Quality Control Music debut album although the 4th full-length overall in his discography Live from the 6. For over a decade now, this dude has been making waves locally by releasing the Rich Off Pints trilogy of LPs & over a dozen mixtapes. The previous Paint the City hosted by DJ Drama over a year ago being Vezzo’s first project to come out though the Motown Records/Virgin Music imprint & it was a solid prelude. The major label debut proved to be a well-crafted collection of songs that detailed life in 6 Mile & he’s taking us back on Devil’s Night.

“Musty” starts with an occult Detroit trap beat talking about going from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 & being a real demon whereas “Add It Up” takes the standard trap route instrumentally boasting that he’s still with the same people that he was with back then aside from everything else. “Money Counter” once again puts the Motor City’s unique take on trap music on full display feelin’ like Blade Icewood with all the jewelry while “Family Ties” hooks up some bells & hi-hats bringing one of his children on the mic for the opening verse.

Moving on from there, “Chosey One” kinda has this cold atmosphere professing himself to be the chosen one representing IUR in the midst of it just before “6 & Daisy” featuring Los & Nutty finds the trio coming together for a Detroit trap banger clarifying that this shit ain’t only rap. “Musty 2 (Shit on ‘Em)” brings more bells & hi-hats in the fold for a sequel to the opener maintains that occult edge, but then “Nobody” featuring Lauryn Amore on the hook takes a jab at pop rap showing a romantic side to Vezzo.

“Different Day” starts the final leg of Live from the 6, Pt. 2 talking about how he’s still the same person as he’s always been except his bag’s much bigger now while “Basquiat” offers a triumphant trap flare to the beat referencing graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiathomaging the oldest of the 4 hip hop elements. The suspenseful tone of “Walk Down” featuring Bankroll Freddie is cool even if I wasn’t too big on the latter’s guest appearance walkin’ everyone down hence the title & finally, “Mudd Baby” serves as a bonus track since it originally saw the light of day on Rich Off Pints 2.

Live from the 6 earlier in the year has since become one of my favorite projects in Vezzo’s entire discography & almost 6 months later to the very day, he’s done it again except it’s solely through his own imprint that’s thriving since I’ve already reviewed Iced Up Records signee Krispylife Kidd’s last couple projects. The production is prominently Detroit trap based with trap & pop rap undertones, the few features were ok & the IUR founder breaks down the madness of the city the day before Halloween.

Score: 3.5/5

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Diorvsyou – “Ashes” review

Atlanta, Georgia up-&-comer Diorvsyou releasing his full-length debut album. Coming up in 2021 off his debut EP Scoreboard, it wasn’t until I saw him open up for southsidesilhouette in Brooklyn the folllwing November where I was personally introduced to his music & I was actually impressed with his set. The next EP w.t.f.i.dvy? (who the fuck is diorvsyou?) marked a bigger breakthrough for him artistically & almost a year since Diorvsrxlvnd’s eponymous debut, Dior himself’s returning up from the Ashes.

“Long Time” is this rage-inducing open or acknowledging the fact that it’s been a while since we’ve heard from him & that’s how life goes sometimes whereas “SoFarGone” produced by Zaan takes the psychedelic trap route instrumentally talking about everything being new. “WakeUpThumb” has a bit of a cloudy trap approach flexing his lifestyle just before the booming “Leisure” talks about being so high at the moment.

southsidesilhouette & Sk8star both join Dior on “ToThePlan” for a 3-headed monster of a trap heater produced by Y3rip & n9ck promising to come get you right if you talkin’ down leading into “African King” talks about having so much swag to the point where he doesn’t even know what he wants when hitting the stores anymore. “Fashion Forward” works in some hypertrap undertones to the beat boasting that none of the shit he puts on wax is fiction, but then the playful “Mudwash” talks about having too many options at his dispense.

“Prblms” featuring REEZY X brings the pair together over a regalia instrumental interpolating the classic JAY-Z single “99 Problems” while the inebriating atmosphere of “No Kap” featuring Sk8star talks about the fact that both of them are fly & they be makin’ this shit look ways. “:tf” featuring southsidesilhouette leaves hoes with the sad face explaining to them that’s not how shit goes for either one of them despite the horn-laced drill beat while the moody “Smash” boasts his wealth.

Meanwhile on “RacksIn”, we have Dior starting the final leg of Ashes on some cloudy trap shit talking about the racks coming in & cash going out while the otherworldly “Rated R” promises to let the 9 off if anyone ever tries to play with him. “X2” featuring Galactic Records signee tana turns the bass up high running an entire mile with Rick Owens boots on both of their feet & lastly, the closer “Toast” that Nosaint of Vanguard Music Group laced vibrantly ends Dior’s debut asking where his Day 1s are.

w.t.f.i.dvy? (who the fuck is diorvsyou?) showed quite a bit of potential in the 4evrrthumbin’ member & Ashes a year & a half later takes that same potential to newer heights. The guest-list is mostly consisting, there’s a lot more outside collaborators than there was on that previous EP as opposed to a single producer’s particular sound & Dior himself feels rejuvenated.

Score: 4/5

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House of Krazees – “31” review

The House of Krazees are a seminal Detroit, Michigan horrorcore trio consisting of The R.O.C. alongside Mr. Bones & Hektik. Introducing themselves 31 years ago off the strength of their first 2 EPs Home Sweet Home & Home Bound, the next one Outbreed & their full-length debut Season of the Pumpkin back-to-back would later become classics in the early wicked shit scene followed by the sophomore effort Head Trauma until their 1997 disbandment. The R.O.C. would form HaLFBrEEd with Skrapz releasing their debut The Night They Came Home under the H.o.K. moniker in contrast to Mr. Bones & Hektik signing with Psychopathic Records as protégés of the Insane Clown Posse, renaming themselves as Jamie Madrox & Monoxide of the demented duo & Astronomicon founders Twiztid. HaLFBrEEd disbanded in 2000 after kontamiNATION despite that becoming another horrorcore essential & Twiztid released their first 9 albums through hatchet, departing at the end of 2012 & forming their own label Majik Ninja Entertainment a decade ago already. Kicking off the Halloween festivities, the original lineup of The R.O.C. & Twiztid are returning for their 3rd proper LP.

After the intro, the first song “Sent Here to Take You” perfectly starts us off foreshadowing what’s to come with this aggressive opener detailing their schizophrenic tendencies whereas “Lifeline” take the cold blooded boom bap route instrumental, talking about stabbing muhfuckas. “Into Hell Face 1st” brings a rap rack vibe to the table asking y’all what it’s worth once you reach Hell’s Pit prior to “Mask, Playing Games” drearily getting on the Jason Voorhees tip lyrically.

“Make It Dark” returns to the boom bap bringing the dark to your life discussing if they could stab the entire world just before “Killing Machine” brings a bit of an industrial hip hop vibe to the beat so they can talk about being comatose numb with a mask butcher knife stabbing. “The Slaughter, The Carnage” continues to show the trio’s murderous tendencies leading into “Swim in Your Blood” dusty talking about being addicted to doing exactly that.

As for “Break Skin”, we have the House of Krazees offering a bit of a dark atmosphere instrumentally discussing the possibility of living forever & never dying again biting the cartilage while “Killer Hunter” hopped over more kicks and snares to talk about killin’ ‘em all. “The Basement” pushes towards the final moments of 31 by putting an uncanny spin on the traditional boom bap sound talking about how it’s up to you if that’s where you really wanna die & “Thorn” ends by making sure there’s nothing left off everyone they’re killing. The bonus track “Down the Street” dabbles with trap yelling in the streets in black hoodies & pumpkin masks.

If you ask me, I never really considered The Night They Came Home to be the final House of Krazees album up to this point & more of the unofficial debut album from HaLFBrEEd. That said: their 1st body of work since Head Trauma goes to show the pioneering wicked shit group’s longevity. The R.O.C.’s production takes it back to their roots & it’s the most wicked that I’ve heard Twiztid sound in a while, foreshadowing their upcoming album Welcome to Your Funeral produced by Rob Zombie’s engineer Zeuss by taking it back to where it all started.

Score: 4.5/5

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EARTHGANG – “EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm 3: Perfect Fantasy” review

Olu & WowGr8 also known as the Atlanta, Georgia duo the EARTHGANG closing out the EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm trilogy with their 7th EP. Starting out a little over a decade ago dropping 3 mixtapes along with 2 albums & an EP independently, this resulted in J. Cole signing them to his Interscope Records imprint Dreamville Records in 2017. This resulted in a trilogy of EPs leading up to their major label debut Mirrorland, which revealed themselves to be one of the best artists that the label has to offer. They went on to give their Spillage Village collective some shine by dropping their 4th album Spilligion on Dreamville the next year & Ghetto Gods further cemented them as the 2nd best signing on the roster behind J.I.D of course. EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm: R.I.P. Human Art last fall severed ties with Interscope to solely stay with Dreamville & gave insight on EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm 2: Robophobia about the technological advancements we’ve seen in recent years, but Perfect Fantasy is all trying it in together.

“Godly” starts off on some relaxing boom bap shit courtesy of Blur frontman & Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn alongside Olu himself encouraging to never see yourself through someone else’s lenses & dancing with the devil feeling all up in their element whereas the psychedelically cavernous duet “Deep Blue” featuring Little Dragon shows a melodic side to the EARTHGANG singing about not wanting to implode on the ocean floor. “U Gotta” produced by The Neptunes is easily my favorite song on here even if it was made in 2021 telling their partners to get theirs & after the pop rap single “Love You More” featuring T-Pain, the sample-driven “Zone” talks being here 1 day & gone the next.

Cochise joins Dr. Dot & Johnny Venus on “Electric” dabbling with rage beats likening themselves to Pikachu or Zeus zapping muhfuckas leading into the inebriating club banger “In My Mind” talking about liquid sunshine trickling through their blinds & having magic in their fingertips putting a couple galaxies in a clip. After the “Robophobia” skit, the final song “Red Flag” finishes the EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm saga reflecting on bad relationships over this psychedelic guitar for nearly 5 minutes.

Informed by their passion for Japanese culture, EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm 3: Perfect Fantasy combines these 9 new songs with the last couple EPs paying homage to a lot of different eras. All 3 installments as a whole cohesively explores the effects of AI on society by questioning the ways advanced technologies are consuming our lives & dreaming of an alternate universe where humans could live more freely.

Score: 3.5/5

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Tyler, The Creator – “Chromakopia” review

Ladera Heights emcee, singer/songwriter, producer, actor, visual artist, designer & comedian Tyler, The Creator releasing his 7th full-length studio LP on a Monday to start off the Halloween 2024 week. Blowing up about 15 years ago as the de facto leader of Odd Future, his evolution both artistically & personally since the collective’s disbandment in 2015 has truly been amongst the most fascinating ones I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime going from the bratty edginess of Bastard & Goblin to the undeniable maturity & versatility shown on Flower Boy & Igor. T’s last album Call Me If You Get Lost happened to be his best lyrically and a year & a half after The Estate Sale EP, we’re now entering Chromakopia.

“St. Chroma” produced with Inflo introduces us to the titular character representing where Tyler’s at personally & artistically pulling from experimental hip hop, west coast hip hop, industrial hip hop, neo-soul & neo-psychedelia whereas “Rah Tah Tah” throws it back to the Cherry Bomb era instrumentally talking about how she ain’t ever meet anyone like him. “Noid” mixes experimental hip hop, psychedelic rock, west coast hip hop, zamrock, rap rock, neo-soul, hardcore hip hop, psychedelic soul & neo-psychedelia tackling themes of paranoia prior to “Darling, I” sampling “Vivrant Thing” by Q-Tip to talk about him continuing to fall in love.

As for “Hey Jane”, we have T over this calming beat imagining what it would be like if his romantic partner Jane got pregnant even though neither of them were anticipating the pregnancy just before the colorful “I Killed You” breaks free from external pressures, toxic relationships, or outdated versions of himself. “Judge Judy” breaks down the story of a fleeting relationship with a woman named Judy bringing a nostalgic summer atmosphere to the table just before “Sticky” featuring Glorilla, Lil Wayne & Sexyy Red flips “Get Buck” by Young Buck explaining how shit’s getting out here.

“Take Your Mask Off” hooks up these prominent synthesizers & pianos hoping listeners find themselves while “Tomorrow” goes for a minimal sound altogether addressing his fear of aging. “Thought I Was Dead” featuring ScHoolboy Q & additional mixing from Romil Hemnani fuses hardcore hip hop, west coast hip hop, experimental hip hop, industrial hip hop, aquacrunk, fanfare & grime for a boisterous manifesto of his mentality later addressing people criticizing him for what he said about Columbia Records labelmate Ian during his SpringHill interview although the mixed reception of Goodbye Horses proved his point.

The pianos that start “Like Him” ahead of the psychedelic influences kicking in during the other half are stunning feeling like he’s chasing a ghost & wanting to know if he looks like his father while “Balloon” featuring Doechii samples “I Wanna Rock (Boo Boo)” by 2 Live Crew leader Uncle Luke so they can air this bitch out since both of them are at the top of the room. “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” finishes Tyler’s 4th consecutive classic by talking about vulnerability, self-awareness & personal growth over more synths & pianos while the deluxe run’s sole bonus track “Mother” recalls stories of his mom.

Breaking his traditional 2-year cycle of releasing music, Chromakopia to me is pretty much a mature refinement of Cherry Bomb. The experimentation within his production ventures beyond west coast hip hop in favor of neo-soul, hardcore hip hop, synth-funk, neo-psychedelia, progressive soul, rap rock, zamrock, industrial hip hop, aquacrunk, fanfare & grime so he can battle with the shades of maturity as the once colorful glee of ambition & youth withers away with his maturity. His mother Bonita Smith’s advice throughout keeps Tyler’s “light” alive, guiding him through the greatest hurdles in adulthood.

Score: 4.5/5

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Tha God Fahim – “Tha Myth Who Never Quit 3” review

Tha God Fahim dumpin’ his 46th EP not even 48 hours after Tha Myth Who Never Quit 2. Starting as an affiliate of Griselda Records as well as being 1/3 of the Dump Gawds alongside Mach-Hommy & Your Old Droog, we also can’t ignore the massive discography that he’s managed to build for himself, some of the standouts include Breaking Through tha Van Allen Belts & Dump Assassins. But dude has been on a CRAZY ass EP run in 2023 with the standouts being the Camoflauge Monk-produced Dark Shogunn Assassin, the Nature Sounds-backed Iron Bull & the Nicholas Craven-produced Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King series, the Oh No-produced Berserko, Dump Gawd: Rhyme Pays produced by Mike Shabb, Tha Supreme Hoarder of All Pristine Wealth. Supreme Dump Legend: Soul Cook Saga produced by Cookin’ Soul & more recently Machine Gun Vocabulary produced by Cartune Beatz. It’s been 5 years since Tha Myth Who Never Quit & to hear a trilogy chapter was coming had me hoping it’d reach the bar that the predecessor from earlier in the week had set.

“Becareful What You Wish For” samples a woodwind to kick off Tha Myth Who Never Quit 3 telling everyone to be careful what they wish for because they just might get it whereas “Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap” adds another victory to his winning streak over a raw boom bap instrumental. “Genki Dama” soulfully lets it known that the only way to come at him his correct while “Tha Deadzone” works in more kicks & snares making the ground break with his power level.

As for “A Lot on My Mind”, we have Fahim talking about this life shit being something going for a mellow boom bap vibe to the beat just before “100 Proof” drops new school jewels sampling soul music once again. “Absolute” hooks up some crooning vocals going all out & not because he grew up struggling, but then “It Ain’t Free” rawly yet atmospherically creates memories in the form of him dumpin’.

“Tha Legend Continues” pushes towards the final moments of the latest entry in Tha Myth Who Never Quit series crossing over chipmunk soul & boom bap warning that the studio isn’t a safe place whatsoever as soon as he steps in the booth & lastly, “Whippersnapper” finishes Breadrick Douglas’ 2nd body of work this week on the hardcore tip flexing no one can catch up with him & he’s etched in history.

3 albums in a whole month & I came away from Tha Myth Who Never Quit 3 enjoying it almost as much as Tha Myth Who Never Quit 2 since it reached my expectations, maybe a tad bit more since they’re both neck-&-neck for Fahim’s best offering of 2024. Nicholas Craven’s soul-heavy boom bap production matched with the hungry lyricism from the previous chapters are carried over & elevated even further.

Score: 4.5/5

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Lyrics Born – “Goodbye, Sticky Rice” review

Lyrics Born is a 52 year old MC, songwriter & producer born in Tokyo, Japan & raised in Berkeley, California notable for being a member of the Quannum Projects collective under the original moniker Asia Born for nearly 3 decades. His 2003 solo debut Later That Day… became an underground classic within the west coast hip hop scene, following it up with the Epitaph Records-backed sophomore effort Everywhere at Once & 6 more albums through his own label Mobile Home Recordings since. However, he’s looking to move on to the next chapter by dropping his 9th & final album.

“What Dreams are Made Of” starts with a g-funk instrumental from Lench Mob Records in-house producers Hallway Productionz telling everyone to remember who they are instead of who they used to be whereas “Take It 2 Far” talks about being unable to quit smoking & drinking keeping the gangsta funk vibes rollin’. “Smokin’ with My Lady” is another g-funk banger that’s dedicated to puffin’ zaza with his wife Joyo Velarde, but then “Gyrlz” featuring The Egyptian Lover discusses their love for women over som funky bass-licks.

Latyrx gets together on the smooth “It Might Not Be Love” telling their romantic interests that there’s something in-between them just before the synth-driven “Shades of Jade” admits to struggling with loneliness. “Beautiful DJ” fuses reggae & hip hop telling a female DJ to play that 1 song for him while the spacey “If Ur Down, I’m Down” talks about Joyo checking off all the boxes in his eyes. “Can We Still Be Friends?” hops over another g-funk asking this woman if they can remain cordial & “Live Your Life (Without Permission)” ends with him staying true.

To cap off his solo career, Lyrics Born throws a funky & messy going-away party for himself pulling good-time ’80s R&B & funk music that brought him comfort as a youth & during the pandemic ahead of him shifting his focus to bettering his health. He’s having fun lyrically & Hallway Productionz during the 35 minute listening experience cohesively recaptures the essence of the west coast g-funk subgenre that dominated the ‘90s.

Score: 4/5

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Kembe X – “It’s Not That Deep” review

This is the 3rd EP from Chicago, Illinois emcee & Top Dawg Entertainment affiliate Kembe X. Getting his start over a decade ago with the debut EP Soundtrack II Armageddon & the debut mixtape Self Rule, his profile would continue to grow off the strength of the debut LP Talk Back as well as an eponymously titled 2nd EP & the sophomore effort I Was Depressed Until I Made This. His comeback effort from this spring Sleep Paralysis produced by Hippie Sabotage became his most acclaimed work & raised expectations for It’s Not That Deep.

“national anthem” starts with some guitars that transitions into a trap instrumental talking about everyone wanting to see him fall whereas “Death & Taxxxes” works in this dynamic beat with a Drill-influenced at the start ahead of a trap direction during the other explaining that you don’t need shrooms to trip with him. “i’m kool” psychedelically gets as smooth as he wants to while the standout “Introverted Extrovert” featuring Ab-Soul discusses the exact characteristic.

Moving on from there, the bombastic “Air Bae” flexes he’s been everywhere just before “British” featuring T.F woozily find both of them clowning everyone else for being as sweet as they are. “spilled milk” has a upbeat trap vibe assuring he’s got ya & “Neck on the Loose” aggressively promises to clap this adversary next time they link. “arizona summer Hope” ends the EP on an acoustic note singing that chick be seeing ghosts.

Sleep Paralysis noticeably stood out amongst the rest of his discography for taking a more personal approach than some of his previous work & It’s Not That Deep continues towards that trajectory since he used to resent the fact he’s always been the type of person that’s always tryna make shit deep except he’s now at a point where he’s having fun with it. Even if it’s only for a brief moment.

Score: 3.5/5

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Tha Eastsidaz – “Still Easty” review

Tha Eastsidaz are a trio from Long Beach, California consisting of Big Tray Deee, Goldie Loc & WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg. At the beginning of the current millennium, they would put out a classic eponymous full-length debut album through Doggystyle Records & TVT Records followed by Duces ‘n Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way & That’s My Work 4. A decade after the previously mentioned debut mixtape, they’re reuniting for a 2nd time to sign with Death Row Records now distributed by gamma. for a debut EP.

After the “Passport” intro, the first song “Hood Been Good starts with a smooth ass west coast opener talking about how great the streets of Long Beach have been to them whereas “Groove Bacc” featuring October London takes the g-funk route instrumentally so Tha Eastsidaz can get back in their bags. “Rag Tied” produced by Rick Rock reps the group’s Crip ties just before DJ Battlecat gives “Going Down” some rap rock undertones talking about changing the game. “Watch & Chillin’” funkily classifies themselves as a lyrical threat while “Gangstafied” ends the EP detailing the gangsta life.

Tha Dogg Pound’s latest album W.A.W.G. (We All We Got) marked a return to form for the duo after the commercial-heavy vibes of DPG 4 Life & Danny Boy announced a few months ago that he had returned to Death Row, so it was only a matter of time until Tha Eastsidaz did & they gave us a bangin’ EP ahead of their upcoming LP on the label. The production sticks with the prominent west coast sound of their previous material & I like they didn’t have any guests other than Snoop on 4 cuts.

Score: 4/5

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