Elcamino – “Full Moon” review

This is the 18th EP from Buffalo emcee & singer Elcamino. Blowing up in 2017 off his self-titled EPwith Griselda Records, his profile increasingly grew after being followed up by Walking on Water mixtape in the summer of 2018 along with dropped 2 studio albums & a few EPs the year after that. They Spit on Jesus proved to be a well received Black Soprano Family Records debut becoming the first Camino project that I had covered since On the 3rd Day & that much like No Weapon Formed Against Me was an improvement over some of the material we’ve gotten from him in recent memory. 6 months after having Real Bad Man produce The Game is the Game followed by Ill Tone recently producing Built for Cuban Links named after Raekwon’s iconic solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…produced by RZA, Meech started the final quarter of the year flexing his Millionaire status & is ending it with a look at a Full Moon.

“Who Braggin’?” awkwardly kicks things off by impersonating Future for whatever reason while “Legal Money” takes the atmospheric trap route instrumentally doing shit that no one else can compared to him. “Forever” works in some background vocals & hi-hats talking about being too valuable whereas “Real” featuring Duckman vibrantly flexes that they’re still clappin’ out here. “Dat’s My Bae” feels like another Future-inspired song & so does “Back Ballin’” except it’s more playful. “Everything He Knows” lavishly ends with promising that he’ll do this shit for life.

Not trying to make it to sound like that I’m hating on the guy because I’ve been listening to Elcamino ever since he first signed to Griselda almost 8 years ago & have given him his praise in the dozen of projects I’ve reviewed him in the past, but I’m kinda torn on this EP personally. He can very much sing as well as he can rap on trap production like he can on traditional east coast sounds, it’s that the heavy-Future influences can be a little off-putting to me.

Score: 2.5/5

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Frayser Boy – “Christmas Trees” review

Memphis, Tennessee emcee Frayser Boy ringing in the holidays with his 4th EP. A member of the Hypnotize Camp Posse, his first 3 albums under Hypnotize Minds Productions produced by his mentors DJ Paul & Juicy J would solidify himself as one of the label’s biggest acts ever as did the B.A.R. (Bay Area Representatives) collab effort with fellow Hypnotize Minds alumni Lil Wyte a decade ago already. Coming off the Bay Day trilogy of EPs however, Bizzle’s got Christmas Trees for everyone.

“Bah Humbud” is this choir-trap opener about smoking weed whereas the title track takes the Memphis route instrumentally telling us how he spending Christmas Eve gettin’ stoned. “Fly Away” gives off a dirty south vibe altogether talking about wanting to take a flight while “Let Me Smoke” returns to a trap direction inhalin’ & exhalin’. “High” featuring T-Rock formerly of the Prophet Posse ends with them flexing that you’re now smoking with the best.

Frayser for me has always stood out within the Hypnotize Camp Posse & I still hold his first 3 LPs in high regards when it comes to his discography. That said: Christmas Trees as a stoner myself is a fun holiday themed stoner’s EP to smoke to during the holiday season heavily basing it’s theme off puffin’ that good good in the middle of winter on top of production built around trap, the Memphis scene that made him who he is or even a hint of dirty south thrown in.

Score: 3.5/5

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Boondox – “Black Winter” review

Covington, Georgia emcee Boondox releasing his 7th EP. Coming up as 1/3 of the trio Southern Hustlas Inc. under the moniker Turncoat Dirty, he would go on to sign with Psychopathic Records in 2005 following the release of his debut EP Dama Blanca & remained under the Insane Clown Posse’s wing for about a decade putting out his first 4 albums along with his 2nd EP PunkinHed through the Detroit label that runs beneath the streets. “Sippin’” off his debut The Harvest is also the entrance theme for former 5-time JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion & JCW Hall of Famer 2 Tuff Tony if you watch JCW Lunacy. Former labelmates Twiztid later brought the Killer Scarecrow on board over at Majik Ninja Entertainment in the winter of 2016, whom he’s still signed to today. So Much Blood a couple years ago marked his return to the wicked shit & is now returning for a Black Winter.

After the titular intro, the first song “Punisher” produced by MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 is this dark trap intro likening himself to the titular Marvel antihero whereas “2 Wrongs Make a Right” embraces a rap rock vibe instrumentally warning that you don’t really want it with him. “Intermission” keeps the guitars in tact feeling like he won’t be forgiven because of the life of sin he lives while “War Journal” chaotically gets ready for a massacre.

“Vigilante” gets back on the trap metal tip again to talk about the season of killin’ shit coming as well as never being the same & undertaking in public safety or retributive justice without commission, but then “Vae Victis” suggests that everyone pulls the curtain down to see for themselves that everything really ain’t what it seems making sure they know who he is in the midst of giving everyone else the 3rd degree.

Both of the previous EPs that Boondox had put out through Mobstyle Music in tandem with MNE under his original Turncoat Dirty stage name has shown how much the persona has grown artistically in the past 2 decades & Black Winter reaffirms that. 7’s production is mainly trap-based with some trap metal undertones sprinkled in & Boondox’ lyricism tends to be more hardcore as opposed to the gangsta-concept of Cryptodirt over 3 years ago.

Score: 4/5

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Wildcard – “The Zodiac Project” review

California emcee Wildcard linking up with C-Lance for his 8th studio LP. Coming up in 2007 off the debut Dark Night of the Soul, he would go on to build up an impressive discography for himself from there whether it be The Odyssey & The War or even his last couple efforts Shadow Work & Change in Cabin Pressure. Last summer’s Western Promises resulted in one of his finest albums of his entire career yet & is now looking to up the ante by dropping The Zodiac Project.

“Aries World” opens up with a horn-heavy boom bap instrumental referring to a bunch of rats on meth as being Disney on Ice while “Taurus Jacket” maintains the sonic vibes of the predecessor talking about what he spent his 1st rap check on. “The Gemini Dance” featuring Kail Problems fuses rock & trap discussing themes of romance just before “Cancer Circle” featuring BARZ! finds the 2 talking about pushing until the wheels fall.

Apathy joins Wildcard for “Leo Lounge” returning to the boom bap promising that everyone’s getting clapped as if it’s gonorrhea leading into the soulful “Virgo Lane” apologizing for causing pain when he was selfish to the core. “Libra Season” featuring Dead Poet Devil hooks up a gospel sample to talk about going through it all while “The Scorpio Element” goes rap rock acknowledging that the hardest thing for him to do is change.

“Sagittarius Soul” has these prominent organs mixed with kicks & snares for a dedication to his mother while “The Capricorn Game” featuring A-Wax finds the 2 linking up & talking about their trigger fingers getting cold. “Aquarius Blue” shifts gears back in trap territory encouraging to drown out the voices in your head, but then “A Pisces Tomorrow” featuring Endr Won introspectively wants those who’re not in their lives anymore that they love them if they were here.

Pizzo comes into the picture on the song “Summer Snow” dropping hardcore lyricism on top of this crooning boom bap instrumental while “Brutal Blue” featuring B-Guy Griffin blends some hi-hats with melodic background vocals talking about the wild & lawless lifestyles that they live. “All Above the Above” ends The Zodiac Project with 1 more soulful boom bap joint pouring heart in his music only providing y’all with his side of the story.

C-Lance has become one of the best underground producers within the last 15 years & for anyone who loves the tracks that he’s done with Wildcard up to this point, you’re gonna love The Zodiac Project equally if not a tad bit more than the Western Promises he made almost a year & a half ago. The concept if you couldn’t tell is built around the zodiac signs & C-Lance’s diverse production carries over the consistency of the predecessor.

Score: 4/5

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Twisted Insane – “Napalm” review

This is the 18th studio LP from San Diego, California chopper as well as horrorcore veteran & Brainsick Muzik founder Twisted Insane. Writing his first rhyme at the age of 12, he would go on to put out 5 mixtapes & a couple full-lengths until he was featured on the Tech N9ne single “Worldwide Choppers”. The Root of All Evil & The Insane Asylum further elevated his status in the underground, maintaining a consistent schedule since dropping 13 more albums in the process. Halfway Gone a couple months ago wound up becoming the most personal entry in his discography & has surprise-dropped a Napalm.

After the “Initiation High” intro, the first song “The Concoction” starts by hopping over a ghoulish trap instrumental showing off his chopper skills for almost 4 minutes & wanting everyone to quit the tough guy act whereas “Fear” works in some prominent bells mixed with hi-hats spittin’ like 2Pac ahead of his recent cancer diagnosis. “Please” goes for an atmosphere of vibe to the beat talking about missing him with that bullshit leading into “Up” flexing Brainsick’s rise in popularity.

“Do Somethin’” embraces a Memphis sound so he can fight to the death just before “Yeet” brings a slower trap flare to the table talking about blood being on his chucks & the heater showing no peace whatsoever. The title track brings the bells back in the equation wanting everyone to watch out for the shooter comparing his raps to the incendiary mixture of a gelling agent & a volatile petrochemical, but then “Lift” morbidly talks about the time to go beast being now.

After the “Cat Got Ya Tongue” skit, “No Peace” begins Napalm’s final leg speeding up his flows naturally again hoping to strike the frontlines one day & cops only sticking their guns in his face while “Sicks Feet Deep” gets in his horrorcore bag talking about catching bodies. “Body in the Trunk” continues to display Twisted Insane’s murderous tendencies leaving corpses in the back of his car & “When I Come” rounds it out shrugs off anyone who’s faster than him by assuring they’re not on his level lyrically.

Coming off the deepest & darkest body of work that he’s ever made, Napalm makes a statement that the Brainsick Muzik founder refuses to stay complacent revealing the next level of work ethic & music in light of opening set at the 6th annual Nightmare Before X-Mas show at Catch 1 tomorrow. The overall sound is prominently trap heavy a lot like the San Diego lyricist’s recent output has been except rather than continuing the personal concept of Halfway Gone, he’s letting off rapid fire bars around the gangsta lifestyle & occasional themes of horror.

Score: 4/5

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Fury – “The Bender in November” review

Bristol, Connecticut emcee as well as Leathal Wreckords founder & the founder of the Leathal Weekends festival Fury releasing his 2nd EP. For 17 years almost 18, he’s dropped 3 full-length studio LPs & an EP by himself in addition to the Leathal Winter collaborative EP with Majik Ninja Entertainment alumni/iLLViLLE Worldwide founder Gibby Stites & most notably the You Already Know collab EP with Tre Lb of the Chop Shop over the summer. 6 months later, the younger brother of Shaggy 2 Dope from the Insane Clown Posse is now fully producing The Bender in November.

“I Wouldn’t” featuring Trikkdout opens up with this alarm-raising trap instrumental & both of them talking about their deadly tendencies whereas “Red Lights” featuring Vanity Grime somberly admits nothing good’s coming to him in this place he’s in right now. “Somebody Help Me” works in some guitars to talk about not wanting to go on & after the “A Friend” skit, “The Last Time” ends the EP by orchestrally wanting to heal this person’s soul.

Fury himself has been saying that The Bender in November stands as some of the best music that he’s ever made & being somebody who’s been paying attention to him since he formed the duo Something Awful alongside Bizarre of prior D12 fame, I’d have to agree with him on that fully. Tre Lb’s production maintains the consistency of You Already Know except this time around, he’s letting the Weirdo Movement member rip the mic by himself for 15 minutes.

Score: 4/5

Polo Perks – “American Pie” review

Polo Perks is a 30 year old rapper from New York notable for formerly being a member of the Surf Gang in addition to the 13 EPs & 3 mixtapes of his own that he has built up for himself since 2018 already. He just linked up with AyooLii & Feardorian for the collaborative effort A Dog’s Chance this summer becoming the most acclaimed body of work in the lowend subgenre thus far, returning 6 months later to drop off his 14th EP hopefully ahead of an upcoming full-length debut studio album & only 48 hours away from the current 2-time ROH World Champion Chris Jericho’s defense against the inaugural WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green’s husband in former DDT普遍的なチャンピオン, GCW World Champion, ECW World Television Champion, HoG Heavyweight Champion, TNA Digital Media Champion, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion & 2-time WWE tag team champion Matt Cardona.

“Sir Loogie Noise” starts by jumping over a distorted, sample-driven lowend instrumental from Feardorian talking about being in his head and showing him the money if you want him to come to your party whereas “Elvis Presley is Dead as Fuck” dabbles with digicore flexing that he’s too turnt at the moment. “Skramz” goes for a hazier lowend vibe except that Polo’s vocals are mixed too low for my tastes & finally, “Stay Gold” featuring Reno ends with both of them dropping braggadocio over a flute-based beat.

What has always made Polo stand out for me is that he’s constantly trying new sounds from plugg to cloud rap, sample drill or emo rap & American Pie comes off A Dog’s Chance by continuing to do that. The lowend production from that previous collab album makes its way over here in addition to pulling further inspiration from the jerk, midwest emo & emo rap scenes as he offers a take on all those styles that’s more exciting than what other artists have been recently doing for roughly 7 & a half minutes.

Score: 3.5/5

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Gibby Stites – “Syndication” review

Millville, New Jersey emcee/producer Gibby Stites ending his 2024 by putting out his 6th studio LP. Starting in the music industry over a decade ago off his first 2 mixtapes Gillmatic & Broke n Local, he wouldn’t catch my attention until performing a set during Netfest On Your Couch during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns. Later that fall, he signed to Majik Ninja Entertainment & I had the honor of interviewing him shortly after the deal was made public. The 13th Wonder pretty much showcased Gibby to the juggalos as Jamie Madrox’ protégé & Welcome to iLLViLLE several months later took listeners through exactly where he comes from, but decided not to renew his MNE contract to form his own label iLLViLLE Worldwide shortly after. Off Air from last summer marked his return behind the boards after 5 years & is so far my favorite thing he’s done since leaving Majik Ninja & Pariah earlier this year was centered around mental health. However only 4 months after he & Charlie Beans to take us to the Echo Chamber, it’s time for him to fully self-produce Syndication.

“Wait List” hooks up some pianos & hi-hats talking about taking the crown that was waiting for him whereas “MVP” takes the boom bap route instrumentally representing iLLViLLE & still ridin’ after a few losses. “Jersey Drive” featuring Brick City icon Redman goes full-blown jazz rap for both of them to represent their home state for 2 & a half minutes leading into the soulful “Never Fall” talk still feeling hungry even though he’s the same age as me.

GILLtemper links up on “April Showers” sampling soul music once again seeing the future knowing it’ll be theirs just before “Don’t Give Up” luxuriously encourages everyone to keep it pushin’ & staying focused on the mission. “Recoup” featuring Method Man returns to the boom bap talking about them equally being the type of people to regain, but then “Phuck It Up” featuring Insane Poetry brings a hypnotic trap flare to the table as they fuck up a couple bodies.

“Demon King” pushes further towards the end of Syndication by showing off his storytelling abilities refusing to let a victim go & making Dragon Ball Z references along the way while the closing track “Haunted House” featuring Gibby’s girlfriend Karah Beth finishes with this crooning boom bap beat talking about being on his grind & moving similarly to house inhabited by disembodied spirits of every single MC who wanted out.

Gibby hasn’t self-produced a whole project of his since the 2018 debut album Technical Difficulties, so for him to come off 2 of the best EPs he’s put out since starting iLLViLLE Worldwide & recapture the energy of that LP was all about timing. He’s grown a lot as an artist & as a producer in the 6 & a half years in addition to the small handful of features being are more consistent than Pariah & Echo Chamber with a couple of them being high profile.

Score: 3.5/5

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Trade Voorhees – “Happy Saturday the 14th” review

Las Vegas, Nevada emcee/producer Trade Voorhees celebrating his birthday weekend by putting out his 4th full-length studio album through Bandcamp a day early. Since 2001, he’s been steadily hustlin’ within the Sin City underground by putting out a a trilogy of eponymous full-lengths in addition to 5 EPs & 14 mixtapes. I even had the honor of meeting him at the 2021 Gathering of the Juggalos during the last day of that year’s festival & it was all love. Continuing the spirit of his Saturday the 14th series however, Trade’s wishing everyone a Happy Saturday the 14th.

The self-produced title track happens to be drumless intro talking about how it’s a celebration up in this bitch whereas “16mm (Spooky Movie)” takes the ominous trap route instrumentally cautioning to make sure your house is fully lit since he’s creepin’ in the shadows. “This Should Be Televised” shifts gears into piano boom bap territory to talk about his greatness being common sense, but then “Rainy Dayz” featuring LEROYCHOPS maintains the kicks & snares suggesting another day being another chance to hustle.

“Rainy Dayz 2” picks up right where the predecessor left off removing the drums in favor of going for an atmospheric direction having no doubt he’s one of the best just before the 78 second “Dirty Forever” brings a cool lo-fi vibe to it coming to terms with himself being an anomaly. “Life Goes On” heads for a funky boom bap direction suggesting the best days come from not giving a fuck leading into “Barracuda” maintaining the rawness talking about the long grind he’s been on.

The somber boom bap tone of “I’m 37, I’m Not Old” spends a minute & a half reflecting on his 37 birthday coming up this weekend while “Killswitch” boasts that he & Johnny Millz have that same very safety mechanism on them. “$1M Idea” drops ideas as if the ads will pay him while the lo-fi “Rob Zombie Movie” talks about making everyone lose it. The closer “Selfishness” featuring Proper Like I ties it all up with them tired of waking up unimpressed with shit.

Paying attention to Trade through his collaborations with Chapter 17/Psychopathic Records in-house producer and Lazy & Crazy Clothing founder Shaggytheairhead these past several years, Happy Saturday the 14th is easily one of the most important entries in his discography yet. His production teeters between boom bap, drumless & lo-fi hip hop bringing on a couple guests to join him in recapping these past 14 months in roughly 25 minutes.

Score: 4/5

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Kota the Friend – “Once in a Blue Moon” review

Brooklyn, New York emcee/producer Kota the Friend back for his 12th studio LP. Breaking out in 2016 off his debut EP Palm Tree Liquor, he would go on to follow it up with 2 more EPs before dropping his debut album FOTO in 2019. Kota has since dropped 10 more under his belt, with my personal favorites being To Kill a Sunrise & To See a Sunset both fully produced by Statik Selektah. 2 & a half years later, they’re linking back up on Once in a Blue Moon.

“Bacon Egg & Cheese” is this soulful boom bap intro advising not to fix what isn’t broke whereas “Blah” featuring Logic goes full-blown jazz rap talking about their shooters having the greens comin’ at your head if you be spewin’ bullshit out your mouth. “How It Is” maintains the jazzy boom bap vibes pullin’ up on their opps’ new crib like “fuck yo couch” as if he’s the late Rick James, but then the tranquil “Let It Go” talks about a place where you’re free head to toe.

Meanwhile on “Free My Dogs”, we have Kota over a mellow boom bap instrumental calling for all his homies to be let out from the pen just before “Northside” joyously talks about buying land up north. “What You Need” featuring PhearNone goes lo-fi asking their romantic interests that very question prior to the jazzy “Mr. Mellow” talking about having it cold. “Get It Done” soulfully wears his heart on his sleeve like it’s jewelry & “Count Your Days” ends by showing his fearlessness.

If you’re like me & you consider both albums that Kota the Friend has previously done with Statik Selektah to be the finest material of his entire career, Once in a Blue Moon drops outta nowhere recapturing the magic of it’s predecessors for an individual both of work satisfactory to fan of both. Statik’s production is jazzy yet lo-fi throughout a good bulk of it & the performances from Kota himself are the most focused he’s sounded in a while.

Score: 4.5/5

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