Jack Jetson – “Winter Forever” review

Here we have the 7th studio LP from Nottingham, East Midlands, England, United Kingdom emcee Jack Jetson. Introducing himself in 2012 off his debut EP High 5 & subsequent debut album The Adventures of Johnny Strange under Real Life Drama Records, he would go on to follow these up with his 2nd EP Lo 5 preceding Eric the Red from the Creatures of Habit & NLP signing Jack to his own label Lost Scroll Records in addition to having his brother Illinformed produce Strange Cinema in it’s entirety. Fountainhead, the Sofiamaniac EP & Umbrellahead were all poorly received although the Qway EP was tolerable. Reuniting with Illinformed for Camogodskin & Kobayashi Porcelain through Illin’ for Meds Records to stronger feedback, he’s following up the Alien Rehabilitation Technology EP with Winter Forever.

The title track starts off sampling a set of violins sprinkling kicks & snares in the fold talking about being born inside the coldest season of the year whereas “Auditoriums” featuring Leaf Dog finds the 2 breaking down their terroristic tendencies when it comes to the pen. “Newton” soulfully talks about his lyrical precision & has a bar honoring the late Nipsey Hu$$le prior to “No Mistakes” featuring Datkid boasts that no one’s moving the way they are.

“Pray” chops up more crooning samples airing out the idiots who think he stays saying random shit in his music leading into “Static” featuring BVA joining forces so they can talk about being ready for war. “Outside” gives off a luxurious boom bap vibe advising that shit ain’t what it seems looking in from an external perspective just before “Reality” featuring Datkid & Leaf Dog finds the trio talking about putting a lot more time & energy in real world situations.

To begin Winter Forever’s final act, the song “Broke Brain” ruggedly boasts that he’s still blowing more smoke than an old train while the soulful “Thug’s Passion” featuring 1jack cinematically cautions of leaving any & all threats in a past tense. The orchestral boom bap crossover “Frozen North” featuring Luso addresses so called friends who wind up snitching to the feds when it was the ones they least suspected & “Nothing Weird” soulfully finishes by talking about apocalyptic visions in his terrordome.

If I had to name my top 3 albums in Jack Jetson’s discography, I’d frankly have to put Winter Forever it above Strange Cinema & The Adventures of Johnny Strange since it’s replay value slips in the same discussions as those earlier full-lengths on top of it being the greatest thing to come out Illin’ for Meds Records so far. From the sharp lyricism Jack’s spitting to Illinformed’s boom bap production, it feels like a huge elevation compared to Camogodskin as well as Kobayashi Porcelain & Alien Rehabilitation Technology.

Score: 4.5/5

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Skuff – “Fathom” review

Cambridge, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Skuff making his Melonskin Records debut with his 4th LP. Coming up as a member of the Delegates of Culture collective in addition to being 1/2 of Skuff & Inja, he would eventually introduce himself as a solo artist in 2005 with The End of the World News followed by the debut mixtape Smash Everything & the sophomore effort Destroy Everything in 2012 respectively. It’s been almost 8 years since Level & was highly intrigued after learning Melonskin’s co-founder Dirty Dike of Contact Play would fully produce Fathom.

The title track hops over a flute-tinged boom bap instrumental talking about having to step away from music for a bit because he was looking for a challenge whereas “Sly Flute” keeps the jazz rap vibes going speaking of his penmanship bordering between tenuous & genius. “Krimson” gives off some electronic undertones talking about trying to get the whole place jumping to his music leading into the soulful “Freedom” begs for the audience not to follow anyone’s lead.

“Mood Swing” hooks up a sample-driven boom bap beat suggesting for everybody to step their lives up & comparing life to an open wound that doesn’t heal just before “Doozie” rawly dedicates itself to all the goonies smoking doobies out in the streets during warm weather playing music. “Eddie” brings the horns back in the mix talking about life being a whole ride of its own while “Labrador” pushes the 2nd half forward reminding that shit’s deep out here now matter how strong our limited heartbeats are.

Nearing the end of Fathom, the song “Wizzkid” blends a guitar with some kicks & snares talking about the younger generation seeming so stranger to the older folks while “Trinkets” continues the sampling to observe everything becoming so basic in recent memory. “Waiting” welcomes us to his end of days over a boom bap instrumental with synthesizers & after “Cresh” soulfully talks about the excessive amount of fake news, “Endo” ends with a mostly drumless piano looking to make invincible marks in UK hip hop history.

Originally announced at the beginning of 2014, all 3 artists Melonskin Records have signed since forming the label has had their own different sound whether it be Sleazy F Baby’s most recent album Blaxploitation embracing a more trap-oriented direction than his 2016 debut or be Eva Lazarus’ sophomore effort Brandy Kisses fusing contemporary R&B & neo-soul. That said: Fathom represents a new era of Skuff’s career introspectively recapping the last 10 years of his life over boom bap production & bringing his long-standing affiliation with Dirty Dike since the latter’s solo debut Bogies & Alcohol full circle.

Score: 4/5

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Tha God Fahim – “Tha Myth Who Never Quit 2” review

Tha God Fahim still dumpin’ with his 24th LP. 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 4, the Oh No-produced Berserko, Fahim’s last EP 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. Over 5 years after The Myth Who Never Quit however, we’re now getting a sequel.

The title track sets the tone of what’s to come from the boom bap instrumental to the lyrics about leaving muhfuckas in the background whereas “Aspirations” hooks up a calmer beat explaining that the game never changes & stays the same from his experience. “Make Way” takes the soulful boom bap route flexing his genius when it comes to musical arrangements while “Scholar of Penmanship” continues the sampling of soul music to talk about his legendary status.

“Out of Options” works in another vocal flip boasting that he’s in his artistic prime leading into “Return to Fire” strips the drums completely warning that if anyone sends shots his way, he’ll gonna send them right back where they came from. “Max Ammo” returns to the boom bap talking about being reloaded on ammunition while “Poison Arrows” soulfully calls out the people who getting on their fan shit when he drops the manuscript.

The song “If You Don’t Use It, Lose It” gets the encore of Tha Myth Who Never Quit 2 on a symphonically dusty note clarifying that you only make it or get wasted around his parts prior to the intoxicatingly rich “Figure It Out” showing a mature side to the Dump Gawd as he talks seeing things clearer than the way he used to see them in the past. “Tha Choice is Yours” ends the album with 1-more drumless joint hopping over a bare woodwind telling the audience you can choose who you want to be in life.

Less than 2 weeks after Machine Gun Vocabulary dropped, Fahim & Craven link back up for a Tha Myth Who Never Quit follow-up that surpasses the LP we got from the dude earlier in the month. Nicholas Craven’s sample-heavy production maintains the boom bap vibes from the last album with a hint of drumless in the fold & Breadrick Douglas lyrically holding off on letting any guests join him to go harder than he did on Supreme Dump Legend: Soul Cook Saga.

Score: 4.5/5

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Saint Dog – “Funky Soul” review

This is the 4th & final solo LP from Chisholm, Minnesota emcee Saint Dog. Coming up as a member of the trio P.T.B. with D-Loc & Johnny Richter, all 3 of whom would later form the Kottonmouth Kings with Daddy X in 1996 & departed 3 years later. He nonetheless remained on Suburban Noize Records & made his solo debut with Ghetto Guide that celebrated its 20 year anniversary in February. This would be followed up with U.S.A. (Unconformable Social Amputees) & Bozo, the latter being in tandem with Force 5 Records. In commemoration of what would’ve been the O.G. King’s 49th birthday, the Funky Soul will always live on.

The title track featuring Chucky Chuck, The DRP & Obnoxious starts with all 4 of them dropping hardcore bars over a funky instrumental whereas “Ms. Demeanor” produced by Fiasco Andretti goes full-blown g-funk with Saint talking about a chick that he considers freak of the year. “Love Affair” works in an acoustic sound thanks to The DRP making it clear that there ain’t no kindness, but then we get treated to a remix of the highlight “1 More” off KMK’s 14th & to date final group album Kingdom Come.

“Rock & Roll Gangsta” resurrects some classics vibes altogether talking about being Heaven sent on a mission leading into “Trap Jaw” featuring Danny Diablo & Son of Saint brings the trio together over a psychedelic g-funk beat making fun of everyone wanting to rap. “Rydaz” gets the whole Force 5 roster together a rap rock label posse cut & after another Kingdom Come standout “Loyalty is Royalty” making it’s way onto the track listing, the song “Backlash” featuring Big Hoss maintains a rap rock sound bringing ruckus & “I Know” ends with another stripped-back acoustic joint.

Capturing the essence of West Coast hip hop that shaped the genre with a blend of gritty g-funk, robust grooves & Saint Dog’s signature hypnotic flow, Funky Soul marks a return to his roots by evoking the spirit of his early days in Placentia, California as a Kottonmouth King in what would eventually become a posthumous musical sendoff that would make him proud knowing that his legacy will always live on. Many of both Subnoize & Force 5’s artists who appear on it were influenced by Saint Vicious & I thought that was a well displayed attribute worth mentioning.

Score: 4/5

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Kurious – “Majician.” review

Kurious is a 54 year old MC from the Upper Westside of Manhattan, New York who originally came up under the moniker Kurious Jorge. He later signed to Columbia Records over 3 decades ago for the underrated full-length debut studio album A Constipated Monkey after shortening the stage name, returning 15 years later for the independently released sophomore effort II followed by a couple EPs: Koncrete Jungle & Monkeyman. For his 3rd LP however, Kurious has interestingly signed a new deal with Rhymesayers Entertainment & the late underground icon MF DOOM overseeing its creation before his untimely passing.

“Unknown Species” starts with this playfully jazzy intro hitting y’all with that funky new shit whereas “Untainted” puts more emphasis on funk music instrumentally talking about how the streets be promoting as much as it’s riddled with crime. “‘Tis the Season” soulfully feels compelled to spit the smartest within reason leading into “Eye of Horus” conveying urgency by weaving a complex tapestry of history & insight the midst of ducking through & under each pocket in the beat.

As for “1984”, we have Kurious over a sample that throws it back to 4 decades prior getting his b-boy bag lyrically just before “Teach & Forgive” brings a dusty boom bap flare to the table talking about everyone bring sinners & referring to the Earth as primal. “Separation Anxiety”, happens to be this a personal bloodletting in the form of lyrical exercise over this raw synth-driven instrumental, but then “Cow’s Eye” hooks up some horns to talk about feeling emptiness in the heart & the stomach burning being part of the game.

“Bacalao Opera” hops over a vocal sample charging it to the fact of protecting one’s inner vision while “Majical Journey” brings the synths back talking about respecting time so that it eventually respects us. “Barry Gibb” keeps the keen ear for sampling on display treating his people as if they’re royalty & “Par for the Course” featuring Mr. Fantastik makes drum breaks from the early Reagan era sound totally revitalized keeping this this thing of theirs crackin’.

The penultimate song “Open” featuring Homeboy Sandman nears the end of Majician. with both MCs on top of this drumless beat wanting to know exactly what the motive is recalling an unpleasant or embarrassing experience in the past that others would rather forget right after the “Majic” interlude, the closer “Come Back” has this symphonic vibe that I enjoy throughout addressing those who want the payoff & never craving chaos.

A mesmerizing blend of technical wizardry & personal introspection, the radical amount of work Kurious put into his Rhymesayers debut cements his place as one of the premier MCs of his time in addition to substantiating the legacy he has long deserved & removing all ambiguity from the question of whether he can stand as one of the premier MCs of his time. Mono En Stereo’s production feels nostalgically reminiscent to DOOM’s material & Kurious himself steps up his lyrics compared to his previous EPs.

Score: 4/5

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Benny the Butcher & 38 Spesh – “Stabbed & Shot 2” review

Here we have the 2nd collaborative LP between New York rappers Benny the Butcher & 38 Spesh. One comes straight outta Buffalo becoming 1/3 of the core Griselda Records trio & the other hails from Rochester. There was even a point in time where Benny was signed to TCF Music Group years before Griselda went on to take over the underground altogether & they’ve worked with each other numerous times over the course of their careers. 6 years later, they’re linking back up for a sequel to Stabbed & Shot.

After the “Still Better” intro, the first song “1st of April” produced by V Don starts with a dreary boom bap instrumental talking about being staples in their corners whereas “High Stakes” finds the 2 showing off their street ties maintaining a dark atmosphere to the beat. “Thruway Music 2” is a sequel to a highlight off the first Stabbed & Shot continuing where the predecessor left off prior to “Who Really the King?” talking about people acting like family when that isn’t an action word over strings, kicks & snares from Chup.

“Center Stage” heads for a soulful direction thanks to Harry Fraud reminding us that they actually be living that life just before the 2nd & final single “Brick Specials” comparing their lifestyles to that of a lit movie. The lead single “Jesus Arms” featuring Busta Rhymes was a step above the b-side from the Bink! beat to the mobster-themed lyrics, but then “Hometown Hero” talks about their statuses in Buffalo & Rochester respectively.

Dave East & Klass Murda join Benny & Spesh on “Bad Guy” pointing out the fact that some don’t show you love until you start catching Ws while “Money Counter” hooks up some sampling teaching us that jealous friends happen to be the most foolish in the circle. “Internal Affairs” featuring O.T. the Real brings the trio together over a raw Daringer instrumental bringing it hardcore while the STREETRUNNER-laced “Intent to Sell” gets back on the hustling tip.

The song “Coke Runs” featuring Ransom gets the encore of Stabbed & Shot 2 going by making it clear that you haven’t seen the impressive traits that they all share in the past while “Watchlist” gives off more of a jazzier vibe to the beat talking about making $100M requiring risk. The closer “Power” featuring Elcamino finishes the Stabbed & Shot sequel talking about power becoming the cause of separation in the room while “ICE” looks at both sides of the streets they played. The titular freestyle lastly shows a back-&-forth chemistry from them for 3 & a half minutes.

Much has changed in the interim in the past 6 years including the respective statures of Benny & Spesh as they have both grown, elevated & evolved. Stabbed & Shot 2 though has made it’s case in being the rare sequel that surpasses it’s predecessor with Benny returning to his roots by reconnecting with the TCF founder to go on another round of paper chasing shooting for a sound that can only come from experienced street hustlers.

Score: 4.5/5

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Ian – “Goodbye Horses” review

This is the full-length debut studio album from St. Louis, Missouri rapper/producer Ian. A member the D1shonorable collective, he got his start in 2019 producing the single “Know That” by Izaya Tiji before going on to release 3 EPs of his own: Only for a While, Remembrance & the gyo-produced Empty Suit. Akon’s brother Bu Thiam signed him to his Columbia Records imprint Buvision Entertainment this spring for his previous EP Valedictorian, which received mixed responses although I personally found to have it’s highlights like “Chauncey” & “Magic Johnson”. 5 months later, he’s coinciding with his rival Yeat by dropping Goodbye Horses.

“Showboat” is this futuristic drill opener talking about not knowing what this adversary does even if they do it real good whereas “‘Till I Die” works in some horns & hi-hats brushing off those with their fundamentals down tryna kick it with him. “3.5” takes a cloudier route instrumentally thanks to WondaGurl getting geeked just before the synth-driven “On the Floor” boasts that the gas in his bag could put a man on the moon.

As for “My Call”, the bass gets turned all the way up so Ian can oddly talk about the high road not doing anything except making you a loser leading into “Out West” having probably my favorite beat on the album from Rio Leyva & Taz Taylor of Internet Money Records keeping it true to himself. “Shit Sad” featuring Chief Keef heads for a Chicago drill direction talking about how high they are, but then “End Up Gone” was an mediocre choice of a single promising to die by his homie’s side.

“Older” featuring Reign maintains a cloudy edge taking over the second they got the bag while “Loco” shows off the pieces shipped straight to his front door over more synths. “Hate Me” featuring Lil Yachty was an enjoyable New York drill single showing a tight chemistry from the 2 while “Off That Shit” looks to keep his head in the clouds. The drumless title track featuring Eyesis finishes the LP with both of them taking the highway to the pearly gates.

Ian’s been getting a lot of criticism this year whether it being called an industry plant, a Yeat ripoff, “the new Lil Mabu” & most notably one of my favorite artists Tyler, The Creator accusing him of mocking trap pioneers Future & Gucci Mane during his SpringHill interview although I don’t see a connection to either or. Anyway in regards to Goodbye Horses, I wound up liking it less than Valedictorian. His performances are ok as are a couple of the guests’, but sxprano’s production proves to be much less interesting. “Out West”, “Shit Sad” & “Hate Me” however stand out as some of Ian’s best songs much like “Chauncey” & “Magic Johnson”.

Score: 2.5/5

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Yeat – “Lyfestylë” review

This is the 5th studio album from Portland, Oregon rapper Yeat. Coming up in 2018 off his debut EP Deep Blue $trips, he would followed up with 2 mixtapes & 3 more EPs before beginning to dominate the mainstream in 2021 whether it be him dropping a total of 4 projects (2 mixtapes, an EP & a full-length debut) or cosigns from the likes of Drake & Earl Sweatshirt. He eventually signed to Geffen Records, who backed his sophomore effort albeit major label debut 2 Alivë a little over a year ago & then a deluxe EP Gëek Pack shortly after. Coming off his 5th mixtape Lyfë couple summers ago alongside Aftërlyfe & the experimental 2093, he’s back to rep the Lyfestylë.

“Geek Timë” is this rage-inducing opener with Yeat boasting that he hits with the 10 instead of the 5 whereas “STFU” takes the Memphis route instrumentally sampling “Test My Nutz” by 2 Low Key to talk about being outside with the rag. “They Tell Më” heads back towards a hypertrap direction even though it’s one of the more repetitive moments lyrically, but then “Heard of Më” maintains a rage vibe altogether thanks to both Internet Money Records in-house producer Synthetic as well as venny talking about being geeked up like a God.

Moving on from there, “Speedball” sticks to the signature sound that many have come to know him for gettin’ this motherfuckin’ bag carryin’ a Glock by side in the process leading into “U Don’t Know” keeping the rage beats going leaving everyone who eventually tried him dead. “Orchestratë” has these prominent horn sections throughout that I found myself enjoying running it back up every weekend just before the sinister “Bë Quiet” featuring Kodak Black talks about being way too rich.

“The Costës” continues the dense, buzzing synth work with repetitive chord progressions & melodic synth leads wantin’ to know what y’all need so he can do the opposite while “Go2Work” featuring Summrs finds both SlayWorld members over a hypertrap instrumental comparing themselves to demons lurking during the evening. “Gone 4 a Min” suggests that maybe he’s bad for his own good throwing it back to Ye formerly known as Kanye West’s 4th album 808s & Heartbreak with the beat while the synth-driven “Forever Again” asks a dead man walking if he remembers him.

As for “On 1”, we have Yeat turning the rage back up shrugging off the lyfestylë is what others wants to be instead of them thinking they actually be living it out here while “Flytroop” maintains a hypertrap aesthetic dissing Lil88. The bassy “Eliminatë” talks about not needing a lamp or light since he already knows where the fuck he’s at while “Lying 5 Fun” flexes that he’s on a new level as further justified by 2093 & everyone else thinking he was done hooking up more synthesizers & hi-hats.

“New High” featuring Don Toliver psychedelically finds the pair dropping braggadocio while the synth-trap crossover “So What” admits to being fried. The title track featuring Lil Durk energetically sees both of them rockin’ out while “God Talkin’ Shhh” addresses everyone who thought of him as a pilgrim. “Lyfë Party” asks shawty if she’s being real on top of promising shit hasn’t changed & “Fatë” ends with him ridin’ with the windows down in this bitch.

Starting the deluxe run, “Project Lyfestylë” is this siren-heavy dedication to his Field Trip Recordings & Capitol Records imprint Lyfestyle Corporation while “For Lyfë” asks if anyone would want to do this with him for the rest of their lives. “Night Come” talks about feelin’ himself since he’s high as Hell at the moment & wanting to know why you so basic over more synths & hi-hats while the raging “5Brazy” featuring Quavo on the remix interpolates “TURNMËUP” spazzing out.

“Barbarian” futuristically dares y’all to come out & fool his squad with all them sticks they’re carrying while the blaring “Gravëyard” talks about Lyfestyle party wanting everyone to come on in & bring a friend. “Gonë” sticks to his hypertrap guns suggesting that he could be trippin’ while “Style Lyfë” showing off his flytroop status once more. The final bonus track “Back Thën” ends the deluxe complexed between not wanting to be alone & those who won’t leave him alone.

2093 marked a stylistic departure from Yeat since he took on more of a industrially experimental hip hop sound in comparison to rage & if you were disappointed in that previous LP even if I think it’s the best thing he’s ever done, you’ll probably find yourself preferring Lyfestylë. The production mainly returns to the hypertrap sound that made the Portland star a household name with additional elements of pop rap & experimental hip hop showing off a handful of new obsessions whether it be telling lies, gazing with wonderment at lights, threatening to cut people’s heads off like the Red Queen.

Score: 3.5/5

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03 Greedo – “Hella Greedy” review

Pioneering Detroit trap producer Helluva producing the 17th mixtape in Los Angeles emcee, singer/songwriter & producer 03 Greedo’s discography. Emerging under the original moniker Greedy Giddy, he went on to release a total of 14 tapes ahead of his DJ Mustard-produced debut album Still Summer in the Projects & the Kenny Beats-produced sophomore effort Netflix & Deal both receiving significant acclaim. He has since dropped 1 more LP in Load It Up as well as 5 EPs & a couple more mixtapes, the most recent being the Fucc Everybody EP from this spring. That said, I felt Hella Greedy could be Greedy’s strongest since his first EP Meet the Drummers produced by Travis Barker.

“Still in Shocc” is a Detroit trap opener flexing that he went from Steve Urkel to Stefan Urquelle like it’s Family Matters whereas “If I’m Scared” has a ghostly atmosphere to the Motor City’s unique take on trap music talking about beating the feds & even coming clean that he’ll do it again. “Still Feel Loaded” serves as a sequel to the highlight loaded off Still Summer in the Projects that’s on par with the predecessor, but then “Kill Me” spaciously shrugs off all the fake love.

Peezy joins Greedo on a successor to “Militant” off Money Changes Everything discussing their titular tendencies over a mellow Detroit trap instrumental just before “DayQuil” laughs off everyone who thought they were poppin’ turning the tables on them that they took the fake pill refusing to roll silently. “Good Girls 2” featuring Vae Vanilla happens to be a soulful follow-up to the Lil Boof song that Giddy was featured on surpassing it leading into “Went Left” featuring G Herbo pulls from drill music showing off their mob ties.

“Sum’n Pretty” featuring Rob49 was an underwhelming choice of a single wasting this beat fusing Mobb & trap music in favor of underwhelming romance bars while “Tear It Off” makes up for it jumping over these 808s & luxurious pianos so he can continue the lustful themes except he’s improved on them in comparison. “Take My Time” heads for a cloudy trap direction instrumentally addressing someone who promised to hold him down while “Move” finds him moving on to someone else.

Meanwhile on “Good Taste”, we have Greedo setting off with this exuberant trap joint showing a boastful side to him while “Ketchup” aggressively talking about making money as of late. “Devil Offa Me” easily stands out as an introspective moment on the tape tryna shaking off Satan’s baggage while “Escalator Elevator” talks doing no stepping showing a Detroit trap influence again. “R.I.C.O.” featuring Maxo Kream turns the eeriness up to 11 saying real ones don’t worry of catching a racketeering cage & the closing track “Move 2” ends with a harder sequel to “Move” talking about riding for his homies.

I’ve been waiting for Giddy to drop a project on a caliber that would make it stand out unlike anything he’s done before much like Still Summer in the Projects, Netflix & Deal and Meet the Drummers all did ever since he finally came home. A year & a half later, he’s finally done it. Helluva whips up the most consistent batch of beats that Greedo’s been on top of since being released from prison & even if the features are 50/50, the Watts representative himself is the best since he’s sounded in 5 years.

Score: 4/5

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Pharrell – “Piece by Piece” Soundtrack Review

This is a brand new soundtrack EP from Virginia producer, singer/songwriter, rapper, fashion designer, film composer, entrepreneur, Billionaire Boys Club/Icecream founder & Louis Vuitton’s creative director for men’s fashion Pharrell. Cementing his legacy as 1/2 of the greatest production duo of all-time The Neptunes alongside Chad Hugo, they would eventually form the side project N*E*R*D with their debut album In Search Of… going on to become a classic inspiring Tyler, The Creator amongst others. Even his 2006 solo debut In My Mind would become one of the most underrated albums ever made, even though he’s discredited it himself as “being written out of ego”. G I R L during my junior year of high school received mixed reception although I personally still enjoy the pop soul/contemporary R&B vibe of it pay tribute to all the women in his life (Case in point: “Lost Queen / Freq”). He celebrated his 51st birthday in the midst of an ongoing lawsuit with Chad over the Neptunes trademark by releasing his 3rd mixtape Black Yacht Rock: City of Limitless Access on an exclusive website possibly in response to James Blake’s recent comments in regards to streaming & coincided the release of his new LEGO biopic Piece by Piece that I saw earlier tonight by putting together 5 new tracks.

After the colorful “It’s Happening” intro, the title track is a synth funk/pop soul crossover with additional instrumentation from Brent Paschke of the former Star Trak Entertainment power pop act Spymob on electric guitar & even the Princess Anne High School Fabulous Marching Cavaliers where Pharrell himself graduated in 1992 singing about how good it felt for his hard work to pay off whereas “Virginia Boy” featuring Tyler, The Creator finds the 2 taking the jazzy boom bap route instrumentally repping Virginia & California respectively.

“L’EGO Odyssey” gives off a heavy triumphant vibe from the horns to the choir vocals in the background thanks to the Budapest Scoring Orchestra & the Voices of Fire respectively, making way for Skateboard to sing about the universe being a university for the soul in addition to being thankful for your dreams & encouraging everyone to build them piece by piece while the 5th & final original song “For Real” ends the soundtrack EP on an upbeat note waiting for some kind of sign like a meteorite or some kind of magic to make him feel real.

Piece by Piece itself was a well-put together biopic with interviews from Pharrell, his former N*E*R*D bandmates Chad & Shae Haley, Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar who Pharrell recently called 2024’s MVP, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, JAY-Z, WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg, Pusha T, N.O.R.E., Missy Elliott, his mentor Teddy Riley & 海水浴猿/ヒューマン・メイド founder ニゴー who’s currently gearing up for his upcoming 3rd album 私もニゴを知っています!. Pharrell’s production varies between synth-funk, pop soul, jazz rap, boom bap & orchestral music as opposed to the prominent psychedelic pop/contemporary sounds of Black Yacht Rock further demonstrating his unique versatility.

Score: 4/5

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