Marsha Ambrosius – “Casablanco” review

Marsha Ambrosius is a 46 year old singer/songwriter from Liverpool, England, United Kingdom who came up as 1/2 of the duo Floetry. They would only put out 2 full-lengths before disbanding, but Dr. Dre signed Marsha to his Interscope Records imprint Aftermath Entertainment shortly after only for her to depart in 2009 without releasing a solo effort. She eventually released her debut Late Nights & Early Mornings under J Records in the spring of 2011 & returned a few summers later with the RCA Records-backed sophomore effort Friends & Lovers. The Songstress was last heard in 2018 when she put Nyla out through MNRK Music Group, but is returning to Aftermath/Interscope to let the Quincy Jones of hip hop himself Dre produce her 4th album making up for lost times.

“Smoke” starts by sampling “Yesterday” by Clifford Brown so she can take you away & preparing to bring umbrellas just in case of the weather whereas “Tunisian Nights” singing about evenings in the North African country of Tunisia putting an orchestral spin on the “Flight Time” by Donald Byrd sample. “1 Night Stand” flips “Remind Me” by Patrice Rushen so Marsha can describe a singular sexual encounter just before “Cloudy With a Chance of…Real” samples “Smilin’ Billy Suite, Pt. II” by The Heath Brothers so she can sing about loneliness.

Moving on from there, “Greedy” co-produced by DJ Khalil & Phonix luxuriously confesses she’s been hurting lately & it simply isn’t enough leading into the outstandingly sequenced 2-parter “Self Care / Wrong Right” singing about satisfying her appetite along with her lover having the good good & giving her the best sex she’s ever had. “Wet” incorporates these illustrious strings staying with her partner even during the worst conditions, but then “Thrill Her” brings a soulfully jazzy boom bap flare to the beat paying homage to the late King of Pop Michael Jackson.

“The Greatest” was another exuberant choice of a single ahead of Casablanco that Marsha herself, Dre of course, Blu2th, Dem Jointz, Focus… & Trevor Lawrence Jr. laced asking if one is scared of the love she has to give while “Best I Could Find” nears the end of the album hopping over summery guitar passages & keys talking about things becoming distant to the point where love had come far behind. “Music of My Mind” rounds out the LP fusing the symphonic & jazz elements into 1 giving flowers to some of her influences from Duran Duran to the late great J Dilla.

When you think about the fact that Marsha’s the only Aftermath artist to leave the label without releasing an official album & eventually come back to do exactly that, it was something that a lot of people including myself were surprised by although expectations remained higher than her previous material. Sure enough, this was a moment almost 2 decades in the making exemplifying her talents. It’s significantly more well-produced than her early solo stuff which is a given considering Dre’s perfectionism & Marsha lays down the most passionate songwriting & vocals of her career.

Score: 4.5/5

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Johnny Cash – “Songwriter” review

Johnny Cash was a prolific singer/songwriter, musician & actor from Kingsland, Arkansas who rose to prominence as an icon in country music & for being one of the biggest badasses that has ever roamed God’s green Earth. He put out some of the genre’s most essential music including With His Hot Blue Guitar!, Orange Blossom Special, At Folsom Prison, Man in Black, all 3 albums from The Highwaymen & my personal favorite: the Rick Rubin-produced American Recordings hexalogy. Columbia Records unearthed Out Among the Stars during my junior high of year high school after keeping it in the vaults for 3 decades & now to commemorate the 30 year anniversary of American Recordings a couple months ago, Mercury Records is releasing his 4th posthumous album that he wrote all by himself 31 years ago before American even revitalized his career with new production from Johnny’s only son John Carter Cash.

“Hello Out There” is this magical opener with Johnny singing about planet earth calling whereas “Spotlight” fuses country with country pop & baroque pop encouraging to let him feel like losing her will be alright in the end accompanied by a sick guitar solo before the final verse. “Drive On” later saw the light of day on American Recordings the following year & has been a favorite of mine off that late career masterpiece, but then I Love You Tonight” has more of a laidback country tone to it admitting that it sure has been a party & they’ve been down that road previously.

Meanwhile on “Have You Ever Been to Little Rock?”, we have Johnny over acoustics asking listeners about the titular city in his home state of Arkansas leading into “Well Alright” surprisingly revealing itself back in April as one of the best country singles of the year telling the story of a woman that he met at a laundromat. “She Sang “Sweet Baby James”” goes for a stripped back approach singing about a woman who had a heart full of love prior to “Poor Valley Girl” profoundly paying homage to his late wife June Carter Cash.

The final song “Soldier Boy” kindas has this rockabilly singing about a boy with his backpack saluting all the women out there listening for doing what they have to do, but then the 2 bonus cuts consist of a cover of “Sing It Pretty, Sue” off his 8th album The Sound of Johnny Cash & “Like a Soldier” that also appeared on American Recordings the subsequent year much like “Drive On” did. Funny enough, “Like a Soldier” happens to be up there with “Drive On” as some of the best tracks in Johnny’s vast discography.

Being the first country artist that I can legitimately say I became a fan of, my expectations for Songwriter were it to maintain the caliber of both Willie Nelson & even Beyoncé’s latest full-lengths The Border & Cowboy Carter respectively. Come to find out, I like it more than the latter 2 combined. We get 8 brand new songs that we’ve never heard before, 2 demos & a cover spruced up production-wise by John Carter for a posthumous country/americana/outlaw country offering from his father that clears a lot of the bro-country you hear today.

Score: 4.5/5

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Boldy James – “Across the Tracks” review

Detroit veteran Boldy James linking up with Conductor Williams for his 7th EP. Breaking out in the fall of 2013 off his Alchemist produced debut M.1.C.S. (My 1st Chemistry Set). He would later go on to land a contract with Nas’ independent label Mass Appeal Records for a little while before getting locked up but once Boldy came home, Uncle Al would help get his name back out there once getting out by dropping the Boldface EP around Christmas 2019 & then the sophomore album The Price of Tea in China. This was followed up with the Sterling Toles-produced Manger on McNichols which was as equally fantastic, but the Griselda Records-backed Versace Tape EP was a tad bit disappointing given how rushed it was. Bo Jackson though would become his most critically acclaimed work to date & Super Tecmo Bo was almost as great for an EP. Fair Exchange No Robbery produced by Nicholas Craven also became an essential until Penalty of Leadership surpassed it & Mr. 10-08 produced by Futurewave is up there too, so hearing that Conductor was producing Across the Tracks sounded as thrilling of an idea on paper.

“Terms & Services” starts off with a soulful boom bap beat talking about the first brick he ever touched being the worst one whereas “All Madden” featuring Bo Jack goes for a cloudier approach instrumentally referring to themselves as the real apex predators. “Flying Trapeze Act” brings back the soul samples flexing the way his youngin’ be catching bodies leading into “The Ol’ Switcharoo” unsettlingly talking about the all-nighters giving him vertigo.

Meanwhile on “Undisputed”, we have Conductor dabbling with more of a trap sound so Boldy can remind everyone he got the right mix just before “Lamp Shade” goes drumless talking about them coming to confiscate his onions sooner than later. “St. Juliana” soulfully moves on from there staying 2 commas in & 7 figures strong, but then “Permission” featuring Double D keeps the sampling going talking about needing the ok from them to make the hit.

“Offwhite Lumberjack” nears the conclusion of Across the Tracks on some lo-fi rap rock shit acknowledging that he’s been fucked up in the head ever since they took Tonya from him later referencing the late アイアンマンヘビーメタル級チャンピオン, TNA World Tag Team Champion, WCW World Television Champion, 2-time WWE United States Champion, 7-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, 4-time WWE Intercontinental Champion & 2-time WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall prior to “Stamps in the Middle” wrapping up the EP jumping on top of victorious horns talking grey squares keeping the stamps dead in the middle of them & comparing the Cuban on his neck to that of a whole trophy made out of diamonds.

Boldy already dropped a top 10 album of 2024 in Penalty of Leadership right when it began & now he’s concluded the first half of the year by putting out an EP that’s as highly enjoyable. His lyricism is rawer than the previous LP’s personal themes & Conductor Williams’ spot as one of the most in-demand producers in hip hop today as well as the standout member of Griselda’s in-house production trio The Heartbreakers is reaffirmed demonstrating his range more.

Score: 4.5/5

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BVNGS – “Mary Mack” review

BVNGS is a 32 year old MC from New York City who started out at the end of 2017 off her debut EP Not Available followed up by 7 Dutches & a Sweet Tea, Brown Girls & Bubble Coats, Lula & Only Crying Because I’m Drunk. She then caught the attention of amongst the underground’s most prolific artists in recent memory Flee Lord, who signed BVNGSY to Lord Mobb Music & put out her 6th EP Laquisha in the spring of 2021. Only 4 months later, I had the privilege of meeting her at a Catch 1 show in Los Angeles that Flee was headlining & was impressed by her set. BVNGS herself has since been building up anticipation for her upcoming full-length debut studio album by releasing 4 singles & after 3 years, the moment has arrived.

After the “Channel 7” intro, the first song “‘91 Varsity” is this psychedelic trap opener referring to herself as a boss & a shooter whereas “Jester” has an uncanny boom bap quality to the beat from EYEKETYSON getting in her hardcore bag lyrically. “Stick Up” strips the drums completely promising nobody out there wants to go to war with her & after the interlude, “Get Yo Chain” mellowly taunts those she stole their ice from to come take it back from her.

“Saw” takes the laidback route instrumentally calling out all the pussies in the game while the title tracks works the kicks & snares back into the picture knowing one’s life is a lie if they’re able to survive or not. “Nights Like This” featuring AC Gudda nears the conclusion of Mary Mack going drumless warning that you’re gonna need security around them & “God Saves” officially rounds out the LP keeping the drums out showing a personal side to her.

She has quickly become one of my favorites Lord Mobb signings after being introduced to her a few years ago, but everything from the 6 EPs that BVNGS has already established herself through to Flee signing her to his label & the singles we’ve gotten from her since have all lead to this very moment & you’re certainly gonna hear more from her hereon out. The production pulls from boom bap, trap & drumless & the Big Apple much like LaQuisha further reveals herself as a threat in the underground.

Score: 3.5/5

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Moving Base O.T. – Self-Titled review

Moving Base O.T. is an east coast hip hop duo consisting of Fuego Base & O.T. the Real. The latter of whom has been making noise in the underground for the past several years now whether it be The Irishmanor Maxed Out & the other made his debut over a year ago signing to Black Soprano Family Records & becoming Hartford, Connecticut’s Biggest Since Camby. O.T. eventually signed to B$F, enlisting araabMUZIK to produce his debut for the label Zombie last fall. Fast forward 8 months later, he & Fuego are teaming up to put out their debut together.

After the “Real Sopranos” intro, the first song “Arithmetic” starts off the album jumping over a raw boom bap instrumental talking about every dummy wanting to be an earner as well as 2 rappers getting stuck 1 night & it wasn’t them whereas “Battle Scars” featuring Benny the Butcher finds the trio morbidly cautioning that those who think they’re safe are done in actuality. “Hometeam” keeps it boom bap talking about jumping bail & breaking the bond while everyone else was playing Pokémon, but then “Bodies” goes rap rock to catch 1 body after another.

“Overpass” featuring Rick Hyde tensely advises to let the junkies free since it’s already rampant out here leading into “Pirouette” featuring Allstar da Great grimily talking about a brick that’s all natural & a bitch breaking her neck after taking a sniff. “John Doe” featuring Sule brings the trio together over kicks & snares airing out dudes driving their girls’ cars like they own it themselves just before “BrownStone” aggressively tells the listener it’s either us or them & to pick a side. “Keith Sweat” ends the LP ruggedly detailing how strong the coke is.

These guys have always crossed paths with one another since obviously they’re both signed to the same label, so I wasn’t opposed to the idea of bringing both of them together throughout the duration of an entire album & hopefully Moving Base O.T.’s debut here is the first of more to come. The production is consistently centered around the traditional east coast boom bap sound, 75% of the features bring their own flavor to the table & each MC elevates one another lyrically.

Score: 4/5

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UFO Fev – “Strapped” review

Harlem, New York emcee UFO Fev teaming with Fredro Starr to produce his 8th LP. Coming up in 2014 off his full-length debut Around My Way, it wasn’t until 2020 when he saw his biggest year yet by dropping not 1 but 3 well received projects: the Statik Selektah-produced sophomore effort Fresh Air along with the Termanology-produced debut EP From El Barrio, With Love & the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced 3rd album The Ghost of Albizu. This was all followed up with Magnum Opus along with the Vanderslice-produced Enigma of Dalí & 4 EPs: The Most High, Prayer, Weed & Music, E Pluribus Unum, Sunsets in the Ghetto & of course the Finn-produced Blood on the Bills. A year & a half after Painting Houses though, expectations for Strapped were up there.

After the titular intro, the first song “Best Dressed” is a drumlessly crooning opener & a full circle moment for Fev himself whereas “Batumi” dives headfirst into boom bap territory doing exactly what he’s supposed to do right on schedule. “Can We All Get Paid?” works in a soul sample with kicks & snares asking if everyone can make bread in order to live better days ahead of “Bullets” featuring Red Inf recapturing the energy of their Vanderslice-produced collab EP Chemistry about 3 months ago.

“Fast Life” atmospherically breaks down the lifestyle he lives of being at his level within the underground just before “UFO Teknology” featuring Teknology brings the trio together over a soulful beat so they can reassure everyone knows the game & the subsequent outcome of it. “Peace God” takes a jazzy approach attempting to teach his youth some knowledge leading into “Sade X” calmly showing off his new glow.

Nearing the conclusion of Strapped, the penultimate song “Free Rice” returns to the boom bap with a spacious twist instrumentally listening to b-sides as well as building a catalog & dodging bullets in the matrix prior to “Visiting Hours” officially wrapping up Fev’s best album in a couple years mixing pianos & crooning background vocals bringing fresh flowers to his old girls behind bars wiping his tears away assuring him they’re ok.

Fredro Starr has really been elevating his game behind the boards these last couple years & much like how he gave SmooVth his best album in recent memory with Project Near You, he helped Fev deliver what has to be the most I’ve enjoyed a project of his since Blood on the Bills a year & a half ago. The general sound expands beyond boom bap in favor of jazz rap & drumless while Fev shows the audience a personal side to him.

Score: 4.5/5

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The Underground Avengers – “Oblivion” review

This is the 3rd & final full-length studio LP from Arlington, Texas emcee Claas alongside Louisville, Kentucky/Covington, Georgia duo The Horde consisting of Bukshot & Boondox or collectively known as The Underground Avengers. Forming in 2012 off an eponymous debut EP, they got back together in the summer of 2018 to have Majik Ninja Entertainment back their debut album Anomaly 88 & returning almost a year later for the sophomore effort Dark Matter. A 2nd EP The Gateway was released in the fall of 2022 & coming off an appearance at Astronomicon 7 couple months ago, they’re taking us to Oblivion after 12 years in the making allegedly.

After the “Judgment is Upon You” intro & the “Reassembled” skit, the unhinged first song “Who Dat?!” produced by MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 who did UGA’s coda in it’s entirety leaving everyone running when the trio comes through whereas the morbidly flavored trap joint “Diablo” telling the haters to keep it moving. “Without a Trace” takes the aggressive trap route instrumentally making them learn when they do wrong & after the titular interlude, “Sideshow” angrily talks about being ready for rapture.

“Smash” brings an unsettling trap flare to the beat detailing the asshole nature all 3 of them possess while “Predators” featuring Mr. Grey sees the quartet devilishly talking about ripping the spine out your back. After the “OPLAN” interlude, “Snake Eater” hooks up an eerie atmosphere once again looking to make the final feature just before “Be Warned” grimly cautions listeners of UGA’s wrath.

After the “Reaping” interlude, “Other Side” delivers an adrenaline inducing hardcore trap banger leading into the grisly “‘Til the Music Stops” looking to ride until the wheels fall off the muhfucka. After the “Collision” interlude, “A Little Crazy” goes boom bap to talk about their craziness while the bouncy “Bring It Back” runs from the law grinding & getting dirty.

“When or Whenever” uncannily talks about everyone else watching them take the lead & after the “Dissassembled” outro, “Alibi” weaves organs & hi-hats wanting to be labeled as the bad guys when they’re gone while “Scab” is an insane rollercoaster ride of an underground 8 minute posse cut. After the “Black Hole” interlude, “Can’t Find Me” by The Horde finishes by shows a serious side to Boondox & Bukshot since the end is getting nearer.

Understandably, I can see why we’ll more than unlikely get another Underground Avengers album going forward since everyone’s already established individually in their own rights & Oblivion was the greatest note for them to leave on that took a dozen years for us to hear. The production’s primarily trap centered & the apocalypse concept throughout pretty much suits the fact that this is the last time we’ll hear them assemble.

Score: 4/5

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James Blake & Lil Yachty – “Bad Cameo” review

Here we have a new collaborative LP between James Blake & Lil Yachty. One is a singer/songwriter & producer from London, England, United Kingdom & the other happens to be a rapper, singer/songwriter & producer coming straight outta Atlanta, Georgia. Both of whom I’ve covered individually in the past ranging from projects like Assume Form to Michigan Boy Boat & of course Let’s Start Here., the latter being Yachty’s very own 808s/IGOR moment venturing out into a psychedelic rock direction. Neither one of these guys have ever worked with each other previously, so my curiosity around Bad Cameo got a hold of me needless to say. Especially after James’ comments back in March about streaming services devaluing music & has since been trying to help improve streaming rates for artists, hence why Pharrell released his latest album Black Yacht Rock: City of Limitless Access through its own web domain on his birthday along with ¥$ planning to release Vultures 2 exclusively through a YZY app & Metro Boomin’ recently saying his next album might be the last on DSPs. Those & Bandcamp are the best solutions.

“Save the Savior” starts off headed towards an ambient direction rapping & singing about the savior needing to be saved whereas “In Grey” hopes to be picked back up by Valentine’s Day if they fall by then bringing a future garage vibe to the table behind the boards. “Midnight” takes the neo-psychedelic art pop route instrumentally knowing that the shore will speak even though you’re the only one who saw while “Woo” fuses hip house & alternative R&B wanting to know if their partners really love them.

The title track produced with BNYX of Working on Dying goes ambient once again hoping not to head down towards a significantly dark path ever again just before the ambient house-infused “Missing Man” finds both of them vulnerably feels broken down into pieces. “Twice” continues the 2nd leg of Bad Cameo in the form of this perfectly balanced 2-parter describing a simple equation you can count on them for prior to the progressively ethereal “Transport Me” samples “The Vibes is Right” by Barrington Levy wanting to know your story.

“Run Away from the Rabbit” nears the conclusion of the collaborative LP that we never thought we needed to hear wanting to be blinded over an ambient instrumental & “Red Carpet” closes it out with 1 more ambient cut talking about never wanting to walk the red carpet on top of everyone seeing new versions of them right in front of us & late night thoughts make it hard for either one of them to sleep at night.

Yachty’s evolution throughout the last year & a half putting out some of the best material of his career has been one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed in my life especially when you had the heads who genuinely don’t fuck with him at all coming clean that Let’s Start Here. or “The Secret Recipe” are incredible & Bad Cameo stands as a historic crossover for fans of both him & James. It’s prominently art pop & neo-psychedelic with additional undertones of alternative R&B, ambient house, ambient, experimental hip hop, future garage & UK bass.

Score: 4.5/5

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Camila Cabello – “C,XOXO” review

This is the 4th full-length studio album from Cuban singer/songwriter Camila Cabello. Originally a member of 5th Harmony, I first heard her when she was featured on the diabetically lovey dovey “Bad Things” by MGK & her full-length debut Camila at the beginning of 2018 released through Syco Music & Epic Records mostly produced by Ging ironically won me over on her. Romance & Familia were both later released to mixed reception & the singles building up to C,XOXO had me hoping she would bounce back from those couple duds. Especially after learning she signed a new label deal with Geffen Records & Interscope Records.

“I Luv It” featuring Playboi Carti was a disappointing opener mixing electropop, Jersey drill, pop rap, footwork, Jersey Club & hyperpop inspired by “Cockiness (Love It)” by Rihanna whereas “Channel No. 5” decently fuses alt-pop, alternative R&B, pop rap, glitch pop, cloud rap & art pop to talk about a romantic partner being unable to resist her scent. “He Knows” featuring Lil Nas X following the “pink xoxo” interlude featuring PinkPantheress crosses over alté, dance-pop, alternative R&B, pop rap, tarraxinha, afroswing describing a chemistry that’s too strong leading into the stripped-back “20somethings” admitting to feeling like she’s living in limbo ripping off SZA.

The now disbanded City Girls consisting of JT & Yung Miami join Camila on “Dade County Dreaming” to draw inspiration from house music paying tribute to the titular county out in Miami, Florida but after the “koshi xoxo” interlude featuring BLP Kosher, “Hot Uptown” featuring Drake brings the 2 together for a melodic house duet produced by Boi-1da & Noel Cadastre asking if their partners want them back topped by Drake’s annoying fake patois during the refrain further validating the colonizer line on “Not Like Us”. Drizzy even gets his own song on “Uuugly” & it might be the best one he’s put out after the beef with Kendrick Lamar, but then “Dream-Girls” warmly pays tribute to the girls learning to become women.

After the “305tilidie” interlude which is the 3rd & final one on the entire LP, the song “B.O.A.T. (Best Of All-Time)” atmospherically tackles the rumination & reflection stage of a breakup to start the final leg while the penultimate track “pretty when I cry” tropically wallows about how much of a pity it is that her ex left her. “June Gloom” closes out Camila’s official Geffen/Interscope debut slowly yet dejectedly asking her former boyfriend if his new girl gets as wet as she does for him moves the way she does over an FNZ beat.

“baby pink” featuring Eem Triplin’ starts the deluxe run by talking about their partners being theirs forever over synths while “Come Show Me” peppily tells this dude who’s tryna convince her that he’s changed to actually prove it to her. “can friends kiss?” spaciously talks about becoming too close to someone she considers as a friend having fantasies of them in her head at night & the final bonus track “godspeed” ends the deluxe with my favorite of the 4 new songs taking us through a ghost world through art pop, electropop, alt-pop & glitch pop.

A lot can happen in 6 years & given Camila’s last couple albums didn’t do it for me (her racist comments towards Normani in 2019 certainly didn’t help either), her new one here is better albeit not by very much. The features are ok but my biggest complaint about C,XOXO is that it feels like it’s trying to be a more commercial version of Charli XCX’s latest masterpiece brat from 3 weeks earlier with more of an contemporary R&B, alt-pop, alternative R&B, pop rap, alté, tarraxinha & afroswing vibe with additional elements of hyperpop, Jersey drill, footwork, dance-pop, Jersey club & art pop.

Score: 2/5

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H.A.R.D. – “Tapestry” review

Hardcore superduo the Housing Authority Rap District also known as H.A.R.D. consisting of Joell Ortiz & KXNG CROOKED are returning for their 4th & final LP. Both of whom have had notorious label issues at the start of their careers, but would go on to see success as members of the supergroup Slaughterhouse along with Royce da 5’9” & Joe Budden from the late 2000s up until the mid-2010s. The quartet had quietly disbanded in 2016 after Joe’s retirement from making music even though it wasn’t confirmed until 2 years later, but the other 3 members have been keeping themselves busy ever since. H.A.R.D. introduced themselves a couple months after the pandemic hit with an incredible eponymous debut EP along with 2 full-lengths: The Rise & Fall of Slaughterhouse and Harbor City. They dropped off their 2nd EP JFKLAX & their 3rd LP Prosper to more moderate reception, but are getting back together 1 last time on Tapestry in time for summer.

After the intro, the first song “Born” starts us off with an angelic sample talking about both of them being Heaven’s children whereas the soulful trap joint “Rap Music” tells us how much hip hop culture has saved their lives. “Here I Am” works in this gospel flip to talk about speaking life to them since death is of the tongue just before “Holiday” blissfully explains the harvest helped keep their people from starving.

“No Other Way” somberly sets out to make play after play without any options on the table for them leading into “Parental Advisory” goes full-blown boom bap to talk about doing it all so their hometowns of Brooklyn & Long Beach can eat now. “How Y’all Feel” energetically moves forward wanting to know the exact way the crowd out there be feelin’, but then “Fall Down” has an aggressive trap flare to the beat getting back up when they’re down.

The sampling throughout “Thorazine” is absolutely classy start to finish making something beautiful out of a straight up horror scene while “My World” brings the kicks & snares back inviting everyone to their worlds. “Yachts” calming discusses being unable to feel a hard left since it’s all ocean while the final song “Broadwalk & Park Place” prior to the outro pouring their hearts out describing where they were stuck between.

I genuinely think if these guys stuck with a singular producer throughout the entire duration of 1 more project like The Heatmakerz, they would give us their best offering since their eponymous EP or their full-length debut. Still though: the material they’ve given us from Harbor City onward still remains very much acceptable listens & Tapestry happens to be a solid conclusion of H.A.R.D.’s run. The production balances boom bap & trap so both MCs represent the east & the west.

Score: 3.5/5

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