Tech N9ne – “C.O.S.M. (Class of Strange Music)” review

Kansas City, Missouri’s very own Tech N9ne returning for his 25th full-length studio album although the 9th in his Collabos series & the first since Strange Reign roughly 7 years ago. Starting out 3 decades back as a member of the groups Black Mafia as well as the 57th Street Rogue Dog Villians & the Nnutthowze, his profile began to increase in the late 90’s after landing a spot on the Gang Related soundtrack & becoming among the first to join Yukmouth’s then-newly formed collective The Regime. But after having issues with Interscope Records & Universal Music Group following the release of his iconic 3rd album Anghellic, that’s when Tech decided to form his own label with the help of a man at Paradise Originals named Travis O’Guin. Together, they would call it Strange Music & solidified itself as one of if not the biggest indie label in the world. Tech has made it a tradition to drop a project or 2 every year since Everready (The Religion) back in ‘06 except for 2022, returning last summer Bliss to mixed reception. C.O.S.M. (Class of Strange Music) on the other hand had me hoping it would be the best Collabos entry since my personal favorite Welcome to Strangeland.

After the “Greetings” introductory skit, the first song “No Popcorn” hops over a fun old school instrumental so he can get everyone rockin’ on whereas “Bigger” featuring King Iso & Zkeircrow works in strings & hi-hats to talk about their desire for growth ever since they were children. “ZOD (I Win I Always Win)” featuring Joey Cool, Kevin Gates & Snow Tha Product kinda has a trap metal vibe to the beat with plinky keys thanks to Mario Casalini forever catching Ws while the ghostly “Disgusted” featuring Hopsin & Killer Mike brings the trio together to catch bodies with Tech & Killer Mike both going harder than Hop.

“Roll Call” featuring JL, Joey Cool, King Iso, Lex Bratcher, Rittz & X-Raided was a wicked fresh Strange posse cut produced by Wyshmaster allowing the alumni to come out to play like The Warriors just before “Let It Bang” featuring Y8$ having a futuristic trap flare instrumentally to hop in the whip & the bass go. “Sour Dough” featuring Keak da Sneak & LaRussell comes through with a hyphy banger despite an awkwardly unintelligible hook from Stunnaman02 leading into “I’m Just Tryna Get” featuring KC Young Boss, Miss Kush, Roblo Dastar & Shay Lyriq being another posse cut this time revolving around Kansas City over a guitar & fingersnaps.

X-Raided returns accompanied by The Popper for “Walter Sobchak (Am I Wrong?)” hooking up a gospel sample asking if they wrong for letting the gat off of anyone who breaks into their homes, but then “P.O.W. (Prisoners of War)” featuring Marley Young is a decently cloudy trap cut with Freek van Workum formerly N4 behind the boards talking about being saluted when they come around their parts. After the “Bathroom” skit, “Drippy Drop” featuring Skatterman & Snug Brim feels like an aquatic club banger reuniting the first duo to sign with the Snake & Bat while “The Ghost of Rosetta Tharpe” featuring Ako Mack & Lajon Witherspoon goes trap metal again delivering politically conscious subject matter.

“Sin Miedo” by the Nnutthowze featuring G-Mo Skeewas one of the most anticipated tracks here that lived up to my expectations since the 6688846993 & the filthiest Majik Ninja Entertainment artist talk about making mean fellas including a reference to TKO Group Holdings co-founder Vince McMahon being under federal probe for human trafficking & sexual battery over grisly boom bap production while “I Got Time Today” featuring ¡MAYDAY! serves as a colorful ballad simply about having the time today that NonMS cooked up. “Take That L9ve Back” featuring Marcus Yates formerly known as Oobergeek explaining what they should’ve said on top of his-hats & vibraphones while “Boomer Rang” featuring K.A.A.N., Stevie Stone & Ubiquitous formerly of the CES Cru atmospherically warns that they don’t fuck around.

After the “L.9.V.E. 4EVA” skit, “I Know the Real” featuring C-Mob somberly disses those who ain’t walkin’ it like they talkin’ it out here while “Sniper’s Remorse” featuring King Iso & Trae tha Truth has a heartbreaking tone aesthetically talking about not being unable to fight anymore & being caught up the guilt of a sniper. “Underdog” featuring Head da Don & X-Raided nears the conclusion of the first Collabos offering in 7 years with a trap metal cut tackling the theme of being misunderstood & “Ain’t Gon’ Be Another” featuring Jehry Robinson ends on an acoustic trap note discussing uniqueness.

Wasn’t sure if Tech was ever gonna give us another Collabos album again considering the gap between this & Strange Reign, I have to admit that I found myself enjoying C.o.S.M. (Class of Strange Music) more than the last couple albums of his own Asin9ne & Bliss. This new one has much more consistent production than the other 2 & as a Strange Music fan since my adolescence, it’s amazing that he got a bunch of artists from the label’s history past & present alongside some notable artists outside of Strangeland.

Score: 3.5/5

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Eminem – “THE DƎATH OF SLIM SHADY (COUP DE GRÂCE)” review

This is the 13th full-length LP from Detroit emcee, songwriter, producer, record executive, actor, Shady Records founder, the white guy from D12 also known as Slim Shady or mostly Eminem. What can be said now about him at this point in his career that hasn’t been said already? His debut Infinite produced by his now hype man mR. pOrTeR & backed by Web Entertainment showed his potential with a heavy AZ influence & The Slim Shady EP resulted in a deal with Aftermath Entertainment & Interscope Records. His first 3 major label albums The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP & The Eminem Show are considered by many to be the holy trinity in his discography, but I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with ƎNCORE since it had great production except you can tell he was heavy on the drugs. RELAPSƎ came to grow on me from 2018 onward because you have to get past the accents to enjoy the production & really the last we’ve heard the Slim Shady persona until now. I have a love/hate relationship with RECOVƎRY to for the opposite reasons as ƎNCORE & after the decent The Marshall Mathers LP 2, things have been quite rough for Em in the last 7 years. RƎVIVAL was unquestionably one of the worst albums of the 2010s, which he would vent his frustration with on his last 2 full-lengths KAMIKAZƎ & MUSIC TO BE MURDERƎD BY. 3 & a half years after MUSIC TO BE MURDERƎD BY 2: SIDE B however, Slim’s returning after 15 years to meet his ultimate demise 2 & a half years after the Super Bowl LVI halftime show.

“Renaissance” produced with Luis Resto starts Em’s first offering in 4 years apocalyptically explaining how his music has changed since his sophomore effort albeit commercial debut 25 years ago already in addition to criticizing everyone who was hating on Kendrick Lamar’s final TDE/Aftermath album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers for not having any bangers when it certainly did whereas “Habits” works in some kicks & snares prior to a switch up throwing it back to like mid-2000s era. “Trouble” ruggedly tries to get himself cancelled thanks to Aftermath in-house producers Dem Jointz & Fredwreck just before “Brand New Dance” feels like a successor to “Same Song & Dance”.

Don Cannon & Cubeatz give “Evil” a boom bap flare centered around his Bad Meets Ǝvil persona & after the “All You Got” skit, “Lucifer” reunites with Dr. Dre behind the boards hypnotically talking about TikTok & Twitter trying to get him kicked off. “Antichrist” featuring Bizarre likens themselves to the sons of Satan wishing they’d go off the deep end like Ye formerly known as Kanye West over vibraphones asking if you really want to dance with the devil until a dusty beat switch from Foul Mouth, but then the mR. pOrTeR-laced “Fuel” featuring the future of Dreamville Records himself J.I.D with both Grip & Westside Boogie on the remix goes head-on trap saying all their homies gonna ride with it asking what’ll happen when their fuel runs out & Em dissing Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy or Diddy. “Road Rage” returns to the boom bap discussing coddled groups in society until a Dirty South switch-up at the end trying to get even & referencing the [adult swim] block of the Discovery Global-owned Cartoon Network while the lead single “Houdini” serves as a fun sequel to “Without Me” sampling “Abracadabra” by Steve Miller.

After the “Breaking News” skit, we get a devilish rap rock boom bap sequel to “Guilty Conscience” except that Dre isn’t on the mic this time around welcoming himself to his last hoorah bidding goodbye attempting murder suicide while “Head Honcho” featuring Shady/Aftermath’s newest artist Ez Mil ruggedly talks about money coming from their flows getting it on the pronto over some boom bap shit. “Temporary” featuring Skylar Grey serves as a tearjerking pop rap open letter to his daughter Hailie Jade Mathers who just got married to Evan McClintock a couple months ago for her to hear when he’s gone while “Bad One” takes a Middle Eastern trap approach trying to not sound arrogant in any way shape or form brushing off corny white rapper culture vultures like Tom MacDonald.

“Tobey” featuring Babytron of the ShittyBoyz & Big Sean with co-production from Lyrical Lemonade founder Cole Bennett was an experimental hardcore trap fusion talking about being bitten by goats rather than Tobey McGuire getting bit a spider & after the “Guess Who’s Back?” skit resurrecting Ken Kaniff, the final song “Somebody Save Me” featuring Jelly Roll bids farewell to the Slim Shady character once & for all asking to be saved from oneself over a flip of “Save Me” off the 2nd & final It Goes Up Entertainment/Strange Music album in Jelly Roll’s discography Self Medicated that benny blanco & Emile both cooked up apologizing to his daughters & being proud of the way they turned out. After a Steve Berman skit, “Kyrie & Luka” featuring 2 Chainz starts the bonus track run letting DJ Premier sample “Move the Crowd” by Eric B. & Rakim comparing themselves to Kyrie Irving & Luka Dončić additionally referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, 4-time WWE United States Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion & 8-time WCW World Tag Team Champion Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat while the other “Like My Shit” ends the deluxe calling out those biting his style over a trap instrumental d.a. got that dope supplied him.

Say what y’all want about the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, but I grew up on his first 3 major label albums & both D12 albums. They made me who I am today: And if you including myself whose first concert was Eminem on The Monster Tour thought that RELAPSƎ would be the last time we’d ever hear from Slim Shady, we were wrong because he traced the character’s life story & eventual downfall to the point where I can say what I’ve listened to is a genuine top 5 album in his discography. He discusses where he came from & where he is as we stand today with an interesting musical hodgepodge of ideas & influences. Rest in peace, Shady! Thanks for everything.

Score: 4/5

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Action Bronson – “Johan Sebastian Bachlava the Doctor” review

New York City emcee, songwriter, chef, wrestler & television host Action Bronson enlisting Daringer & The Alchemist to produce his 8th full-length studio LP. Blowing up with release of his debut album Dr. Lecter in 2011, he then landed a joint venture with VICE Music & Atlantic Records while following up his debut with a couple EPs & mixtapes. The most notable being the Blue Chips duology, Saab Stories & my personal favorite: Rare Chandeliers. He then put out his major label debut Mr. Wonderful in 2015 & it has some of his best songs on there, but the end result would be a more glitzy mixed bag. He fulfilled his contracts by dropping Blue Chips 7000 & celebrated his freedom the next year in the form of White Bronco which were both solid, but didn’t reach the caliber of Lamb Over Rice the Thanksgiving after. Only for Dolphins though was pretty mid given that some of the production choices were questionable & Cocodrillo Turbo was a bounce back. As for Johan Sebastian Bachlava the Doctor, I went into it hoping it would be Bronson’s best album yet.

“Splash (Provocativ)” is this relaxing, jazzy opener showcasing a new fragrance from Bachlava when it’s all said & done whereas “SEGA” works in some haunting organ melodies from Uncle Al referring to himself as that muthafucka you don’t wanna rump with since he’ll moonsault off the top of a boat like WWE Hall of Famer, 6-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, WWE Hardcore Champion, IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, the inaugural 6-time TNA World Champion, TNA X Division Champion & 2-time TNA World Tag Team Champion Kurt Angle. “Nourish a Thug” hooks up pianos as well as kicks & snares from Daringer talking about taking temperatures the old fashioned way just before “Hideo Nomo” strips the drums explaining that his horoscope told him to get more cake out here.

Meanwhile on “Salvaje”, we have Bronson over more laidback production looking to smash guitars over heads like the 2nd longest reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion & WWE Hall of Famer The Honky Tonk Man did to current AEW manager, WWE Hall of Famer & former SMW Heavyweight Champion Jake “The Snake” Roberts on top of comparing a battle to one between the late WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper who had his last match in Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) leading into Meyhem Lauren joining him for the rock-influenced “Hogan” humorously talking about bitches who look like the inaugural IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, former 12-time WWE world champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time WWE Hall of Famer & Real American Beer founder Hulk Hogan.

“Citrus Wahoo” featuring Meyhem once again lecturing you for what you did wrong only to get stomped out with Bronson comparing himself to WWE Hall of Famer as well as their current Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative & NXT Head of Creative Shawn Michaels, but then “Kompressor” featuring Larry June charmingly talks about always coming through.

“NBA Leather on NBC” featuring The Alchemist himself jumps over keys & a harmonica pairing up the New York Knicks & the Chicago Bulls while the song “Shadow Realm” pours his heart off talks about trying to take off for so long in the midst of everyone hanging from land again. “Doctor” ends the LP drumlessly comparing his life to a scene from the 1979 masterpiece Apocalypse Now.

I’m really proud to see where Action Bronson has come in over a decade from his initial rise to the top over a decade ago to Fuck, That’s Delicious’ increasing popularity & even his brief AEW appearances in at All Out IV & Grand Slam II. Now over 13 years since his debut tape, he celebrates his mom’s born day by releasing my new favorite full-length of his. For only a half hour, we get a heart-to-heart dedication to all the Day 1s & even the newest members in Bachlava’s coalition.

Score: 4.5/5

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Tony Shhnow – “#NoOneElse” review

Atlanta, Georgia plugg pioneer Tony Shhnow following up his 7th album Out the Woods with his self-produced 14th EP. Being introduced to his music after my younger brother J$zpiech showed me his 4th mixtape Black Billionaires Club & the song “Vet” off the full-length debut Da World’s Ours 3, he then continued to turn heads with his 8th mixtape Reflexions to critical acclaim last summer & I honestly wish I covered it considering that some of his best songs are on there like “Finessin’” or “Forgive Don’t Forget”. He then returned to his plugg roots on the BeatPluggz produced Plug Motivation, Love Streak showed a more sensual side to him, Shadowbanned 2 dabbled with new sounds & is starting the 2nd half of 2024 explaining there’s #NoOneElse like him 4 months after coming Out the Woods.

“Fort Myers to Atlanta” featuring SB Nunkk starts off with synths & hi-hats talking about catching them in both titular areas of Florida & Georgia that they represent whereas “Everything Match” kinda has a pluggier tone to the instrumental to flex that his whole outfit matches entirely. “Yale” talks about how good the brain is over a rubbery trap beat with some bells just before the grittier “1 of Dem 1’s” explains the fact that the Shnnowman built different, which is facts.

After the “Rap” skit, “Fall Down” nears the conclusion of the EP working in more synthesizers & hi-hats talking about being around once everything collapses in the end while “Check” moves on from there with a peppy ballad dedicate to those who be fresh to death out here. “Yeen Got Deez” featuring 10 Dunkin ends #NoOneElse pointing out that ain’t nobody else got it the way both of them do.

Out the Woods was a solid album of it’s own, but I have to admit here that I’m leaning more towards this new EP here in terms of quality. Best project of the 2 he’s given us in 2024 & will go down as one of the strongest EPs of his entire career. He really flourishes behind the boards cooking up production better than the last LP all by himself & validating that he’s genuinely 1 of a kind veteran in the underground scene.

Score: 4/5

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Babytron & Certified Trapper – “Mario & Luigi” review

This is a brand new collaborative mixtape from Detroit, Michigan trap sensation Babytron as well as Milwaukee, Wisconsin lowend rapper/producer Certified Trapper. One of whom rose to stardom in the late 2010s as a member of the ShittyBoyz & the other has been gaining popularity of his own landing a major label deal with Columbia Records. Both are managed by The Hip Hop Lab Records founder Lando Bando, so in that sense I can see why he brought them together for Mario & Luigi.

“iGlocks” starts with both of them over a Detroit trap instrumental telling you that shit’s bout to get intense when it’s really anything but referencing NXT commentator, 2-time WWE Hall of Famer, 6-time WWE world champion, 4-time WWE United States Champion, 14-time WWE tag team champion, 2-time WWE Hardcore Champion, RoW Tag Team Champion & TNA World Tag Team Champion Booker T whereas “Saucony” works in some interesting synth melodies with hi-hats further displaying a back-&-forth chemistry further revealing Tron to be the most interesting of the 2. “Rulebreakers” produced by Certified Trapper himself takes the lowend route so they can boast their mob ties leading into the murderous Detroit trap joint “Psychopaths” showing their psychotic tendencies.

Moving on from there, “Young Fly Muthafuckas” further emphasizes an eerier atmosphere to the beat flexing how young & fly they both are just before “Woulda Coulda Shoulda” jumps over ominous chords so they can portray the gangsta lifestyles. “So the Fuck What?” specializing in talking shit to the point where they need Mentos remaining in the Detroit trap realm, but then “Rescue Mission” returns to the lowend vibes warning to watch your mouth since they pop bitches.

“Blue $trip Bandits” brings a quirkier flare instrumentally thanks to Danny G calling themselves outlaws for the Ben Franks while “Bling Bling” once again goes lowend to be pickin’ plays up. The song “Day w/ TSF” featuring Peso Peso & Sauce Walka menacingly shows off their real g statuses with Tron & Sauce shining the most while “No Cameraman Around” talks about having $100K on them each. “Boogey Woogey Night” ends the tape with the best lowend track & maybe my favorite here.

I’ve given Tron his praise for already being one of the best from Detroit in recent memory, yet I could never get into Certified Trapper since I’ve heard the lowend style done better. Case in point: Polo Perks, AyooLii & Feardonian’s collab album A Dog’s Chance from a few weeks ago. Mario & Luigi on the contrary has some highlights of it’s own except it’s one of the weaker entries in Babytron’s discography. Their sounds mix well, except Certified Trapper himself on the mic feels as if he’s a Great Value version of his contemporary down to the flow.

Score: 1.5/5

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Akhlys – “House of the Black Geminus” review

Akhlys is a Colorado black metal duo consisting of frontman, guitarist, bassist & keyboardist Naas Alcameth alongside drummer/percussionist Eoghan. Emerging together 15 years ago off their 38 minute single track debut Supplication, I personally wouldn’t be introduced to their music until their 2015 sophomore effort The Dreaming Ia month before I graduated high school. Their take on atmospheric, dissonant black metal & dark ambient throughout was so excellently crafted to the point where it quickly became amongst the best albums in that style of extreme metal of the previous decade & Melinoë at the end of 2020 continuing to build upon the sounds of it’s predecessor conceptually revolving around nightmares. 3 & a half years later, Naas & Eoghan are back again for their 4th LP.

“The Mask of Night-Speaking” starts with an infernal 12 minute atmospheric black metal opener standing now before a great barren hearth whereas the 2nd & final single “Maze of Phobetor” screams about being the wayfarer continuing the atmo-black vibes. “Through the Abyssal Door” concludes the first half of the album by fusing dark ambient & black metal together wanting to feel the Asterion’s gaze, but then the instrumental cut “Black Geminus” puts a bigger emphasis on ambient industrial. “Sister Silence, Brother Sleep” gets back on the atmospheric black metal talking about being at 1 within the House of Dreaming behind 1,000 masks revealed & “Eye of the Daemon” concludes House of the Black Geminus inhabiting every waking shadow.

Almost a decade after their breakthrough, Akhlys displays their frightening dominance on House of the Geminus drawing from esoteric & mythical traditions where the land of dreams is placed within the darkness of the underworld through labyrinthine halls, shadowed corridors, cellars of dread & attics of epiphany as ordeal & ecstasy meet at the vertices where each beholds his own daemon. Combining intense black metal with elements of dark ambient & death industrial, Naas & Eoghan unite psychological horror, orchestrated bludgeon & eerie foreboding on a harrowing journey into pandemonic majesty resulting in their most all encompassing, destructive & diabolically grand-sounding offering of the 4 in their discography.

Score: 4.5/5

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Mr. Key – “Kez” review

London, England, United Kingdom emcee Mr. Key enlisting local producer Illinformed to handle the beats all over the latter’s sophomore effort. A member of Contact Play, he would eventually sign to High Focus Records as a solo act & drop his solo debut Yesterday’s Futures in the summer of 2015 using the sounds of wonky & glitch hop with the help of Greenwood Sharps to back his abstract pen. Both of them reunited near the end of 2019 for an EP called Green & Gold, returning after nearly 5 whole years for the more conceptual Kez.

“Escape from Bene” sets the tone with a piano-driven boom bap instrumental advising to trust them since there’s more to discover going forward whereas “Wakey Wakey” featuring Smellington Piff finds the 2 over a funkier beat talking about them both being on a high platter killing swarm. “All Right Ok” takes a mellower yet dusty approach to the beat talking about him doing well since Green & Gold leading into “He Say She Say” featuring Dirty Dike after the “What’s this Place?” skit addressing detractors.

As for “John Connor High Lyf”, we have Mr. Key over this jazzy boom bap beat talking about his life not always being the best & him not having it any other way just before “Bury Me in Bene” featuring Leaf Dog carries over the same vibes of the previous cut asking for their wishes to be buried when the time of demise comes. “Why is It?” featuring BVA comes together to ask for the reason there cornballs haven’t done a charitable act while the piano-driven “I Dunno” uses it’s title to answer various questions for 5 minutes.

“No Time” starts Kez’s final moments blending a jazzy woodwind with some kicks & snares talking about himself for 2 & a half minutes living more pleasantly than he was in his previous situation but once “Yellow Tops” hooks up a prominent vibraphone to assure fans it isn’t their fault that he can be a bit of a dickhead, the outro “Isabell Allende” featuring Jam Baxter & Ronnie Bosh wraps things up with the Contact Play brethren soulfully repping their squads.

As much as I’ve enjoyed Greenwood Sharps’ contributions to Yesterday’s Futures and Green & Gold, hearing that Illinformed was handling all of Kez’s production gave me the impression it would surpass both of it’s predecessors. Lo & behold, Mr. Key has done it. He kaleidoscopically describes the rise of a plucky kestrel through an off-grid anarchist commune called Bene comprised of misfits, lost souls, drug dealers, new age healers & would be cult leaders after spending 5 years in Spain.

Score: 4/5

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42 Dugg – “4eva Us Neva Them” review

Here we have the 4th mixtape from Detroit rapper & singer/songwriter 42 Dugg. His breakout debut EP 11241 Wayburn in 2018 would catch the attention of both Yo Gotti & Lil Baby, who jointly signed him to their respective labels Collective Music Group & CBFW Records shortly after. Dugg’s profile continued to grow in 2019 when he dropped his debut mixtape Young & Turnt, which was followed up last year by the sequel Young & Turnt 2 & the mature Free Dem Boyz. Now that he’s home from a prison stint, Dugg is making it clear on the 4th of July that it’s 4eva Us Never Them.

The intro is a soulful Detroit trap opener to the tape hanging with the killas whereas “Win wit Us” talks about everyone wanting to catch Ws by his side all of the sudden over a grisly trap beat. “4×4” featuring Meek Mill works in an apocalyptic sample & hi-hats ridin’ whips with engines that supply power to all 4 wheels instead of the usual 2, but then “Fresh From the Feds” takes the atmospheric trap route instrumentally to talk about needing a miracle & being down bad when he was incarcerated.

Rylo Rodriguez joins Dugg for the bell-infused “Case Closed” advising that a killa in their feelings is the summarization of a Drake song just before “Wrong Right” somberly talks about wanting everyone in his squad to live long lives. “N.P.O. (No Panties On)”featuring Sexyy Red brings the 2 together for an energetic sex anthem leading into “If I Can’t” bringing the Detroit trap vibes back into the fold talking about having everything & being gone.

“Megan” featuring Blac Youngsta menacingly boasting the lifestyles that they live while “Org” hooks up some horns & hi-hats to assure that he & his crew are still undefeated. “Catch 1” kinda has this orchestral trap flare to the beat talking about still being bad while the introspective “My Mama” starts the 2nd half of the tape by giving the audience game by telling them what she told & showed him in regards of having only himself & no friends.

EST. G joins Dugg for “Since When” to display a back-&-forth chemistry recapturing the essence of their collab mixtape Last Ones Left from a couple years ago while the menacing Detroit trap cut “Get in Your Bag” tells everybody out there to become 1 with whatever task you are trying to achieve. “BMF” featuring Jeezy is an excellent tribute to the Black Mafia Family especially since the Snowman knows Big Meech himself & the extended version of “Go Again” happens to be better than the original.

“No Love” featuring Lil Baby reunites the pair over a bell-woven trap beat from TM88 calling themselves the mob while “4eva Us” produced by Helluva aggressively details his street mentality. The song “Need You” provides a dejecting tone explaining shit ain’t been the same talks while the penultimate track “Still ‘Bout You” smoothly addressing a woman he cares for. Last but not least, the closer “Real Ones” fittingly ends by promising he ain’t ever going back to prison again.

Dugg has always been one of my top 3 favorite CMG signings alongside Mozzy & Glorilla but when it comes to the CBFW roster, not that many of Baby’s artists stood out besides Dugg other than maybe Rylo’s freestyle of the Wale/Bryson Tiller single “Love…(Her Fault)”. 4eva Us Neva Them reinforces all of it from the elevating production to the tight guest-list & Dugg reassuring his status a standout in the Detroit trap scene.

Score: 3.5/5

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Bizarre – “He Got a Gun 3: Art Peace” review

This is the 7th full-length solo LP from Detroit emcee Bizarre. Emerging as an original member of the now defunct D12 led by the late Proof, he was also among the first in the crew to put out solo efforts with his 1998 debut EP Attack of the Weirdos being a hometown classic in my eyes. Fast forward 7 years later, Biz followed it up with a worthy full-length debut Hannicap Circus & has continued to put out music on his own since, with the last time we heard him being his 11th mixtape 18159 Stout during the first quarter or the year. The Foul Mouth-produced He Got a Gun & its sequel revitalized himself for all the doubters, so the 3rd & final installment had me anticipating it as much.

The intro featuring Max Hilli starts the trilogy chapter of the series that the idiotic kid found his passion again by coming live from the Motor City over a grimy boom bap instrumental whereas “aRT pEACE” goes drumless to get on his grown man shit for 4 minutes. “Insane Asylum” works the kicks & snares back in hitting 3 shots with 3 glocks all for G-Unit Reeboks & “Run, Duck” featuring Lokye after the “Gas Station” interlude aggressively gets in their hardcore bag lyrically.

“Ford Plant” featuring La the Darkman eerily breaks down the exact spot where you’ll catch both of them slangin’ prior to “Party in Detroit” vibrantly talks about the hoes being outside, the players playin’ & the hustlers hustlin’ at the function. “Sexyy Red” hooks up a vocal sample with more kicks & snares wanting his bitch as nasty as the titular St. Louis star just before “Who Gotta” angrily asks if anyone out there got a problem with him.

We get some atmospheric vibes throughout “Bizarre Buds” that suit the track well since he’s conceptually providing listeners with an anthem dedicated to those who like smokin’ good weed leading into the uncanny “Sheefy Mcfly” featuring Dango Forlaine bringing the pair together talking about doing whatever the fuck they want. “Dressing Room” ruggedly flexes he appeared on No Jumper to plug Lena while “Rainy Dayz” featuring J-Classic & Keen Streetz puts the hard times behind them.

“Pack the Roach” feat. Isaac Castor, Jalen Frazier & Max Hilli finds the quartet over more boom bap production nearing the conclusion of He Got a Gun 3: Art Peace to discuss being the killers that they are & “Summertime” featuring Kain Cole concludes the LP by hooking up somewhat of a psychedelic beat to ring in the summer since the 2nd half of 2024 already began earlier on in the week.

Peter S. already started off the year well by preluding this album with the Ratt Poison EP & the latest entry of the He Got a Gun trilogy reinforces everything that made both installments the best material of his career on top of further proving that Foul Mouth is a great match for him. The latter’s production incorporates elements of boom bap, drumless, jazz rap & psychedelia allowing Bizarre to passionately destroy his competition.

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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