Shah Leezy is an MC from Staten Island, New York who’s been floating around for a couple of years now. So far he has a few EPs under his belt up to this point but last month, he released his 6th EP paying tribute to WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE Champion & WWE Tag Team Champion The Iron Sheik.
The opener “Theme Music” gets on the competitive side of things lyrically over a string loop whereas the next track “Who the Fuck is Shah Leezy?” is a proper introduction to the man himself with a churchy-beat. The song “Sheik’s Shadow” talks about betrayal over some snares & an orchestral sample while the penultimate track “World Stage” advises the listener to keep dreaming over a soulful beat. The EP then finishes with “The Main Event”, where Shah speaks on being the King of the Middle East over a luxurious instrumental.
I think this is Shah’s best work to date & I can only see him going up from here. He sounds hungrier than ever lyrically & I’m not sure who did the production, but the soundscapes they bring to the table all suit him pretty well.
This is the 6th full-length album from Covington, Georgia’s very own Boondox. Coming onto the scene in the Early 2000s under the moniker Turncoat Dirty, it wouldn’t be until 2005 where the Insane Clown Posse signed him to Psychopathic Records & was reinvented into the killer scarecrow he is today. He would leave the label a decade later to form his own imprint Crimson Krow Entertainment after a decade, then reunited with Twiztid & signed to Majik Ninja Entertainment the following year. Last we heard from Boondox in a full-length capacity was in spring 2017 when he dropped The Murder but after being led up by a couple of EPs, we’re finally being treated to Krimson Crow.
The album kicks off with “Red Clay Crazy”, where Boondox teams up with Rittz to talk about having no mercy over a cacophonous beat from MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7. The next song “Forgiven” ponders how shit got out of hand over a twangy instrumental whereas the track while the track “Get It In” gets murderous over a heavy trap beat from Nobe. The song “Reimagine” talks about wanting a better life over a guitar & some piano chords while “The Devil’s Strings” talks about saying a prayer for misery over a blobby beat.
The song “Born to Lose” lyrically needs no further explanation as Boondox & Blaze Ya Dead Homie rip it over a rap rock instrumental from Stir Crazy while the track “Talk to Spirits” talks about drinking over a country rap beat. The song “Red October” with Bukshot finds the duo on the horrorcore tip over a ghostly trap instrumental while the track “Wild Horses” talks about letting go his piece of mind over another country beat from Fritz the Cat. The song “Soul to Take” talks about feeling like he lost his way over a desolate piano instrumental while the track “K7-Lethal” talks about being the devil over an apocalyptic beat from C-Lance.
The song “Broken, Never Shattered” with Redd sees the 2 talking about how none of this is a mystery to them over a melancholic instrumental while the track “Over Thinking” talks about paranoia over a spooky trap beat. The song “Demons at My Door” talks about how he can’t hide from the person he’s become over a dark trap instrumental & then the album ends with “Self Destruction”, where Boondox & Jamie Madrox talk about being their own worst enemies over a bleak beat.
Boondox really outdid himself on here as much of a great MNE debut that The Murder was & now Krimson Crow has quickly surpassed he predecessor as the best full-length LP that he’s put out since departing Psychopathic. The lyrics are at it’s darkest, the production hones it all in together & the features compliment the feeling of each song well.
Eminem. Slim Shady. Marshall Mathers. B-Rabbit. The white guy from D12. What can be said now about the Detroit icon that hasn’t been said already? Especially since 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. However, things have been quite rough for Em in the last 3-4 years. Revival was unquestionably one of the worst albums of the 2010s, which he would vent his frustration with on his last 2 full-lengths Kamikaze & Music to Be Murdered By. But after many rumors, we’re being treated to a sequel to his previous album.
After the “Alfred” intro, the first song “Black Magic” is a questionable opener about this woman having his heart in chains over a glossy beat whereas the next track “Alfred’s Theme” picks things up as Eminem reaffirms his technicality over a zany, cartoonish instrumental. My favorite line was when he said “I won’t buy a designer ’cause I don’t pander”. The song “Tone Deaf” talks about those who try to cancel him along with an awkward line about “playing Fortnite with your grandma” & a dope tribute to King Von over a funky ass beat with co-production from Luis Resto while the track “Book of Rhymes” lets loose every thought he had wrestling an iPad tablet computer developed by Apple Inc. over a generic trap instrumental with co-production from Illa da Producer & a mediocre switch-up. Also of all joints, why have DJ Premier do scratching for this?
The song “Favorite Bitch” looks back on the days when he was young & hungry over an wavy beat while the track “Guns Blazing” with Dr. Dre finds the 2 talking about being back on their bullshit just like the old days over a grand, bassy instrumental. The song “Gnat” compares his lyrics to COVID & throws a redundant MGK jab over a mellow d.a. got that dope beat while the track “Higher” compellingly talks about not knowing where to go from here over a buzzing instrumental. I liked it when Em said “Reminds me of how an overcrowded hospital waitin’ room’ll get, what I mean it’s maybe I have more patience than I’m able to admit“. The song “These Demons” talks about how funny haters are along with a clever Insane Clown Posse reference over a quasi-tropical beat & after the “Key” skit, the track “She Loves Me” talks about this women being “Carmen Electrocute” over a triumphant instrumental from Dre.
The song “Killer” talks about money over a rubbery beat while the track “Zeus” is a “Rap God” sequel backed with a depressive instrumental from T-Minus & I don’t think he’s dissing WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg like a lot of people are saying because Uncle Snoop has always had nothing but love for Em. Also the Rihanna line was dope & the opening line “She says I’m trash, but listens to Tekashi” made me cringe because let’s be real: NOBODY listens to that clown in 2020. And this is coming from someone who’s never even listened to TattleTales. After the “Thus Far” interlude, the closer “Discombobulated” takes it back to the Relapse days as Eminem is rapping in accents about being just that over over a Dr. Dre beat reminiscent to the early 2000s co-produced by BlackBethoven & S1.
We all saw this coming (especially since Aftermath Entertainment’s in-house producer Dem Jointz posted the artwork on Instagram just 2-3 days before) & to be honest, I have to put it right behind it’s predecessor that came out right at the beginning of 2020 couple months before it all went to shit. Nothing that’s gonna change my year-end lists but the production has improved whereas lyrically, Eminem is focusing less on the backlash Revival justifiably received & it also fits the whole Hitchcock theme as much as previously.
Kilburn, North West London, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Micall Parknsun returning for his 2nd extended play. Making his debut under Low Life Records in 2005 describing life as The Working Class Dad, his debut mixtape The Interview would be his last offering for the label & signed to YNR Productions to release the sophomore effort 1st 2nd Time Around as well as Me, Myself & Akai. I Should’ve Done This Time Ago was ok, but his Boot Records debut Practicing Tag Team Moves at the beginning of 2017 was better & he’s looking to outdo himself now that he’s Back in Business.
The self-produced title track begins with some eerie organs melodies making it his mission to have everyone listening to him whereas “Reality” produced by DJ Jazz T & Dr. Zygote takes a grittier boom bap/rap rock route talking about being too inconsiderate. “Still Living Black” featuring Napoleon da Legend hooks up a prominent flute providing conscious lyricism regarding the system & once “Message in the Music” refuses to stomach fabricated bullshit over another woodwind instrumental, “Go Get It” ends the EP talking about getting yours over a vibraphone-inflicted beat.
Practicing Tag Team Moves was a solid introduction of what could happen for Micall Parknsun after signing to Boot Records, but Back in Business ends what’s been a tumultuous year for the entire world as a whole whopping up my favorite EP of the 2 he’s given us thus far 9 months since the COVID-19 pandemic began. He produces a good 60% of it by himself & has some of the UK hip hop scene’s most notable names to do the rest, bringing only 1 guest on board as opposed to a couple & making it count so he could handle the rest of the rhymes to himself.
Heem is a 27 year old MC from Buffalo, New York who caught my attention earlier this year after becoming of a protege of Benny the Butcher & signing to his E1 Music imprint Black Soprano Family Records. He also made a few appearances on the label’s showcase EP that dropped over the summer but just a few more weeks until 2021, here we are with his debut mixtape.
The intro talks about how no one living like him over a dreary instrumental from Ice Rocks whereas the next song “All Eyes on Me” talks about wanting his roses before he’s gone over a symphonic boom bap beat from the late DJ Shay. “The Realest” with Benny sees the 2 talking about keeping it 100 over a hypnotic vocal sample while the track “Mayhem” with Boldy James finds the 2 talking about how they don’t play over a lush beat.
The song “More Money More Problems” talks about risking his life for this over a comatose instrumental while the track “Menace to Society” talks about going through Hell & back over a grimy beat from TrickyTrippz. The song “Sacred Nights” gets murderous over a cinematic instrumental while the track “It Could Happen” with Benny & Rick Hyde sees the trio pondering a number of things over a boom bap beat with a piano loop.
The song “My Diary” gives the listeners a piece of him over a exuberant instrumental from DJ Green Lantern while the penultimate track “Warring Ave” talks about what it was like on his street over a deranged beat. The tape ends with “Letter to Shay”, where Heem pays tribute to DJ Shay over a churchy boom bap instrumental.
Coming away from this tape, I’m pretty impressed with it. The production leans towards that signature Griselda sound, but you get a good look at who Heem is & where he’s at now. This is only the beginning for him if you ask me.
KiD CuDi is a 36 year old rapper, singer/songwriter, producer & actor from Cleveland, Ohio who blew up in 2008 off his debut mixtape A KiD Named CuDi as well as his songwriting credits on his mentor Kanye West’s 4th album 808s & Heartbreak. This was followed up with his groundbreaking debut & sophomore albums Man on the Moon: The End of the Day & Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager the next year & the year after that respectively but then 3 years later, CuDi would leave G.O.O.D. Music amicably to form his own Republic Records imprint Wicked Awesome Records after releasing the self-produced & overlooked Indicud. However, I found Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon to be mediocre at best & who could forget when CuDi attempted to go alt-rock on the critically panned Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven? Luckily he would redeem himself on his previous effort Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’ in 2016 along with the eponymous debut album from him & Kanye as the duo Kids See Ghosts a couple summers back. But after a couple of loose singles throughout this year, KiD CuDi is ready to finally close out the Man on the Moon trilogy on his 7th full-length album.
After the “Beautiful Trip” intro, the first song “Tequila Shots” talks about internal conflict over a psychedelic trap instrumental from Dot da Genius & Take a Daytrip whereas the following track “Another Day” talks about how ain’t much changed in him over a spacious beat. The song “She Knows This” gets sexual over a voluptuous FNZ instrumental while the track “Dive” talks about a sadness in him over a cavernous beat from none other than Kevin Parker.
The song “Damaged” talks about being a broken man over a befuddled instrumental while the track “Heaven on Earth” talks about living alright over a nocturnal, bass-heavy beat. The song “Show Out” with Skepta sees the 2 flexin’ over a rubbery instrumental while the track “Mr. Solo Dolo, Pt. III” talks about somethin’ twisting him over a cloudy beat from Plain Pat & WZRD.
The song “Sad People” pays tribute to everyone out there who’s depressed over a glitzy instrumental while the track “Elsie’s Baby Boy (Flashback)” looks back on his childhood over a rock-flavored beat. The song “Sept. 16th” talks about searching for love over an instrumental with some wavy synths while “The Void” talks about falling in an abyss over a downcast beat from Mike Dean & WZRD.
The track “Lovin’ Me” is a gorgeous duet with Phoebe Bridgers about self love down the euphoric instrumental while “The Pale Moonlight” talks about people who think they know him over a vibrant beat. The song “Rockstar Knights” with Trippie Redd finds the 2 talking about the luxurious lifestyles they live over a ghostly trap instrumental while the penultimate track “4 da Kidz” is a dedication to the chosen few over a fiery beat. The album ends with “Lord I Know”, where CuDi talks about being a warrior over an atmospheric instrumental.
I didn’t think this day would actually come, but I’m sure as Hell glad that it did because it’s a great finisher to the trilogy that got KiD CuDi where he is currently. You can definitely hear the Travis Scott influence but simultaneously, he does a phenomenal job at recapturing the vibes of his first 2 albums from the sounds provided by the original producers of those records to the concepts throughout.
Rigz is a 30 year old MC from Rochester, New York who came up as a member of Da Cloth. He’s put out a few EPs & mixtapes throughout the last 3 years (with the most notable being Roach Gutta Slums) but just a week after Mooch dropped his new album Da 5th Power, Rigz is enlisting Futurewave of Brown Bag Money for his full-length debut.
After the spoken word intro “Basura”, the first song “Sheridan Grapes” talks about those who’re scared of him over a demented instrumental while the track “Halfway Into da Future” with Asun Eastwood sees the 2 giving insight to loose-lipped talkers over a grim boom bap beat. The song “Dream” with Mooch finds the 2 talking about getting out of the ghetto over an instrumental that I can picture hearing in a mobster movie or something while the track “Bodies Behind Mojoes” talks about hustling over a nightly beat.
The song “Study da Champ” with Daniel Son, Mooch & Vinnie Paz is a complete barfest backed by over an eerie boom bap instrumental while the track “Balance It” trusting half of what you see & less of what you hear over a lavish beat. The song “Buckshot BB” with Rob Gates sees the 2 trading back & forth with each other over while the track “Melting Pot” talks about fucked up shit going on in the hood over forlorn boom bap beat.
The song “Picture Yourself” ponders how the listeners imagines oneself over a symphonic instrumental while the track “Top Student” with Times Change finds the 2 making a number of education references over a paranormal beat. The song “Brake Lights” talks about how that’s the last thing you gon’ see over a mournful instrumental & then the closer “Embers” gets introspective over a jazzy beat.
Rigz really outdid himself on this one & I’ll even say it’s one of the best albums that I’ve heard all year. Some of his most well-written bars ever pop up on here & Futurewave’s sound compliments him damn near perfectly.
Madchild is a 45 year old MC from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada most notable for being a part of the well regarded trio Swollen Members. He also has 5 solo albums, with the previous one being the Suburban Noize-backed Demons. However just a year & a half later, Madchild is back with his 6th full-length effort.
The album kicks off with “Narcos”, where Madchild talks about studio gangsters over a rubbery trap beat. The next song “I Was on Drugs” talks about his addiction over an instrumental with some plinky keys while the track “Silver Surfer” talks about being explosive over a grimy boom bap beat from C-Lance. The song “Pallbearer” gets on the battle bar tip over a chaotic instrumental while the track “Structural Damage” talks about having mob ties over a quirky trap beat.
The song “Demons in Human Form” talks about cops over murky instrumental while the track “Hard Headed” talks about how violent-minded he is over a gloomy beat. The song “G.F.Y. (Go Fuck Yourself)” is a middle finger anthem backed by an evil instrumental while the track “Run It Up” talks about remembering his enemies over an abrasively dark trap beat.
The song “Fucdat” talks about never folding up over a Middle Eastern-inflicted trap instrumental while the track “Pale Horse” talks about time no longer being on his side. The song “Curb Stomper” with Jimmy Donn sees the 2 talking about being out of their minds over a funereal instrumental & then the closer “Sleeping Bear” is Madchild comparing himself to such over an old school beat.
Even though dude is a veteran in the underground, this album is just average to me. Madchild is definitely spitting harder than ever before, but most of these joints are really short running at 2 minutes & the production is hit or miss. Still very much looking forward to his upcoming collab album with Obnoxious set to drop next year though.
This is the long awaited full-length debut album from Maryland’s very own Rico Nasty. Coming onto my radar a couple years ago off her Nasty mixtape, I was pretty impressed by her unique personality & her eclecticism. The last project Rico had put out prior was a phenomenal EP produced entirely by Kenny Beats last April titled Anger Management but as this turbulent year draws to a close, it’s only right for her to finally drop Nightmare Vacation.
The opener “Candy” talks about never changing the way she acts over a bombastic instrumental whereas the next song “Don’t Like Me” with Gucci Mane sees the 2 talking about haters referencing WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson over a cloudy beat from Buddah Bless. The track “Check Me Out” gets boastful over a piano & some hi-hats while song “iPhone” talks about relationships over a hyper pop instrumental from Dylan Brady.
“STFU” continues to brag over a blobby instrumental from Take a Daytrip while the song “Back & Forth” with Aminé finds the 2 showing off their chemistry with one another over a flute-tinged trap beat. The track “Girl Scouts” talks about pulling up with a chopper over a ghostly instrumental & a WWE reference while the song “Let It Out” vents all of her frustrations over a trap metal beat from 100 gecs.
The track “Losers” with Trippie Redd sees the 2 talking about those trying to fit in over an uptempo instrumental from Brandon Finessin’ while the song “No Debate” talks about how to make a bitch lose it. The track “Pussy Poppin’” gets raunchy over a quirky instrumental while the song “OHFR?” talks about not giving a fuck over an industrial-sounding beat.
“10 Fo” talks about leaving the last behind over a trap instrumental from F1LTHY of Working on Dying with a horn buried in the mix while the song “Own It” advises listeners to own up to themselves for everything over a rubbery beat. The penultimate track is a terrible remix to the Kenny Beats-produced “Smack a Bitch” & then the closer is actually the original “Smack a Bitch”, which I think is a brutal Asian Doll diss.
Coming away from this album, my feelings towards it are more mixed than I had anticipated & can say that Rico Nasty can do a lot better than what she goes for musically throughout the 40% of Nightmare Vacation that I don’t see myself going back to. I can commend Rico for being one of the most exciting performers in hip hop today & that absolutely applies here as do a great deal of the guests, but the production is just so hit or miss.
This is the 4th EP from rising Buffalo emcee Che Noir. Coming on my radar by extensively collaborating with 38 Spesh, she would really change things up earlier this summer by enlisting Apollo Brown for one of the illest albums of the year: As God Intended. However, Che herself has decided to start hopping on the boards & showcase her beat-making skills on the self-produced After 12.
After the “Foxy’s Intro”, the first song “Cruise Control” talks about riding through the city over a mystical beat whereas the next track “Hunger Games” with Ransom & 38 Spesh finds the trio talking about starving for greatness over a churchy instrumental. The song “Reasons” with Jynx sees the 2 talking about backstabbers over a lush soul sample while the track “Divine Knowledge” talks about thinking better when it’s harder to see over an alluring instrumental. The song “Moment in the Sun” with RJ Payne & Sa-Roc finds the 3 talking about not speaking about shit unless they know it over a piano & some vocal harmonies while the closer “Grace” talks about wanting it all over an uplifting beat.
Pretty solid follow-up to As God Intended if you ask me. There are a couple features that I personally could’ve done without, but Che’s production is honestly just as dope as her lyricism & I can only imagine her perfecting it as time goes on.
