Recognize Ali & Tragedy Khadafi – “The Past, The Present & The Future” review

New collaborative between Recognize Ali & Tragedy Khadafi. One of whom hails from Ghana breaking emerging out the underground in the past decade or so into veteran status & the other comes straight outta Queensbridge, New York as part of the Juice Crew collective. They’ve crossed paths on several instances with tracks like “Black Cocaine” or “Intelligent Hoodlums” & to hear that The Past, The Present & The Future were all colliding on the 4th of July made for an interesting kick off to the 2nd half of 2025 already.

“Will Be Free” breaks the door down with a drumless chipmunk soul instrumentally calling for their apparatuses to be checked whereas “Select Few” airs out all the corny ass people flooding the airwaves these days. “The Most Real” featuring Vinnie Paz produced by Hobgoblin made for an exciting hardcore single back in the fall of 2022 holding up now, but then “Loot Thirsty” finds the duo fiending for some money.

Trife Diesel joins Ali & Tragedy on “Black Coke” warning of their shooters laying everyone down like it’s Syria out in the east coast just before “Everything” chops up a vocal sample matched with kicks & snares talking about no survivors being left alive around their parts, not even the babies. “Cold” craves the taste of blood advising to get ready for the drama while “Gone Tomorrow” featuring Ransom jazzily plays in the kitchen until the food bubbles.

“Diplomats” gets the final leg goin’ sending missiles through your roof like it’s 9/11 while “Elevation” weaves a symphonic flip talking about their artistic altitude. “King Kong” hooks up some piano chords to say that they’re both in the hood with it while “Kuwait Regulate” featuring Flash sees the trio boasting their aggressive flows. “Old & New Legends” closes the album with both parties complimenting each other’s respective generations.

Originally planned to come out in 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic occurring a year beforehand had obviously caused both parties to hold off on joining forces for a full body of work & long awaited project will satisfy people who’ve been following either side or both. Hobgoblin producing half of it made for some of the strongest batch of tracks & it feels like they’re trying to see who can out-rap who.

Score: 4/5

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Arrested Development – “Adult Contemporary Hip Hop” review

Arrested Development is an alternative hip hop outfit from Atlanta, Georgia consisting of dancer/choreographer Montsho Eshe, vocalist Tasha Larae, vocalist/dancer/choreographer Fareedah Aleem, vocalist 1 Love, guitarist JJ Boogie & frontman/producer Speech. Their 1992 debut 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of… as well as their sophomore effort Zingalamaduni are widely considered to be the most important entries of their discography, putting out 10 LPs since then with the most recent being Bullets in the Chamber. A year & a half later, their 13th album has finally arrived to start the 2nd half of the year.

“Let’s Get On with It” was a jazzy, soulful boom bap intro produced by Configa calling for everyone to keep striving in their respective fields whereas “All I See is Melanin” kinda has a funkier vibe to the beat talking about melanin pride. “Live Forever” works in some orchestral elements for the instrumental suggesting that people need to be led while “My Job Ain’t Done” hooks up some jazzy horns from Speech explaining his mission is far from over.

We still get some jazz-inflicted brass on “Easy” representing a brand new style of hip hop music just before “Flowers” talks about being unable to help themselves from giving people black power energy. “Forward Ever” kinda has a funkier flare to the beat basing itself around the concept of continually progressing instead of moving backwards while “Pearls” keeps the vibes groovy pleading for the shell to open up & not being afraid.

“Pulsate” finishes up the 2nd quarter of Adult Contemporary Hip Hop with a delicately jazzy boom bap instrumental discussing our palpitations while “Baby Yes” chops up a chipmunk soul sample take on themes of love. “Original” brings a woodwind into the fold praising the lord & keeping the faith while “Mil Town Soldier” finds themselves charismatically riding around in a 1968 Chevrolet Nova.

Bee Taylor joins the crew for a jazzily dusty hardcore hip hop collab “Pack It Out” allowing them to speak on who got the magic & who doesn’t, but then ”Goal Dysmorphia” explains that the titular issue was exactly what happens when one goes through a metamorphosis. “Family” kinda has this lo-fi feel to the beat responding to those questioning who they are by saying they’re like relatives while “Stay Awake” soulfully talks about his dad teaching him not to be poor.

The song “Lifing” marks the beginning of the end regarding Adult Contemporary Hip Hop returning to the boom bap knowing that days can be completely different instantly while “Danger” looks to completely blow any & all competition out of their frame dismantling those whose pen game couldn’t hold up to Speech’s then or now. “Stardust” closes the full-length by atmospherically responding to the question of how they handle their fame.

Reflecting on freedom along with self-determination & the contradictions still woven into African American life this 4th of July, what Arrested Development achieves with Adult Contemporary Hip Hop feels similar to what Public Enemy on Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025 last weekend: Proving their relevance after decades in the game. The homage to the late Twan Mack takes on theme of melanin pride, the state of the world since this January, mortality, relationships, love, legacy & bar-for-bar energy elevated in part by soulful boom bap production.

Score: 4/5

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The Doppelgangaz – “Still Left” review

This is the 12th EP from Orange County, New York duo The Doppelgangaz. Consisting of MCs/producers Matter ov Fact & EP, they’ve gone on to make waves in the underground by dropping a total of 8 full-length albums as well as 11 EPs & 6 beat tapes. Standouts include their breakout sophomore effort Lone Sharks, the follow-up Hark, their 5th album Dopp Hopp, Aaaaggghh, Black Cloak Lifestyle & Went Left. Been almost a couple years since the latter embarking on a west coast sound as opposed to their roots & they’ve decided to hit us with a sequel to it.

After the “JO VM” intro, the title track was a g-funk opener showing their love for the sunshine state once again whereas “All in Your Mind” works in a piano/boom bap instrumental talking about taking it all in stride. “Do It Like We” brings the funk influences back in the fold boasting that nobody can do shit on their level while “Would’ve Had a Hit” is a g-funk heavy stoner’s ballad. “Too Too Much” caps it all off with 1 final g-funk joint to play when you’re out in the weekends.

Continuing the G Pack saga in the 23 months since they initially Went Left, The Doppelgangaz once again shift away from the traditional boom bap style of the Groggy Pack Entertainment founders’ home turf in favor of drawing inspiration from the west coast scene once again embracing the g-funk production with ease & carrying over the original’s playful subject matter.

Score: 4/5

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Tha God Fahim – “The Dumplorian” review

Atlanta, Georgia emcee/producer Tha God Fahim recruiting Mr. Skip to produce his 63rd EP. Starting as an affiliate of Griselda Records & 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. He’s been putting out amongst his best material in the past few years like the Camoflauge Monk-produced Dark Shogunn Assassin, the Nature Sounds-backed Iron Bull, the Nicholas Craven-produced Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King series, the Oh No-produced Berserko, the Mike Shabb-produced Dump Gawd: Rhyme Pays, Tha Supreme Hoarder of All Pristine Wealth, Supreme Dump Legend: Soul Cook Saga produced by Cookin’ Soul & Machine Gun Vocabulary produced by Cartune Beatz. I don’t even have to mention the Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap saga since the season finale’s coming soon, becoming The Dumplorian this 4th of July.

“No Limit” was a funky choice of an intro advising to stop if you can’t find the rhythm whereas “Mayor” fuses chipmunk soul & boom bap dividing everything into proportions so the whole family can eat. “Temptations” has a lavishly drumless vibe to the beat talking about being afraid of staying the same while “Duck Season” shifts over into chipmunk soul turf again having too many reasons to be killing this many mics.

Continuing the lo-fi sampling, “Giant” talks about being an outcast for pretty much his whole life referencing the Nintendo-owned Super Smash Bros. franchise leading into “Dump Gawd Theme Music” jazzily flexing that his rhyme massacres tend to occur without any reasoning. “Bueller” featuring Mr. Skip himself closes the EP with a remix to their first ever collaboration that Skip breathed new life into.

The Lethal Weapon trilogy has primarily been serving as breathers in the midst of the Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap series & I can say the same with what Fahim does here on top of that. Mr. Skip approaches his production here like he’s a score using murky loops, soulful grit & cinematic energy front to back leaning towards that raw lo-fi aesthetic without sacrificing the musicality or message.

Score: 3.5/5

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Ramirez – “Tha Playa$ Manual II” review

Here is the 5th studio LP from San Francisco, California emcee Ramirez. Emerging as a longtime affiliate of the $uicideboy$, he would go on to co-found to the New Orleans-based indie label G*59 Record$ with them & build himself as an artist by dropping 8 mixtapes, his last dozen EPs & 4 full-lengths. Tha Playa$ Manual was his best LP yet with it’s g-funk production from Rocci & is looks to mark a new chapter with the sequel on his newly formed EMPIRE Distribution imprint Velvet Note Records over a week after G*59 announced his departure to go do his own thing.

After the “Velvet Note Lounge” skit, the first song “Hollow Tips” was a synth-funk intro & skittering hi-hats introducing y’all to his heater if you even try to make a move on him whereas the jazzy “Cut Throat Game” advises to get back up no matter how hard you fall. “Playas Need Love” fuses both g-funk & jazz to talk about that very subject in hand, but then the 2nd single “True Playas” suggests not to trip because fortune favored the strong putting a synth-heavy feel on the Mobb sound.

“I’m Not Yo Daddy” fuses trap & synth-funk together suggesting you come take a ride with him just before “Boulevard Nights” featuring Jason Joshua & Rocci matches a seducing instrumental that wears it’s jazz influences more during the 2nd half with all 3 of them sharing a melodic delivery. After the “Playing a Fool” skit, “Money Don’t Stop for You” jazzily sings of wanting nothing more to waste his time with a woman he’d fall for while “Shake Junt Hoes”proved to be a Memphis inspired final single.

Meanwhile on “Pushin’ on Some Paper”, we have the Lil Homewrecker talking about pimpin’ being second nature to him & making it look easy while the lead single “Chain Swangin’” turns the Mobb influences back up explaining that he’s still the same playa with a deadly weapon on him. “Scrapin’ tha Corner” throws back to the phonk undertones of Tha Playa$ Manual to talk about being on some larger shit while “Never Listen” offers invest in oneself as his best advice.

“Don’t Lose Hope” gets back on the g-funk/synth-funk crossovers wanting to hold his romantic interest tight because he wants her to know she’ll always be safe around him in any possible situation & “Cadillac Burnin’” featuring Rocci ahead of the “Goodbye & Goodnight” outro properly finishing Ramirez’ debut of Velvet Note with a captivating duet feeling reminiscent of something you’d hear during the 70s & I mean that as a compliment instead of implying any indication of it being outdated.

Tha Playa$ Manual has been regarded by many in the G*59 fandom to be the crown jewel of the label’s entire discography & I’d have to say it’s aged astonishingly well as a modern g-funk classic since it came out down the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns. Tha Playa$ Manual II as a sequel raises his artistic stakes even higher than I would’ve thought. There are a few songs where he takes a break from delivering bars of the gangsta life to favor towards sung vocals with on top of the best production he’s had in a few years culminating in elements of g-funk, Memphis rap, pop rap, jazz rap, synth-funk & Mobb music.

Score: 4.5/5

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Trae tha Truth – “Angel” review

Houston, Texas veteran Trae tha Truth celebrating his 45th birthday with his 17th studio LP. A member of the Screwed Up Click collective, he would go on to join the Guerilla Maab & ABN with over a dozen solo efforts under his belt. Stuck in Motion & Crowd Control were both received mixed-to-negatively in the past couple years, hoping of making up for the lackluster reception of his most recent outputs by channeling all the pain he’s endured onto Angel pushing it back from it’s initial May release.

The intro opens up with Trae singing his heart out over bare pianos of losing faith & needing a savior whereas “All This Time” passionately admits to feeling like the world around him wants him deleted. “Letter 2 Truth 2” brings a drumlessly cloudier vibe instrumentally speaking to his daughter until “Alright” featuring Lecrae blends some synths & gospel choir vocals for a religiously themed direction in terms of subject.

“Where Did You Go?” gives off a cloudy trap feeling addressing the people he wishes he could see for the last time just before “The Gathering” featuring Vory finds the 2 talking about feeling like they’ve been on the edge lately & other going as far to thinking they were finished. “Lord Know” speaks of everything he’s been going through in recent years being the type of shit to give you grey hairs leading into the gospel-trap crossover “Amen” talking about his being head down because he was praying.

Chance the Rapper joins Trae on “Thank You” turning the gospel influences up even higher giving their praises to God for everything he’s done for them while “Daddy Miss You” strips the drums & pens an open letter to his daughter on the road telling her how much he misses her. Kocky Ka makes for the weakest of the 2 guests on the “Alone” remix despite Lil Poppa’s verse being no issue, but then the acoustic trap fusion “Out Here” talks about people being a joke lately.

“I’m Human” pushes the 2nd leg further responding back to the people who’ve turned on him & suggesting some of it might have to do with his own mistakes he’s taking accountability for while “Reaching Arms” advises not to blow the only few chances you got at making it over a drumless gospel flip. “Bet on Me” radiates a sample-woven trap energy in terms of the beat talking about everything being heavy on him while “Ain’t tha Truth” featuring Hunxho asks what the deal is with the cap.

Dave East & Trae get together during “Down on Me” talking about needing to get better over a trap instrumental with sped-up sampling & after “All Luv” featuring Jeremih takes a trap soul route always standing up for something different, “Before I Die” atmospherically finds himself with the foot on the gas taking aim at the individuals who think they know what his eyes have seen.

“I’m In” laughs off those who think they’re bigger than the program & getting honest of this becoming his moment of revenge on ‘em while “S.4.T.W. (Struggle 4 the World)” suggests the idea of their hardships being for entertainment purposes only & to stand on business if it’s pressure. “Let It Go” caps off Angel with a drumless soul flip not needing the pain because he’s big alone along for you to wake up.

For at least several months, Trae tha Truth has been saying for the past several months that Restless could have competition for the #1 spot in his discography & I can completely understand what he meant by that since it’s far well conceived than his last couple dudes. Heavily inspired by his daughter & the journey they’ve taken together, it all made for the most deeply introspective he’s been in his almost 3 decade career.

Score: 4/5

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Doggystyleeee – “Split Personality” review

This is the 5th EP from San Bernardino, California emcee Doggystyleeee. Coming up in the fall of 2019 off his full-length debut Into Somethin’, he would go on to put out his last 4 EPs as well as 5 mixtapes & a couple more albums garnering interest to the point where WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg almost signed him to Death Row Records not too long after purchasing the label from MNRK Music Group to revive it. Blame It on My Crippin’ produced by AC3Beats was a tight way to start off his 2025 & is back 6 months later to detail his Split Personality.

“Product of the Westside” blends g-funk & boom bap together for the intro talking about being made by the west coast whereas “Outside” gives off a bit of a nervous vibe suggesting not to fuck around before he hits the store 20 deep. “Blue Bandana” gets back in his g-funk bag to talk about his time in the streets being a part of the Crips leading into “Go Dumb” featuring Zoe Osama carries the g-funk vibes over for a mild collab.

Getting the 2nd half underway, “I’m the Shit” brings some pianos in the fold for him to brag & clarify that he doesn’t fuck around while “Myself” smoothly talks about making it on own capable of doing things without anyone else’s help. “I Can’t” cooks up 1 more g-funk banger advising bitches shouldn’t be around since they’ll fuck bodies on the other side & “Sinner’s Reflection” ends with by talking about being surrounded by death, pain & suicide.

Wouldn’t have thought we’d get another EP with him & AC3Beats, but I still welcome it because the latter has had a hand inside making some of the most vital music in Doggystyleeee’s career & they whipped another brief project where they continue to elevate each other from the production displaying old & new sounds or the San Bernardino lyricist opening up in regards to having 2 different sides of himself.

Score: 4/5

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72 Reezy – “Drop $hit Militia” review

72 Reezy is a 29 year old underground trap musician, model & influencer from Detroit, Michigan beginning to record music when he was only 6 & has become distinct in Detroit trap for his numerous flows. Garnering the attention of the city’s biggest groups in recent memory the ShittyBoyz, he would go on to become a member of their Dog $hit Militia collective signed to Lando Bando’s own The Hip Hop Lab Records & looks to drop his debut EP only a month alongside Beannskii’s sophomore effort Green Bean following MJPAID & Fordi’s own debut albums Paid Ponzi & Fordi Milligrams respectively.

“Thousandaire” hops over an ominous instrumental with some 808s flexing his bank account status being in the thousands whereas “GettinAtGang” talks about what he does whenever he’s not getting the paper. “Trenches News” featuring YBN Lil Bro fuses Detroit trap & dirty south bringing to you live from their hoods prior to “Cookin’ wit’ Kya” talking about people taking pictures with the same money.

To keep things rollin’, “Next Subject” goes for a psychedelic Detroit trap vibe boasting that he’s been getting money all his life with God as his witness while “Rack for Rack” featuring Babytron & Beannskii brings the D$M trio together trying to figure out who’s squad got the most bread stacked up. “Wish I Would” claps back at critics saying he sounds too much like Tron when they’re family & “3272” featuring 3200 Tre introduces us to a potential duo we could hear more of down the road.

“JBL” produced by Danny G lastly finishes up Drop $hit Militia by referencing the WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion, 3-time WWE Tag Team Champion & 17-time WWE Hardcore Champion himself recently appearing in the Endeavor owned TKO Group Holdings division WWE’s newly acquired Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) subsidiary a few weeks ago.

There hasn’t really been a whole lot of music at this point from 72 where I could judge him, but Drop $hit Militia in being his first EP will come off as simply inoffensive to those familiar with the Detroit trap style & a good introduction to the Dog $hit Militia member. Production feels like something you’d hear on a Babytron project in the most polite way imaginable, only 1 guest misses the landing & Reezy feels ready to take over the game with his squad.

Score: 3.5/5

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1300SAINT – “4” review

Atlanta, Georgia recording artist 1300SAINT dropping his 2nd EP only 48 hours in preparation for 9 Vicious’ upcoming 3rd album For Nothing. Known for staying out of the box with a versatile sound & style drawing in listeners from all walks of life painting pictures of all colors & shapes to create a true experience for his audience, the heavy 808 based instrumentals he lays his smooth vocals over on his full-length debut Noir makes you feel every song a little more than usual & lead to Young Thug signing him to YSL not too long after he came home last Halloween. All Hail marked his debut for the label & Saint Season a couple months later was a tight homage to his mentor, delivering a 4 pack coinciding the announcement of Saint having a verse on UY SCUTI.

“Charli XCX” opens the EP by giving a nod to the new Hardrock album Slimyfella even if I felt that it was more average compared to some of his previous stuff while “Life Jacket” talks about possibly drowning in the pussy & having a lot of clientele. “Pay for It” produced by 406ahmad could’ve had a longer verse although the bar at the end “Hopped in the double R & I call KanKan” was fire, but “Foreign Shit” featuring Yung Kayo & 9 Vicious finishes with the trio talking about their desire for foreign materials.

Only a couple EPs & an LP under his belt within 9 months of being under Thug’s wing 1300 shuts down those feeling like he’s fallen off by putting out mid all year by cooking up a couple dope trap songs where he’s by himself & then a couple collaborations with the very person YSL signed after him where a labelmate who’s been around since the beginning of this current decade joins them to reflect their respective eras coming together. Looking to be an interesting summer for the Young Stoner Life crew.

Score: 3.5/5

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Daddy-O – “East New York Stories” review

Daddy-O is a 64 year old MC & producer from New York City notable for being the frontman of the original hip hop band Stetsasonic with 6 solo albums under his belt. The group officially reunited last spring signing to SpitSLAM Records & putting out Here We Go Again to warm welcoming praise after over 3 decades of inactivity last spring, initially signing to the label for 1st Team & the 9th full-length LP under his own name kept my fingers crossed it would do the same since I enjoyed the predecessor.

“Keep Dat” featuring Lena Jackson produced by C-Doc pairs the 2 over a soul sample with horns advising not to bring that wack shit over their direction whereas “Cheating” takes a bit of a soulful boom bap direction instrumentally playing harps in the ghetto. “Gloves Off” continues the sampling mixed with kicks & snares looking to bring it to you without any ifs or maybes until “Small Ting” talks about the posers & savages over a reggae beat.

Meanwhile on “CounterAttack”, we have Daddy-O speaking on chillin’ at a Brownsville party during a Friday evening & shots ringing out leading into the self-produced “Off Dem” explains that he felt taking up hip hop as a career was far better than a bitter alternative. “The Pros 2” featuring Choclatt fuses trap & reggae for a collaboration dedicated to the Brooklyn borough while “Clap” tells of a story ending in gun violence.

“Here But Gone” counts down the final minutes of East New York Stories sampling the late great Curtis Mayfield to talk about needing to be warned beforehand if you don’t know him by now refusing to erase his roots because grew up as a trooper & “Raised by Wolves (Ask Cavario)” wraps up the half hour collection of experiences with a drumless string instrumental refusing to call it quits until he gets his respect.

Many a Daddy-O album thus far has left Stetsasonic finds divided like You Can Be a Daddy, But Never Daddy-O as well as From My Hood 2 U or G.O.A.T. Antidote & only a week since Public Enemy returned to a Bomb Squad sound on Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025, the East Coast pioneer takes us on a trip through the neighborhood he grew up in from the hoods to the hustlers to the pros & the MCs.

Score: 4/5

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