Knowledge the Pirate – “The Round Table” review

This is the 6th studio LP from New York emcee Knowledge the Pirate. Discovered by Will Smith’s former bodyguard Charlie Mack, he would sign to Interscope Records for a brief amount of time before leaving the game temporarily & re-emerging in the 2010s as a close Roc Marciano affiliate. His full-length debut Flintlock eventually saw the light of day in the summer of 2018, which was followed up with the sophomore effort Black Cesar as well as the debut EP Family Jewels & his 3rd album Hidden Treasures. My favorite in his discography would be the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced Wolves Don’t Eat With Shepherds & having Marci producing The Round Table raised the stacks exponentially coming off of 5lbs of Pressure.

“Eating Etiquette” was a great drumless single to start the rollout giving the ultimate fine dining experience whereas “Golden Rules” works in a boom bap instrumental with a prominent vocal sample talking about trying to keep his team together. “Takes a 10” has a significantly funkier vibe telling us what it was like for him in the grittiest parts of the City of Dreams leading into “The Outfit” stripping the drums again to talk about keeping the flame on the stove.

As for “Magic & Kareem”, we have Knowledge comparing him & Marc to Los Angeles Lakers icons Magic Johnson & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar respectively continuing the pitched sampling just before “Addicted to Danger” maintains a drumless flare altogether so he can talk about his devotion to peril. “Ride wit a P” slickly describes himself as a pimp stealing everyone’s girl in his car while the chipmunk soul infused “Food for Thought” talks about playing.

“Forks & Knives” hooks up a dope gospel flip making way for him & his crew sitting at The Round Table chopping up birds protecting & serving when it comes to the paper, but then the soulful “Gut Feeling” advises that you can’t love every bitch you fuck. “1 on Me” has this quirky synthesizer behind him taking over all the open spots on the block while “Young Thugs” cautions not to talk with your mouth full around him.

The song “Servitude” pushes towards the last several minutes of Knowledge’s best friend work on almost 3 years getting back on the chipmunk soul tip going federal with the love if it’s a crime hittin’ us with a significantly calmer flow & “Receipts” ends album with a crooning sample mixed with some strings talking about the fact that nobody wants smoke with him or the rest of the illustrious pimpire.

Many hardcore Roc Marciano fans, including myself have been waiting a very long time for this day to come and now that it’s finally here it’s very much safe to say The Round Table joins Wolves Don’t Eat with Shepherds as some of Knowledge the Pirate’s strongest material in addition to one of my LPs of the year. Marci’s production here is prominently drumless with the exception of boom bap & chipmunk soul being secondary influences outstandingly soundtracking Knowledge’s mafioso lyrics.

Score: 4.5/5

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André 3000 – “7 Piano Sketches” review

Brand new surprise 3rd EP from Atlanta, Georgia emcee, singer/songwriter, producer, actor & the Prince of hip hop André 3000. Coming up as 1/2 of the greatest hip hop duo of all-time OutKast with Big Boi whom he met at Lenox Square Mall when they were both 16, they were also a part of the Dungeon Family collective & released some of my favorite music EVER! This includes ATLiens, Aquemini, Stankonia & Speakerboxxx / The Love Below. The 2nd disc of which was basically the closest thing we got to a solo album from 3 Stacks up to this point. However after what would eventually be their final album Idlewild serving as a soundtrack to the movie of the same name, they would focus on their solo careers. Francis the Savannah Chitlin’ Pimp mostly notably putting out 3 full-length LPs of his own as well as an eponymous EP as Big Grams & an eponymous debut album as Big Sleepover too. André 3000 however stuck to doing features & pursuing an acting career, putting out an avant-garde jazz EP on Mother’s Day 2018 called Look Ma No Hands & signing to Epic Records for the new age ambient-driven solo debut New Blue Sun to critical acclaim. Moving Day was a fine collection of 2 outtakes from the New Blue Sun sessions & has laid out 7 Piano Sketches out of nowhere.

“Bluffing in the Snow” was a great intro to the EP showing off his keyboardist abilities for 3 minutes whereas “& Then One Day You’ll…” works in some more cumbersome tone to the notes he’s playing further assuming “die” to be the missing word in the title of the composition prior to the 34 second “When You’re a Ant & You Wake Up in an Awesome Mood About to Drive Your Son to School Only to Discover You Left the Lights on in the Car Last Night, So Your Battery is Drained” interlude.

The name “Hotel Lobby Pianos” goes for that exact vibe feeling like I’m walking into Circa Resort & Casino or any other high quality resort on the verge of checking in just before “Blueberry Mansions” turns it up on the luxuriousness for almost a couple minutes. “Off Rhythm Laughter” lives up to its name playing the piano overlapping a laughing sample that’s not on rhythm. “I Spend All Day Waiting for the Night” finishes by adding some drums in the fold for a climatic closer that I can hear at the end of a show or a movie.

Not too shocked to see people complaining about him doing anything except dropping a whole hip hop album but like I said when I reviewed New Blue Sun: André 3000 is literally one of those guys who can do just about anything & can find a way to pull it off. Instead of him using woodwinds like he did on that LP & the previous EP Moving Day, he’s playing the piano with hints of spoken word because of every track starting with the track number & title being said out loud for an easy listening experience.

Score: 3.5/5

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UFO Fev – “Pyramid Schemes” review

This gotta be the 11th studio LP from Harlem, New York emcee UFO Fev. Coming up a little over a decade ago 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 eFresh 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. Last time I covered Fev was last summer when Fredro Starr fully produced Strapped & Vansleazy coming back for Pyramid Schemes was a thrilling surprise.

After the intro, the first song “Snake Charmer” is a jazzy hardcore hip hop opener talking about his lane being him fusing street knowledge with the drug game whereas “Dynamite” featuring NEMS crosses over rap rock & boom bap boasting that they feel like $1B each. “Razor Keys” hooks up some prominent pianos talking about eating all these wack rappers for dinner retiring from pushing dope to rap until “Momotoro” gets back on the rap rock vibe refusing to dumb it down.

“Stunt Squad” featuring Red Inf could’ve been recorded around the same time as their Vanderslice-produced collaborative effort Chemistry last spring although it’s still hardbody & after the “Never Heard of You” skit, “Blue Face Hunnids” brings the keys back in the fold talking about times where he feels like he could’ve been greater. “Hit List” takes a soulful approach quenching for blood while “Money Man Jr.” featuring FLZY finds them exceeding & expanding.

The penultimate song “No Grant Hills” returns to the boom bap talkikg about grinding to the point where he hasn’t even slept in days constantly trapping out the Airbnb & prior to the outro, the closer “Free Sam Bankman” calls for the freedom of FTX CEO & Alameda Research co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried a.k.a. SBF after he was sentenced to 25 years for 2 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud & conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Even if 1,000 Yard Stare produced by Body Bag Ben slipped through the cracks a little over a month ago & I didn’t make the time to cover it, I still thought it was a great way for him to start his 2025 & now he takes it to a new level with Pyramid Schemes. For the people BY the people, it’s guest list is stronger than that & Painting Houses 2 combined with Vanderslice’s gritty production pulling from boom bap & jazz rap to rap rock.

Score: 4.5/5

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Krispylife Kidd – “Why Me Worry?” review

This is the 15th mixtape from Flint, Michigan rapper Krispylife Kidd. Since 2019, his popularity in the local trap scene has been gradually increasing since 2019 going on to release a total of his previous 13 tapes & 4 EPs all in that span of time. Icewear Vezzo even signed him to Iced Up Records during the pandemic & Lil Yachty who appeared at WrestleMania XLI this year had him featured on Michigan Boy Boat. Now I’d start with Krispylife 2 & The Art of Spice Talk trilogy if you wanna dive into Krispylife’s music, although Juice & B.A.G. (Born A Goat) each had their own individual standouts last year & now asks Why Me Worry? merely 3 months after the Stunt Life EP.

After the “Goat” intro, the first song “Back 2 It” is a bell-heavy Detroit trap opener refusing to let anyone hang around him unless you’ve caught a body whereas “Bottle Girl Scam” hilariously assumes that those going out their way for clout are fans & he shouldn’t be rapping since there’s nothing left to gain. “President Run” featuring Babyfxce E & produced by The World Famous D-Boy samples “Creep” by TLC so they can pass the mic back-&-forth with one another just before the lowend “Home Blesser” talks about paying a bitch’s rent.

“Life as a Hustler” moves forward showing y’all how he used to run it up on the blocks explaining what it was like for him being a go-getter leading into “Dope Man” talking about moving weight in the streets & making $100k off the drugs he be sellin’ & “Mile Count” featuring Tay B once again displaying a back-&-forth chemistry from both of them, except I feel like it was done much better on “President Run” a while ago & I’ve never considered myself a big Babyfxce E fan.

After the “Off the Rope” interlude, “Hell in a Cell” takes it’s name after the prestigious steel cage-based matches in WWE that most recently ended former 6-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time AEW World Champion, inaugural ROH Hall of Fame inductee, ROH World Champion, 2-time ROH World Tag Team Champion, 5-time IWA World Champion, former UFC fighter CM Punk’s feud with 4-time WWE world champion, NXT Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, 4-time WWE tag team champion & TNA World Champion Drew McIntyre last fall.

“Like Triple H” compares himself to the 2-time WWE Hall of Famer, 14-time WWE world champion, 5-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 3-time WWE tag team champion & the WME Group-owned TKO Group Holdings division’s CCO since 2022 but after “$100K Pallet” responds to a group of people dissing him by bodying every single one of them in a cypher, “Knock It Off” claps back at a dude who wants beef by getting his own father involved with it

2-time WWE Hall of Famer, former 16-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, 6-time WWE United States Champion, 6-time WWE tag team champion & 9-time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair gets homaged on “Figure 4 Leg Lock” since he was the one who had popularized the maneuver with others following suit for years to come while “What Motion” wraps up Why Me Worry? by telling everyone at home what motion REALLY is since they don’t have it the way he does.

Looking to continue catching up with his mentor, quite possibly my favorite signing on the IUR imprint Krispylife Kidd takes an opportunity during Why Me Worry? to take the throne as a larger than life living legend & undisputed champion of the world by himself other than a couple average features. Aside from that & preferring Stuntman Beatz’ production on the last EP a bit more, his imaginative approach to songwriting remains strong during the half hour.

Score: 3.5/5

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Lael Neale – “Altogether Stranger” review

Orange, Virginia singer/songwriter Lael Neale with her 4th studio LP. Starting out a decade ago by pouring our her indie folk & alt-country debut I’ll Be Your Man, she subsequently signed to Sub Pop Records for her sophomore effort Acquainted with Night focused more on minimal synth, bedroom pop, contemporary folk, dream pop and hypnagogic pop & Star Eaters Delight expanding in favor of twee pop, chamber pop, ambient pop, neo-psychedelia and ethereal wave respectively. 2 years later & she’s returning for Altogether Stranger.

“Wild Flower” hooks up some claps & an organ to start singing about eating her words & wasting away whereas “All Good Things Will Come Pass” strips it back to an electric guitar acknowledging the inevitable demise of everything. “Down on the Freeway” was solid indie pop single asking if you’re gonna follow & if anyone would miss her wanting out of the city, but then the piano-driven “Sleep Through the Long Night” wanting what she can’t find.

The organs come back in the fold for “Come On” explaining a bell that never rang will claim to call the new day in just before “Tell Me How to Be Here” fuses singer/songwriter, indie folk & bedroom pop painting a stark & haunting portrait of her Los Angeles return. “New Ages” tackles the concept of lust over electric guitars & organs clashing while “All is Never Lost” minimally sings about there always being a wheel that turning us, which leads into “There From Here” finishing with more minimalism breaking down a purgatory we pay for.

Lael’s 3rd offering under Sub Pop covers an unexpected breadth of musical & lyrical terrain like neo-psychedelia, art pop, indie pop, singer/songwriter, indie folk, synthpop, indietronica, & minimal synth. She additionally vacillates between the questionably reconcilable states of childlike optimism & existential melancholy, uncovering the extraordinary within the mundane by tackling themes of polarity including country vs. city, humanity vs. technology & isolation vs. society.

Score: 4/5

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Stanwill – “Stan Always Will” review

Detroit, Michigan rapper Stanwill starting the new month with his 4th studio LP. Coming up as 1/3 of the ShittyBoyz with Babytron & TR Dee signing to Lando Bando’s own The Hip Hop Lab Records, he eventually branched out on his own during the COVID-19 pandemic off the debut EP $camwill as well as it’s successor Gifted & the debut mixtape Van Gundy. He also went Full Auto for his 3rd EP & 4ever $hittin’ after Still $hittin’ celebrated it’s 1-year anniversary last weekend trying out new sounds, he’s clarifying that Stan Always Will.

“No Lol” comes out the gate referencing current AEW performer & commentator as well as former 7-time WWE world champion, 11-time WWE Tag Team Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion & 3-time WWE Hardcore Champion Paul Wight whereas “Power” talks about not being as sweet as some think he is. “Spring Fling” keeps it in the Detroit trap style instrumentally describing a girl he met named Summer while “4th Dimension” produced by Danny G treats beef like a shish kebab.

As for “Rocky Road”, we have Stan talking about taking the dirt path & coming out icier than he ever was leading into “Lime Light” featuring Nasaan uniting both of them so they can trade verses with each other talking about hittin’ muhfuckas with the fire soon as they catch ‘em. “50 Shots” throws in a cool bar referring to the Amazon-owned Fire TV Sticks turning any television set into a smart TV just before “Kung Pao” discusses having to do no talking & let the guns fire off.

“Kelly Olynyk” has a grittier Detroit trap flare to the beat comparing himself to the New Orleans Pelicans player of the same name prior to TR Dee joining Stan on “Pushing Daisies” to talk about the paper giving them butterflies soon as they see it cruising in a 45 except they feel like they pushin’ 80. “Run & Gun” boasts that his stash is 3x the size of whatever yours is providing the soundtrack for those who be spinning the block while “Rock Lee” featuring T Bone drops people similarly to the Naruto character.

The classy sample during “Bora Bora” was pleasant to the ears telling his girl that it’s normal for his competition to be punching under their weight in a battle with him while “Villain Arc” talks about people getting him in a time where he bounces back from a tragic event in his life. “Voila” likens the way he lives now to BMF co-founder Big Meech keeping only the pros in his mind these days while “Recipe” featuring Babyfxce E claps back at people claiming that have the sauce taking it up a notch.

“Cuban Links” continues the 2nd half of Stan Always Will airing people out quicker than the greatest basketball player of all-time Michael Jordan while “GG” humorously suggests that he injures bitches the way he be smashin’ ‘em. “Mucinex” shows a bit of a Mobb influence calling anyone stupid to get in an altercation with the Dog $hit Militia while “Ding Dong” by the Dookie Brothers references former ECW World Heavyweight Champion, ECW World Television Champion, IWGPタッグチャンピオン, WCW Hardcore Champion & 2-time WCW World Tag Team Champion Bam Bam Bigelow.

The song “Powerball” reaches the album’s final moments feeling like the Warner Bros. subsidiary DC Entertainment-owned Superman ahead of the DC Universe media franchise & shared universe beginning in a couple months while “2 Easy” talks about jackin’ people in the face wearing the honorary WWE Hardcore Champion Travis Scott’s line of shoes. “By Any Means” finishes us off by hoping he runs into his enemies & cutting off people who ain’t did shit for him.

53 weeks since the most versatile body of work in Stan’s solo discography & he takes it back to a prominent Detroit trap style for this one spitting rapid fire verses on nearly every song in addition to him bringing on a more consistent guest list that delivers less misses than hits steadily keeping up with his pen. Whether he’s by himself or accompanied by either one or both of his ShittyBoyz cohorts, Stan Always Will deliver & come correct in terms of leveling up in terms of making the most exciting music in his style.

Score: 4/5

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Hate – “Bellum Regiis” review

Hate is a blackened death metal band from Warsaw, Poland consisting of drummer Nar-Sil, lead guitarist Domin, bassist Tiermes & frontman ATF Sinner. They’ve released a total of 10 studio albums in a little over 3 decades including many lineup changes until the historic Van Nuys, California label Metal Blade Records signed them to for both Auric Gates of Veles & Rugia respectively. It’s been 3 & a half years since the latter already, reuniting for their 3rd body of work under Metal Blade & the 13th studio LP in their entire catalog as a whole.

The title track is this death metal intro calling to break the waves of the eye of doom whereas “Iphigenia” cautions of there eventually being a night when embers of evil will come your way. “The Vanguard” sticks out as the fastest & most viscerally aggressive song of the bunch basing it’s concept around King Agamemnon while “A Ghost of Lost Delight” asks for optimism in hard times although it feels longer than it should be.

After the “Rite of Triglav” interlude, “Perun Rising” gets the 2nd half of Hate’s comeback on a melodically blackened death metal vibe talking about the prominence of the Slavican supreme god of sky & war leading into “Alfa Inferi Goddess of War” gets her story told thereafter due to the name of the album being a guiding phrase during the songwriting sessions. “Prophet of Arkhen” continues to deliver further down the mythological touchstones & “Ageless Harp of Devilry” lastly sums up the whole key of work in front of us whilst shedding new light on some of the strongest themes.

Significantly more humanity focused & personal than Rugia was, Bellum Regiis marks Hate’s return with a timely aural & visual exploration of a struggle for power & everything that comes with it. They hone a modern sound rife with eerie atmosphere & depth to the point where they forge a bolder & more aggressive style than ever as well as similarities to Erebos in the character of the compositions & overall sound except this one’s being richer in style & contains more black metal elements.

Score: 4/5

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Boldy James – “Conversational Pieces” review

Detroit veteran Boldy James continuing his monthly streak by having Real Bad Man produce his 15th studio LP. 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. Once coming 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, Penalty of Leadership, Mr. 10-08 produced by Futurewave, the Conductor Williams-produced Across the Tracks the Harry Fraud-produced The Bricktionary & the Carlo Anthony-produced Hidden in Plain Sight were all welcomed to warm reception additionally. Token of Appreciation produced by Chuck Strangers was much better than both Murder During Drug Traffic & Permanent Ink, the Antt Beatz produced Hommage left people divided although I didn’t mind it & is coming of the V Don-produced Alphabet Highway for a Killing Nothing sequel.

“Class Clown” was a great drumless intro talking about putting a dunce cap on a sucka he had to lay out whereas “Tap the Breaks Twice” adds some drums into the equation so he can watching out for tiger sharks & great whites on the track during the late night. “ITT Tech” dabbles with trap working in some pianos & strings clarifying it’s all about the cheese for him while the quasi-jazzy “Fear of God” featuring Conway the Machine clarifies that all they do is trap.

dreamcastmoe’s hook on “Come Back Around” gives the song a soulful boom bap vibe talking about how people sometimes only get back up to eventually fall back down just before “Cutthroats” maintains a dusty flare getting in his hardcore bag lyrically. “Aspen” talks about there being more than 1 way to skin a cat & pull a hat trick keeping the boom bap flare in tact, but then “Triple Platinum” slows down a prominent vocal sample going ghetto gold in his city.

“Bag It Up” of course reflects on his time in the streets moving weight while “Burn in Hell” talks about needing to make it to heaven after all the Hell he’s been through. “It Factor” featuring El-P finds the 2 showing off their A1 abilities on the microphone over more sampling while “Say Less” takes it back to the basement instrumentally advising that’s all you really have to do around him & the title track finishes up Conversational Pieces dropping off much more personal topics.

The prominent gangsta rap themes that were prevalent during Killing Nothing & even Real Bad Boldy during the COVID-19 lockdowns at the mere end of 2020 make their way on the follow-up, except the boom bap elements in the production are being used to a lesser extent focusing more on drumless & jazz rap for secondary influences.

Score: 4/5

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Key Glock – “Glockaveli” review

Key Glock is a 27 year old from Memphis, Tennessee whose cousin Young Dolph signed him to Paper Route Empire in 2017 after his debut mixtape Whole Lotta Errthang. He has since released 4 more tapes in addition to an EP & 3 full-lengths, the most notable being his previous LP Glockoma 2 in the spring of 2023 showing considerable improvements in his Memphis gangsta trap style. Republic Records happened to sign him a couple months ago & is ringing it in with his 4th album albeit major label debut.

“Hallelujah” crosses over trap, a gospel sample & Memphis rap talking about the amount of money he’s counting starting to make his head spin whereas the title track shrugs off any notion of slowing down putting that bread up for his baby. “Blue Devil” boastfully shows off the 2 blue diamonds he got on him just before the soulful “Made a Way” talks about fucking up & still finding a path out of the trenches.

Moving on from there, “Watch da Throne” continues the sampling of soul music warning that everyone he considers to be competition should play it safe while “Badu” talks about letting the chopper sing similarly to the neo-soul icon Erykah Badu herself & making his own rules. “She Ready” flips Teri DeSario showing a romantic side to Key Glock breaking down the way this chick be blowing up his phone, but then “No Sweat” talks about never letting anyone see him tripping.

“The Grinch” takes the throne as the finest of South Memphis continuing the legacy of his late cousin who was tragically murdered a few years ago while “Sunny Dayz” blends soul & trap once again talking about only fearing God as well as cutting throats from ear to ear. “Papercutz” goes for a more playful tone altogether simply trying to have fun out here while “Kill My Vibe” asks for these bitches not to fuck up the good mood he’s in at the moment.

As for “I’m Getting It”, we have Glock putting a hoe on pause because of her gettin’ caught up in her feelings & uppin’ the score while “Again” talks about hitting the road again in addition to promising that anyone who plays with him will wind up working on the end. “Cream Soda” returns to a Memphis edge instrumentally riding around with the sticks while “Don Dada” talks about hustling ever since he was only a toddler.

“World is Ourz” reaches the backend of Key Glock’s major label debut blending Memphis rap & plugg a little showing off the power he has while “3am in ToKEYo” was my favorite single that was teased whether it by the DJ Paul & TWhy beat or the self made lyricism talking about never needing any help after coming into this world all by himself on top of thinking his lil’ bro should become a chef with the way he cooking the opps.

WWE Hall of Famer, former 2-time WWE world champion, ECW World Television Champion, 6-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 5-time WWE Tag Team Champion, 4-time & the final WWE Hardcore Champion, TNA World Champion & TNA X Division Champion Rob Van Dam gets referenced on “Money Habits” to start the deluxe run while “Going Hard” talks about killing it from the very day he was born. “All Dogs Go to Heaven” hops over a DY & Tre Pounds instrumental to call out the people who’d do literally anything for a penny while “Set in Stone” suggests to move along if you ain’t conversing with him about money.

“South Memphis Patriot” reflects upon himself for 140 seconds likening himself to the greatest QB of all-time & 7-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady while “Fashion Killa” talks about smoking the loudest of loud. “Bottega Bag” shows off the $300 he has tucked away in a bag from the Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta while “Daddy’s Little Girl” links up with ATL Jacob for an ode to his daughter Rian.

Toom of Vanguard Music Group mixes a guitar & some hi-hats together for “Can’t Feel My Face” getting high until his face becomes numb while “Fabo” talks about turning your whole block into halos. “Trust Myself” confesses that he feels like he can’t even trust himself at times while “Red Shirt” talks about his pockets falling in love with the cake. The final bonus track “Fell in Luv” samples “Swangin’ & Bangin’” by E.S.G. for him to run it onto the top.

Not gonna beat around the bush & admit that it took me a while to get into Key Glock since I was more of a Dolph fan up until Glockcoma 2 began to earn the respect of many including myself. Glockaveli as far as a major label debut goes speaks volumes about Glock’s dominance & staying power in the rap game carrying on the solid reputation for carrying entire projects on his own with no features needed enhancing the gritty street-centric bars & handpicked production that made him blow.

Score: 4/5

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Devstacks – “4SOULJASONLY” review

Devstacks is a 25 year old rapper & producer from Boston, Massachusetts emerging off the Now They Know Us trilogy with the first 2 installments being EPs & the concluding chapter becoming his full-length studio debut. His 3rd EP Scriptures has proven to become his breakout project, going on to produce for the likes of Ty Fontaine to Kevin Abstract & more recently Diorvsyou the previous weekend. Starting the month of May off, Dev’s getting back on the mic for a sophomore effort.

“Shoutout Jesus Christ” puts a psychedelic spin on rage dropping braggadocio whereas “The Hills” goes for a druggier vibe aesthetically talking about buying stupid shit since he’s stupid rich now. “Soulja’s Coming” cloudily discusses being a heavyweight & geeked up at the exact same time leading into “Why U Make Thay Face?” talking about making bitches go crazy & never having a backup plan.

Everyone who thought he fell off gets clapped back on “Hate the Feeling” blending some pianos & hi-hats to make a killin’ just before “Lmk U Made It Home Ok” heads for more of a pop rap direction asking this woman to show him somethin’. “1of1” picks up from there flexing his unique style crossing over trap & regalia while “Wipe Your Nose” dismisses the supposed swagger of someone who chases hoes instead of chips.

“Thriller” turns the bass up talking about having the baddest woman right beside him & making a movie with her while “parlay” featuring Swapa contains prominent performances from the latter since Dev has a criminally underwritten verse during the middle of it. “Shaderoom” compares the way hoes speaking ill of him to the Instagram news page while “Pictures” talks about his girl wanting to catch some flicks like a photographer.

Starting the final leg, “Sport Mode” breaks down his pockets eatin’ full court & hopping out a 4-door while “To My Crib” talks about his girl knowing exactly what time it is the second she pulls up to his place. “Keep It” ends the LP by advising women to never lie to him under any circumstance homaging the “Keep It Playa” track off Pharrell’s underrated solo debut In My Mind.

Few of his recent producer landings in the past year or 2 was what made me want to listen to 4SouljasOnly & it’s different from what we’ve already heard on Scriptures & the Now They Know Us saga. The sound he goes for on this one mainly departs from the regalia style that made him so popular in favor of standard trap relating to anyone with a soulja mindset clocking at a half hour.

Score: 3.5/5

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