Lucy Bedroque – “Unmusique” review

Lucy Bedroque is a 19 year old rapper, songwriter & producer from Los Angeles, California notable for rising above the ranks as one of if not THE biggest member of the lumina collective rather quickly & understandably so. Their solo debut Sisterhood in the summer of 2023 has quickly become a digicore standout, following it up with the EPs Amy & the LP highly acclaimed Fête de la Vanille. As a prelude to Musique along with their next full-lengths Svelte Child & Vanilla, syxxru’s putting out their debut mixtape under deadAir Records.

I felt that “Speakers Never Learn” was a great self-produced digicore intro to the tape talking about turning into a demon when the night is young whereas “G6 Anthem” works in some rage undertones continuing the glitchcore vibes homaging G6s in a way I haven’t heard in a commanding way since Far East Movement did 15 years ago. “Ultraviolet” featuring prettifun produced by Egobreak & 9lives maintains a hypertrap route instrumentally suggesting you’re on crack if the hoe loves you while “2010 Justin Bieber” mentions Playboi Carti with the “N****s 25 with personas. Somethin’ called a job, you ain’t no vampire” line.

“SmackDown” takes it’s name after the WME Group-owned TKO Group Holdings division’s Friday Night secondary flagship show on the USA Network further referencing their primary flagship show Monday Night RAW on Netflix favoring a cloudier approach leading into “Fenty Face” turning the rage back up talking about this chick who thinks he looks good. “Made in Italy” finds them boasting that they got all the lights on them striking poses while “Tout Naturel” blends hypertrap & digicore talking about being unnatural.

jackzebra joins Lucy during the cloudy “Finish Him” courtesy of thr6x referencing the Fatality gameplay feature during the Warner Bros.-owned Mortal Kombat series of fighting games showcasing Jack as one of the nicest in the Chinese hip hop scene currently prior to “Ouija” showing a glitchcore influence again talking about running drills whenever they’re on the mic. “I’m Impossible” gets back on the hypertrap tip making reference to Family Guy on the Fox Corporation’s flagship property while “Cara Mia” talks about being desperate for motion.

“Ignorant” switches it up with a pop rap joint displaying their recklessness while “1 of Us is Lying” industrially talks about a relationship built on cap. The title track mixes trap & EDM looking to break eardrums with their style while “Cat’s Eye” talks about it being too late for this woman who let them down to make it right. “Yes, You May” concludes Unmusique with a melodically atmospheric cut running at 116 seconds making that their response to a girl who wants to ruin their life.

This tape has been making a lot of noise this weekend with many saying that it’s cuts above the new ApolloRed1 album Midnight Blassic marking his debut for his cousin Carti’s increasingly popular Opium imprint & finally getting to hear it for myself, I’d have to agree. Lucy prominently takes on an experimentally rage direction in favor of making the digicore & cloud rap that made a name for themself secondary influences, throwing hints of electronic dance music as well as industrial hip hop & pop rap in with them.

Score: 4.5/5

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Morgan Wallen – “I’m the Problem” review

Morgan Wallen is a 32 year old singer/songwriter from Sneedville, Tennessee putting out the full-length debut If I Know Me to mixed reception 4 years after starting out. Republic Records would sign him for the 2-disc major label debut Dangerous, moving over to the Mercury Records subsidiary in the spring of 2023 & releasing 1 Thing at a Time to prominently more negative feedback compared to both of it’s predecessor. It’s been almost 2 months since he controversially stormed off the set of the semicentennial Saturday Night Live owned by the NBC division of the Comcast Corporation subsidiary NBCUniversal originally serving as the host of that week’s episode & his 4th LP has arrived.

The title track was a mediocre contemporary country intro bashing his ex for being Ms. Never Do Wrong when Morgan himself was making racially charged comments at the beginning of 2021 whereas “I Got Better” sings about feeling like who he really is again when that hasn’t really changed. “Superman” named after the Warner Bros. subsidiary DC Entertainment-owned franchise ahead of the DC Universe media franchise & shared universe beginning in a couple months was one of the better singles continuing the contemporary country direction dedicated to his son Indigo until Tate McRae appears for the cheesy country pop duet “What I Want”.

“Just in Case” gets back on the contemporary country vibes describing a situationship that later transformed into something far more captivating when I found it anything but & after an interlude, “Falling Apart” tackles the breakup theme once more singing about selling him & his ex out only for him to justifiably pay the price for it. “Skoal, Chevy & Browning” expresses his desire for somebody simple as those 3 separate things leading into “Eyes are Closed” asking his son what he sees when he sleeps at night.

It’s funny that Morgan asks his own mother what he did wrong on “Kick Myself” after asking him to get help when he’s a documented racist, ignored CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic & got arrested last spring for throwing a chair off the roof of Eric Church’s newly-opened Nashville bar Chief’s while “20 Cigarettes” sings about a girl telling him what her hometown is like. Another highlight would be “TN” expressing his love for the state that made him & “Missing” suggests he might miss the woman he wants missin’ him.

“Where’d That Girl Go?” sings about an ex who he feels has a long way from a bad good riddance wanting to know what happened to the old her while “Genesis” makes a corny comparison of how Jack Daniels & Jim Beam didn’t know him from Adam & Eve regardless of the subject matter revolving around temptation. “Revelation” sings about being a hard one to love since it runs in my blood when he acts like a jackass, but then “#3 & #7” featuring Eric Church himself feels like a cautionary tale centered around drinking & driving.

Spite reveals itself even more on “Kiss Her in Front of You” taking him at a girl that he used to date for walking out on him & making out in front of his new partner as a “fuck you” to his previous one while the trite “If You Were Mine” sings about wanting to lay her down & take his time giving her the pipe. “Don’t We” reaffirms the small-town values, tradition & simplicity even if that way of life isn’t for everyone prior to “Come Back as a Redneck” featuring HARDY teaming up for a horrible bro-country collab.

“Love Somebody” feels ironic since the topic of wanting to find a genuine connection with a woman in a world full of fleeting, shallow relationships appropriating Latin influences while “Dark ‘Til Daylight” finds him singing about feeling composed during the day & his mindset spiraling during the evening. “The Dealer” featuring ERNEST looks back on the days they could’ve folded & finding 1 more card to play while “Leavin’s the Least I Could Do” unloads more melodramatic breakup bullshit onto the table.

As for “Jack & Jill”, we have Morgan giving his own take on the classic fairytale except they both wind up on 1 in Tennessee while “I Ain’t Comin’ Back” featuring Post Malone gets even more over the top with the heartbreak than I would’ve expected from both of them. “Nothin’ Left” acoustically sings about lonely nights coming his way because of him fucking up another relationship while “Drinking ‘Til It Does” tries drowning in a river full of whiskey.

“Smile” tries & fails at mixing folk with singer/songwriter reflecting on a love that has since grown cold while “Working Man’s Song” tackily sings about how tryin’ to make a livin’ isn’t supposed to feel like dyin’. “Whiskey in Reverse” points out the empty Jack Daniels bottle by his coffee cup doing more damage than it did any good while “Crazy Eyes” admitting that his girl’s eyes have some kinda power over him sleeping for only 10 hours in the span of 3 days.

Finally kicking off the last leg of I’m the Problem, the song “L.A. Night” not to be confused with former 2-time WWE United States Champion, TNA World Champion, TNA World Tag Team Champion, NWA World Tag Team Champion & アイアンマンヘビーメタル級チャンピオン L.A. Knight (Yeah!) talks about being a country boy in the middle of the west coast while “Miami” desecrates “Miami, My Amy” by Keith Whitley shamelessly. “Lies Lies Lies” was an average country pop single singing about still being a fool for the same ol’ fibs he falls for & “I’m a Little Crazy” closes by showing some self-awareness.

I personally find it unfortunate that the only country album that Mercury has put out since being revived in 2022 would be Johnny Cash’s most recent posthumous offering Songwriter & the material on there was 3 decades old. Primarily because I’m the Problem feels a lot like 1 Thing at a Time where it’s completely bloated with more misses & hits. He focuses less on country pop than he did on the predecessor favoring a contemporary sound altogether.

Score: 1.5/5

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Yuno – “Blest” review

Yuno is a 34 year old psychedelic indie pop singer/songwriter from Jacksonville, Florida by way of The Bronx, New York not to be confused with comedy rapper Yuno Miles considering he signed to Sub Pop Records in the summer of 2018 for his debut EP Moodie taking it’s name after an original moniker Yuno Moodie later shortening it. However, he’s returning to show his growth personally & artistically for a full-length debut studio album of his own following several years of inactivity.

The title track brings together alternative R&B & indie pop facing the overwhelming rush of emotions that comes with falling in love with somebody head-on whereas “We Belong” dabbles with rock a little singing about being back where he feels like he & his partner should be. “Massive” continues the indie pop & rock hybrids having a feeling in his soul that the bane of staying young is gettin’ older not understanding why it’s taking over while the final single “Unfair” goes for a dream pop direction singing about it not being right that he & his partner never had a chance.

“Perfect Pear” sounds reminiscent to P.M. Dawn during the duo’s final years actively releasing music while “Fall Apart” sings about the walls closing in him & his partner having time to kill. “Worst of Times” acknowledges how hard it is to be here with all the bullshit going on today prior to “True” breezily captures the tension of a relationship caught between misunderstanding & reconciliation. “Gimme Ocean” psychedelically asks for the ocean waves to make him float to his romantic interest & the closer “Blitz!” sings about people hating him from the bleachers trying to keep it peaceful.

Transforming the emo-tinged suburban malaise of Moodie into more expansively widescreen pop drama suited for big moves & bigger stages, the kaleidoscopic sound he devised as a millennial hermit in his childhood bedroom in Florida has since broadened his horizons. Blest bids for love & connection which especially in the fractured era of social media have resonated with many listeners who find solace in his vulnerability imbued with elements of dream pop, rock music, trap & psychedelia.

Score: 4/5

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Xzibit – “Kingmaker” review

Xzibit is a 50 year old MC, actor, television presenter, radio personality & record executive from Los Angeles, California starting as a member of the Likwit Crew collective. His first 2 full-lengths At the Speed of Light and 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz under Nightz under Loud Records & RCA Records were prominently bout around the traditional boom bap sound, forming his very own label Open Bar Entertainment & fulfilling a 1-album deal with Epic Records for my favorite of his Restless. X later signed to Columbia Records to put out Man vs. Machine & Weapons of Mass Destruction, opting to release Full Circle & Napalm independently through distribution by MNRK Music Group & EMI Records respectively. Over a decade later, Mr. X to the Z is joining former UFC Featherweight & Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor’s newly formed Greenback Records to back his 9th studio LP.

“Play This at My Funeral” was a tight boom bap single to start off the rollout suggesting to say it with your chest if you want to make it out in the west whereas “Everywhere I Go” produced by Dem Jointz thunderously talks about rockin’ both coasts regardless of where he’s at. “Been a Long Time 2”recaptures the energy of a Restless highlight avoiding a conversation that was had almost 25 years ago while “The Moment” featuring Busta Rhymes & Jason Martin formerly known as Problem promises to fuck up any pussy on sight over a boisterous Focus… beat.

The horns on “Earth is Over” were a nice touch dismissing these muhfucka out here for being actors instead of experiencing the hardships of the streets like X has just before “Leave Me Alone” featuring Dr. Dre hooks up some organs with the help of Swizz Beatz so both of them can talk about wanting to have some peace. “Belly of the Beast” featuring Jason Martin aggressively tells everyone to manifest their destinies & making them into reality, but then the sample-driven “History” nods some of the albums that’ve inspired him.

“Genesis” finds him telling this woman that he can be her everything acting all innocent & her becoming his origin or beginning of something while “Perfect Alibi” makes his own a statement under suspicion of a crime he was in a different place around the time the offense was committed. “American Idol” featuring Symba goes for a soulful flare courtesy of Sndtrak explaining that they’re make to kill they own through circumstances they were given while “Crash” featuring Royce da 5’9” reminds us the million ways to die.

Ice Cube appears for the final single “For the Love”sampling “Quiet Storm” by the late Prodigy feeling the rain almost as hard as they did when they fell in love while DJ Battlecat provides a g-funk groove to “Shut Yo Mouth” featuring Compton AV clapping back at the people who’ve been doubting them. “Higher” featuring B-Real & Redman unites the trio for a funky weed smoker’s ballad clocking at 2 & a half minutes while until will.i.am flips “Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)” by N*E*R*D throughout “Success” breaking down what that means to X.

Likwit Crew founder King T preludes his upcoming final album with his own solo joint “Notified” proving that he’s still got it 4 decades later with Beat Butchataking it into rap rock territory while DJ Khalil turns the funk up once more during “What U Like” featuring Guapdad 4000 talks about having fortunes on both of their sides. “End of the Day” featuring Domo Genesis& Tre Capital encourages everyone to do whatever it takes for them when it’s all said & done while the title track finishes by asking if you’re ready for the throne or something greater.

Kingmaker reads as more of a sign that he wanted to share his knowledge of the good, the bad, the ugly, the ups & downs he’s faced throughout his life & career that he attributes to making him successful rather than getting called royalty or sitting on the throne & being a part of some kind of hierarchy, which I ultimately feel improves on everything that made Napalm feel so mature during my sophomore year in high school over a decade ago. It may be the best he’s sounded production-wise in over 2 decades & yet, he hasn’t lost a step with the pen & the guests hold their own weight.

Score: 4/5

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Crossworm – “Dirtwave” review

This is the 4th EP from Grand Rapids, Michigan rapper, singer/songwriter, producer & Dirtcore Music founder Crossworm. Starting as 1/2 of 2Korpse before branching out on his own for the full-length solo debut Phoenix, this was followed up by a sophomore LP Ready to Burn alongside 2 EPs Mouth Full of Dirt & jaws: Deciduous respectively. Taking a few years off after the latter, he returned in the summer of 2014 by dropping 4 more albums: Parasite Avenue, Drowning in Restricting Thought, Finding X & Eat the Weak. I’ve covered the Gōst EP along with the synthpop inspired ANTI & of course the eponymous Bodies Below Sea Level debut, dropping off not 1 but 2 EPs this month.

“Losing You” kicks off the Dirtwave with a synth-pop intro singing about needing & wanting to get rid of somebody to no avail whereas “Meet Me at My Grave” works in a guitar sample & synthesizers explaining that everything they wouldn’t dare say being in the middle of them. “Watch Us Die” featuring THE H0LL0W goes for a summer vibe advising to sit back & watch their demise while “Out in Space” is another great synth-pop cut. “Drown Me” featuring Grounds gets heavier asking to be drowned if they become weak & “Beyond the Grave” finishes by throwing it back to late 2000s/early 2010s-era LINKIN PARK.

Pretty sure that we were gonna get Shelter Skelter before Dirtwave since that was initially teased a month ago, but I’m fine with it being held off for a couple weeks for a 19 minute EP that recaptures the Depeche Mode influences prominently displayed throughout ANTI a year & a half ago as a warm up to Shelter Skelter since it’s more based around industrial & witch house music. His singing feels reminiscent to the late Chester Bennington at times, both remixes take their original versions to greater levels of quality & Crossworm’s versatility continues to extend further.

Score: 3.5/5

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Snoop Dogg – “Iz It a Crime?” review

Here we have the 21st studio LP from Long Beach emcee, songwriter, media personality, actor, entrepreneur, record executive & WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg. His 1993 debut Doggystyle produced his mentor Dr. Dre is widely regarded as a west coast essential, but his output since has been hit or miss whether it be Tha Last Meal & Tha Blue Carpet Treatment almost reaching the same caliber of his debut or Da Game is to be Sold, Not to be Told & Bible of Love falling flat on their faces. He purchased Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group days ahead of the Super Bowl LVI halftime performance hence why he’s B.o.D.R. (Bacc on Death Row) since. Missionary last winter drew mixed reception because of some delusional fans expecting it to be another Doggystyle, coming off the Altar Call compilation to ask Iz It a Crime? fresh off gamma. signing a distribution deal with Tha Row.

After the intro, the title track featuring October London on the hook samples “Is It a Crime?” by Sade asking how many out there are still living by the code whereas “Joy” crosses over soul & boom bap to talk about it being that time for him to fuck up the streets making a feast out of the crumbs he was given. “Unsung Heroes” works in some cool organ melodies responding to people criticizing him for his half hour DJ Snoopadelic set at the Crypto Ball in January when even I myself found that odd due to the video he shared on Instagram in 2017, but then “Sophisticated Crippin’” sampling Marvin Gaye courtesy of DJ Battlecat talking about his 3+ decade legacy.

“Can’t Wait” featuring LaRussell finds the pair linking up so they can get shit poppin’ together over a g-funk instrumental from Nottz just before “Can’t Get Enough” featuring Jane Handcock cooks up a smooth R&B & west coast hip hop duet portraying 2 lovers who’re quite obsessed with being in each other’s company. “Keep It Moving” brings the g-funk vibes back in the fold thanks to Rick Rock talking about never stop pushin’ leading into “Just the Way It Iz” featuring Wiz Khalifa teaming up on top of a moody Soopafly beat to not change shit in their lives.

Akeem Ali easily delivers the worst feature on the entire album during “You Want My All” kinda sounding like a Lil Wayne knockoff when I’m sure Uncle Snoop could’ve easily got Weezy himself on there if he wanted to while Charlie Bereal takes a shot at g-funk behind the boards on “What’s Hattnin’?” giving a shoutout to everyone who’s been with Tha Doggfather from the very jump. “Spot” featuring a hook from Tonio Armani reunites with Pharrell for a pop rap joint reminiscent of “Beautiful”or “Perfect” with a modern twist & “ShutYoBitchAssUp” disses Suge Knight.

“Cold Summer” switches it up with a synth-pop cut & the vocal performances predominantly sung by it’s own producer mR. pOrTeR formerly of D12 while “Snoop Will Make You Dance” returns to a g-funk direction for a good old fashioned west coast party anthem. “Life’s Journey” feels like a bit of a response to his daughter Chocc fresh off dropping her debut EP Journals to Johnny last winter & becoming a mother a few months ago while “Me N O.G. Snoop” featuring Sexyy Red still remaining one of the most polarizing, controversial & popular artists in hip hop today talks about their ties to the Crips & the Bloods respectively.

Getting the final leg of Iz It a Crime? started, “Let Me Love You” heads for a bit of a delicate boom bap approach instrumentally for a tribute to his wife of almost 3 decades Shante Taylor while “West Up” slides through with a g-funk love letter to the west coast asking why the fuck should he retire when the west justifiably dominated the previous year. “My Friend” featuring mR. pOrTeR unites both of them for a passionate remembrance of Snoop’s cousin Darryl Daniel passing away 10 months ago & “Live Life” ends by talking about his only advice being to love yourself getting what’s yours.

Uncle Snoop here’s trying to understand if it’s a felony for him to do the things he’s done, to take care of people, to love them & to be there for them due some of the things that he’s done & becoming speculation. My response to those questions is absolutely not, although many including myself found it hypocritical for him to post said IG video 8 years ago with the “Lavender 2” music video literally months later only to do that Crypto Ball DJ set. Iz It a Crime? top to bottom however feels reminiscent of B.o.D.R. (Bacc on Death Row) due to the way both albums feel heavily inspired by the older days in career from gangsta rap to boom bap, g-funk & pop rap.

Score: 3.5/5

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Kali Uchis – “Sincerely,” review

Alexandria, Virginia singer/songwriter Kali Uchis making her Capitol Records debut with her 5th studio LP. My introduction to her was my senior year of high school when Tyler, The Creator set to make his theatrical debut in the upcoming A24 Films sports adventure comedy-drama Marty Supreme with Timothée Chalamet this Christmas produced “Call Me” on her first EP Por Vida & isola†ion went on to become a stellar debut album. She even has a couple Latin pop projects under her belt with the Interscope Records-backed Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞ & her final Geffen Records offering Orquídeas, picking up where her Geffen debut Red Moon in Venus left off by basing Sincerely, on a life-altering event.

“Heaven’s a Home” from a songwriting standpoint brings everything full circle from when Hardstone Records founder & Cactus Jack Records signee Don Toliver got her pregnant with their son & her mom being diagnosed with lung cancer tragically passing away recently over delicate instrumentation whereas “Sugar! Honey! Love!” takes the psychedelic soul route singing about doing time for a crime she didn’t even commit. “Lose My Cool,” delivers a 2-parter addressing an individual who makes her lose her temper around them while “It’s Just Us” warmly assures that Don & her were meant to be in love.

The concept of love to a gun on “For: You” feels a lot like “A Boy is a Gun” off IGOR going for a synth-heavy sound leading into the self-produced “Silk Lingere,” finds her trying to figure how this person she knew falling for someone who turned out to be more complicated & flawed than expected . “Territorial” sings never being the type to want someone else’s man regardless of how reckless she may come off prior to Fall Apart,” wanting to know if Donny Womack would still love her with things get difficult & being in an eternal honeymoon with one another.

“All I Can Say” finds herself refusing to apologize for the kind of person she is because of everything belonging to her while “Daggers!” sings about hating the way this woman in her life is being treated by her man wishing that she could see herself the way at Kali sees her. “Angels All Around Me…” unravels a religious side to herself praying that the family she & Don Toliver have started stay peacefully protected while “Breeze” hooks up some choir vocals singing about the familiar emotions of fear & worrying hold absolutely no worth in our lives from what she’s learned.

The lead single “Sunshine & Rain” was one that brought together neo-soul, contemporary R&B psychedelic soul & bedroom pop staying devoted to Don through life’s ups & downs expressing her belief in karma & divine guidance while questioning society losing it’s way with me attributing that to this past election 6 months ago & “I.L.Y.S.M.I.H. (I Love You So Much It Hurts)” ends with a soft rock, pop soul, adult contemporary, brill building & psychedelic soul dedication to her son conceived only hours after she brought him into this world.

“Cry About It!” featuring Ravyn Lenae starts the deluxe run with a poppy, bilingual smooth soul single with a hint of brill building to it mocking Don’s ex-girlfriend while “Whispers of the Wind…” asks if he loves her with all of his heart. “Pretty Promises,” featuring Mariah the Scientist produced by benny blanco & Cashmere Cat finds the 2 pleading their partners to not break any promises to them & after “Cherry on Top” sings about finding a relationship where they can be their true selves, the final bonus track “All of the Good” finishes with 1 last tribute to her mom.

Kali’s official Capitol debut marks as her strongest since her debut 7 years ago facing the complexities of life head on trying to find joy in life despite the world falling apart in front of us, appreciating every moment & not taking life for granted expanding beyond contemporary R&B in favor of pop soul, smooth soul, neo-soul, psychedelic soul, bedroom pop, adult contemporary & brill building. Becoming a mother has easily resulted in her most existentially honest body of work & am curious as to the way her next Latin pop album goes.

Score: 4.5/5

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Rafa – “Madman” review

Here we have the 4th EP from Detroit rapper Rafa. Coming up as a member of the WRLD Tour Mafia a few years ago, he would also begin a solo career of his own starting on Thanksgiving 2020 with his debut EP Not for Household Use & followed it up earlier this year in the form his debut tape Dog$hit & Ammunition. The eponymous mixtape was a pivotal point in his career & Good Girls Don’t Exist from last spring was a superior EP, coming off R.A.F.A. (Rockstars Are Fucking Awesome) to take us on a journey through the mind of a Madman only 48 hours after Samoa Joe of the AEW World Trios Champions The Opps defeated former AEW World Trios Champion, 2-time CZW World Tag Team Champion, JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champion, PWG World Champion, RPW British Tag Team Champion, 2-time ROH World Champion, 2-time ROH World Tag Team Champion, WWE United States Champion & 7-time WWE tag team champion Claudio Castagnoli at the Masonic Temple for this week’s AEW Dynamite on the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned tbs.

“DOOM” is this horn-inflicted Detroit trap intro talking about all these muhfuckas lifestyles being incomparable to his whereas “Fuck What You Sayin’” goes for a cloudier approach instrumentally calling WRLD Tour the new Dipset & I can even complain. “Rick James” keeps it going talking about how we could see right through these haters while “Chrome Levi Denims” shows off the kind of jeans he’s wearing.

WTM Solid joins Rafa for “Dub Edition” continuing to bring a Detroit trap flare to the table discussing their lifestyles just before “How U Feel Twin” turns up the psychedelia so he can tell us exactly the way he feelin’ & giving a middle finger to anyone who wants to go up against his squad. “Dirty Faygos” atmospherically declares his love for mixing codeine with the local soda brand Faygo leading into “Ozzy” of course references Black Sabbath frontman & WWE Hall of Famer Ozzy Osbourne.

The song “Cornhuskers” kicks off the final leg of Madman by talking about being that muhfucka making plays & refusing to let anyone eat if they ain’t putting in the hustle while “What’s New?” suggests that an individual who went against him should stay where he’s already at since Rafa’s through with him at this point. The outro heavily builds itself around some synthesizers making it clear he’s rolling dice everyday without giving a fuck.

4 months since his full-length studio debut displaying his versatility through the usage of cloud rap alongside rap rock & rage, Rafa’s back portraying himself to be a Madman after initially opening the diaries a few months ago. The production carries over the trillwave & Detroit trap elements that were present throughout R.A.F.A. (Rockstars Are Fucking Awesome), except the rage & rap rock undertones are both being left out of the equation.

Score: 3.5/5

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Pradabagshawty – “Home Invasions” review

This is the debut mixtape from Columbia, South Carolina born albeit Atlanta, Georgia up-&-comer Pradabagshawty. Introducing himself in the spring of 2023 off Bloxk Addiktion, his popularity within the plugg subgenre of trap continued to grow last year by putting out 3 more EPs in 1 Love as well as his Cegular Records/Sony Music debut 10 Freak Ho’s of course debut Forever & After. His newest EP B What You B only 3 months after inking the Sony deal has quickly become the most popular entry of his catalog so far, returning a few months later to put out Home Invasions.

“She Tinder” kicks off the tape with a plugg instrumental from Dstarkel talking about being in love with his girl as much as he is with the kush whereas “Good Morning” continues to bring a mellow flare to the table referencing the greatest basketball player of all-time Michael Jordan. “Hands Up” feels more like a YounnMoh cut since Pradabag barely has any presence flexing over synthesizers about the bitch he just fucked while “Sweater Weather” refuses to snitch after landing in court unlike Akon.

As for “Hop Aht”, we have Pradabag over some quirky synth leads & hi-hats talking about popping out of the ride with the sticks on him leading into “Showered Up” keeps the plugg vibes going using the backdoor on any opp leaving them for death. “Lucky Charm” heads for a cloudier approach advising anyone who wants to fuck with him to go fuck themselves, but then “Duck” produced by WhyCeg talks about making people hide when he pulls out the Glock.

“3am Lobby” begins the final leg of the tape on a lo-fi trap note boasting that nobody’s doing it like him & riding around with guns on him while “Ruthless” talks about taking issue to people crossing over his squad showing them absolutely no mercy. ImSoMarcus takes up “Too Much” hanging with the slimes instead of lames & after “Shooting Star” lets off rounds at a cop car, “Do Re Mi” wraps it up letting the chopper sing some more.

Other than not being so sure why he takes a backseat in performing every time letting the features take up a good chunk of the tracks they’re on, Home Invasions takes Pradabagshawty even higher as an up-&-coming plugg artist maintaining the quality production of the EP that got me into him back in February breaking down more stories of his life being a gangsta trying to make it out of the trenches.

Score: 4/5

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Naomi Sharon – “The Only Love We Know” review

Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands singer/songwriter Naomi Sharon with a brand new EP. Starting in 2018 with her debut single “Breeze”, she would go on to release 4 more singles until Toronto, Ontario, Canada superstar Drake signed her to OVO Sound for an impressive debut Obsidian giving a refreshing take on the way the label delivers alternative R&B going beyond that in favor of neo-soul, afrobeats, afro house, downtempo, sophisti-pop, deep house, ambient pop & smooth soul. Year & half later, Naomi’s back to address The Only Love We Know.

“Bittersweet” is a passionate intro asking if her & her partner can simply be while “Can We Do This Over?” works in elements of smooth soul, sophisti-pop, downtempo, contemporary R&B & neo-soul asking for a redo since she doesn’t want closure. “Calm Waters” finds her wishing on a star pleading to be in the presence of her romantic interest again while “Soft Like Dawn” sings about things not feeling sane when you’re unsure & drifting away.

The song “Feels Like Home” portrays herself as a woman who deserves better despite sharing in her current relationship & the title track produced the EP’s executive producer Jordan Ullman of Majid Jordan closes out the transformative successor to Obsidian showing some gospel influences reflecting on the time she spent with her ex-husband Jamie Sun.

Aiming to exceed the high expectations her debut had set, Naomi easily clears the new Drake & PARTYNEXTDOOR collab album $ome $exy $ongs 4 U and Roy Wood$’ most recent EP Dark Nights diving into the emotional complexity of moving on from experiences that no longer serve your happiness. Jordan’s honest chemistry with OVO’s First Lady crafts a solid base of intricate sophisti-pop, alternative R&B, downtempo, neo-soul & adult contemporary for a journey through the beautiful, the broken & everything in between.

Score: 3.5/5

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