Heems – “Veena” review | हीम्स – “वीणा” समीक्षा

This is the 3rd full-length solo LP from Queens, New York emcee Heems. Emerging in 2008 as 1/3 of the alternative hip hop group Das Racist, he put out a couple mixtapes Nehru Jackets & Wild Water Kingdom as well as the full-length debut album Eat Pray Thug following their disbandment in 2012. Hima started up his own Mass Appeal Records imprint Veena Sounds & joining forces with the new label’s in-house producer Lapgan on the critically acclaimed sophomore effort Lafandar, now looking to go back-to-back with Veena.

यह क्वींस, न्यूयॉर्क एम्सी हेम्स का तीसरा पूर्ण-लंबाई वाला एकल एलपी है। 2008 में वैकल्पिक हिप हॉप समूह दास रेसिस्ट के 1/3 सदस्य के रूप में उभरते हुए, उन्होंने 2012 में अपने विघटन के बाद कुछ मिक्सटेप नेहरू जैकेट्स और वाइल्ड वॉटर किंगडम के साथ-साथ फुल-लेंथ डेब्यू एल्बम ईट प्रेयर ठग भी निकाला। हिमा ने अपनी खुद की शुरुआत की मास अपील रिकॉर्ड्स ने वीना साउंड्स को छाप दिया है और समीक्षकों द्वारा प्रशंसित द्वितीय प्रयास लफंदर पर नए लेबल के इन-हाउस निर्माता लैपगन के साथ जुड़ रहे हैं, अब वीणा के साथ बैक-टू-बैक जाने की सोच रहे हैं।

After the titular intro, the first song “Ratatouille” is a colorful boom bap opener talking about feeling more confident than ever whereas “Manto” featuring Vijay Iyer works in more kicks & snares turning the jazz influences all the way up treating this shit like as if it’s his mission. “Bourdain” featuring Mr. Cheeks keeps things in the basement instrumentally talking about staying alert & after the “Underbelly” skit, “Rakhi” featuring Ajji & Pavvan dabbles with drill a bit getting boastful.

टाइटैनिक इंट्रो के बाद, पहला गाना “रैटटौइल” एक रंगीन बूम बैप ओपनर है जो पहले से कहीं अधिक आत्मविश्वास महसूस करने की बात करता है, जबकि विजय अय्यर की विशेषता वाला “मंटो” अधिक किक और स्नेयर में काम करता है, जो जैज़ प्रभावों को पूरी तरह से बदल देता है, जैसे कि इस गंदगी का इलाज करना। अगर यह उसका मिशन है. मिस्टर चीक्स की विशेषता वाला “बोरडेन” बेसमेंट में चीजों को सतर्क रहने के बारे में बात करता रहता है और “अंडरबेली” स्किट के बाद, “राखी” जिसमें अज्जी और पाववन की भूमिका है, थोड़ा घमंडी हो जाता है।

“Flowers” featuring Navz-47 goes for a hypnotically spacious Middle Eastern vibe talking about love & after the “Juhi” interlude, the song “Dame” shoots for a dancier groove flexing that he’s wiser than Master Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And prior to the “Righteous” outro, the final song “Banshee” featuring Cool Calm Pete slickly finds the 2 bossing up.

नेव्ज़-47 की विशेषता वाला “फ्लावर्स” प्यार के बारे में बात करते हुए एक सम्मोहक रूप से विशाल मध्य पूर्वी वाइब के लिए जाता है और “जूही” इंटरल्यूड के बाद, गाना “डेम” एक डांसर ग्रूव के लिए शूट करता है जो दर्शाता है कि वह टीनएज म्यूटेंट निंजा टर्टल के मास्टर स्प्लिंटर से अधिक बुद्धिमान है। और “राइटियस” आउट्रो से पहले, कूल कैलम पीट की विशेषता वाले अंतिम गीत “बंशी” में दोनों को जोर से दिखाया गया है।

Lafandar was such an incredible comeback & Mass Appeal Records debut from the former Das Racist member, but Veena matches if not surpasses the same caliber as he did with the previous album he put out at the beginning of the year. Lapgan splits the production fairly with Sid Vashi so Hima can deliver a tribute to his mother.

लफ़ंदर पूर्व दास रेसिस्ट सदस्य की ओर से एक अविश्वसनीय वापसी और मास अपील रिकॉर्ड्स की पहली फिल्म थी, लेकिन वीना उसी क्षमता से मेल खाती है जैसा कि उसने पिछले एल्बम के साथ किया था जो उसने साल की शुरुआत में पेश किया था। लैपगन ने सिड वाशी के साथ उत्पादन को निष्पक्ष रूप से विभाजित किया ताकि हिमा अपनी मां को श्रद्धांजलि दे सके।

Score: 4.5/5

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Lee Scott – “La Scala” review

Here we have the 9th EP from Runcorn, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom emcee, producer & author Lee Scott. Introducing himself through The Wrong Bootleg Demo & the full-length debut Put on the Glasses over a decade ago under his own label Blah Records, some may even recognize him for his memberships with the Antiheroes, the B-Movie Millionaires, the Children of the Damned, Cult Mountain, the Cult of the Damned, Group, HAPPYPPL, Hock Tu Down, the Mcabre Brothers, Nobodies Home & the Supergang. Peppered Mouth Soup & Happy Sellout Shit were ok, but the sophomore effort Stupid Poignant Shit produced by Illinformed would become his most celebrated work following it up with Tin Foil Fronts as well as CactusOwlMoonGoat & the High Focus Records-backed Butter Fly being another favorite of mine. Nice Swan would become as beloved although Supergod5000plus & Oh, the Fun We’re Having weren’t as good as that or Lou Reed 2000 or Somewhere Between Here & There. I felt like Friend, Come to Me & Be Saved was alright, coming off Gates Click Shutalong with There’s a Reason for Everything & To Tame a Dead Horse to drop the self-produced La Scala only days away from Will Kaven becoming the new RPW British Cruiserweight Champion.

“Cabin Roof” begins with a boom bap instrumental Lee made himself confirming Cult Mountain’s disbandment due to Milkavelli scamming people whereas “Acme Point” talks about not wanting to hear any bullshit. “Starfish” speaks of having no time for chit chat if it has nothing to do with the rhyme or if it doesn’t match the money on his mind while “Next Door” asks himself why the individual he’s thinking of wants to be exactly like him & the rest of the Cult.

The song “Merry Karma” continues the final moments of La Scala by giving the B-Movie Millionaires a few minutes in the spotlight responding to people telling them they need to slow down when they’ve only gotten on the road while “Intrusive Thoughts” talks about being too old to play the nuisance & make excuses, yet he still does & will continue to do so. “Cathedral Breeze” finishes by going for a more compositional approach, taking a backseat vocally so he can whip up a ghostly boom bap beat clocking at 72 seconds.

Marking a conclusion to his most recent solo output using these kind of tempos, Lee Scott writes & self-produces another hardcore philosophical ignorant UK hip hop extended play. His production focuses around the boom bap elements There’s a Reason for Everything had ditching the secondary influences of drumless & chipmunk soul for a 17 minute statement primarily themed around what he can only describe as an insatiable & sometimes inadvertently destructive compulsion he has to create.

Score: 4/5

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Ka – “The Thief Next to Jesus” review

Here we have the 9th full-length solo LP from Brownsville, New York emcee, producer & firefighter Ka. A former member of the Natural Elements roughly 3 decades ago, he eventually went solo in 2008 off Iron Works followed by Grief Pedigree & The Night’s Gambit. Honor Killed the Samurai in 2016 became his most well received body of work as did Descendants of Cain & A Martyr’s Reward, but the frontman of Dr. Yen Lo and Hermit & the Recluse is coming off both Languish Arts & Woeful Studiesto fully produce The Thief Next to Jesus by himself.

“Bread, Wine, Body, Blood” starts by cautioning not become the weapon they use to harm you & that there’s a sheer struggle we all go through over an organ sample whereas “Beautiful” takes the soulful route instrumentally continuing the art of sampling hoping everyone listening lives a nice, long life. “Tested Testimony” hooks up a crooning drumless loop boasting that he doesn’t have any money in the safe because he took the safest lane just before the bluesy “Borrowed Time” hoping for exactly that when his time comes.

Moving forward, “Collection Plate” keeps the drums out the fold hopping over another soul flip pointing out that he would’ve had the titular item by now if anyone really wanted to bless him while “Broken Rose Window” brings the bluesier flare from earlier back in effect talking about being economically disadvantaged. “God Undefeated” samples gospel once more assuring that God sides with the winners leading into “Soul & Spirit” keeping it drumless suggesting to build fences instead of needing bridges.

“Lord Have Mercy” works in some pleasant keyboard passages to talk about needing real freedoms, but then “Such Devotion” gets back to the gospel sampling telling everyone that they ain’t ever see this much loyalty or devoutness. He later expresses the hope that every “Cross You Bear” is gold accompanied by a bare organ while “Fragile Faith” talking about being born air-prepared for ground war over crooning background vocals.

Nearing the conclusion of The Thief Next to Jesus, the penultimate track “Hymn & I” comes the straight out the gate discussing hearing so many Christians using the “n” word as well as gathering strength on the daily & learning heartbreak from the most loyal prior to “True Holy Water” perfectly finishes up what could very well be the most religious body of work that Ka has ever made with 1 more drumless cut letting everyone know he’s here for all y’all.

Literally every single album in Ka’s discography has their own distinctive concept & after going back-to-back a couple years ago, he unsurprisingly carries on that tradition throughout The Thief Next to Jesus to the point where I firmly believe it can hang with Honor Killed the Samurai as my favorite solo effort of the 9 he’s given us in the last 16 years. Heavily building its drumless sound around samples of both gospel & a hint of blues music, the production makes for some of the best in Ka’s entire career as he puts his uniquely poetically spin on the themes of religion.

Score: 4.5/5

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Willy Northpole – “Broadway Theatre” review

Willy Northpole is a 44 year old MC from Phoenix, Arizona who gained national exposure after Ludacris signed him to Disturbing tha Peace Records in 2007 distributed by Def Jam Recordings at the time releasing his debut album Tha Connect in the summer of 2009 to mixed reception & departing both labels in 2012. That said, he’s finally returning over a decade later joining Astray in becoming the first 2 artists to sign to Whitney Peyton’s independently owned Alpha Howse & releasing long-awaited sophomore album effort.

The title track is a jazzy opener talking about Willy’s return after so long whereas “Dear Young Willy” takes the soulful route instrumentally sending a message to his younger self. “OG” brings a jazz rap/trap hybrid to the table reminding everyone that he’s been around in the game prior to Bigshot’s awkward feature on “Rearrange” embracing the trap sound fully so both of them can talk about sex.

“1 Car” finishes the first half of the LP on some dreary trap shit feeling like giving up on everything just before “Blue Balls” embraces a hardcore boom bap flare delivering cutthroat lyricism for 3 & a half minutes. “Citizen” keeps it dusty brushing off the idea that he’s a gangsta, but then “Cook” featuring Whitney Peyton as well as Astray & Bag of Tricks Cat comes through with a trap-flavored Alpha Howse posse cut.

Nearing the encore of Broadway Theatre, the penultimate track “Cosmic Highway” strips the drums completely hopping over a bare loop telling us that he calls it a lil’ vacation as opposed to what our ancestors call it & “Chocolate Cholo” featuring Glasses Malone closes the album pullin’ receipts on them putting their respective cities on in a major way representing their Afro-Latin heritages over a Latin trap beat.

Him signing to Alpha Howse was said to be the best thing to ever happen in his entire career & it sure enough proves to be a sophomore joint that doesn’t try pandering to a mainstream audience much like his major label-backed debut did 15 years ago. The production is a healthy dose of boom bap, trap, drumless & jazz rap letting everyone know what he’s been up to after all this time & I last but not least enjoyed all but 1 feature performance.

Score: 3.5/5

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Tony Martinez – “Everywhere West” review

Tony Martinez is a 30 year old singer/songwriter, guitarist & multi-instrumentalist from Nashville, Tennessee notable for being the son of Rick Martinez who taught him how to play guitar & to whom this full-length debut album of his is dedicated to. He later met Nashville superstar & former Shady Records/Interscope artist Yelawolf at one of his bar gigs, developing a friendship to the point where Catfish Billy officially signed Tony to his independent label Slumerican Records & helped him produce Everywhere West.

“Ain’t Nothin’ Gonna Slow Me Down” proves to be an exceptional introduction from the outlaw country Slumerican shitizen singing that absolutely nothing’s gonna stop him or get in his way whereas “Someone Else” has a country/southern rock flare asking this individual when did they become so blind to the point where they lost sight of themselves. “Crazy” featuring Yelawolf gives off a more simpler country rock vibe finding Tony & his mentor asking their romantic partners why they have to be insane & the Merle Haggard-influenced “White Label Lies” goes for an acoustic direction criticizing a liquor bottle with a white label that said ‘Truth’ on it.

The introspection gets turned up to 11 with “I’ve Lost More (Than What I’ve Got Today)” continuing the country rock influences singing about the hardships he’s faced just before “Try” goes bare acoustics passionately blaming himself for losing an ex-girlfriend of his. “Believe I’ll Be Leavin’” has a summertime atmosphere that I really enjoy talking about gettin’ done with the show & the party & going back to the hotel alone & calling your significant other way too late time after time after time & the toll it takes on an already rocky relationship, but then “Back to the Wall” hooks up crooning background vocals & guitars fighting the good fight.

“Wrong Like the Weatherman” brings the country rock influences back owning up to being wrong in the past much like an actual weatherman while the warm, catchy “See You on Broadway” written by Yelawolf’s ex-wife Fefe Dobson sings about a woman he knows who always comes around. The song “Alabaster Rose” maintains the country rock sound discussing a lil care & kindness going a long way being all he ever wanted while the title track that Waylon Jennings almost recorded pays homage to Marty Robbins. The instrumental on the closer “Won’t Say No to You” feels like some funky shit brought back from the early 1970s telling his partner he can’t say no to her.

Everywhere West is as much Martinez’s legacy as it is his father’s chronicling all phases of the incredible journey he’s been on & certainly reveals that Tony has a bright future ahead of him in the outlaw country scene joining Johnny Cash’s latest posthumous effort Songwriter, Beyoncé’s 2nd act of her ongoing trilogy Cowboy Carter or even Willie Nelson’s best late career album The Border as some of the best country I’ve heard this year as opposed to Post Malone’s latest album F-1,000,000,000,000. All 13 songs evoke emotions in listeners so they know they’re not alone in whatever they are facing in life giving us a look through his battles with NMOSD & an opioid addiction in addition to Yelawolf honing in on his sound with the production.

Score: 4/5

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Tinashe – “Quantum Baby” review

Lexington, Kentucky singer/songwriter, dancer & actress Tinashe returning a year after her critically acclaimed 3rd EP BB/Ang3l to release a 4th EP. Breaking out over a decade ago off her first 3 mixtapes In Case We Die as well as Reverie & more specifically Black Water, her RCA Records-backed debut Aquarius was as well received as the latter although her debut EP Amethyst was moderately received & the 4th tape Nightride was seen as an improvement. She would later depart RCA following a mid sophomore effort Joyride going independent on both Songs for You & 333 respectively to better reception again. Looking to continue the momentum, she’s setting out to make Quantum Baby her 2nd consecutive classic EP.

“No Stimulation” starts with a stripped-back sound looking for the truth or in this case love whereas “Getting No Sleep” blends Jersey club & alternative R&B so she can sing about doing overtime. “Thirsty” goes for a delicate trap vibe instrumentally singing that she doesn’t wanna leave her man in a hurry while “Red Flags” strips the drums completely asking a bad boy to show her who he really is.

To start the 2nd half of the EP, the song “Cross That Line” addresses someone who could be the love of her life working some cloudy trap influences into the beat leading into the 2-parter “When I Get You Alone” promising her man she’ll take it nice & slow. “No Broke Boys” has a catchier feeling altogether telling the broke men to hit the bricks & “Nasty” finishes Quantum Baby asking if anyone will match her freak.

Hoping fans will enter her personal universe & rediscover her at the most fundamental & molecular level, the 2nd installment of the EP trilogy in comparison to the 1st entry really focuses more on getting to know Tinashe a little bit deeper continuing to wear the artistic/creative freedom that RCA wouldn’t grant her on her sleeve harder & allowing her full potential to further reveal itself.

Score: 4/5

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YG – “Just Re’d Up 3” review

This is the 6th mixtape from Compton, California emcee YG. Coming up in 2009 off his debut mixtape 4Fingaz, this was followed up with 4 more tapes prior to Jeezy discovering him in 2013 & landing him a deal with his Def Jam Recordings imprint CTE World. YG’s potential would begin to show in the form of his full-length debut My Krazy Life & came into his own on the sophomore effort Still Brazy launching his own label 400 Records around that same time period, but the next 4 albums Stay Dangerous as well as 4Real 4Real, My Life 400 & I Got Issues all received mixed to poor responses. Couple years later, he’s taking it back to his roots on the 3rd installment of the Just Re’d Up series.

“Go Brazy” featuring the Baby Stone Gorillas reunites with DJ Mustard on some ratchet shit advising that everyone listening should be getting loose whereas “Right Now” works in pianos & hi-hats flexing that his girl is fucking with a real one. “Only Fans” featuring Jaye Anderson is this decent R&B/pop rap fusion with horns tackling the themes of love while “She Pretty” featuring Saweetie has a symphonic trap vibe altogether showing off the beauty of women.

Larry June joins YG for “Put It in My Head” talking how fly they are over finger-snaps & keys just before “Street Love” featuring Diamond Platnumz kinda has a bit of a weird dancehall influence with some vibraphones discussing the titular kind of romance. “Her Way <3” featuring Kalan.FrFr brings a cloudy pop rap groove to the table asking what’s good with that pussy while “It’s Givin’” featuring Ty$ produced by DJ Camper, FNZ & Wax Motif finds the 2 talking about wanting to send their lovers to the hospital for the sex being too good.

After the interlude, “Malibu” featuring G Herbo & Tee Grizzley embraces the Detroit trap style allowing all 3 of them flexing the shit they be doing in the titular California city while “Violence” has a darker atmosphere to the beat reminding the way people be dyin’ around his parts. “Rescue Me” featuring Ty$ has one of my favorite instrumentals on the tape courtesy of Wheezy asking to be saved from the many eaters in the SUV while “Kolors” featuring Ackrite & Mozzy was an average nervous cut with Mozzy having the better feature of the 2.

“Love Make” mainly has a calmer pop rap sound throughout continuing to delve further into the themes of intercourse while “Stupid” featuring Babyface Ray & Lil Yachty sees the trio uniting for a flute-tinged club banger making it out the block similarly to the game of Tetris itself. “My Favorite” featuring Kalan.FrFr again cloudily tells their significant others that they wanna lay up with them while “Knocka” charmingly promises that 400 can’t be stopped.

As the final moments of the Just Re’d Up 3 draw closer & closer, the penultimate track “Pimp My Ride” brings this cool psychedelic guitar lead into the picture talking about that he might as well deck out his whip since he’s got $1M on him & “I’m in Love” smoothly finishes up the mixtape by coming clean professing that he’s been lovestruck as of late.

Nearly 8 years in the making, the final installment of the Just Re’d Up trilogy proves to be a slight cut above I Got Issues with average results much like how the first 2 entries of the series were received. Even if it’s great to hear him & Mustard working with each other again, the overabundance of romantic pop rap cuts & radio hits feel forced considering the fact that he’s not even on a major label anymore.

Score: 3/5

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Gucci Mane – “G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Trappers)” review

I believe this is the 56th mixtape from Atlanta, Georgia rapper as well as record executive & entrepreneur Gucci Mane. Emerging in the mid-2000s becoming one of the Big 3 pioneers in trap music alongside T.I. & Jeezy, he also has one of if not the largest discography throughout the entire subgenre that continues to grow today. He spent a good bulk of this decade signing acts to 1017 Global putting out a number of showcase compilations that successfully gave these newer cats more exposure. Wop’s previous solo effort Breath of Fresh Air last fall was just a middle-of-the-road double disc experience & is having DJ Drama host the long-awaited G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Trappers).

The title track gets us started by referring to himself as the Greatest Of All Trappers over a bouncy trap instrumental whereas “Rich Niggaz” has a more playful atmosphere to the beat from Zaytoven talking about starting to become rich 18 years ago. “Kicked In” produced by Honorable C.N.O.T.E. energetically explains that you can’t get high without these hoes because they’ll give you herpes leading into “Questions” grittily observing all these broke muhfuckas lookin’ sad out here.

“Leak” humorously talks about a hoe as fine as Kim Kardashian the night before & waking up the next morning lookin’ like Chief Keef without makeup while “Hypocrites” calling out those sayin’ it ain’t about the money on their bullshit knowing good & well that it really is. The sequel to “Making Love to the Money” picks up where The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted highlight left off just before “4 Lifers” triumphantly gets his flowers since Wop gave life to the culture.

Starting the tape’s final leg, “I Told Myself” talks looking like $500M every time you see him over a suspenseful trap instrumental while “1 Thing About It” vibrantly pushes towards the conclusion by getting with some of that paper. “Chanel Bag” featuring JT formerly of the City Girls has an eerier beat looking to maintain each other’s statuses as fly & “TakeDat” ends the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Trappers) with a vicious diss aimed at Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy or Diddy.

Gucci’s discography is large enough to the point where it’s accepted that he’s gonna have some misses & G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Trappers) easily stands as the most I’ve enjoyed a project from him since Ice Daddy in the summer of 2021 commemorating him becoming a father. There’s obviously much less filler than there was on Breath of Fresh Air, the production has improved & the 1017 founder reassured his status in the trap subgenre.

Score: 3.5/5

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Jae Skeese – “Ground Level” review

This is the 8th mixtape from Buffalo, New York emcee Jae Skeese. Starting in 2010 off his debut mixtape W.A.C.K. (Women, Alcohol, Cash & Kicks), it wasn’t until a decade later where he & 7xvethegenius gained wide exposure as the very first signees to Conway the Machine’s very own Drumwork Music Group. The Big Ghost Ltd.-produced 3rd EP Authenticity Check & the sophomore effort Abolished Uncertainties both elevated Skeese’s popularity in the last couple years. 5 months following the Superior-produced Testament of the Times, he’s looking to elevate from Ground Level.

“Brick After Brick” is a triumphant trap opener produced by Beat Butcha making it clear that he can’t be calm with this shit & the flame cannot be contained whereas “Peter Parker” featuring Malizah gives off a jazzy boom bap vibe thanks to Statik Selektah talking about hitting max potential to reach a higher leverage. “Situated” featuring Big K.R.I.T. & Sauce Walka connects the trio over more trap production so they can put in the work to reach the top of the mountain referencing the inaugural IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, former 12-time WWE world champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time WWE Hall of Famer & Real American Beer founder Hulk Hogan while “Lost Puppets” hooks up the kicks & snares again reminding that he doesn’t flow a certain way.

Dave East & Jay Worthy join Skeese for the pop rap/trap hybrid “Sara Lee” talking about wanting to hit bitches from behind while “EKIN 4” stands as my favorite in the tetralogy from the rugged instrumental that Ski Beatz & MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 cook up to the hungry performances. “Ohana Means Family” radiates a summery trap flare telling his partner that she’s where he gets his muscle from as opposed to being his backbone, but then “Glory” keeps it trap talking about repping Buffalo & that Griselda set the expectations.

“Wic Coupons” nears the conclusion of the tape on an atmospheric note making it out of the mud while “E4W” reunites F1RSTCLASS returning to the boom bap allowing the duo to make a dedication to those who came from the ground up. “02 Yale Cup Champs” featuring Che Noir & Smoke DZA sees all 3 of them for a dusty 5 & a half minute barfest while “Fruits of the Labor” featuring Project Pat ends Ground Level on some soulful trap shit from Ill Tone grinding all the time.

If anything, this mixtape is a testament to Jae Skeese’s evolution as an artist blending raw emotion & storytelling with cutting-edge production. Furthermore, he paints an illustration of where he is today & the highs & lows in his journey which would shape & inform the artist chock full of wordplay. As a fan of 4 years, I’m thrilled that he’s taking the next step from coming up out of the basement & building on top of the foundation he’s been building ever since being taken under Conway’s wing.

Score: 3.5/5

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Ilajide – “Tape Delay” review

Detroit, Michigan emcee/producer Ilajide formerly of the Clear Soul Forces enlisting Seattle producer Def D to produce his 7th EP in its entirety. In addition to his last 6 EPs, he also a couple beat tapes & 4 full-length albums under his belt. It’s been over 3 years since I covered Code 200 & that was the finest solo LP of his entire career, but Tape Delay had me anticipating it as much if not more.

“Trippin’” is a cloudy boom bap opener to the EP talking about being the coach running the scrimmages now out in Los Angeles whereas “Live from Jump” works in more kicks & snares to make it clear that money is class & he’s taking notes. “More Bling” has this old school flare instrumentally talking about needing more expensive, ostentatious clothing/jewelry just before the funky “Scam Jam” featuring Boog Brown looking at each day as another scam for them to get paid.

To finish the first half of Tape Delay, “Back Up” keeps the funk for a party jam while the beat on “Send ‘Em In” pulls inspiration from J Dilla so Ilajide can talk about counting money in his office. “Don’t Touch My Hair” has a jazzy boom bap flare coming fresh out the salon leading into the groovy “Did What You Do?” saying he’ll do it again. After a “Back Up” remix, the final song “Dippin’” ends the EP by reminding that the players know what he be talkin’ ‘bout.

I’ve been a fan of Def D for over a decade when 33⅓ was released in the summer of 2013 following my sophomore year of high school, so for him to produce an entire EP for Ilajide was very exciting for me & it so happens to be the best EP in the former Clear Soul Forces member’s discography on top of joining Code #200 for some of his strongest solo material. Def D’s production is versatile whether it be pulling from boom bap, jazz rap, funk music, old school hip hop & cloud rap allowing the Detroit emcee to focus on rippin’ these beats to shreds for roughly 25 minutes.

Score: 4/5

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