Joey Cool – “Enjoy the View” review

Joey Cool is a 38 year old MC from Kansas City, Missouri starting out as a long-time affiliate of local independent hip hop powerhouse Strange Music dropping a total of 4 mixtapes & a studio album on his own until Tech N9ne decided to officially sign him to the Snake & Bat in 2017. He then dropped an eponymous sophomore album the next spring followed by Old Habits Die Hard as well as Coolie High & I Tried to Be Normal Once. But with the 1-year anniversary of The Chairman of the Boardpassing by a couple months ago, Joey’s beginning the fall by enlisting Mario Casalini to fully produced his 7th album.

After the “It’s Rare” intro, the first song “Oh God” is a gospel trap crossover to start off the album declaring that he is who he is & that he will help teach you what to say on your journey whereas “Kingdom” featuring Tech N9ne is a more rap rock infused cut calling out those trying to bring their paradises down. “Kansas City Classic” shoots for a more playful vibe aesthetically talking about continuing to drop exactly that in you bastards leading into “Flickin’” giving off a bit of a west coast feel sonically reminding that he isn’t going anywhere.

“Sweet” featuring Lex Bratcher starts off with a wavy trap sound prior to a triumphant beat-switch during the 2nd half both being at a level that’s not near, but then “At My Expense” takes a groovier approach refusing to the back & forth tonight. After the “Please Tip Your Ushers” interlude, “Hallelujer” goes full blown gospel rap telling you to ask anyone if he’s been that dude just before “Closer Now” featuring K.A.A.N. & King Iso talks about how they was all supposed to drown there over a moody instrumental.

Meanwhile, “Sink” blends some keys & hi-hats tackling the concept of depression even further while “I Bet” featuring Wennely Quezada comes through with more of a pop rap duet accompanied by an spacious beat explaining that they just can’t go down the river. “Peanut Butter Jealous” featuring X-Raided pointing out how no one wanted flicks with him now that they’re well established with a bouncy trap instrumental while the lead single “Great Time”drops off a club banger for the 1-time.

“Buckets” gives off an eerie tone to the beat feeling like he’s on today while spirit-lifting “We Got Us” talks about how his mom told him there would we be days like this & that all his family as his each other specifically with his father Bill Johnson being featured on here as he’s been in the past. The penultimate track “Buddy Effyn” hops on top of a pitched sample explaining that too many tried to shade or change him & “American Swankster” closes out the album on a jazzier note declaring himself to be just that.

Now the deluxe has 8 bonus tracks & I’ll touch base on them. The first of which “Swank You Very Much” is this empowering trap rock cut talking about knowing that his mother is proud of him while “Big Cool” looks to add another title over more guitars & hi-hats. “Give ‘Em Hell” has this cool gospel flip throughout telling everyone to stop talking to him like it’s 2012 while “Oxygen” featuring Jehry Robinson gives off a peppier trap tone advising to get back.

“Chai Tea” featuring Lex Bratcher goes into a futuristic direction talking about being off the titular mixed-spice tea while the piano-driven “Don’t Cry” featuring Mac Lethal talks about not shedding tears for them. The “Kingdom” remix adds 2 new verses from King Iso & High Deafinician of the unConventionAl KingZ that make it better than the original & “Do-Over” ends the deluxe by having Matt Phoenix help Joey go full-on rock down to the Swankiest of Strangeland flexing his singing voice predominantly.

Self-titled & Old Habits Die Hard are my personal favorite albums in Joey’s catalog, but Enjoy the View has to be my favorite that he’s done in a while in my opinion. Mario Casalini’s production gives off a different vibe of its own & the American Swankster himself happens to be the most emphatic he’s ever previously as far his performances go. Couple underwhelming features too, but it should be noted that most of them stick the landing.

Score: 4/5

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Crossworm – “ANTI” review

Crossworm is a 42 year old recording artist & producer from Grand Rapids, Michigan 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. Crossworm took a few years off after the latter only to return in the summer of 2014 by dropping 4 more albums: Parasite Avenue, Drowning in Restricting Thought, Finding X & Eat the Weak. Coming off his 3rd EP Gōst this past spring, that was all building up to the 7th LP in the Dirtcore Music founder’s discography & the 10th solo effort overall if you include all 3 EPs that I previously mentioned.

After the “Play” intro, the first song “Finally Alive Again” opens the album by setting the tone for it singing over synthesizers that he took a lesson from the brave whereas “Everything Changed” delves further into synth-pop territory singing that he needs his significant other here with him. “It’s Unheard Of” gives me a bit of an industrial vibe continuing to sing that he doesn’t know how it all came to him just before the quasi-funky “Candy” talks about trying to find something sweeter.

“Your Misery” points out that there’s no one out here in the street other than you & him over another synth-pop beat leading into “Get Out of Here” by Bodies Below Sea Level talking about finding themselves in these long waters they’re treading accompanied by an electro-pop instrumental. “Slovenly” makes it clear people tried to turn him at the stake again & he barely made it out alive with some rock undertones musically, but then “Burn” featuring Oblivia bringing back the funk a little covering The Cure joint of the same name.

The penultimate track “Protogeist” shoots for a spacier approach to the beat admitting that he’s on the fence of someone he used to be & someone that he’s actually never been in the past prior to “Feel” featuring Good Spells rounding out the LP on a cloudier note talking about feeling this woman whenever he breathes & knowing from when he sees it that them being a couple wasn’t meant to be.

This dude has always displayed his versatility over these past couple decades & for ANTI, he makes a stylistic departure from the horrorcore sound that he came up on in favor of drawing inspiration from synthpop music. His singing is reminiscent to that of the late LINKIN PARK frontman Chester Bennington & the production he cooks up is more reminiscent to that of Depeche Mode.

Score: 4/5

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Paradime – “period.” review

Paradime is a 48 year old MC, producer, DJ & hype man from Detroit, Michigan who was discovered by WWE Hall of Famer Kid Rock in 1996 signing to Bobby’s very own Top Dog Records. He eventually made his full-length debut few years later with Paragraphs, but the sophomore effort Vices in the fall of 2001 would go on to become his most celebrated body of work yet. Following 11 Steps Down & Spill at Will however, Dime would mainly take a step back from music & is returning after 16 years by signing to Mello Music Group for his 5th album.

After the “Porch” intro, the title track sets the tone of what’s to come with a piano-heavy instrumental from Pig Pen & DJ Los on the wheels of steel flexing his penmanship whereas the self-produced “It’s Ok” works in a gospel-flip talking about how he used to hit a 5th a day praying for the IRS to go away. “Same Planet” ruggedly discusses being on the same plane as these other cats with the help of Middle Finger Music in-house producer Peace of Mind just before “Annie” is a cloudy boom bap tribute to his daughter laced by Chanes.

“This High” featuring A-Minus works in some lavish keys, kicks & snares courtesy of Apollo Browncalling out those who didn’t think they could take it as high as they could leading into “Heart on Tape” blends some acoustics & hi-hats coming from a more emotional place with his delivery. “Diahubeetus” is a woodwind-trap hybrid produced by Charlie Beans taking about diabetes with a speedy flow of course, but then “Wolf of Greys” featuring Marv Won & Ty Farris finds the trio over a soul sample getting on their hardcore shit.

Meanwhile, “September 22nd” tackles the significance of this day to him on top of a dreamy trap instrumental while “Resurrection of Lemmy” returns to the boom bap thanks to Middle Finger co-founder Foul Mouth being able to see through all the cap that comes towards his way while “Could Be” is a groovy rap rock jam with Marv Won behind the boards reflecting on when he used to tell them he knew life would be this good & that he feels like he truthfully didn’t in the grand scheme of things.

“Folded Hands” hooks up these pianos, keys & snares talking about having questions that need to be answered up until “The Trap” interlude brings back the hi-hats to switch up his flow a bit. “Rock a Bye” featuring Guilty Simpson dives back into boom bap turf getting on murk mode while “Dumb” comes through with a club banger produced by Eminem’s current hype man mR. pOrTeR from prior D12 fame. The penultimate track “Phlegm” featuring production & verse from Copywrite hooks up a sample with kicks & snares continuing to bring it hardcore, but “Make My Way” is a heartfelt closer about having to do exactly that.

After setting his solo career aside to treat music strictly as a profession previously having no plans to ever rap again, what mattered more was cultivating a strong family & a thriving DJ, production & songwriting career. However, he’s back after 16 years like he never left with a lot to say. The production balances some old sounds with some new in a healthy dosage & Dime’s just rapping like getting sucker-punched in the nose by a fist.

Score: 4.5/5

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Torae – “Midnight Run” review

Torae is a 46 year old MC from Coney Island, New York emerging in 2008 off his debut mixtape Daily Conversation & the follow-up Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself. Fast-forward to the next spring/summer, he enlisted Toronto, Ontario, Canada beatsmith Marco Polo for his next 2 tapes Armed & Dangerous and Double Barrel before preluding his full-length debut For the Record on Valentine’s Day 2011 by releasing the debut EP Heart Failure. For the Record would come that fall & a 2nd EP Off the Record consisting of outtakes from that debut LP arrived about 9 or 10 months later. Torae then put out his 5th mixtape Admission of Guilt a week before spring & eventually released his sophomore effort Entitled when 2016 started. He’s been pretty much doing features since then, but is re-emerging with Marco Polo returning behind the boards to unleash the 3rd album in his discography.

“Reloaded” is a grimy boom bap opener looking to aim at your spot whereas “The Return” works in an orchestral sample as well as some kicks & snares talking about being back up in this bitch after 7 & a half long years. “Makin’ Up” takes the soulful route asking if you rockin’ that ill shit just before “Oh No” flips “Remember(Walking In The Sand)” by The Shangri-Las a thousand times better than TikTok did talking about how he can’t be fucked with lyrically.

Meanwhile, “Grey Sheep” is another rugged boom bap talking about being here for the cash money & to last leading into “Life Behind Bars” shoots for a tender approach atmospherically talking about his personal experiences of what it was like for him to be incarcerated. “Mardi Gras” blends more horns, kicks & snare so than describe the way they mob the streets, but then “Rap Shit” is another sample-based boom bap cut talking about taking this seriously.

I think the gospel flip on the penultimate track “Days of Your Lifetime” is pretty dope as are the subject matter revolving around the fact that the days that we live don’t even compare to his on any circumstances whatsoever & “More Danger” is an incredibly raw closer paying homage to one of my all-time favorite KRS-One cuts ”Rappaz R.N. Dainja”.

As someone who got into Torae during my freshman of high school when For the Record came out & enjoyed that album as much as I did Double Barrel, I’m very happy to hear that he & Marco reunited here because this could very well be better than the body of work they did together 14 years ago. The signature boom bap production from the Toronto maestro & hardcore lyricism from the Coney Island wordsmith have always sounded great together, but they elevate it here over a decade later.

Score: 4.5/5

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MIKE & Wiki – “Faith is a Rock” review

This is a brand new collaborative full-length LP between east coast hip hop artists MIKE & Wiki. One of them represents Livingston, New Jersey forming his own label 10k Global & the latter hailing from Manhattan, New York. Both of whom have individually been making waves in the underground off their own solo efforts such as May God Bless Your Hustle or even Wiki’s previous LP Half God almost 2 years ago already on top of previously working with each other on songs like “Standout” or “Promised” off both of those albums that I had previously mentioned. They dropped a 3-track EP together last Black Friday fully produced by The Alchemist called 1 More, but are bringing Uncle Al back into the picture once again to turn it up a notch on Faith is a Rock.

“Stargate” is a drumless orchestral opener to the album with Wiki talking about how he feels like his life’s improved & MIKE talking about how these motherfuckers soft compared to them whereas “Thug Anthem” takes the jazzier route instrumentally promising to make it jump without any tangent. “Mayor’s a Cop” works in some more jazz-inspired horns with kicks & snares getting on the more conscious side of things lyrically, but then “Bledsoe” strips the drums once more looking to balance what they know with this new trend & that there ain’t no limit to what they can do.

Moving on from there, “Pray for Him” gives off a hypnotic trance to the sample-heavy beat discussing that they ain’t trying to play God asking what they put this pain in for & ecstatically remaining calm leading into the MIKE solo cut “Odd Ways” returning to the boom bap with orchestral flare to it talking about his soul being strong & his mind is crazy. Wiki returns once more on ”Scribble Jam” admitting he doesn’t understand what she saw in him when the floors was all he could see on top of MIKE breathing faster & living slower just before Wiki’s solo joint “Be Realistic” keeps the strings, kicks & snares in tact getting in his hardcore bag lyrically.

The penultimate track “Memory Loss” finds MIKE & Wiki back together for encore of Faith is a Rock looking to live for the large payment with Uncle Al drawing inspiration from jazz music instrumentally once again & the aptly titled “1 More finds both east coast underground MCs looking to provide 1 last thought each before they head out previously having lost sight as opposed to seeing more nowadays in comparison over a soul sample.

Both of these guys are well known in the underground for their abstract lyricism, so to hear them coming together with one of my top 10 producers of all-time sounded like a match made in Heaven on paper. Lo & behold: This might be the best collab album I’ve heard all year. Uncle Al’s jazzy production matched with the elevated use heavy metaphors, symbolism or cryptic meanings used by both lyricists result in some of best work of their careers.

Score: 4.5/5

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Cymarshall Law – “The Peaceful Warrior” review

This is the 13th full-length album from New Jersey emcee Cymarshall Law. Emerging back in ‘04 as part of the duo Power Man & Iron Fist alongside the late Pumpkinhead, it wasn’t until 3 years later where he branched out on his own off the full-length debut Hip Hop in the Flesh, which was followed up by the Hip Hop in the Soul trilogy & Freedom Express. He’s made a handful since, which the last one I covered being I Still Love H.E.R. couple years back. But with the 1-year anniversary of The Sorcerer’s Art Supplies coming & going over the weekend, Cymarshall’s returning as The Peaceful Warrior.

The “Warren Peace” intro is a angelic boom bap opener to the album talking about how original & different he is whereas “Burn Bright” takes a jazzier route declaring himself to be a burning sensation on the mic. “Outside Looking In” brings in more jazz horns, kicks & snares hoping better days are ahead as it’s looking grim for him right now leading into the piano boom bap infused The Orator” living up to it’s name perfectly saying just because you started your journey early doesn’t mean you have to get to the destination before them.

“Doing My Thing” gives off a groovier vibe talking about being out here doing his own shit these days prior to “The Pressure” works in some strings as well as kicks & snares talking about the pressures that he’s been dealing with in his personal life. “Find the Top” is another piano-boom bam cut saying he loves hip hop culture more than Jada Pinkett Smith loved 2Pac, but then the title track talks about being ready when the time comes over a mellow backdrop laced with kicks & snares.

Meanwhile, “Soul Mates” featuring a soulful hook from Kafeeno is a moody boom bap pop rap crossover to start of the 2nd half of the album talking to that one special woman in his life while “Competitive Man” brings it back to you raw getting on some hardcore shit. “Palm of My Hand” gets dustier sonically talking about having the game on lock while “Royalty” ends the 3rd leg of the LP with some keys, kicks & snares talking about how their spiritual intelligence could never be taken away from them.

“Speak It Into Existence” starts the 4th quarter of the album with another piano/boom bap hybrid discussing how he really spoke his good fortune into existence all from being persistent while “Lost” featuring Peter Anguira on the hook takes a dreamier approach instrumentally getting on some more personal subject matter drawing from his past. “Insecure” is another jazzy boom bap cut giving a shoutout to anyone listening who’s ever felt inconfident & “Keep Growing” featuring Talk2Francis closes out the album with both of them over a dreamy loop with kicks & snares talking about being here for growth.

Compared to The Sorcerer’s Art Supplies a whole year ago, The Peaceful Warrior is unquestionably better. Maybe even a tad bit superior to I Still Love H.E.R. the year before that. Slimline Mutha’s production ranges from jazzy boom bap reminiscent to that of one of my personal top 5 producers Pete Rock to moody pop rap with Cymarshall getting more personal on the lyrical side of things.

Score: 4/5

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Summrs – “What We Didn’t Have” review

This is the 9th full-length album from Lafayette, Louisiana recording artist Summrs. Starting out as a member of the Goonie-founded SlayWorld collective, his presence has been known predominantly in the plugg scene by constantly dropping projects whether it be his last EP What We Have or even the Fallen Raven LP, both of which I highly recommend listening to if you wanna get into his music. But coming fresh off his last couple albums Stuck in My Ways & Ghost from earlier this year, Rino’s looking to bring back the plugg elements that Ghost lacked on the official What We Have sequel What We Didn’t Have.

“Overdosing on Toxicity” sets the tone of what’s to come by telling his lover to save him & that he’s been feeling crazy over some pianos, synths & hi-hats whereas “The Healing” gives off a bouncier flare instrumentally talks about curing his soul. “Rehab” works in more synthesizers & hi-hats from Goyxrd making it clear that we all know Summrs is the MVP leading into “Feel Dumb” takes the psychedelic route a bit confessing that he’s sick of everyone showing him fake love or those who be making up their lives.

Meanwhile, “International” shows off Louiveedee’s new btich who just so happens to be nasty behind closed doors over some icy synths & hi-hats prior to the 2-parter “Playin with a Demon / Jokes on U” reminding the hoe who’s been cheating him exactly who she’s fucking with starting off playfully prior to a shimmery switch-up. “The Talk” addresses some bird business & being as dark hearted as he is backed by an atmospheric beat, but then “Xanax / Burnt Memories” talks about deserving my flowers today as opposed to when he’s no longer here to smell them over some synths & hi-hats with a bassy instrumental switch.

“Til Death Do Us Part” gives off a bit of an intergalactic atmosphere to it calling out a bitch for trying to get in the middle of his money & that she knows damn well of Rino being a player while “If Ya Wanted 2 Know” weaves these wavy synthesizers into the fold opening up about us being the reason that he goes. “Top Off” starts off by pulling up stuntin’ over a peppy instrumentally while “House Arrest” later admits that he can’t have his pole with him since he got an electronic ankle tag on him taking it back to the pluggnb sound.

“Auntie Cat” keeps the synths & hi-hats in tact paying homage to his late aunt of the same name knowing that his grandmother’s fucked up over her passing trying to get her back while the Asian rock-infused “How Dare You” talks about not dying from drank. “Martin & Gina” featuring Autumn! finds them comparing themselves & their Glocks with a switch to that of the titular couple from one of the greatest sitcoms of all-time going straight plugg while “Chasing Your High” featuring Desire encourages their lovers to stay the night since they makes theml feel right.

“It’s Nothing” marks the beginning of the end for the best album of the 3 that Rino has dropped this year declaring that he & his crew keep them Draco’s out without fucking around over a booming yet futuristic beat, but the “Spiritual” outro really wraps everything up by by drawing from regalia clarifying that he still goin’ through pain cause we were with him through everything.

What We Have is the best EP in Summrs catalog, so I went into What We Don’t Have expecting it to be his finest full-length LP surpassing Fallen Raven & that’s pretty much what we got here. The pluggnb production is more consistent than his last couple albums we’re truthfully & you can really hear the pain that he’s experienced in his voice delivering the most personal subject matter of his career.

Score: 4/5

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City Morgue – “My Bloody America” review

This is the 4th & final full-length album from New York trap metal outfit City Morgue. Consisting of ZillaKami & SosMula on the mic alongside honorary 3rd member Thraxx on production, I first caught wind of them due to ZillaKami’s verse on Denzel Curry’s classic 3rd album TA13OO & their debut that followed shortly after Hell or High Water completely stopping me in my tracks. Mostly because prior to that album, I never heard anyone fuse trap with metal music in the way that they did. This was followed up with the worthy sequel As Good as Dead, the mediocre debut EP Toxic Boogaloo & their previous album Bottom of the Barrel following SosMula & ZillaKami’s respective solo debuts 13 Songs 2 Die 2 & DOG BOY. However after several delays, they’re officially making My Bloody America their last hurrah.

After the “Hell” intro, the first song “Skull & Bones 322” marks the beginning of the end by cautioning to either phone home or start duckin’ on top of a bombastic trap metal instrumental with some industrial undertones whereas “Sauna” works in some rage beats talking about bringing the drama. “Haha Waco” features co-production from Taz Taylor so the City Morgue can eerily threat their opposition over an industrial/horror synth hybrid just before “Boy in the Box” talks about catching bodies taking it back to their signature trap metal sound.

“Welcome to the Hatman” dives right back into hypertrap territory delivering some demonic performances in the midst of all the sonic chaos leading into “Funny” being one of my favorite cuts on the album due to Powers Pleasant’s trap metal production being one of the best instrumentals on the album & the lyrics about how no one wanted them to succeed. After the “Counting Casualties” interlude, “Pros” boasts that they only hang with the best on top of more heavy guitars & hi-hats that is until “Vacant” asks how the fuck exactly you gon’ die with it over another rage beat.

Meanwhile, “Wicked” advises that you can’t walk around when they’re in your town over a heinous instrumental & “Locksmith” goes into psychedelic territory talking about being a problem. “Stupid Games” is another highlight for me as their honorary 3rd member Thraxx takes it back to their signature sound for old time’s sake asking if you want to die, but then the final song “Russian” prior to the “Tide” outro delving into hypertrap ending their 7 year saga by talking about hearing their competition is food & that it’s time for supper.

Hell or High Water stands as a landmark in the trap metal subgenre & As Good as Dead was a great sophomore effort, but I think Kami & Sos went out by delivering a long-awaited improvement over Bottom of the Barrel couple years back. They try out some new sounds while keeping their trap metal roots in tact & the fact there’s not a solo song on here is interesting since these guys display their chemistry 1-last time. I wish them nothing but the best in their solo careers.

Score: 3.5/5

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Puff Daddy – “The Love Album: Off the Grid” review

Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy or Diddy & more recently Love is a 53 year old record executive, rapper, singer/songwriter, “producer”, entrepreneur, actor, television producer, sex trafficker & racketeer from Harlem, New York getting his start as the talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own label Bad Boy Entertainment. He would also have a huge role in the commercialization of hip hop culture on top of cultivating artists from The Notorious B.I.G. to Mary J. Blige & Usher. As for his own catalog, Puffy has dropped 5 solo albums in the span of 26 years despite the common knowledge that he doesn’t write his own lyrics or even produce. Although his debut No Way Out is widely considered to be the best, the next 3 he would put out Forever as well as The Saga Continues… & Press Play all received harsher reception in comparison. The last time we heard Puff in a full capacity was the winter of 2010 when he introduced the world to Dirty Money on the moderately received Last Train to Paris, but is returning after 13 years by signing a 1-&-done deal with Motown Records for his 6th album.

“Brought My Love” featuring The-Dream & Herb Alpert is a funky, R&B/pop rap crossover produced by Mario Winans & Stevie J of The Hitmen setting the tone of what’s to come with Puff dropping corny lines like “In the future, we’re both fine. I just gotta write a ticket with no fine” whereas “What’s Love?” featuring NOVA WAV finds the latter singing & P. Diddy rapping about what the purpose of love is if you can’t drown in it. “Deliver Me” by Dirty Money & Busta Rhymes is possibly THE best track on here since Puffy himself hardly appears on it letting Dawn Richard & Kalenna shine as well as the previously unreleased J Dilla instrumental drawing from electronic music & especially Busta’s verse at the end, but then “Stay Awhile” finds Diddy on mic once more with Nija asking to their significant others to stay with them for a bit longer over a groovy beat from Lil Rod.

Jozzy comes into the picture for “Homecoming” cautioning of a lover that’s not good to one another over a dreamy boom bap instrumental & Puff hilariously starting his verse by saying he kicks flows & busts down doors for her when everyone knows he’s never written any of his raps throughout his whole career just before “Pick Up” by Fabolous & Jacquees finds P. Diddy taking the backseat on the mic in favor of adlibs once again so Fab can outperform Jacq over slow instrumental talking about their partners being the ones they want. “Tough Love” by Swae Lee doesn’t have any Diddy presence whatsoever asking if it’s real or if she’s alone also with some twangy guitar licks & hi-hats leading into “Stay Long” by Summer Walkergoing for a magical sonic approach thanks to Timbaland & London on da Track talking about wanting nobody in her business.

“It Belongs to You” by Jozzy brings back the funk singing that her man knows that he has her while “Another One of Me” finds Puff back in the fold with French Montana, The Weeknd in what’s said to be his final feature ever & 21 Savage for a spacey trap jam declaring that part of them won’t come around again with the best verses going to Abel & 21 respectively. After the “Intermission”, the following song “Moments” by Justin Bieber sings over some live drums about how patient he’s been while “Need Somebody” by Jazmine Sullivan dives into mellower turf with co-production from KeY Wane singing that everybody needs somebody even if this shit ain’t right.

Kehlani & Ty$ share a heartwarming duet together on “Mind Your Business (Bosses in Love)” singing about doing whatever they want because they’re both bosses in their own rights & after the “Nasty” interlude from Jozzy, we have Coco Jones filling in Kehlani’s spot for “Reachin’” so she & Ty$ once again join forces on top of a cavernous trap beat encouraging one another to keep calling. Puffy returns with K-Ci from JodeCi as well as Kalan.FrFr for “Stay” jumping on top of pianos, gospel vocals & hi-hats for a pop rap cut pleading for their partners not to leave while “I Like” by Mary J. Blige sings about seeing him calling & is thankful he’s thinking of her over a sample-heavy beat.

“Closer to God” by Teyana Taylor fresh off her role in the A24 Films hood drama 1,001 sees the former Star Trak Entertainment/G.O.O.D. Music recording artist proclaiming she’s at peace when she’s with her husband Iman Shumpert over a blatant reggae instrumental while “Boohoo” by Jeremih proclaims it hurts when you’re gone but he still ain’t done with that over another funky beat. After the Burna Boy interlude, the DJ Camper co-produced penultimate track “Kim Porter” by Babyface & John Legend is a genuinely profound 7-minute tribute to P. Diddy’s first wife who passed away in the fall of 2018 with Timbaland behind the boards once more & “Space” by H.E.R. ends the album with bare pianos from Infamous telling her man to come her way.

Diddy doesn’t sing at all on The Love Album: Off the Grid as many including myself initially thought he would & only recites rap verses that people in the studio wrote for him on 6 of the 23 songs, so he’s pretty much playing DJ Khaled for the most part on here curating a bunch of mid contemporary R&B/pop rap hybrids after saying last summer that R&B is dead. The production truthfully isn’t too bad for both of those particular styles of music & unlike much of Khaled’s output, but the performances from the guests come with mixed results even though Puff gets washed on every song he raps on pretty much. I also feel that he called it Off the Grid to spite Kanye West since he went on IG last fall saying Diddy’s with the feds even though Ye technically wasn’t wrong.

Score: 2.5/5

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Ransom – “Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child” review

Ransom is a 45 year old wordsmith from Jersey City emerging as 1/2 of the short-lived duo A-Teamalongside Hitchcock. In 2008, he would branch out on his own following their disbandment beginning with the full-length debut Street Cinema & the Statik Selektah-produced sophomore effort The Proposal. But it’s been safe to say these last couple years have been his biggest so far whether it be the 5 EPs that he put out produced by Nicholas Craven, the 7 EP based around the 7 deadly sins or his previous album Heavy’s the Head produced by Big Ghost Ltd., the Rome Streetz collab album Coup de Grâce, or even his last couple albums Chaos is My Ladder or Director’s Cut 4. However only a couple months after Deleted Scenes 2, Ransom’s still applying pressure by putting out a 9th EP.

“The Powers That Be” is a drumless opener with Ran talking about prophesying this entire blessing whereas “New Test of Men” takes a jazzier route making it known that it was a never a priority for him to stay rich. “Scape Goats” featuring Che Noir & 38 Spesh is where the EP starts to pick up more as all 3 artists on the TCF Music Group roster astonishingly tossing the mic together over a string-infused boom bap instrumental & “The Desolate One” might be my favorite track on here from the rock-inspired Nicholas Craven beat talking about the industry being full of demons & broken angels. “Hymns” rounds it all out by providing some ghetto gospel over a ghostly instrumental from Sibbs Roc.

Even though I still think Deleted Scenes 2 is the best EP Ransom’s dropped this year, I still enjoyed a good portion of what we got on Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child. The 2nd half of the EP is better in my opinion, but the sounds are eclectic & the lyricism from Ran never disappoints me since he’s been on another level. That goes for both features too.

Score: 4/5

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