DJ Muggs – “Dies Occidendum” review

This is a brand new collection of beats from Queens-born albeit California based producer, deejay & audio engineer DJ Muggs. Coming up as 1/3 of The 7A3 alongside the Bouldin brothers in the late 80s, it would later go to become a household name in the west coast as the producer for Cypress Hill & the leader of the Soul Assassins collective. The Black Goat also has 3 solo albums under his belt, the latest being Winter just 3 months ago. However after lacing Rome Streetz’ latest album Death & the Magician to universal acclaim just a couple weeks ago, Muggs is continuing to stay busy by dropping Dies Occidendum.

The opener “Incantation” pretty much sets the tone for the album as it has an eerie, cavernous tone to it while the next track “The Chosen One” goes into a more trap/witch house direction & I really just can’t get enough of how evil the atmosphere of it is. “Nigrum Mortem” has a more distorted tone as it incorporates the sound of organs & guitars while the “Liber Null” instrumental feels like a wild rollercoaster with it’s multiple switch-ups throughout it’s 4 minute run. “Alphabet of Desire” has a more melancholic vibe in comparison to the previous cuts while the “Subconscious” instrumental goes into an industrial direction with hi-hats firing off like a minigun.

“Veni Vidi Amavi” is easily the most chilled out track of the bunch with it’s smokey atmosphere while the “Anointed” instrumental goes back into that trap sound except it contains these ghostly shrills throughout. The penultimate track “Anicca” starts with some dramatic string melodies, but then things get quiet for about 30 seconds until the bass & hi-hats hit & then the closer “Transmogrification” is dominated by cricket noises for a good bulk of it’s 5-minute runtime with the exception of some mystical-like harmonies during the first minute as well as the sounds of something burning during the last minute & a half.

I know we’re not even finished with the first quarter of 2021, but goddamn is Muggs on a roll right now. Death & the Magician is still very much my album of the year so far, but these are some of the darkest collection of sounds he’s put together in a while & is highly recommended to any Cypress Hill fan.

Score: 4/5

FlexxBabyy – “Water” review

FlexxBabyy is a 26 year old rapper from Atlanta, Georgia who came onto my radar just last year after becoming the latest to sign to Benny the Butcher’s E1 Music imprint Black Soprano Family Records. This was followed up by a plethora of stand alone singles & is going into 2021 by dropping his debut EP.

The opener “ETHER” talks about watching his back now that he’s secured a record deal over some violins & hi-hats whereas the next song “Slob” talks about sex over an industrial/trap fusion. The track “So Wet” is Flexx pretty much bragging over a cacophonous instrumental while the song “Dead” is a distorted riot inducer that slows down in tempo during the 2nd half. The penultimate track “JOOP” talks about drug use over an atmospheric instrumental with some loud, rubbery bass-lines dominating the mix & then the closer “Bussin’” gets materialistic over a bombastic beat.

This is completely unlike anything one would expect from BSF, but it’s a good short listen nonetheless. In comparison to the traditional boom bap style that a lot of the other artists on the label stick to, FlexxBabyy takes things into a more Playboi Carti-influenced direction from his flows & sticky refrains to the experimental production as heard on Whole Lotta Red & even the babyvoice that Carti is known for at times. Nonetheless, I feel like this is only the beginning for him.

Score: 3.5/5

Styliztik Jones – “Everybody Eat” review

Styliztik Jones is a 42 year old MC from Los Angeles, California who came up as a member of the Likwit Crew collective led by King T. The west coast veteran has since built up quite a catalogue for himself with 4 mixtapes, 3 albums & an EP. His last 2 efforts have been entirely laced by local production duo DirtyDiggs & to celebrate Steezy’s born day, it’s only right for him.

Things kick off with “King Size”, where Styliztik talks about being treated like loyalty in the streets over a trumpet sample. The next song “Seafood Scampi” with TriState sees the 2 talking about how this time is theirs over a jubilant beat while the track “Limitless” talks about being back on his grizzly over some jazzy horns. The song “Do Something” with Planet Asia finds the 2 talking productivity over a joyful instrumental while the track “Family Over Everything” talks about staying humble over a austere instrumental.

The song “Ramen with the Tofu” talks about going Super Saiyan over some glistening keyboard melodies while the track “Alkaline” talks about his woman over a druggy trap beat. The titular song with Defari sees the 2 talking about getting a piece of the bread over a high pitched melodic instrumental while the track “Here” talks about how he’s still standing over a high-pitched soul sample. Then after “The Spread” skit, the closer “Momma’s Recipe” pays tribute to his mother over an organ-laced instrumental.

If Styliztik is gonna keep on working exclusively with DirtyDiggs in the future, then I’m all for it because they’ve really been putting out some of their best material together. Both of them continue to do a good job at bouncing off each other from the continuously elevating pen-game to the raw production.

Score: 3.5/5

YBN Almighty Jay – “Battling My Spirit” review

YBN Almighty Jay is a 21 year old rapper from Houston, Texas who came up as a founding member of the now defunct YBN collective. Dude has dropped a handful of singles in the span of 6 years & has now whipped up a 20 minute EP as his first official project.

The opener “Get Rich in the Hood” talks about going out like Suge before going out like Pac over an acoustic guitar & a dizzying backdrop whereas the next track “Big Check” shows off his wealth over a drab beat. The song “Murder in My Eyes” talks about how all his homies balling over an instrumental trying to rip off the aesthetics of Travis Scott’s previous album ASTROWORLD while the title track is easily the best off the entire EP, as Jay confesses that he looks at his family different & the dejecting tone of the beat is perfect.

The song “Drank Sealed” talks about going from a futon to a mansion over a guitar & some hi-hats while the track “Bring Out the Hoochies” is a mediocre attempt at making a strip club anthem. The song “Shoutout to My Dentist” talks about being flashy over a buoyant instrumental & then the closer “Red Light Special” talks about not having time for affairs over a syrupy beat.

Other than the title track, I hardly got anything out of this EP at the end of the day & I really don’t see what makes YBN Almighty Jay an appealing artist. His songwriting is insipid, the flows are pretty basic & the production is incredibly generic.

Score: 1/5

Emeril Picssso – “Demons & Love”

Emeril Picasso is an MC/producer from Austin, Texas who originally came up under the moniker Teek a few years back. However, he has decided to completely reinvent himself & properly introduce himself to the masses in the form of a debut EP.

“Trippin’” is a psychedelic trap opener about working hard to live in peace whereas “Don’t Matter” eerily goes at those who doubt him. “Make It Work” takes a more sensual route on all fronts just before “Naples” is the complete opposite, somberly telling the story of someone in a past life.

After the “Chaplin” interlude, “Bliss” serves as a moody romance tune while the song “Wake Me Up” works in a ghostly instrumental talking about his internal conflicts. The penultimate song “Mean That” has a more playful tone saying he has no fear in him & the title track finishes it off with a mellow beat talking about Hell freezing over.

For this being the first project of Emeril’s, I can definitely see potential in him granted that this is only the beginning. I like the hazy production & how he puts his struggles with mental health on display to introduce himself to listeners.

Score: 3.5/5

Madchild – “The Little Monster LP 2” review

This is the surprise 7th full-length album from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada veteran Madchild. Coming up as a co-founder of the seminal Swollen Members, the dude also has a prolific solo career with a total of 6 full-lengths as well as 6 EPs & 3 mixtapes. His latest effort The Little Monster LP just dropped a few months back & we’re already being treated to a 10-track sequel before he & Obnoxious drop a collab EP under Suburban Noize Records later on this year.

Things kick off with “Smoke Session”, where Madchild talks about lighting it up whenever he’s in the room over a rock-tinged boom bap beat from C-Lance. The next song “Love Me or Hate Me” with Peter Jackson finds the 2 talking about fighting demons over some clicking noises & somber piano chords while the track “Python” talks about rinsing his enemies over a trap beat with some creepy bells. The song “Way Out” calls out those who kicked him when he was down over an instrumental that’s somewhat similar to the previous cut while the track “Legends Never Die” talks about going to Hell & back over a plinky beat.

The song “100 Keys” with Peter Jackson & 6-10 finds the trio boasting over an instrumental that reminds me of “Goodbye” off of Slaughterhouse’s final album welcome to: OUR HOUSE while the track “Drive By” talks putting his energy in the wrong place over a desolate boom bap beat. The song “Brain Wash” talks about putting ropes around necks over a piano & a vocal sample while the penultimate track “Vengeance” talks about revenge over a boom bap beat with some astonishing string sections. The album then finishes off with a decent remix to “Curb Stomper” off the original Little Monster LP.

Even though I thought Madchild’s previous album was just ok at best, this sequel is a little bit better in my opinion. In comparison to the previous effort being more trap-centered, I feel like this is a good combination between that & the raw traditional hip hop sound he came up on.

Score: 3.5/5

ShittyBoyz – “4-Peat” review

The ShittyBoyz are a hip hop trio from Detroit, Michigan consisting of Babytron, Stanwill & TR Dee. Breaking out in 2019 off their debut mixtape 3-Peat after Lando Bando signed them to The Hip Hop Lab Records, the 21-year olds would begin to grow in popularity by opening for Danny Brown at his 6th Annual Bruiser Thanksgiving show as well as their No Jumper interview early last year. They dropped their full-length debut New Year, Same Scams pretty much right after that but as the 1 year anniversary of the album came & went over the weekend, the trio are reuniting for their 2nd mixtape.

The title track that starts things off talks about being the coldest group in Michigan over an electronic dance-flavored beat from Helluva whereas the next song “Boss Fight” references the current 2-time WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns alongside soon-to-be inducted WWE Hall of Famer, former SMW Tag Team Champion, 3-time WWE world champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 12-time WWE tag team champion & WWE Hardcore Champion Kane over some cinematic string-sections laced in the instrumental.

“War Zone” talks about the Dog $hit Militia putting bounties out over a much darker beat while the song “Ryan García” talks about multiplying bitches over a classy instrumental. The track “3-Man Weave” finds the trio going back & forth using the same rhyme schemes for 2-minutes over a glossy beat from Jakesand while the song “Terry Crews” talks about being cocky over what sounds like an animé sample.

The song “Jeez Relax!” talks about their newfound lifestyles over an opulent beat while the song “Rat Trap” claps back at those who try to stop their shine over some foreboding bells. The track “Scam GPS” of course returns to their scamming roots over a leaden beat while the song “10:20 at the Lab” talks about being gifted now over a flute-tinged instrumental.

“Pick & Roll” finds the trio pondering about a number of different things over some snares firing off like rounds while the song “Jack Frost” talks about how there isn’t many like them over a Danny G instrumental with some icy synth melodies. The tape then rounds out with “Metta World Peace”, where the trio get materialistic over a boisterous beat.

Like the ShittyBoyz said at the very beginning of the tape: “We’re the coldest group in the state”. Their production continues to get better & the way they bounce off one another in their verses is still as unique as it was when they first broke out a couple years back.

Score: 3.5/5

Scum – “Dyin’ World Chroniclez: Grey Skiez” review

Scum is a 40 year old rapper from Denver, Colorado known for being the founder of the seminal horrorcore label Lyrikal Snuff Productionz. He’s gone on to release 11 albums on his own, the previous being the double-disc Out with the Old that came out this past summer. But just about 7 months later, the Gorefather is returning once more for his 12th full-length album.

After the intro, the title track that truly kicks the album off talks about Hell awaiting over a frightful instrumental whereas the next song “New Day” with Lex the Hex Master sees the 2 giving their take on the saying “out with the old, in with the new” over an oracular trap beat. The track “This Right Here” talks about repping LSP over a villainous boom bap beat while the song “When It Rains” by S.O.S. finds the 2 talking about spraying rounds over a bleak yet abrasive trap instrumental.

“Tha Hit” vividly details whacking someone over some weighty strings while the track “Body Parts” by M.M.M.F.D. talks about dismemberment over a slow, wintry beat. The song “Stress” talks about insanity over a deranged instrumental while the track “Look Around” by Lobotomy talks about the fall of an empire over a apocalyptic trap beat.

The song “Downfall” talks about how fucking with LSP will be the end of you over a nocturnal trap instrumental while the penultimate track “24” with Death+ finds the 2 talking about having fucked up thoughts 24/7 365 over an uncanny beat. The album finishes off with “Story’s End”, where Scum talks about how you’re going to meet your maker over a cinematic instrumental.

This is a pretty dope album & I’m looking forward to hearing how the other installments of the Dyin’ World Chroniclez turn out to be. The lyrics is as gruesome as it was on his debut 18 years ago & his production choices just keep getting rawer with each project he puts out.

Score: 3.5/5

Rome Streetz – “Death & the Magician” review

Rome Streetz is a 34 year old MC from New York who broke out in 2016 off his debut mixtape I Been Thru Mad Shit. This was followed up by a plethora of projects, most notably the Noise Kandy tetralogy & Headcrack. He just dropped a dope project with Farma G on his birthday a few months back called Kontraband but as we close out the 2nd month of 2021, Rome is dropping his 5th full-length album produced entirely by DJ Muggs.

After the “6 of Cups” intro, the first song “Prayers Over Packages” talks about never slacking off over an otherworldly beat whereas the next track “Ace of Swords” talks about getting pieces to the puzzle over a gully instrumental. “The Manuscript” talks about his mind being focused on the money over a glum beat while the song “High Explosive” compares himself to a bomb over some horns.

The track “Zig Zag Zig” with Knowledge the Pirate finds the 2 talking about putting bitches in their place over a violin-tinged beat while the song “Stone Cold Soul” talks about clapping shit over a macabre instrumental. “The Devil’s Chord” talks about how the nights where he had nothing we’re eating him up inside over some ghoulish keyboard melodies & the sound of winds gusting by while the track “Shooting at the Dance Hall” gets on some disrespectful shit lyrically on top of a native-flavored beat for lack of a better term.

The song “Wheel of Fortune” talks about moving in silence over a Bollywood style instrumental while the track “Horn & Halo” with Rigz sees the duo talking about being conflicted since birth over a guitar & some eerie background vocals. The closer “Fly Obnoxious” talks about going all out for his rep over an malevolent boom bap beat & then the bonus cut “Fuck You Know About Me?” talks about preferring fetti over fame over some jazzy horns.

I’ve always said that Headcrack is Rome’s magnum opus, but Death & the Magician is even better. The way he continues to put words together (especially multi-syllable rhyme patterns) is like no other & it’s really cool to hear Muggs providing a wide range of sounds for him.

Score: 4.5/5

Payroll Giovanni – “Another Day, Another Dollar” review

Payroll Giovanni is a 32 year old rapper from Detroit, Michigan who came up about a decade ago as a member of the Doughboyz Cashout collective. He’s also released a total of 8 solo albums, most notable being the Cardo-produced Big Bossin’ & Big Bossin’ 2. But just a month after the 3 year anniversary of the latter, the pair are reuniting for the 4th time to put out Payroll’s 9th full-length effort.

The album kicks off with “Previously”, where Payroll recaps everything that’s happened to him in the past 3 years over a West Coast-flavored beat. The next song “It’s Around” talks about making himself a boss over a nightly instrumental while the track “Eyez Closed” talks about counting money like it’s nothing over a beat with a more Bay Area influence to it. The song “Always Hustling” talks about never slowing down over a smooth instrumental while the track “Mob $hit” with Larry June sees the 2 talking about what they be on over a ritzy beat.

The song “Everyday” talks about grinding nonstop over a straight up g-funk instrumental while the track “Make It Look Easy” talks about going from rags to riches over a delicate beat. The song “Game Showed Me” talks about dudes being iffy to him over a keyboard-heavy instrumental while the penultimate track “Pay & Cardo” talks about giving the listeners what they want over an atmospheric beat. The closer “Forever Flow” then talks about how his grandma used to give him money to flip over a synth-heavy beat.

Payroll always puts out his best material whenever he hooks up with Cardo & this is a great follow-up to Big Bossin’ 2. I really dig how both parties took it back to the 90’s West Coast gangsta rap era from the overall sound of the album to the lyrics & for those who aren’t familiar with Payroll, it’s almost like you’d think he’s actually from Southern California.

Score: 4/5