Elucid – “I Guess U Had to Be There” review

This is the 5th studio LP & Rhymesayers Entertainment debut from Queens, New York emcee/producer Elucid. For nearly 2 decades, he’s been making a name for himself whether it be his 10 mixtapes & 2 EPs that he’s released by himself or becoming 1/2 of the abstract duo Armand Hammer. His full-length solo debut Save Yourself came during the spring of 2016, which was followed by I Told Bessie as well as the Fat Possum Records-backed Revelator & Interference Pattern. Given that 2 of 2025’s most celebrated albums Golliwog & Mercy both came out under Rhymesayers, it was only a matter of time for I Guess U Had to Be There to drop & my anticipation was raised after learning Sebb Bash was fully producing it.

“1st Light” began the rollout with this drumlessly abstract lead single talking about being on farmer time whereas “Cantana” works in some exuberant pianos & a soul sample wanting to be left the fuck alone in addition to being on his 8th life. “Hands n Feet” featuring Estee Nack finds the 2 leaning towards a hardcore boom bap vibe dropping bars that they assume will go over people’s heads more than Israeli drones, but then “Make Me Wise” strips the drums again describing the government pairin’ propaganda with a pie in the face when that & the drone line on the previous track aren’t entirely wrong.

My favorite track here would easily be “Coonspeak” from the abstractly conscious lyricism to the experimentally wicked & drumless loop just before “Equiano” reaches the halfway point bringing the drums back in whilst turning up the psychedelia telling it straight how it is. Armand Hammer reunites for the 3rd & final single “The Lorax” returning to the boom bap & including a reference to the infamous Malice at the Palace brawl which occurred when I was about to turn 8 while “Fainting Goats” featuring Breeze Brewin’ hop over this drumless chipmunk soul beat talking about their reaffirmations of nobody having harder motion than them.

“I Say Self” rounds out 3rd with a sinisterly dark approach instrumentally talking about his refusal to put swine above himself while “Visitation Place” shifts towards a psychedelic direction with the beat tearing apart the type of people who should be doing more when they don’t & seeing it in their eyes that nothing’s adding up when he can’t either. “Alive Herbals” turns up the funk looking to the paint the block blue with money inside his shoes & “Parental Advisory” ends the album on some drumless psychedelic rock shit wondering if his firearm awoke anyone from their sleep.

Receiving a huge co-sign from one of my top 10 producers of all-time The Alchemist calling him “his favorite producer today”, Sebb Bash validates that by linking up with Elucid to surpass Revelator to become the greatest entry in his entire solo catalog & continues to ring in this new era for Backwoodz Studioz since they’ve signed this distribution deal with Rhymesayers Entertainment last spring. His abstractly conscious & hardcore lyrical style has been progressively improving & Sebb cooks up some of his greatest production built around drumless, boom bap, psychedelia & chipmunk soul.

Score: 4.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Bruiser Wolf – “Push & Paint” review

Here is the 5th studio LP from Detroit, Michigan emcee Bruiser Wolf. A member of the Bruiser Brigade collective, his 2021 solo debut Dope Game Stupid would become an experimentally gangsta & comedic gem although the sophomore effort My Story Got Stories was more moderately received a couple years ago. Both of his last couple albums Potluck & Made by Dope produced by Harry Fraud respectively have become his most celebrated material thus far, looking to Push & Paint for 313 Day.

Payroll Giovanni appears on the intro & final single “Hater Not an Opp” explaining that the only thing both of them have on their minds is the product moving in & out prior to Akeem Ali joining Bruiser for the lead single talking about having a “Common Goal” over a Mobb beat. That said, it wasn’t necessarily my favorite teaser of the 3. “Ole Girl” featuring P-Lo finds the 2 asking women if they may have this dance while “Toxic” featuring Sada Baby goes for a hyphy vibe instrumentally talking about all of their bitches being the poisonous type.

The 2nd half begins with this animated beat admitting that he isn’t good with “Numbers” hence why he doesn’t call hoes while “Ask Yourself” featuring GT links up to make people question if they can fuck with the real ones. “Why They Play Me?” featuring Babytron talks about people loving their flows every city they hit up but once “She a Bill” featuring Sheefy McFly himself describes a woman who fit the receipt similarly to a wallet, “Wannabees” concludes Push & Paint takes a dig at those who want to be hip hop’s answer to the Warner Bros.-owned Quick Draw McGraw/Yogi Bear Show character Snagglepuss.

Receiving a huge co-sign from 2-time NBA Champion Kevin Durant this past fall, Bruiser Wolf’s way of celebrating 313 Day is pretty solid even if it doesn’t blow me away the same way Made by Dope or Potluck did. Sheefy McFly’s production here is mainly reminiscent of the Mobb & hyphy west coast hip hop scenes which is cool since I’ve heard some comparisons between him & E-40, except there a couple features I could’ve done without & it does pick up towards the backend of it.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Jack Harlow – “Monica” review

Louisville, Kentucky recording artist, producer & actor Jack Harlow returning with his 4th studio LP. Breaking through when the pandemic started off the single “What’s Poppin’?”, this resulted in DJ Drama & Don Cannon signing him to their Atlantic Records imprint Generation Now Entertainment as well as them putting out a mediocre full-length debut with That’s What They All Say that same winter & who could forget the arduous listen of a sophomore effort Come Home the Kids Miss You in 2023? Jackman. followed 11 months later & I thought that was alright, not really expecting anything different out of Monica.

“Trade Places” begins with Jack desiring to get alone with his lover the way she wants to whereas “Lonesome” produced by Rogét Chahayed talks about how sometimes he has to walk away when his partner’s feeling alone. “Prague” admits to his partner that he should stop holding on to them existing as a couple because he misses this woman the more she resists just before “My Winter” goes for a more laidback vibe describing a woman who he considers to be the complete opposite of himself.

To get the 2nd half of the album going, “Move Along” comes across as this 54 second interlude cautioning to be careful of what you take from him while “All of My Friends” talks about people telling him he comes off too strong to others. “Living Alone” confesses he can’t postpone disrupting the tempo of this person’s life any further & after “Against the Grain” asks his partner why she’s opposing what considered to be normal, “Say Hello” finishes with him suggesting he’ll get at this person when his life gets slow.

I kinda had the feeling that the commercial success of the obnoxious “Lovin’ on Me” would get to Jack Harlow’s head because Monica is a step above Come Home the Kids Miss You, but worse than Jackman. & has me questioning the future of Generation Now following Lil Uzi Vert’s departure. The production is more lenient towards the contemporary R&B & pop soul side of things rather than the pop rap style he became known for & although I very much appreciate him trying to artistically transcend by doing what he hasn’t done previously, I’d much rather listen to GENA’s full-length debut The Pleasure is Mine or Jill Scott’s 6th album To Whom This May Concern.

Score: 1.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

The Musalini & Smoke DZA – “Uptown Saturday Night” review

Brand new collaborative EP from Manhattan, New York emcees The Musalini & Smoke DZA. One of whom has been putting it down for over a decade dating back to when I was in high school & the other has been making waves for the past 6 years, signing to Jamla Records at the beginning of 2022. These guys have crossed paths with each other on a couple of tracks over the years like “Multiple” & “On the Go”, so the idea of them spending an Uptown Saturday Night together & bringing a couple other artists along for the ride didn’t seem too bad on paper.

“Respect Money Power” hops over a luxurious boom bap instrumental to talk about the world being theirs & burning flower whereas “Blues” featuring Fuego Base finds the trio over a jazzier beat so they can discuss counting up $100 bills. “Mack 10” goes for a rap rock vibe instrumentally admitting that all this money on their minds is fucking up their heads just before “Let’s Talk Money” ends the 1st leg of the EP by wanting to discuss finances.

To get the 2nd half going, “Stash House” blends a string sample with some kicks & snares encouraging everyone to peep the scenery while “Bread-Winners” featuring Lord Cartel marks my least favorite guest appearance of the 3 despite the themes & continuation of the previous track’s symphonic spin on the traditional boom bap sound. “Horses & Bourbons” by Mu$ featuring John Dutch finds the pair talking about going on a run & not referring to court when they say that while “Eye of the Storm” concludes with them living by the code since everything has a limit.

Being a fan of Smoke DZA since my adolescence & getting put onto The Musalini when he was wrapping up his tenure at TCF Music Group, the idea of them joining forces for Uptown Saturday Night had me wondering if it could reach the same level of quality the Choose or Lose collab EP that Mu$ did with Wais P & Statik Selektah last fall. And although I prefer the latter, fans of both MCs will get a kick out of this extended play. Could’ve done without a couple of the guests, but DZA & Mu$ do a fine job of flowing off each other well over John Dutch’s production.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

The Horde – “Rydas Rebels: Gone Rogue” review

Southern horrorcore superduo The Horde consisting of Boondox & Bukshot are back with a new extended play. One hailing from Covington, Georgia signing to the Insane Clown Posse’s own Psychopathic Records in the mid-late 2000s & the other puttin’ it down for Louisville, Kentucky since ‘97 by founding the independent hip hop label Mobstyle Music. The pair started worked with each other for over a decade now continuing to do so after the scarecrow left PSY to form his very own Krimson Crow Entertainment following his 4th album Abaddon eventually signing to Majik Ninja Entertainment couple years later whether it be their first 2 mixtapes Hell’s Kitchen & Paradigm Shift as well as their debut EP Overdrive or even their work with Claas as The Underground Avengers. Their debut album The End is Nigh celebrates its 3-year anniversary in a few days, coming off Paradigm Sync! to declare that a couple of Rydas Rebels have Gone Rogue a couple weeks after The Irresistible Forces became the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

“Mobsta Party” featuring Zodiac MPrint brings all 4 of them together freestyling over the instrumental of the classic 2Pac single “2 of Amerika’z Most Wanted” featuring WWE Hall of Famer & current Death Row Records owner Snoop Dogg whereas “Headshots” featuring Siamese Goat God takes a funkier approach to the beat spitting that gangsta shit. After “In Tha Mud” & “Bout It” freestyle over “In da Club” by 50 Cent & I’m Bout It, Bout It” by Master P featuring Mia X respectively, “True to the Way” featuring St8jaket & 9 Millz ends with them freestyling over “Forgot About Dre” by Dr. Dre featuring Eminem.

If you’re familiar with the Psychopathic Rydas’ output back when Boondox was signed to the label that runs beneath the streets with the Eastside Ninjas, then you should probably know what you’re getting yourself into with Rydas Rebels: Gone Rogue & would argue at it’s on par with that 1-off Rydas album that MNE dropped at the beginning of 2020 in terms of averageness. Boondox & Bukshot continue the gangsta rap themes of Paradigm Sync! except that the guest list isn’t all that impressive & the beats they’re rapping over make me wanna listen to the original versions of them.

Score: 2.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Mickey Factz – “The Plague” review

Mickey Factz is a 33 year old MC/producer from The Bronx, New York who broke out 2 decades ago off his debut mixtape In Search of the N*E*R*D. He would go on to drop 14 more tapes until Nottz produced his full-length debut The Achievement: Circa ‘82 under Soulspazm Records celebrating it’s 10-year anniversary this fall, dropping a few more full-lengths & mixtapes afterwards. Coming off 1 Above All & the Tru Crime trilogy of disses directed at Tru Life however, he’s returning for his 4th EP.

“Verbalize” hops over a gritty rap rock instrumental dissing Aye Verb whereas “Shutter Island” goes for a jazzier boom bap vibe explaining how much of an issue mental health is today, hoping those who need help see a psychiatrist. “Ong Bak” works in more guitars mixed with kicks & snares talking about leaving this kinfolk with grievances just before “Letter from Hitman” hops over another boom bap beat reading a message Hitman Holla sent him.

The song “All Set” continues the 2nd half of The Plague on some soulfully dusty shit talking about setting his sights on becoming the MVP leading into the celebratory “Accolades” suggesting that he should let every accomplishment over the course of his career speak for themselves. “Genesis 3:14” spends the last 3 & a half minutes speaking directly to Aye Verb, wanting him to know that he believes he’s struggling with mental health issues & hopes the dude gets the help he truly needs.

Some people may know this guy for beefing with the likes of Wale or former Slaughterhouse members Joe Budden & Royce da 5’9”, but Mickey Factz dedicates The Plague to taking shots at Aye Verb & it makes for some of his most enjoyable material that I’ve heard from him in years. Even if the production isn’t necessarily the best as far as boom bap goes, Mickey’s disses towards Aye Verb all transition into 1 another cohesively & makes the extended play feel like 27 minute diatribe sticking to battle rap’s traditions.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

billi0n – “Revenge” review

This is the debut mixtape from Atlanta, Georgia rapper billi0n. A member of the ØWay collective, he would properly himself last year off his debut EP Heavy after signing to 10K Projects, he would follow it up with both Bravo Bill & then Not Playin’ in the summer, dropping the other 2 extended plays a couple months apart from each other. I also enjoyed his appearances on The XA Tape, returning 7 months after Not Playin’ looking for some Revenge this Friday the 13th.

“Skyrim” begins with him hopping over a hypertrap instrumental referencing the greatest entry across the entire Elder Scrolls franchise whereas “Elite” fuses hypertrap & psychedelia talking about making the baddest bitch pray to God. “Nøt Guilty” continues to hit us with more rage beats talking about his daughter casually chopping shit up with the glizzy prior to “The Grudge” blending some synthesizers & 808s so he can boast that he’s out in New York City.

Meanwhile on “Sleigh Bells”, we have billi0n talking about how all these muhfuckas can get it & he isn’t referring to the bitches at all just before “Jordan Belført” featuring diamond* sees the 2 throwing red & blue tips out the dumper together. “Max It” featuring Yung Fazo leans towards a futuristic trap vibe instrumentally talking about doing whatever it is they’re charged for leading into “Elephant” wrapping up the 1st leg boisterously breaking down his entire lifestyle.

“Sex Symbol” starts the 2nd half talking about a woman who has some kind of twisted power over men & being at the point in his life where’s starting to get fed up with smoking weed while “Impressed” fuses trap & chipmunk soul to explain that his pockets lookin’ stereotypical in as well as having no time to be tender. “10 Floors Up” featuring Diorvsyou & Tezzus finds the trio mobbin’ over an industrial trap beat while “Conditions of Love” talks about being ready to fuck heads up.

To kick off the 4th quarter, “Daydreamin’” chops up a blissful vocal sample admitting that he fell asleep whilst sippin’ paint because he stays dirty while “Spendin’ a Ticket (Adin Ross)” energetically talks about having no problems smacking up anyone who snitches on his crew. “Bonus Freestyle” goes off the top for a minute & a half flexing that he copped a bag without checking the price of it while “Øn the Road” saves the tape’s final verse for Pz’, praying that all the mobsters & killers keep it legitimate with him.

Receiving a co-sign from local trap trailblazer Young Thug yesterday & considering the fact that he’s already signed the Uy Scuti Boyz a.k.a. diamond* & Tezzus to YSL Records already, it wouldn’t surprise me if billi0n joins the label once he fulfills his 10K Projects contract & surpasses all of his early EPs he’s given us prior to this tape in terms of quality. He’s said to drop another LP later this year called Metalhead & if he continues to refine himself artistically like he did after getting his Revenge, then it could be a superior sophomore effort.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Lice – “Miami Lice: Season 4” review

This is the surprise 4th extended play from New York abstract hip hop superduo Lice. Consisting of Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman, both highly revered wordsmiths in their own fields would make their eponymous debut together in the fall of 2015 under Stones Throw Records & followed it up with the sequel Still Buggin’ a year later through Rhymesayers Entertainment. Next summer will be a whole decade since they’ve dropped their last EP Triple Fat Lice, making a comeback by presenting season 4 of Miami Lice.

“Who Sent You?” begins with both of them spitting abstract verses over a bass guitar from Aesop Rock himself whereas “Uh-Oh” takes the boom bap route instrumental working in some sampling talking about the muzzle being warm for those claiming they don’t want trouble with them. “Moving Day” hooks the kicks & snares back up so both of them can get abstractly hardcore for a couple minutes leading into “Burnt Mauve” cavernously trading the mic back-&-forth with each other

To get the other half of the EP going, “The 1” embraces a funkier boom bap vibe talking about the kind of artists they‘ve become known for while “Homework” replaces the funk elements with electronic music suggesting for everyone to do their research on them if they don’t know who they’re fucking with by now. “The Burgers” puts a more conscious spin on the abstract penmanship that’ve defined their whole style while “Evolution” sends it all off on an experimentally drumless note talking about having days that’re both good & bad

I’ve already been anticipating Elucid’s upcoming 5th album albeit Rhymesayers debut I Guess U Had to Be There produced by Sebb Bash this weekend, but Miami Lice reunites Homeboy Sandman & Aesop Rock after 9 whole years of focusing towards their own solo endeavors for the EP that I’ve always wanted them to make ever since their formation. Aesop solely handling the production on this one was a smart move considering how experimental I Heard It’s a Mess There Too was this past Halloween, soundtracking their abstract synergies meticulously.

Score: 4.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Jae Skeese – “The Good Part” review

Here is the 5th extended play 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. Coming off the Superior-produced Testament of the Times & elevating from Ground Level though, Ill Tone’s producing The Good Part succeeding 40 Hours.

“Paralysis” chops up a soul sample to get things going talking about feeling like nobody’s above him whereas “Accelerant” featuring Conway the Machine & Stove God Cook$ finds the trio aggressively going at the throats of those who got the game wrong. “Curt Menafee” featuring Cory Gunz goes for a summery direction instrumentally talking about putting it all on the line leading into “S.W.G.M. (See It, Want It, Got It, Mines)” end the 1st half by speaking of taking what’s his.

Fuego Base & Sule appear on “Raiden” kicking off the 2nd leg with all 3 of them aggressively talking about wanting the finer things closer in reach just before “Worldwide” featuring Talib Kweli & T.F links up so they can discuss how far they wanna take it musically. “Mua” hops over a victorious beat to talk about getting his cake up & winning in the biggest ways while “No After No” featuring Brother Tom Sos & Consequence finishes with each artist explaining that they never stopped chasing their goals after being counted out.

I completely understood what Jae Skeese was doing trying give lesser known local artists a bigger platform although I’m still on the fence with that EP over an entire year later, but The Good Part has to be my personal favorite project of his since Testament of the Times. From the penmanship to the higher profile guest appearances & Ill Tone’s production, it’s already been implied that they’re gonna make an entire series out of this & this inaugural entry checks off every box regarding why they should.

Score: 4.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Ty$ – “Girl Music” review

Los Angeles, California singer/songwriter, rapper, musician, producer & EZMNY Records founder Ty$ is back for a brand new extended play of material. Becoming popular during my 1st half of high school when his 3rd mixtape Beach House dropped. Signing to both Atlantic Records & Taylor Gang Entertainment, his full-length debut Free TC in the fall of 2015 was welcomed to warm reception although Beach House 3 & Featuring Ty$ were both merely average compared to it’s predecessor. He’s also a part of the duos MihTy with Jeremiah & of course ¥$ alongside one of my top 10 producers of all-time Ye formerly known as Kanye West, the latter making their debut with Vultures during Super Bowl LVII weekend & dropping a widely panned sequel almost 6 months later. Tycoon would become the biggest entry in his solo career thus far & has decided to make some Girl Music.

“Nobody Has to Know” blends R&B & trap soul to get things going singing for the woman he’s with to take his soul whereas “3,000,000,000” produced by DJ Camper & Wax Motif tells this female that she’s been looking for love in all the wrong places. “Bad Bitch Alert” hooks up a guitar & some finger snaps to sing about how stunning his partner is while “Intention” featuring Brandy finds the wanting to know each other’s plans. “Miss U 2” featuring Leon Thomas III was a solid alternative R&B/trap soul single telling their lovers how much they miss them & “Good to Me” ends by singing about the one he needs over a piano.

From what I understand: Airplane Mode 2 & Purple Moon are still coming out, but an evening out in New York where Ty$ was at a restaurant where the DJ was playing all the right music had him constantly thinking of what kind of music women would like to hear & leans heavier towards the R&B side of his versatility throughout Girl Music than Tycoon & he’s already hinting at more installments going forward. Instrumentally, it’s a natural return to his R&B origins & to hear where he’ll take it on the next few entries does have me intrigued.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!