Dillon – “What We Have Done” review

Atlanta, Georgia based emcee, producer & engineer Dillon is back with his 7th full-length album. Coming up under the original moniker Intellekt, he would properly introduce himself in ‘07 with his debut mixtape Uncut & enlist Paten Locke for the debut Studies in Hunger a couple years later. Dillon would go on to follow this up with a sophomore effort Food Chain alongside On Their Way & The Tails of Lobsterdamus respectively. Coming off the J57-produced ‘83 Kids & unearthing some Uncut Gems with Diamond D of D.I.T.C. behind the boards, Batsauce is now returning to show What We Have Done.

After the titular intro, the first song “Mind Made” is an 100 second boom bap opener telling people to get off the internet whereas “Quiet as a Library” works in some vibraphones along with kicks & snares to talk about crews rolling up sleeves if a false move is made. “Eddie Farah” jazzily discusses having to find a way to bring the bag in prior to “Make History” grandly talking about continuing to do exactly that nearly 2 decades in the game.

“Cannonball” featuring Grand Puba brings the pair together for a fun ballad that the party people can get themselves loose with just before “Banana Peels” ruggedly declares that any problem with him is a vendetta of it’s own. “Accolades” featuring Jay Myztroh & Reef the Lost Cauze soulfully talks about making sacrifices to have Heaven now, but then “Wakin’ Up Hungry” featuring Headkrack ends the first half on some rugged hardcore shit.

To start the other leg, “Goin’ Viral” dreamily talks about coming from an era where the internet was all dial-up while “Ready on the Left” featuring Kool Keith sees the 2 over boom bap production boasting their wordplay. After the titular interlude, the trippy “Watercolors” featuring Quelle Chris shows y’all what both of their minds be sounding like while “Speak Easy” strips the drums to promise he’ll keep doing this until he can’t no more.

“Isiah Thomas” tells the story of Dillon meeting the titular Detroit Pistons player known during the Bad Boys era which I find really cool as someone from Detroit himself while “Rock Bottom” psychedelically talks about those wanting to watch him to slip up & fall. “Yoga Flame” concludes the LP groovily explaining that he was looking for a sign as opposed to seeking for love.

Over 6 years since Batsauce produced On Their Way, its successor What We Have Done lives up to the standards set by both ’83 Kids & Uncut Gems. In contrast to the latter serving as a willingness to run around the world together, they return for an open invitation to experience the trials & tribulations alongside the small wins & the big losses of being aging independent artists in an increasingly cut-throat world for music makers.

Score: 4/5

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Jay Worthy – “Magic Hour” review

This is the 5th mixtape from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada born albeit Compton, California raised emcee Jay Worthy. Coming on my radar in 2017 after The Alchemist produced his debut EP Fantasy Island from top to bottom, he would go onto drop 5 more EPs & a fantastic collab album with Larry June called 2 P’z in a Pod even though initial plans of putting it out through Griselda Records fell through for whatever reason. Harry Fraud produced You Take the Credit, We’ll Take the Check & DJ Muggs did What They Hittin’ 4 to significant acclaim, but the Roc Marciano-produced Nothing Bigger Than the Program was still good despite having too many features. Once I heard DāM-FunK was producing Magic Hour top to bottom, I was hoping it would surpass the predecessor from 14 months ago.

“San Dimas” featuring G Perico starts off on some flawless g-funk shit asking if you’re turned the fuck in at this point whereas “Westside” delves further into the relax & organic sound featuring live instrumentation, use of P-Funk samples & high-pitched synth lines to represent California to the fullest. “Rich Today” embraces the g-funk sound heavier talking about how it ain’t nothing to a pimp like him just before “Boogie” featuring the late Nate Dogg’s son NHale builds upon Nate’s sound that he was the King of spitting that g shit continuing his dad’s tradition.

Meanwhile on “Can’t Do That”, we have Worthy mellowly slickly talking about being on his MJ shit & on a new bag at this point in his career ahead of the spacious g-funk banger “105 West” featuring Channel Tres, DJ Quik & Ty$ for all the party people to slide to. “It’s So Hard” featuring Obsce Chill keeping the gangsta funk alive staying in the ghetto like Too $hort explaining the hardships of being a g, but then “Untouchable” featuring P-Lo futuristically advises that this joint in particular is exclusively for the playas.

After the “Olde 8 Again” interlude, “Heartstop” featuring Channel Tres goes into synth-funk turf explaining that their hearts legitimately stop when they don’t get to see one another while the beat on “Connected” featuring Barney Bones gives me Rainbow Road Mario Kart vibes instrumentally flexing the ties they have. “Bounce” featuring Soopafly takes you a whole millennium head to the future for a joint to the west to bounce to while the g-funk track “Watch Your Tone” advises to do simply that around them.

“Caught Up” heavily builds itself around synthesizers as a way of nearing the conclusion of Magic Hour while “Let You Go” featuring $ha Hef brings the East/West emcees together over a g-funk beat breaking the news to their significant others that they’re cutting off romantic ties with one another going forward. Last but not least, “Can’t Fade the Funk” ends the album charmingly gets self-explanatory for 1 last song showing P dabbling in DāM’s production style.

It was a bit disappointing that Nothing Bigger Than the Program was overloaded with features considering that Marci proved his status as a underrated producer on Marciology earlier on in the year but anyway, I’m finding myself preferring Magic Hour more in comparison. DāM-FunK’s production as one would expect fully embraces the g-funk sound Dr. Dre popularized in the 90s & conceptually, Jay’s paying homage to the roots of west coast hip hop in a modern way.

Score: 4/5

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Eminem – “THE DƎATH OF SLIM SHADY (COUP DE GRÂCE)” review

This is the 13th full-length LP from Detroit emcee, songwriter, producer, record executive, actor, Shady Records founder, the white guy from D12 also known as Slim Shady or mostly Eminem. What can be said now about him at this point in his career that hasn’t been said already? His debut Infinite produced by his now hype man mR. pOrTeR & backed by Web Entertainment showed his potential with a heavy AZ influence & The Slim Shady EP resulted in a deal with Aftermath Entertainment & Interscope Records. His first 3 major label albums The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP & The Eminem Show are considered by many to be the holy trinity in his discography, but I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with ƎNCORE since it had great production except you can tell he was heavy on the drugs. RELAPSƎ came to grow on me from 2018 onward because you have to get past the accents to enjoy the production & really the last we’ve heard the Slim Shady persona until now. I have a love/hate relationship with RECOVƎRY to for the opposite reasons as ƎNCORE & after the decent The Marshall Mathers LP 2, things have been quite rough for Em in the last 7 years. RƎVIVAL was unquestionably one of the worst albums of the 2010s, which he would vent his frustration with on his last 2 full-lengths KAMIKAZƎ & MUSIC TO BE MURDERƎD BY. 3 & a half years after MUSIC TO BE MURDERƎD BY 2: SIDE B however, Slim’s returning after 15 years to meet his ultimate demise 2 & a half years after the Super Bowl LVI halftime show.

“Renaissance” produced with Luis Resto starts Em’s first offering in 4 years apocalyptically explaining how his music has changed since his sophomore effort albeit commercial debut 25 years ago already in addition to criticizing everyone who was hating on Kendrick Lamar’s final TDE/Aftermath album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers for not having any bangers when it certainly did whereas “Habits” works in some kicks & snares prior to a switch up throwing it back to like mid-2000s era. “Trouble” ruggedly tries to get himself cancelled thanks to Aftermath in-house producers Dem Jointz & Fredwreck just before “Brand New Dance” feels like a successor to “Same Song & Dance”.

Don Cannon & Cubeatz give “Evil” a boom bap flare centered around his Bad Meets Ǝvil persona & after the “All You Got” skit, “Lucifer” reunites with Dr. Dre behind the boards hypnotically talking about TikTok & Twitter trying to get him kicked off. “Antichrist” featuring Bizarre likens themselves to the sons of Satan wishing they’d go off the deep end like Ye formerly known as Kanye West over vibraphones asking if you really want to dance with the devil until a dusty beat switch from Foul Mouth, but then the mR. pOrTeR-laced “Fuel” featuring the future of Dreamville Records himself J.I.D with both Grip & Westside Boogie on the remix goes head-on trap saying all their homies gonna ride with it asking what’ll happen when their fuel runs out & Em dissing Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy or Diddy. “Road Rage” returns to the boom bap discussing coddled groups in society until a Dirty South switch-up at the end trying to get even & referencing the [adult swim] block of the Discovery Global-owned Cartoon Network while the lead single “Houdini” serves as a fun sequel to “Without Me” sampling “Abracadabra” by Steve Miller.

After the “Breaking News” skit, we get a devilish rap rock boom bap sequel to “Guilty Conscience” except that Dre isn’t on the mic this time around welcoming himself to his last hoorah bidding goodbye attempting murder suicide while “Head Honcho” featuring Shady/Aftermath’s newest artist Ez Mil ruggedly talks about money coming from their flows getting it on the pronto over some boom bap shit. “Temporary” featuring Skylar Grey serves as a tearjerking pop rap open letter to his daughter Hailie Jade Mathers who just got married to Evan McClintock a couple months ago for her to hear when he’s gone while “Bad One” takes a Middle Eastern trap approach trying to not sound arrogant in any way shape or form brushing off corny white rapper culture vultures like Tom MacDonald.

“Tobey” featuring Babytron of the ShittyBoyz & Big Sean with co-production from Lyrical Lemonade founder Cole Bennett was an experimental hardcore trap fusion talking about being bitten by goats rather than Tobey McGuire getting bit a spider & after the “Guess Who’s Back?” skit resurrecting Ken Kaniff, the final song “Somebody Save Me” featuring Jelly Roll bids farewell to the Slim Shady character once & for all asking to be saved from oneself over a flip of “Save Me” off the 2nd & final It Goes Up Entertainment/Strange Music album in Jelly Roll’s discography Self Medicated that benny blanco & Emile both cooked up apologizing to his daughters & being proud of the way they turned out. After a Steve Berman skit, “Kyrie & Luka” featuring 2 Chainz starts the bonus track run letting DJ Premier sample “Move the Crowd” by Eric B. & Rakim comparing themselves to Kyrie Irving & Luka Dončić additionally referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, 4-time WWE United States Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion & 8-time WCW World Tag Team Champion Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat while the other “Like My Shit” ends the deluxe calling out those biting his style over a trap instrumental d.a. got that dope supplied him.

Say what y’all want about the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, but I grew up on his first 3 major label albums & both D12 albums. They made me who I am today: And if you including myself whose first concert was Eminem on The Monster Tour thought that RELAPSƎ would be the last time we’d ever hear from Slim Shady, we were wrong because he traced the character’s life story & eventual downfall to the point where I can say what I’ve listened to is a genuine top 5 album in his discography. He discusses where he came from & where he is as we stand today with an interesting musical hodgepodge of ideas & influences. Rest in peace, Shady! Thanks for everything.

Score: 4/5

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Tech N9ne – “C.O.S.M. (Class of Strange Music)” review

Kansas City, Missouri’s very own Tech N9ne returning for his 25th full-length studio album although the 9th in his Collabos series & the first since Strange Reign roughly 7 years ago. Starting out 3 decades back as a member of the groups Black Mafia as well as the 57th Street Rogue Dog Villians & the Nnutthowze, his profile began to increase in the late 90’s after landing a spot on the Gang Related soundtrack & becoming among the first to join Yukmouth’s then-newly formed collective The Regime. But after having issues with Interscope Records & Universal Music Group following the release of his iconic 3rd album Anghellic, that’s when Tech decided to form his own label with the help of a man at Paradise Originals named Travis O’Guin. Together, they would call it Strange Music & solidified itself as one of if not the biggest indie label in the world. Tech has made it a tradition to drop a project or 2 every year since Everready (The Religion) back in ‘06 except for 2022, returning last summer Bliss to mixed reception. C.O.S.M. (Class of Strange Music) on the other hand had me hoping it would be the best Collabos entry since my personal favorite Welcome to Strangeland.

After the “Greetings” introductory skit, the first song “No Popcorn” hops over a fun old school instrumental so he can get everyone rockin’ on whereas “Bigger” featuring King Iso & Zkeircrow works in strings & hi-hats to talk about their desire for growth ever since they were children. “ZOD (I Win I Always Win)” featuring Joey Cool, Kevin Gates & Snow Tha Product kinda has a trap metal vibe to the beat with plinky keys thanks to Mario Casalini forever catching Ws while the ghostly “Disgusted” featuring Hopsin & Killer Mike brings the trio together to catch bodies with Tech & Killer Mike both going harder than Hop.

“Roll Call” featuring JL, Joey Cool, King Iso, Lex Bratcher, Rittz & X-Raided was a wicked fresh Strange posse cut produced by Wyshmaster allowing the alumni to come out to play like The Warriors just before “Let It Bang” featuring Y8$ having a futuristic trap flare instrumentally to hop in the whip & the bass go. “Sour Dough” featuring Keak da Sneak & LaRussell comes through with a hyphy banger despite an awkwardly unintelligible hook from Stunnaman02 leading into “I’m Just Tryna Get” featuring KC Young Boss, Miss Kush, Roblo Dastar & Shay Lyriq being another posse cut this time revolving around Kansas City over a guitar & fingersnaps.

X-Raided returns accompanied by The Popper for “Walter Sobchak (Am I Wrong?)” hooking up a gospel sample asking if they wrong for letting the gat off of anyone who breaks into their homes, but then “P.O.W. (Prisoners of War)” featuring Marley Young is a decently cloudy trap cut with Freek van Workum formerly N4 behind the boards talking about being saluted when they come around their parts. After the “Bathroom” skit, “Drippy Drop” featuring Skatterman & Snug Brim feels like an aquatic club banger reuniting the first duo to sign with the Snake & Bat while “The Ghost of Rosetta Tharpe” featuring Ako Mack & Lajon Witherspoon goes trap metal again delivering politically conscious subject matter.

“Sin Miedo” by the Nnutthowze featuring G-Mo Skeewas one of the most anticipated tracks here that lived up to my expectations since the 6688846993 & the filthiest Majik Ninja Entertainment artist talk about making mean fellas including a reference to TKO Group Holdings co-founder Vince McMahon being under federal probe for human trafficking & sexual battery over grisly boom bap production while “I Got Time Today” featuring ¡MAYDAY! serves as a colorful ballad simply about having the time today that NonMS cooked up. “Take That L9ve Back” featuring Marcus Yates formerly known as Oobergeek explaining what they should’ve said on top of his-hats & vibraphones while “Boomer Rang” featuring K.A.A.N., Stevie Stone & Ubiquitous formerly of the CES Cru atmospherically warns that they don’t fuck around.

After the “L.9.V.E. 4EVA” skit, “I Know the Real” featuring C-Mob somberly disses those who ain’t walkin’ it like they talkin’ it out here while “Sniper’s Remorse” featuring King Iso & Trae tha Truth has a heartbreaking tone aesthetically talking about not being unable to fight anymore & being caught up the guilt of a sniper. “Underdog” featuring Head da Don & X-Raided nears the conclusion of the first Collabos offering in 7 years with a trap metal cut tackling the theme of being misunderstood & “Ain’t Gon’ Be Another” featuring Jehry Robinson ends on an acoustic trap note discussing uniqueness.

Wasn’t sure if Tech was ever gonna give us another Collabos album again considering the gap between this & Strange Reign, I have to admit that I found myself enjoying C.o.S.M. (Class of Strange Music) more than the last couple albums of his own Asin9ne & Bliss. This new one has much more consistent production than the other 2 & as a Strange Music fan since my adolescence, it’s amazing that he got a bunch of artists from the label’s history past & present alongside some notable artists outside of Strangeland.

Score: 3.5/5

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Common – “The Auditorium” review

Here we have the highly anticipated 14th studio LP from Chicago, Illinois veteran Common. Emerging 3 decades back after being featured in the Unsigned Hype column of The Source back in the publication’s heyday, this resulted in a 3-album deal with Relativity Records shortly after & Can I Borrow a Dollar? was a solid debut even though you can tell that he still hadn’t come into his own yet. Com embraced the conscious hip hop that became universally known for with his next 2 albums Resurrection & One Day It’ll All Make Sense. Once we entered the new millennium, Common ended up signing to MCA Records for 2 albums: his magnum opus Like Water for Chocolate & the experimental Electric Circus. The label then dissolved at the beginning of 2003 & he jumped ship to G.O.O.D. Music/Geffen Records. Common’s debut under Ye formerly known as Kanye West’s then-newly formed label Be received universal acclaim, but Finding Forever was a respectable follow-up & I can’t really say the same for the hip house-centered Universal Mind Control. After his contract with G.O.O.D./Geffen was fulfilled, he decided to reunite with No I.D. & drop The Dreamer/The Believer under Warner Records before Immenslope was granted his own Def Jam Recordings imprint ARTium Recordings. Nobody’s Smiling was a great response to the ever-increasing crime rate in his hometown & the Karriem Riggins-produced Black America Again was even greater given that it was revolves around the 2016 presidential election. But it’s safe to say that Common has been making himself home at Loma Vista Recordings & sticking with Karriem on the production end of things these last couple years, as proven on Let Love alongside his debut EP A Beautiful Revolution & it’s sequel. Now, one of my top 5 producers of all-time Pete Rock is being brought in to produce The Auditorium looking to become the best we’ve heard from the executive producer of The Chi on the Paramount Skydance Corporation-owned Showtime network in nearly 2 decades.

“Dreamin’” samples “Day Dreaming” by the late Aretha Franklin & “People Moving” by Azar Lawrenceto get the ball rollin’ namedropping his influences whereas “Chi-Town Does It” smoothly represents his hometown of Chicago topped by the Ye single “All Falls Down” during the scratch hook, which was an excellent touch. “This Man” is a horn/boom bap hybrid explaining that the game is safe in his very arms leading into the groovy “We’re On Our Way” talking about the destination being constant elevation.

Pete’s sampling of “Guarde nos Olhos” by Ivan Lins throughout “Fortunate” kinda gives me J Dilla vibes which we already know Pete was a huge influence to the Detroit producer & Com’s lyricism expressing his gratitude for being alive to this day feels heartwarming just before “So Many People” soulfully talks about the fact that a lot seek him especially. “Wise Up” heads for a hardcore boom bap direction so he can show everyone in the place his philosophical prowess, but then the gospel rap inspired “A GOD (There Is)” makes tons of religious references that don’t come off tacky or forced.

“Stellar” starts the 2nd leg of The Auditorium on a summery boom bap note talking about shining & rising simultaneously while “Lonesome” mixes a vocal sample with kicks & snares asking if one is feeling rather lonely. “All Kind of Ideas” featuring Pete Rock himself keeps it in the basement instrumentally flipping “Last Night Changed It All (I Really Had a Ball)” by Esther Williams as they rip up the mic together while “When the Sun Shines Again” featuring Pete Rock once again accompanied by Posdnuos of De La Soul luxuriously talks about everyone shining. “Everything’s So Grand” fuses jazz with soul & boom bap assuring the listeners that everything will be good in the end while the final song “Now & Then” prior to the outro ending the LP with fireworks still stepping to the mound occasionally.

His 4th project with Loma Vista in the last 5 years & the Chicago veteran Common returns with the best one yet legitimately ranking in the S tier with Like Water for Chocolate, Be & Resurrection. Pete Rock’s production makes him & everyone else feel the spirit of what he always loved in hip hop & soul music, taking us to a place where he could just MC freely like he & the audience are home. They blend the past, present & future into a cohesively timeless & amazing musical journey being true to themselves doing what they love. If these 2 keep working with one another going forward, it would be more than welcoming.

Score: 4.5/5

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Blu – “Los Angeles” review

I believe this is the 12th proper full-length solo LP from Los Angeles veteran Blu. Becoming notorious in the underground in 2007 when he & Exile dropped their debut album Below the Heavens: In Hell Happy with Your New Imaginary Friend, he’s managed to put out a handful of collab projects & solo efforts of his own. The most notable being: Her Favorite Colo(u)r, the M.E.D.-assisted Bad Neighbor produced by Madlib, the Gods in the Spirit/Titans in the Flesh duology, the Oh No-produced A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night, the Damu the Fudgemunk-produced Ground & Water, The Color Blu(e), the Fatlip-assisted Live from the End of the World & the Real Bad Man-produced Bad News. Afrika & Out of the Blue produced by Nottz & Shafiq Husayn respectively were both disappointing due to the overabundance of guests, so I went into Los Angeles hoping it would be better. Especially since Evidence would be behind the boards for it.

“54th” strips the drums to properly begin shouting out everyone in the section whereas “The Land” works in a boom bap instrumental so he can describe what it’s like where he & Ev are both from. The title track keeps the kicks & snares in tact further explaining what goes down in the City of Angels leading into “3 Wheel Motion” featuring Kokane on the hook coastin’ over a syrupy beat & one I can find myself calming down to after smoking of the finest weed the state has.

“L.A. Tourists” featuring M.E.D. is this piano/boom bap crossover with a psychedelic switchup during the 2nd half talking about taking tourists on a ride through Los Angeles just before “L.A. Traffic” feat. Cashus King & Self Jupiter finds the trio acknowledging the crazy traffic that the city is known for over horns. “The Cold” hooks up woodwinds as Blu sums up where it blows rather than ever raining or snowing, but then grittily “Hell” talks about residents not letting you live.

The gospel sample throughout the boom bap-laced “Heaven” makes perfect sense recalling a letter he got from someone he knew who’s up in the pearly gates now explaining what it’s like while the crooning “Wish You Were Here” featuring Evidence himself passionately talks about standing tall for every hour you’re supposed to. “Lights at Night” featuring Domo Genesis & Navy Blue lavishly unites the trio to describe the city view during the evening while “Wild Wild West” soulfully speaks of his upbringings. “The LA” ends Los Angeles by mixing soul & jazz continuing the introspective lyricism.

In contrast to some of Blu’s latest stuff in the last few years, Los Angeles surpasses The Color Blu(e) as his strongest body of work in this current decade & even one of the best solo albums he’s ever done. Evidence’s production teeters between drumless, boom bap, jazz rap & chipmunk soul serving as the excellent backdrop for the man who Vince Staplesgave props to on the highlight track “Radio” off his latest album Dark Times to conceptually open up more around the part of the west coast they’re all from.

Score: 4.5/5

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Autumn! – “You Never Was Mine” review

Here we have the 21st EP from Louisiana rapper, singer/songwriter & producer Autumn!. Gaining traction off all 20 of his previous EPs & a full-length debut on SoundCloud since 2018 prior to signing to Victor Victor Worldwide & Republic Records succeeding the Not Much Left EP, he made his major label debut nearly 2 years ago with his sophomore effort Antagonist! as well as following it up with the last 2 installments of the Golden Child trilogy & Midnight Club. Wick just delivered a sequel to Solitary in the spring & is back for You Never Was Mine.

“Now They Shocked!” is a vibrant plugg opener telling y’all to best believe whereas “F My Wrist!” keeps working synthesizers & hi-hats talking about what happens when your pockets start getting heftier. “Take Her Phone!” takes the cloudier route instrumentally brushing off the bullshit & going in at those who thought it was over for him, but then the synth-driven “Force His Hand!” addresses everyone that lost their minds.

The rage-inducing “Scammers Jackboys Robbers!” rounds out the first half of the EP discussing the type of people he hangs around while the beat on “Rose Gold Patek!” kinda gives me Detroit trap vibes showing off his new luxury watch you can’t find anywhere else. “Passionfruit Lemonade!” talks about being rich forever over synths & hi-hats just before the piano/trap hybrid “How You Mad!” shows off 30 bitches in his crib.

“Undercover!” nears the conclusion of You Never Was Mine blending a psychedelic loop with his-hats bragging that he made a total of $200K in only the span of 11 days & finally, “Backcourt!” officially ends the 2nd EP that Wick’s given us this year talking about knowing someone that chose the wrong side asking God for only bad bitches & fast cars explaining that at least he got his bread up regardless if he might not be happy yet at this point in his life.

What was supposed to be R5 and Pretty Girls & Fast Cars wound up becoming the first installment of a trilogy that makes me curious as to where he’ll go from here on the other 2 installments later once that time comes. His production maintains the trap/pop rap sounds of Solitary 2 except Autumn!’s swapping out the Chicago drill undertones of that previous EP in favor of rage & pairing it with additional elements of plugg.

Score: 3.5/5

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Daniel Son – “Bushman Bodega” review

Toronto, Ontario, Canada emcee Daniel Son has returned for his 7th LP. A member of the Brown Bag Money collective, his profile began to rapidly increase in the underground off projects like the Giallo Point-produced debut mixtape The Gunners or the Futurewave-produced sophomore album Yenaldooshi. He just teamed up with Raz Fresco a few months ago for the spectacular collab album Northside paying homage to the roots of the Toronto hip hop scene & is reuniting with Futurewave for the first time since Son Tzu & the Wav.God on Bushman Bodega.

“Symbiote Suit” couldn’t start off any better from the organ-laced boom bap instrumental to the hardcore lyricism keeping Toronto on lock whereas “Stone Cold works in some eerie pianos, kicks & snares looking to get them all out. “Line Busy” featuring Estee Nack menacingly advises to call them back later since they already busy on the phone as it is just before “No Man’s Land” dustily talks about everything being ugly.

Moving on from there, “Musashi” keeps the keys as well as the kicks & snares in tact providing a theme for those who need more leading into the jazzy boom bap crossover “30 Odd 6” featuring 36 Cypher telling y’all to get a plate since they in the hunting fields. “Trail Blazers” featuring Rome Streetz finds the 2 wordsmiths over a magically raw beat dropping lyrical pressure for 2 & a half minutes, but then “Seymour Stems” drumlessly advises to watch your mouth.

“Underground Parking” feat. Raz Fresco recaptures everything that made Northside the incredible collab effort it was & Futurewave elevating it while “Cleaning Staff” hops over vibraphones to fish for sharks through a storm. “Booger Sugar” featuring al.divino nears the conclusion of Bushman Bodega getting in their hardcore bag together over a haunting instrumental while “Owe Loot” ruggedly stands on his own. “Good on My Ones” closes shop on a psychedelic boom bap note having to get lost to find his way.

It’s been quite a while since we’ve gotten a solo project from Daniel Son that & his latest album here lands a cut above the same pedestal that Northsideset couple months ago. He & Futurewave have always had the type of chemistry where they’ve constantly brought the best out of each other over time, which is further exemplified by a near-perfect list of guests that match Daniel’s skill of lyricism along with killer beats & superb engineering.

Score: 4.5/5

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Mi$tuh G – “Keep It G” review

This is the sophomore effort from Sacramento, California emcee/producer Mi$tuh G. Emerging within the underground at the beginning of this current ongoing decade off the strength of his full-length debut G Files, I myself subsequently found myself being introduced to his music in the summer of 2020 back when the whole world shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic through his debut EP G.W.O. (G-World Order) conceptually revolving around all the events that had transpired at that point. He & Mak7teen brought Your Worst Nightmare to life a year later & is returning over 4 years later to Keep It G.

After the “Brandon Voicemail” intro, the first song “Flow” is this off-the-trap opener having y’all begging for another dose whereas “G’s Back” featuring Mak7teen works in more hi-hats continuing to take an eerier route atmospherically talking about coming back after 3 years. “Slide Out” brings a symphonic trap flare to the instrumental encouraging to send him the addy just before “The Best” featuring Lil Sicx & T Nutty brings the trio together sampling “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious 5 except it has a g-funk twist entering a whole nother dimension.

“Not At All” moves on from there by taking it to the Bay cussing a bitch our on her cap leading into “Hangin’ Out the Window” keeps the pianos & hi-hats in tact getting in his braggadocio bag. Oakland veteran & the Crown Prince of Hyphy Mistah F.A.B. provides Keep It G’s best feature on the misty trap cut “Payin’ Dues” gettin’ their hustle on & after the “KM Radio” skit, “Remember the Name” gives off a vibrant yet soulful approach to the beat looking to separate himself from evil ties.

The ominous trap approach throughout “Revenue” is pretty cool making it clear he’s all about the income & after the “E-Moe Voicemail” skit, “That’s Mi$tuh G” charismatically retains his championship by the end of the song forever staying on the grind the penultimate track “Better Dayz” featuring Lace Leno nears the conclusion of the album looking for brighter days ahead of them. YFN Lucci surprisingly alongside YFN Traepound join G for the trap closer “Mafia” to live high so they ain’t gotta deal with lowlives.

Even I myself was curious as to what’s been going on with Mi$tuh G as of late & to hear that he’s back after so long with an entire LP of new material was just what I needed. Quite possibly better than the EP that put me onto his music few years ago. He’s most certainly grown from both an artistic & a personal perspective since then G makes that apparent, staying true to himself & having a tighter guest-list in comparison to G.W.O. (G-World Order).

Score: 3.5/5

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Tony Shhnow – “#NoOneElse” review

Atlanta, Georgia plugg pioneer Tony Shhnow following up his 7th album Out the Woods with his self-produced 14th EP. Being introduced to his music after my younger brother J$zpiech showed me his 4th mixtape Black Billionaires Club & the song “Vet” off the full-length debut Da World’s Ours 3, he then continued to turn heads with his 8th mixtape Reflexions to critical acclaim last summer & I honestly wish I covered it considering that some of his best songs are on there like “Finessin’” or “Forgive Don’t Forget”. He then returned to his plugg roots on the BeatPluggz produced Plug Motivation, Love Streak showed a more sensual side to him, Shadowbanned 2 dabbled with new sounds & is starting the 2nd half of 2024 explaining there’s #NoOneElse like him 4 months after coming Out the Woods.

“Fort Myers to Atlanta” featuring SB Nunkk starts off with synths & hi-hats talking about catching them in both titular areas of Florida & Georgia that they represent whereas “Everything Match” kinda has a pluggier tone to the instrumental to flex that his whole outfit matches entirely. “Yale” talks about how good the brain is over a rubbery trap beat with some bells just before the grittier “1 of Dem 1’s” explains the fact that the Shnnowman built different, which is facts.

After the “Rap” skit, “Fall Down” nears the conclusion of the EP working in more synthesizers & hi-hats talking about being around once everything collapses in the end while “Check” moves on from there with a peppy ballad dedicate to those who be fresh to death out here. “Yeen Got Deez” featuring 10 Dunkin ends #NoOneElse pointing out that ain’t nobody else got it the way both of them do.

Out the Woods was a solid album of it’s own, but I have to admit here that I’m leaning more towards this new EP here in terms of quality. Best project of the 2 he’s given us in 2024 & will go down as one of the strongest EPs of his entire career. He really flourishes behind the boards cooking up production better than the last LP all by himself & validating that he’s genuinely 1 of a kind veteran in the underground scene.

Score: 4/5

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