Rich Amiri – “War Ready” review

Boston, Massachusetts up-&-comer Rich Amiri returning for the final month of 2024 with his 3rd full-length studio album. Beginning to turn heads since the fall of 2021 off the strength of his debut EP Ethereal, the 4ersona member would go on to follow it up with 6 more EPs before signing to Internet Money Records & introducing himself to a wider audience on the aptly titled Evolution followed by the sophomore effort Ghetto Fabulous. He landed a spot in this year’s XXL Freshman Class over the summer & is now War Ready roughly 6 months later.

“Amiri Trendsetter” featuring OsamaSon finds the pair kickin’ things off with this psychedelic trap instrumental from Noah Mejia talkin’ about people bitin’ their styles & that life can’t be any better in 2025 whereas “Oh Myy” has a bit of a rage influence living life as if it’s a movie. “Don’t Make Me” hazily suggests that he can show y’all how to move & finesse thanks to Internet Money in-house producer Synthetic & venny just before “U Want That?” flexes that he’s at Maggianos with a baddie over a siren & hi-hats courtesy of Rio Leyva.

OsamaSon & Amiri link back up on the futuristic trap joint “I’m wit It” explaining that shit’s getting gnarly in addition to showing off their new sticks & everyone else’s glitching while “Touché” works in a hypertrap beat talking about bitches tryna fuck him for his paper being outta their minds. “Count My Bandz” with co-production from Taz Taylor triumphantly clarifies that the world don’t owe you shit, but then the hypnotic “That’s It” boasts his lifestyle.

“Hunchos” ends the first half of War Ready expressing his fear of telling a bitch that he loves her because he’ll feel completely stupid if she ends up cheating on him while “Same Old Me” samples “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” by Tame Impala to talk about those thinkin’ shit’s sweet being goners. “I’m Gone” admits that he doesn’t want to choose violence & he’ll dead any beef if they bring it to him over a rage-inducing instrumental while “Stormi Daniels” likens his girl to the titular pornstar.

Meanwhile on “Keep It Cool”, we have Amiri maintaining the hypertrap vibes saying y’all better keep it cool ’cause shit could get ugly at any point while the carefree “So Easy” talks about having his way. “Gutta Gutta” promises that he won’t ever switch on his Day 1s shell shocking people & leaving them wrapped up while “G23” turns the bass up staying focused off the adderrall.

“U Like?” reaches further towards the backend of War Ready turning the distortion up a bit addressing a mischievous bitch who doesn’t love him at all & actually wants to beef him coming to the apparent realization that he doesn’t think he can save himself anymore while “Day After Day” finishes the LP with a cavernous trap cut knowing he’s been making it look like a breeze as a result of doing it from the very beginning.

Starting the deluxe run with a bang, “Heavy Steps” that Toom of Vanguard Music Group helped laced asks how you saying you have a check when you can’t even afford your rent while the intergalactic trap cut “New Celine” talks about him refusing to cop a plea deal. “Ray Charles” happens to be the final bonus track of the 3, treating a bitch as if she’s the rhythm & blues icon not seeing shit alluding to his blindness when he was still here.

Many have criticized Amiri for having a supposed “lack of authenticity” & he pretty much takes the opportunity to silence those individuals by putting out an album that reinforces why he landed a spot the 2024 XXL Freshman Class nearly 6 months ago. Although he’s been experimenting with his music for a while now, he’s trying out more new sounds on here & it results in his most eclectic offering.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Teknology – Self-Titled review

Teknology is an east coast hip hop duo consisting of Tek & Termanology. One of whom hails from Brooklyn, New York & the other coming straight outta Boston, Massachusetts. Collaborating with each other multiple times over the years from tracks like “Walk with Me” to “Nobody” & “T2”, they’re coming off an appearance on UFO Fev’s 8th album Strapped from this summer to deliver a full-length debut of their own to start 2024’s final month.

After the intro, the title track produced by Statik Selektah sets the tone of what’s to come with a boom bap cut introducing us to both underground veterans as an official unit whereas “Hustler’s Soul” featuring Freeway groovily talks about the hustler mindset they have. “Money Deposits” featuring Ea$y Money works in more kicks & snares from Cartune Beatz advising to put your hands up just before “The Connect” featuring Bun B, Lil’ Keke & Paul Wall dabbles with trap for a homage to the south.

“I Got What You Need” featuring UFO Fev & Wais P atmospherically calls out those who don’t really want smoke when they be fakin’ it for the bullshit they be pullin’ leading into “She’s Got a Thing for Me” featuring 5 Mics shows off a more sensual side to all 3 performers & even the Statik beat gives off a laidback approach. “Boom Bap or Die” featuring Flash is Hip Hop pays homage to the titular sound that Nottz whips up, but then “The Sun Will Shine” featuring Steele warns the convo ain’t happening if money ain’t involved.

Meanwhile on “The Game Ain’t the Same”, we have Teknology atmospherically talking about the fact shit done changed while “What They Want” morbidly asks these bitches what exactly they want from them. “Toe to Toe” goes jazz rap & delivers well-articulated hardcore lyricism while “No Stoppin’” talks about them not slowing down over a Dom Dirtee instrumental. “Been Around” featuring UFO Fev ends it all by reaffirming their legacy on top of a Sndtrak instrumental.

Soon as I first heard “UFO Teknology” off Strapped during the summer, I knew that both of east coast MCs would eventually come together for an official body of work sooner rather than later & they sure did deliver on it. The production’s consistent, the guests all match the duo’s energy & they elevate their chemistry even further outstandingly bouncing off of each other’s intensities.

Score: 4/5

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

Smino – “Maybe in Nirvana” review

St. Louis, Missouri rapper, singer/songwriter & producer Smino finally dropping his 3rd full-length album. Emerging in the spring of 2017 off his impressive full-length debut blkswn & notable for being member of the Zoink Gang supergroup, this was followed up with his 2nd & 3rd mixtapes NØIR & She Already Decided ahead of signing with Motown Records following his departure from Interscope Records for his critically acclaimed sophomore effort Luv 4 Rent. Couple years later, Maybe in Nirvana is finally here.

After the intro, the first song “Dear Fren” lusciously starts by breaking down how different shit’s been for him whereas the funky “Ready Set Goku” produced by Kenny Beats stands out telling this chick that they might need to be alone since they don’t get along on top of going on a run as if he’s Jackie Joyner & her getting attached being a catastrophe in the making. The title track likens every day to a different style dabbling with plugg music instrumentally while the cloudy “Lee” talks his cuzzo keeping the Clipse with No Malice & that he’s been drinking.

“Tequan” featuring Raven Lenae gets together for a summery, acoustic pop rap joint advising to change your position while “NSYNC” goes for a generally laidback vibe altogether talking about being a gentleman who late night walks as if he’s a pimp. “Ms. Joyce” featuring Bun B brings a psychedelic trap flare to the table referencing WWE Hall of Famer, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion & 3-time WWE Tag Team Champion Rikishi while “Hoe-nouns” featuring Reggie feels more like a Reggie song featuring Smino since Reggie takes up a bulk of it, but then “Glo-Fi” tropically ends the album by cautioning that he can’t be burnt out.

Fulfilling his Motown contract in favor of building up his own 0 Fatigue Records imprint, Maybe in Nirvana serves as a reflective & experimental prequel to Luv 4 Rent tackling themes of love alongside loss & self-discovery whilst maintaining Smino’s signature innovative style. He furthermore expands his artistic limits by fusing profound lyricism with immersive soundscapes that reaffirm his evolution as a musician & becoming more blatantly honest regarding his emotions.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Drakeo the Ruler – “The Undisputed Truth” review

This is the 12th mixtape & 2nd posthumous outing from Los Angeles, California emcee Drakeo the Ruler. A pioneer of the nervous music scene & a member of the Stinc Team, his flow & oddly expressive yet poetic word-choices has led to the Los Angeles Times to call him the most original West Coast stylist in decades. He’d go on to put out his last 11 tapes & a full-length debut until he was stabbed to death in late 2021. A sophomore effort was posthumously released 9 months later & to celebrate what would’ve been his 31st birthday, his estate’s unveiling The Undisputed Truth.

“Perfect Eulogy” gets the tape rollin’ nervously advising to make sure everyone talking loud on his Instagram have their funerals placed out whereas “Diss Me Again” addresses everyone who wanted beef with him. “Bop Bop Bleed ‘Em” featuring Baby Smoove maintains the traffic vibes detailing the gangsta lifestyles they live calling out these lames for askin’ their plugs for the exact price of the dope they be movin’ while “Stalemate” goes for a colder atmosphere referring to himself as a soul snatcher.

We have Mr. Mosely wanting to know exactly what these dudes posting high points in their pictures are gonna do with ‘em on “Instant Jammer” just before “Archie Bunker” keeps it nervous talking about clowns, wanting to be a part of something. “Rerock the Hook” featuring Icewear Vezzo brings the pair together to wreck the chorus & kill it again prior to “Vince McMahon” named after the disgraced TKO Group Holdings co-founder now separated from the next Secretary of Education Linda McMahon likens the rap game to the WWE division of the WME Group-owned conglomerate in light of TKO board of directors members WWE President Nick Khan alongside TKO President & COO Mark Shapiro both becoming the key figures in moving Monday Night RAW to Netflix next month.

“Stella Got Her Groove Back” continues the 2nd leg of The Undisputed Truth referencing the titular 1998 movie with one of my favorite flows on the entire project while “Not the 1” featuring 03 Greedo samples “Who Shot Me?” by YG teasing a collaborative effort from both artists that they recorded until the Big Bank Budda passed. “No Hard Feelings” featuring his Stinc Team brethren Ketchy the Great & Ralfy the Plug has an icier traffic flare calling themselves trophies while “Play with Your Life” freestyles over “Deal with Us” by Jooba Loc.

The only single “I’m the Reason” actually stands as the final song here since the title track is simply a 75 second outro getting on the dark, sinister & menacing sound that Mr. Pops on My Knots pioneered with heavy sub-basses, simple melodies & slow, sparse & slamming drums with the only thing on his mind being violence on top of being why these cats put diamonds in their Rollies & started making money themselves.

It annoys me when people claim that Kendrick Lamar was “biting” Drakeo the Ruler on “Not Like Us” or his latest album GNX from a little over a week ago not because they were clearly homages, but there’s also no doubt in my mind that Mr. Everything would’ve had a feature on the latter since numerous up-&-coming artists in the nervous scene got their biggest exposure thus far when GNX dropped outta nowhere & Drakeo’s 6th mixtape Cold Devil remains a groundbreaking landmark in the subgenre.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Babystaydown – “Pain Before Pleasure” review

Athens, Georgia recording artist Babystaydown back with his 8th EP & Cegular Records sophomore effort. Introducing himself off his debut EP PL Top Recruits as well as 1,350 and Drugz Sex & Money, the latter of which spawned a sequel of it’s own this spring succeeding 17 & preceding his final independent release Genesis later in the summer. Signing to Whyceg’s newly formed Sony Music imprint not too long ago, he’s coming off his debut for the label Hate da Way Um Livin’ a few months earlier by breaking down the Pain Before Pleasure.

“Real Rich” opens with a cloudy trap instrumental talking about getting to the money has become a daily routine for him whereas “Handstand” goes for a pluggier vibe to the beat feelin’ like Marilyn Manson for fuckin’ a female rockstar. “How I Feel” produced by mxrt4lity atmospherically lets the world in as to what’s been on his mind lately while the pluggy “No Choice” assures that anyone around him can leave if they really wanted to & that they’re not being held against their will.

Jripey appears for “Taylor Port” starting the 2nd half of the EP by teaming up over a plugg instrumental from Hariroc talking about being too bad for good women leading into my favorite track “Block List” finding himself getting blocked on the Meta Platforms-owned Instagram by a baddie who was topless the night prior with an Ayelavish! & SOULJASPIRITS beat backing him. “Birthday” flexes that this fine bitch has been tryna get with what he does & “Ignoto” finishes by talking about so high that he can’t even see the bottle.

There’s only a small handful of songs I could’ve done without, but Babystaydown nonetheless comes back a week succeeding Pradabagshawty’s last EP Forever & After to drop off another short collection of plugg/trap songs that almost reach the same pedestal as it’s predecessor a couple months earlier. Now that both of Cegular’s inaugural signings have both dropped more than 1 project since getting their respective deals, I’m fairly confident 2025 could push themselves further in the plugg subgenre of trap than they’ve already reached.

Score: 3.5/5

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

RRoxket – Self-Titled review

Here we have the eponymous sophomore mixtape from up-&-coming Atlanta, Georgia rapper RRoxket. Emerging in 2022 off his debut EP Rixhie Rixh & the full-length debut album R.I.P. RRoxket, he would go on to drop 3 more EPs Happy Birthday RRoxket as well as RRoxket Valentine and Red M&M ahead of his debut tape Red Ranger that was preluded by his last EP High School Flunky. Almost 5 months later, he’s dropping a self-titled effort on Black Friday after officially signing to Sony Music.

“Goyard” gets it all goin’ by jumping over a plugg instrumental showing off the new bag that he copped from the titular French luxury goods brand whereas “Wockhardt” hooks up a delicate backdrop with some hi-hats from Hariroc knowing the spot hot since he got fires going on there. “Pizza Box” featuring 2sdxrt3all keeps the plugg vibes going thanks to Whyceg flexing that their Glocks be talkin’ to one another just before “Serious” advises to drop the addy since he’s going huntin’ sampling “Astrothunder” by Travis Scott.

As for “Abnormal Pedestrian”, we have RRoxket over more plugg beats boasting his Red Ranger steppin’ up for his gang & lettin’ out his anger leading into “Backwards” giving off a hazier vibe instrumentally keeping a stick on him as if he’s in battle & going shadow by putting on all black. “Free GBE” compares his trap to a lair with the way the chemistry be going on in there leading into “Flying” maintaining a plugg flare to count green as if he’s Irish.

“Bag Shipped” starts the final leg of the tape with the percs making him do backflips while “Brandon Ingram” brings some dark plugg undertones to the table weighing the dope in grams ahead of “Demon Takeover” produced by Goxan referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former 2-time WWE world champion, ECW World Television Champion, 6-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 5-time WWE Tag Team Champion, 4-time & the final WWE Hardcore Champion, TNA World Champion & TNA X Division Champion Rob Van Dam.

Pushing further towards the final moments of the tape, the song “Bizurk” stands out with one of my personal favorite beats on the tape assuring that ain’t nothin’ takin’ off despite RRoxket’s moniker in addition to pullin’ up with the drums as if there’s a marching band out here & callin’ a homie Tity Boi as if he’s 2 Chainz while the shimmery trap closer “Who That Is” boasting that he’s a lamb since he’s not a goat quite yet & a real deal geeker.

There’s been a lot of buzz generating around this guy ever since this past summer when Red Ranger initially dropped & although I’m not embarrassed to admit I wasn’t all too familiar with RRoxket’s music until this eponymous mixtape came out, I can definitely see why he’s been becoming popular within the plugg & dark plugg subgenres of trap music making witty references & detailing the street mentality he’s had coming up.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Yung Kayo – “Holy Grails +++” review

Washington, D.C. rapper, songwriter & model Yung Kayo celebrating his 21st birthday by putting out his debut mixtape ahead of his sophomore effort D.F.T.K. 2 (Down For The Kount 2). His first 3 EPs + + + as well as – – – & Sweet 16 in 2019 would catch the attention of Young Thug, who signed Kayo to YSL Records at the beginning of the following year. Work in Progress came out the following summer preluding his debut album D.F.T.K. (Down For The Kount), the latter of which would become a standout in the rage scene. 19 was a cool celebration of his 19th birthday & exactly 2 years later, some Holy Grails are being dug up.

“rockstar” gets the tape going with this averagely intoxicating trap intro that longtime collaborator Warpstr laced rapping about going too hard these days whereas “flex” produced by Pi’erre Bourne stands out as a favorite of mine in the tracklist from the cloudy instrumental to the boastful lyrics getting a bag. “taycan key” takes a bombastic approach to the beat explaining that he wants to know what’s too see leading into “jedi” hopping over synths & hi-hats to get in your mind.

As for “tony hawk”, we have Kayo talking about his whip being jurassic in addition to skating on bitches in the same vein as the greatest skateboarder of all-time whom this track is named after while “in my room” gives off a bit of an experimental trap vibe instrumentally admitting that he can’t control himself feeling like he’s on the verge of going insane. “generous” hooks up these prominent sirens talking more than Ellen DeGeneres, but then “robin hood” gets back on an ethereal trap vibe talking about protecting your heart.

“heads or tails” brings some rage-inducing undertones throughout clarifying that he has 2 personalities as if he’s YNW Melly just before “run that” talks about coming from rags to riches denying a comeback. “hellofaman” samples “Flowers” by PinkPantheress flexing that he got a sure bitch although the money talks while “bye” was an enjoyable trap single talking about seeing what he wants at the store & buying it eventually.

Another favorite has to be “cold” whether it be Maaly Raw cooking up one of the best beats on the entire tape or Kayo bragging that he jumps in the snow with a Moncler coat on since he’s that cold while “psych out” goes for an appropriately chaotic trap atmosphere wanting to know what these muhfuckas gon’ do when the lights go out. The synth-based “energy” talks about time being the only thing stopping him wanting to know why people are copying his swag & “all in” rounds it all out optimistic that all is right.

“fujiwara hiroshi” starts the deluxe run of the tape heading for a pluggier direction hoping that he don’t leave with anyone tonight while “prada shirt” has a bit of a Whole Lotta Red-era Playboi Carti bite to it with this distorted rage instrumental talking about the suit being linen. “come in” featuring A1 finds them on an experimental trap tip coming from nothing & having to run in while the hypertrap joint “sight” warns that he got a 30 round on his right side. The final bonus track “coma” ends with him playfully whippin’ the bands

Yung Kayo basically compiled all of his most anticipated snippets that’ve surfaced online ever since he initially signed to YSL almost 5 years ago & give them an official release is actually a really smart move that feels reminiscent to the Grails EP that Pi’erre gave us a year & a half ago ahead of Made in Paris whenever it finally comes. However, I’d say Grails is a more consistent listen than Holy Grails & that it’s a minor step down from D.F.T.K. (Down For The Kount). You still get the trap/rage sounds that made his debut exciting except it’s a bit of a mixed bag with slightly more hits than misses.

Score: 3/5

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

Big Pokey – “Stone Hard to the Boneyard” review

Big Pokey was a 48 year old MC from Houston, Texas notable for being an original member of the Screwed Up Click collective. He also began carving a path as a solo artist in the spring of 1999 off his full-length debut Hardest Pit in the Litter, which was followed up with the sophomore effort D Game 2000 as well as Da Sky’s da Limit & the MNRK Music Group-backed Eviction Notice. 13 years later, he returned in the spring of 2021 by putting out Sensei & tragically passed away of a heart attack onstage a couple summers later. A & a half after his death, Pokey’s 5th & final album is being released on Black Friday.

“Coast 2 Coast” featuring Paul Wall & Redimade is this laidback opener with all 3 of them coming together for a celebration of the real whereas “Don’t Look Back” featuring Lil’ Keke & Slim Thug finds the trio talking about keeping it moving & taking penitentiary chances for the fame. “Screwed Up Click” featuring Lil’ O & Z-Ro serves as a dirty south homage to the titular collective they’re a part of while the piano-trap hybrid “16 Bars” featuring Chris Ward discusses not being in the same lane as everyone else.

Lil’ Keke returns for “On da Map” talking about putting it on for their city just before “Paper Profit” featuring Mook kinda has this quirky trap vibe instrumentally going back-&-forth with each other flexing they got championship diamonds on as if they play for the Houston Rockets. “Gorilla Bizzness” featuring Big Third turns the bass up assuring you don’t have to wait since they in the tundra with the weight leading into “Fork Talk” featuring Killa Kyleon talking about only chasing money.

“So Screwed Up” featuring Daz Dillinger shows love from the west coast to the south just before “Smoke Something” talks about how if you’re looking for smoke, he’s rolling it up. “Brick City” gives off a symphonic trap vibe moving like a bull shark while “By Any Means” featuring Lil’ Keke & Mike-D promises to go hard whatever it takes. Finally, the closer “Yacht Music” ends the LP grinding to go get it over a rich beat.

25 years since his debut, Stone Hard to the Boneyard comes off what would be the final LP of Big Pokey’s lifetime with a posthumous effort that would make the SUC O.G. more than proud if he was still here today & one that reinforces his legacy in the Houston hip hop scene. The guest list here is more consistent than the predecessor was, with most of them complimenting Podina & the city of H-Town other than a couple others here & there.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Skyzoo – “Keep Me Company” review

Brooklyn, New York veteran Skyzoo signing to Old Soul Music for his 9th solo LP. Emerging in the underground off the 9th Wonder produced Cloud 9: The 3 Day High, he continued to make a name for himself with a consistent discography. Highlights include The Salvation, the !llmind produced Live from the Tape Deck, A Dream Deferred, Music for My Friends, the Apollo Brown produced The Easy Truth, In Celebration of Us & my personal favorite: the Pete Rock produced Retropolitan dedicated to his home state. All the Brilliant Things built itself around gentrification & coming off The Mind of a Saint dedicated one of my favorite shows Snowfall, he’s calling for everyone to Keep Me Company.

“Community Service” featuring a spoken word out from JRose is this jazzy boom bap opener produced by JR Swiftz discussing scriptures written in threads seemingly holding us all together & the aptly titled voluntary work lasting for eternity whereas “Finder’s Keepers” keeps the jazz rap vibes going talking about not leaving until finding what you came for. “Home Away from Home” addresses still being the one they call up even though he’s been gone while the atmospheric boom bap joint “Ayinde in the March” talks about the corner getting immortalized soon as it dies.

As for “Drug Free School Zone”, we have Sky acknowledging that his footprints are on the soapbox trying to rebuild pride ahead of “Prayers for the Customers” getting back on the jazz rap tip warning to not run around like you one of them after you done with them. The bare-boned yet layered all at once “Courtesy Call” featuring Chuck D advising to stand down if murder’s involved, but then the soulful “Esoteric” describes the feeling as abstruse.

“Record Store Day” after the “Store Runs” interlude playfully talks about women in record stores, which is very much my type personally while “Sleeping Beauty” pushes further towards the final leg of his Old Soul Music debut by talking about your presence speaking volumes before you even say a word. “Wins of the Father” points out that being proud goes both ways on top of sending an open letter to his seed & “Jazz in the Projects” sends it off with an 8-minute jazz rap closer hoping you win the wars you haven’t told anyone that you’re fighting.

Centered on the idea of growth, Keep Me Company shows Skyzoo at his most vulnerable since he speaks on his current personal state along with the effects of the past & the assumptions of the future. Feeling alone in this growth spurt of sorts, Sky come across people who felt the exact same way & lets everyone know that they should fear none if they’re in the middle of their own spurt too since the blessing of growth can be sometimes disguised.

Score: 4/5

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

Juice WRLD – “The Party Never Ends” review

This is the 5th & final full-length studio LP from Chicago, Illinois rapper & singer/songwriter Juice WRLD. Quickly becoming a prominent face in the emo rap trend in the spring of 2018 off the strength of his commercial debut Goodbye & Good Riddance, this was followed up the next year with the sophomore album Death Race for Love & Juice sadly passed away after his 21st birthday from a drug overdose. Now even though I personally found both of those albums to be average at best before his untimely death, they eventually grew on me & the kid was undeniably talented. Case in point: “Lucid Dreams” & his astonishing 1-hour Tim Westwood freestyle. Legends Never Die during the summer of the COVID-19 lockdowns was a cool little tribute & 3 years after Fighting Demons tied-in with his Into the Abyss documentary nicely, The Party Never Ends is finally seeing the light of day.

The title track begins by hopping over a psychedelic trap instrumental getting the party started whereas “Misfit” gets on his emo rap shit talking about not fitting in. “All Girls Are the Same 2 (Insecure)” featuring Nicki Minaj is this pointless sequel to one of Juice’s biggest hits, but then the bassy “Lace It” featuring Eminem makes up for it reflecting heavily on substance abuse & Eminem giving one of his best guest verse in recent memory discussing the recent deaths of many rappers due to drug overdose.

“Cuffed” produced by from benny blanco, Cashmere Cat & longtime collaborator Nick Mira of Internet Money Records joyously celebrates Juice’s accomplishments as result of his position as an artist up until the point of his death while the cloudy trap joint “KTM Drip” talks about letting in the drugs that’re knocking on his door. “Love Letter” goes for a trippier direction to the beat once more telling the woman that’s on his mind that he wants to be with her forever just before “Condone It” tackles the lifestyle that he lived over this woozy Boi-1da instrumental.

The Kid Laroi who recently starred in the A24 Films teen flick Y2K hops on the mic throughout the entirety of “Goodbye” heading for a minimal sound & looking back on the time that he spent with his late mentor while the guitar-driven “Party By Myself” talks about nothin’ else numbing his pain like the pills & the weed. “Adore You” addresses his issues with love & drugs over more guitars while “Celebrate” featuring Offset has one of the best beats on the album thanks to Metro Boomin’ mixing Raf Simons & Rick Owens together

“Jeffrey” pushes further towards the 2nd half hooking up a rubbery bassline chillin’ with killers referencing Jeffrey Dahmer while “Barbarian” reuses the instrumental of “Red Dead” by Yung Bans, doing it better by professing his affection for codeine referencing WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson. “Best Friend” featuring Fall Out Boy tediously fuses trap, pop rap & a hint of pop rock for a duet asking their soulmates if they could put a yellow diamond ring on their left hands while the upbeat “Floor It” boasts about his drug use as well as expensive materialism & his girlfriend at the time of him recording it referencing 14-time WWE world champion, 4-time WWE tag team champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion & WWE United States Champion Randy Orton.

The song “Oxycodone” has a cool rap rock flare courtesy of Purps talking about the drug addiction that he sadly lost his life to & Spend It” finishes the final body of work in Juice WRLD’s discography showcasing his wealth & the slow vibes that Zaytoven laced make it feel bittersweet. “Empty Out Your Pockets” though initially premiered during Fortnite’s Remix event falling back after needing millions over pianos & hi-hats until it was later added as an official bonus cut.

Shy of the 5-year anniversary of his tragic death in less than a couple weeks, The Party Never Ends fills the void for fans who grew up alongside the beloved rapper’s melancholy melodies in the form of misfit music running at 54 minutes. The familiar themes of doomed love, vicious cycles, numbing out & fighting demons sung in an anguished warble matched with the production blending emo rap, trap & pop rap ensures that the Chicago artist’s legacy will live on forever.

Score: 3.5/5

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