Kamasi Washington – “Fearless Movement” review

Los Angeles, California tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington has returned for his 5th full-length LP & his 2nd with Young Recordings. Becoming a fan during my senior year of high school after signing to Brainfeeder Records, his 3rd album albeit his only one with the label The Epic went down as the best jazz record of the century so far proving the genre isn’t dead after all by embarking on an aptly titled 3 hour spiritual jazz experience. Kamasi’s last album Heaven & Earth was also 3 hours in length, expanding on the spiritual sounds from last time including the additional influences of jazz fusion or soul jazz & post-bop too. However after a 6-year gap, he’s making a comeback on Fearless Movement.

“Lesanu” begins with a 9 & a half minute spiritual jazz opener with horns, pianos & saxophones whereas “Asha the First” by Ras & Taj Austin of the group Coast Contraaccompanied by Thundercat on the hook fuses soul jazz & jazz rap together talking about light shining from the tree along with reassuring everyone their higher selves emitting & that nobody can run from impending doom. “Computer Love” performed by Patrice Quinn covers one of Zapp’s biggest hits & I understand given the rise in technology we’ve seen in recent memory, but then “The Visionary“ serves as a colorful 70 second instrumental breather with additional production from Terrace Martin.

D Smoke & Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton link up on “Get Lit” fusing jazz rap with jazz-funk & psychedelic soul referring to themselves as children of the light in the nighttime on top of a flame not losing any light by lighting another just before “Dream State” co-produced with André 3000 gets back to the spiritual jazz fusion bag additional pulling inspiration from nu jazz, ambient music & post-minimalism. “Together” by BJ the Chicago Kid brings back the soulfully jazzy vibes from earlier singing about ruing the days his lover would gain if they didn’t break up just before the progressive lead single “The Garden Path”crosses over jazz fusion & soul jazz in a technical fashion.

“Road to Self (K.O.)” begins the last leg of Fearless Movement in the form of a 13 & a half minute electric jazz roller coaster ride that makes you feel like you’ve taken shrooms or a tab of acid moments prior while “Interstellar Peace (The Last Stance)” seems like the perfect fit to have playing in the background of the beginning of a sci-fi movie, particularly during the opening credits sequence. “Lines in the Sand” nears the LP’s conclusion with another astral/soul jazz hybrid referring to the sand-lines keeping everyone so far from the dream & that they can’t tell them what to thing that is until “Prologue” perfectly rounds everything out incorporating nu jazz & jazzstep undertones into this 1 final spiritual jazz/jazz fusion composition full of passionate, improvisational energy.

Heaven & Earth further proved that jazz music is very much alive with it’s larger-than-life compositions full of celestial grandeur & his distinct blend of jazz, Latin, funk, classical, hip hop & soul breaking ground for the genre’s present like The Epic. Fearless Movement offers something different with it’s terrestrial rhythms & collaborations from MCs, musical icons & even Kamasi Washington’s own daughter culminating in surpassing both DOMi & JD Beck’s debut Not Tight and even André 3000’s solo debut New Blue Sun as the best jazz album of this decade as of me writing this. You still get the predominant spiritual jazz fusion that Kamasi is known with additional elements of soul jazz, jazz rap, nu jazz, psychedelic soul jazz & jazzstep.

Score: 4.5/5

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Slimesito – “EVILSLIME” review

This is the 16th EP from Atlanta, Georgia rapper Slimesito. Notable for being a member of the quintet Jurassic Park, he would also drop 3 LPs as well as 15 EPs & a mixtape of his own. Highlights in his discography include his 4th EP Scarface Sito, his 9th EP Rich Slime, his full-length debut Vida Brazy, 11th EP Life of a Slime & lastly the Dedication duology hosted by DJ Phat. And now with Yonkers producer Evilgiane of the Surf Gang coming fresh off lacing The Hillbillies’ eponymous debut single, I had a strong feeling ahead of EVILSLIME that it could top everything else as the crown jewel of Sito’s discography.

“Designer Drugz” gets the ball rolling detailing Slimesito’s lifestyle over a plugg instrumental whereas “Right or Wrong” co-produced by Eera finds the 2 joining forces going into a cloudier direction with some hi-hats thrown in talking about sliding for the gang without caring who’s in the right or who’s in the wrong. “Bandoleros” kinda has this airy drill vibe to the beat referring to himself as a rebel prior to the booming “Mona Lisa” painting the block much like the iconic painting the EP’s artwork pays homage to.

K$upreme joins Sito on the psychedelic “Top Floor” flexing the penthouse status that both artists have earned at this point in their careers while the atmospheric drill hybrid “Make It Home” reminding everyone that he been had motion. “Bruise Wayne” works in these ominous synth melodies & hi-hats talking about being on the block no differently than Batman, but then “12 03 93” gives me a cinematic vibe instrumentally feeling like making shit snow although it’s summertime.

“Top Kapo” pushes near the end of EVILSLIME calling himself a top dog over a cloudy beat just before “No Stress” clashes hi-hats & low-register synth melodies refusing to stress over Ls by getting back in counting through all the racks. The closing track “Dr. Evil” finishes the EP with a more playful tone in the production & Sito talking about everyone calling him evil since they know he stay plotting, likening himself to the titular antagonist of the Austin Powers trilogy.

Giane’s increasing popularity in the last couple years has been making me extremely happy as someone who’s been paying attention to him for the past 3 years & not only has become EVILSLIME my new favorite Slimesito EP, but I’d even put it up there with RealYungPhil’s 5th EP Dr. Phil as one of the greatest projects that the Surf Gang member has fully produced for another artist so far since the end result is Evilgiane’s sound being used as a canvas for Sito to paint his masterpiece.

Score: 4/5

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Ed O.G. – “AudiO EDibles” review

Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts veteran Ed O.G. joining forces with Los Angeles beatsmith Tone Spliff for his 5th EP. Signing to Mercury Records as the leader of Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs, they would go on to put out 2 albums together before disbanding & Ed himself eventually established himself as a solo artist put out 4 EPs & 10 full-length LPs of his own. My favorites include his 3rd album My Own Worst Enemy produced by Pete Rock & his 6th album After All These Years. However, learning that Tone was hopping behind the boards for AudiO EDibles raised expectations in being Ed’s best EP.

After the titular intro, the first song “Catch Up” gets us started on some ominous boom bap shit talking about building this empire whereas “Act of God” works in these orchestral elements on top of kicks & snares asking who else do you know can pull off a feat like this. “Another Broken Heart” flips a soul sample advising listeners not to be fools & let them break your heart while the piano-driven “Hard 2 Get” talks about a woman that’s difficult to bag. “Achieve” keeps it boom bap explaining that a closed mind can’t be opened leading into the luxurious “Someday” calling to cease gun violence, but then “Move Mountains” serves as a dusty closer looking to do exactly that soon as he enters the zone.

That self-titled collaborative effort Ed O.G. did with Insight from a few years ago affirmed to me that both of them still very much haven’t lost a step & since then had been hoping for a solo effort from him that I would enjoy as much. AudiO EDibles, I can say gets the job done. Tone Spliff’s gives Ed some of the best production that he’s had in a while grounded in the traditional boom bap sound & the lyrics from the Roxbury emcee provides thought-provoking themes throughout.

Score: 4/5

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4Batz – “U Made Me a St4r” review

4Batz is a 22 year old singer/songwriter from Dallas, Texas gaining popularity this past winter off the single “date @ 8” earning co-signs from one of my top 10 producers of all-time Ye or formerly known as Kanye West to even Drake, who ultimately appeared on the “date @ 8” remix & signed 4Batz to OVO Sound for a 1-EP deal. Only a month later, the most interesting new name in R&B of 2024 is putting out an EP through gamma. only a week after PARTYNEXTDOOR’s latest album PARTYNEXTDOOR 4.

After the titular intro, the first song “stickerz “99””starts off with an alternative R&B cut with additional elements of trap soul and chopped & screwed leaving bitches screaming anything whereas “date @ 8” featuring Drake on the remix puts a bigger emphasis on the trap soul undertones from earlier giving their significant others $700 for them to get new nails & hair. “on god?” featuring Ye on the remix takes the PBR&B route once again throwing additional neo-soul undertones calling out those hard to please & after the “get out yo feelings ho” skit, “fckin u (18+)” featuring Usher on the remix crosses over contemporary & alternative R&B with trap soul being unable to stop fucking all night long.

“there goes another vase” starts the 2nd half of the EP smoothly delving into a tumultuous relationship where the artist recognizes partner’s toxicity & at the same time feels a deep attachment to her while the stripped-back “mad man” turns sex with this woman into a passion. “all we do is argue, argue” spaciously asks her why she be breaking his heart out here just before the final song & my personal favorite “i hate to be alone” is this beautiful closer talking about not wanting to be by his lonely.

You know you’re into something when you get the Ye co-sign & it really makes me excited to hear 4Batz go from here when his EP deal with OVO is fulfilled on a later date, regardless U Made Me a St4r further pushes him as one of the most exciting new faces in the alternative/contemporary R&B scene. You also get neo-soul, pop rap, trap soul & hip hop soul undertones with a hint of chopped & screwed so the Dallas singer/songwriter can pull off his passionate singing chops whilst displaying his abilities with the pen.

Score: 4/5

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Axel Holy – “Magic’s Real” review

2nd extended play of 2024 & the 12th overall from Bristol, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Axel Holy. Originally known under the moniker Baileys Brown producing for several local underground hip hop artists, he would eventually make his full-length solo debut in the spring of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with WonderWorld followed by his last 11 EPs. My favorite of which are the Micall Parknsun-produced Got It Down as well as the Badhabitz-produced Persian Grillz & the self-produced Extra Sauce, enlisting Dr. Zygote in explaining that Magic’s Real.

The title track hits us with a spooky boom bap instrumental talking about learning spells & trying to get a label deal whereas “Allen Iverson” has somewhat of a funkier beat assuring that polarizing personalities make for great writing. “Purpose Built” blends elements of boom bap & rap rock talking about not paying attention to shit since he’s on his own path prior to “Sudden Death” describing that he had to find his ground when he fell slippin’.

“Deezus Nice” continues the 2nd half of Magic’s Real incorporating some buzzing horns to boast about him causing levitation every time he picks up his pen to write rhymes while “Ropey” gets ready to unload a whole clip at this group of individuals that Axel deems to be inadequate compared to him. “The Mission” spends the final minutes of the EP talking about people looking lost because he & Zygote got what they’re missing.

Hidden Knowledge was a decent combination of abstract hip hop & dubstep even if Chess proved to only be slightly better, but Magic’s Real makes up for it with what could likely be Axel Holy’s finest collection of material to drop in 2024 & most definitely another standout EP in his discography. It’s not very often that you hear Dr. Zygote producing for UK hip hop artists for a song let alone an entire body of work these days & his signature style suits Axel’s lyricism.

Score: 4/5

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Pro Dillinger – “Reasonable Dirt” review

This is the 6th full-length LP from Haverstraw, New York emcee Pro Dillinger. A member of the Umbrella collective as well as 1/2 of The Steiner Brothers, he has released a total of 5 mixtapes along with his last 5 albums & even 7 EPs. Favorites include the Finn-produced debut Pray for My Prey, the Machacha-produced Dirt Don’t Hurt, his 3rd EP MOSFoul, the Sting vs. Flair collab EP with Mickey Diamond & The Steiner Brothers’ eponymous debut. And with Dirty Work celebrating it’s 1-year anniversary this summer, the dirtiest of the Umbrella has brought Sean Kelly back to handle production for Reasonable Dirt much like Forever Foul.

“Bad Business” begins with a grand instrumental refusing to let anyone throw him off his focus whereas the funky “We Don’t Believe You” featuring Substance810 warns all these foul muthafuckas that there ain’t no more hiding & it’ll be lit when they catch ‘em. “So Guilty” goes into a jazzier direction with the beat talking about having murder on his mind, but then “Fall for Nothing” soulfully discusses wanting it all.

Blokkito joins Pro Dillinger for “Someday” jumping on top of this harmonious sample talking about being body snatchers & that they didn’t want them succeeding while “Home Team” delivers a smoother vibe overall to the beat telling everyone that they rockin’ with the best & he’s a part of bringing back the culture. Instrumentally, the song “Last Days” has this trippy mood to it so he can talk about becoming rich & going broke twice just before “The Change” incorporates another soul flip admitting that he’s caught up in the game.

“Selling Hope” featuring Big Trip weaves some pianos into the fold refusing to back down from any smoke that heads their way along with having the city on their backs & the squad chillin’ on a boat with everyone else bitterly watching from the background prior Reasonable Dirt’s title track finishing the album over synthesizers talking about rising from the soil, his amazing lineage & pouring beer on the flowers that’re growing from the sidewalk to make them stronger.

What we have on Reasonable Dirt is Pro Dillinger & Sean Kelly making a sequel album to Forever Foul that takes everything from the predecessor & turns it up to 11. Sean’s production still has the jazzy undertones from previously except you can hear that he’s grown as a producer over the course of these past couple years, Dirtius Jackson goes harder on the mic, there are a lesser amount of guests & Futurewave killed it with the mixing.

Score: 3.5/5

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Rx Papi & 1600J – Self-Titled review

Here we have a brand new self-titled collaborative EP from New York rappers Rx Papi & 1600J. Both of whom have established themselves individually within their local underground scene off projects like Foreign Exchange, Pack a Punch, NextDoorNeighbors or more recently 16GTC & Raheem Dead, Somebody Shot ‘Em. Now both of these guys have previously crossed paths with one another before on tracks like “1 Time” or “Blowin’ My Phone”, so a whole EP from them together only make sense.

The cloudy “All Day Long” produced by Harrison couldn’t have been a more perfect opening track to the EP flexing that they making money all day every day whereas “Flood Warning” takes the psychedelic route instrumentally callin’ the cappers on their bluffin’. “Not the Night” melodically promises their significant others that they still love them no matter how big they get just before “Cross My Screen” returns to a cloudier vibe talking about getting excited when their bitches numbers hit their phone screens.

“Only Fans” starts the 2nd half of the EP on some melodic, romantic plugg shit while “Special Ed” delves into pluggnb refusing to go back to their old hoes since they bagged the right ones now. “Ain’t Shit” has this luxuriously smoother trap vibe to the beat clapping back at the bitches that told them that they wouldn’t be shit, but then the closer “Money Hunt” closes up shop with 1 last plugg track talking about being on a hunt for the bread.

What Rx Papi & 1600J give us on this eponymous EP joins the ranks as one of the best collaborative projects they’ve ever done, reaching the bar set by Fleechy’s joint efforts with RXKNephew & the Pack a Punch EP with Smokingskul. I’d even argue it’s on the same pedestal as the NextDoorNeighbors EP that 1600 did with Pasto Flocco couple years back. It’s more plugg/pluggnb centered production-wise & both artists do a noteworthy job of elevating the chemistry.

Score: 4/5

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Stanwill – “4ever $hittin’” review

This is the 3rd proper solo album from Detroit, Michigan rapper Stanwill. Coming up as 1/3 of the ShittyBoyz with Babytron & TR Dee signing to Lando Bando’s own The Hip Hop Lab Records, he eventually branched out on his own during the COVID-19 pandemic off the debut EP $camwill as well as it’s successor Gifted & the debut mixtape Van Gundy. He also went Full Auto for his 3rd EP making his full-length debut with Big $hitter followed by the 4th EP Big $hitter: Lost Files & of course the sophomore Still $hittin’ celebrating it’s 1-year anniversary last weekend, it makes sense for him to clarify that he’s 4ever $hittin’.

“Neverland” start off with a bit of a psychedelic plugg vibe talking about being the weatherman whereas “Paramount” named after the Paramount Skydance Corporation works in some pianos to discuss the only thing that he’s really concerned of is the paper. “Standing Ovation” takes the spacious trap route instrumentally thanks to Danny G & Jakesand talking about playing the dirtiest game while the synthesizer infused “Live & Learn” humorously boasting that his wrist 41 & the cougar bitch he bagged being 42 providing the clique scoring 2 pointer.

Tay B joins Stan for “Be Fr” gives off a suspense-raising Detroit trap flare to the beat talking about both of them always keepin’ it 100 leading into “Cockadoodledoo” mixing 808s & pianos flexing that he can do this shit in sleep every single day of the week. “Smithereens” brings back the plugg influences that we heard at the very beginning so he can talk about those laughing at his losses cheering for his victories, but then “Sexyy Red” featuring T Bone go back on forth on a Detroit trap instrumental wanting bitches similar to the rising St. Louis trap star.

“Whack-a-Hoe” hooks up these orchestral elements with 808s saying that if the money makes the world go round, then he’s the reason that Earth’s spinning prior to Certified Trapper dropping off the worst feature throughout the entire album on “Brothers” despite the synth-trap beat & the lyricism talking about riding & dying for their brothers. “Make It Last” going for more of an electronic trap approach with the instrumental likening his squad to a marching band with the AR drum attachments while “AR in My Goose” returns to the Detroit trap sound cautioning to duck before he taps you in the head.

My favorite feature on 4ever $hittin’ is easily TR Dee on the luxurious “Simple” talking about how simple this shit really is to them prior to “Bases Loaded” in actually serves as a solid freestyle over the “They Losing Me” by Big Homie Dre Cash beat. “Chop Suey” featuring Drego contains the LP’s 2nd best guest appearance eerily talking about the barking gonna be dead if they end up biting that is until “Ahh Haa” gets back in his Detroit trap shit laughing at one of his brodies shooting an opp.

“Nonstop” kinda has this chill mood to the instrumental refusing to stop since time is money after while the west coast flavored “Los Santos Customs” makes reference of the Grand Theft Auto V & Grand Theft Auto Online vehicle customization & repair shop of the same name. “Crunch Time” couldn’t of been a better choice of a climactic closing track to the album talking about chillin’ with a bitch that don’t know English for so long to the point now where he speaks in Spanish to the plug.

This last handful of solo projects we’ve gotten from Stanwill over the course of these past 3 years have been more moderate compared to Van Gundy, but there’s no debate from my point of view that 4ever $hittin’ is the most that I’ve enjoyed a solo project from him since $camwill when the world was on lockdown. Although only a couple features stood out, I love that he tries out some new sounds albeit primarily sticking to the Detroit trap wheelhouse.

Score: 4/5

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Brother Ali – “Love & Service” review

Minneapolis, Minnesota activist & battle emcee Brother Ali teaming up with Oakland, California producer Unjust for his 8th full-length LP only 4 & a half years after the Evidence-produced Secrets & Escapes. Exploding within the underground off his 2003 sophomore effort Shadows in the Sun & of course his 2007 follow-up The Undisputed Truth, he would continue this string of acclaimed releases with Us as well as the Jake One-produced Mourning in America & Dreaming in Color and All the Beauty in This Whole Life. Can’t forget to mention Ali’s debut EP Champion turning 20 in a couple weeks & his debut mixtape Left in the Deck either. It’s been a few years since we last heard from him on his 4th EP Brother Minutester which marked his departure from Rhymesayers Entertainment after nearly 2 decades. So with Love & Service being his first album through his very own label Traveler’s Media, that & seeing some of the features nevertheless kept me interested.

After the “Chapter 1” intro, the first song “Ottomans” is a boom bap opener welcoming y’all to the extravaganza & informing everyone listening that they’re now rockin’ with a true & living master except the “mumble rap” jabs are cringe since this isn’t 2016 anymore whereas “Awaken” mixes together these woodwinds & strings talking about sleepwalking through our days. “The Collapse” calling out those who were dazzled by the warning signs flashing continuing to dance in the midst of it all collapsing over an instrumental with a summertime-flare, but then “Manik” featuring Aesop Rock & Casual brings the trio together getting in their battle rap bag for 4 minutes.

“Nom De Plume” kinda goes for more an uncanny atmosphere talking about part of dues having to be paid in order for him to even offer you this news making it rain blood & tears on any stage he rocks while “Cadillac” fuses these organs & guitar licks discussing his father-in-law’s titular yellow tinted whip. “Gauntlet” featuring Roc Marciano goes into a jazzier direction talking about both of them being on some other shit their whole entire lives pretty much leading into “Howlin’ Wolf” hopping over a brass sample to rock & moan much like the blues icon of the same name.

Quelle Chris joins Ali Newman for the spacious “Ghosts” pleading to not let them walk on their own just before the title track smoothly talks about how it’s all simply Love & Service at the end of the day. “Worthy” continues near the end of the album by affirming that every single one of us is worthy of love accompanied by a peppy beat & lastly to finish up Ali’s first full-length in nearly 5 years as of this upcoming fall, “Inside” finishes up the album by vulnerably talking about being unable to hold his tears back.

A good majority of Brother Ali‘s discography is exceptionally high in quality & although this isn’t one of my favorite projects from him, I still find it to be absolutely tolerable. Unjust provides a warm & unquantized sound chopping & flipping educational children’s movies from both the 70’s & 80’s using an ASR-10 sampler cohesively bedding Ali’s dense & poignant musings on God, death, empire & beauty in the process.

Score: 3.5/5

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Stretch Money – “To the West Coast…with Love” review

Detroit, Michigan emcee Stretch Money returning 4 months after 1984 to release his 10th EP. Emerging in the fall of 2006 off his full-length debut album Take Money to Make Money, he would go on to put out 3 more LPs with 25 Miles Per Hour as well as Locked In & Lil Daran from da Way Way. His output of EPs consists of The Villain, The Tribute, The Drunken Master, The Real Money, the Upper Echelon: Legend of the Silver Surfa duology, Giant, Eastside Lord & the previously mentioned 1984. Stretch also formed the duo Bill & Isiah with Valid, introducing themselves a year ago on their eponymous debut paying homage to the 80s in the process. However to start the 2nd quarter of the year, he’s cooking up an open letter To the West Coast…with Love.

“L.A.” appropriately starts the EP by setting the tone as a warm, slick tribute to the entertainment capital of the world whereas “Make Sum Em” goes into atmospheric turf talking about being stuck to this shit & keeping the faith at his lowest. “This is Y They Mad” is this smooth ass middle finger to everyone hating on him for making paper leading into “Ain’t No Secret” spaciously acknowledging that the way he’s coming really isn’t a secret whatsoever.

Meanwhile on “No Favors”, we have Stretch passionately talking about not needing a plug since he has his own cables just before the souful “Never Thought” talks about never imagining serving time behind bars like he did. “Zombie” weaves these pianos & hi-hats only needing money & Mary Jane, but then “Cool” is a trap closer thanking everyone for hopping on the plane with him.

Being a Detroiter who considers Los Angeles his 2nd home, this EP really spoke to me & I feel like a lot of people in both cities are gonna enjoy To the West Coast…with Love as a profound love letter to the sunshine state. He & the producer Vino coming straight outta South Central take the connection they have with one another & channel it all into this 8-track, 19 minute offering showing their appreciation for the City of Angels.

Score: 4/5

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