Ty Fontaine is a 23 year old recording artist from the DMV area who broke out in 2019 off the strength of his debut EP Waiting on Ascension. He would go on to follow this up with the full-length debut We Ain’t the Same alongside a couple of mixtapes & 3 more EPs, the previous being The Revive which was a prelude to his Internet Money-backed debut mixtape Ascension. But as Ty gears up for a sequel to the latter, he’s returning with a 5th EP.
“DSO (4AM in the Black Truck)” starts it all off by Ty speaking on finding his purpose on top of a cloudy trap instrumental whereas “The Sky is Falling” with TTM Dawg finds the pair talking about the type of freaks they like over a moody backdrop with some hi-hats interpolating the Jay Sean/Lil Wayne song “Down” during the hook. “Sexc Lady” comes through with a more sample-based trap vibe describing just how sexy the woman in his life is, but then “Spread (on da Counter)” is an atmospheric/acoustic hybrid with some braggadocio-infused lyricism.
Moving on from there with “Lobstermac”, we have Ty talking about eating exactly that for dinner accompanied by another cloudy trap beat leading into the brief yet delicately produced “heartbreak hotel” telling his girl to fly with him even though she’s sober now. “Where I’d B” featuring Highway happens to be a favorite of mine off the EP from the vibrant instrumental to the lyrics about being lost without their lovers, but then “B.S.T. (BloodSweatTears)” is a 2-minute piano trap ballad explaining that it’s do it for as well as giving praise to the most high.
The song “City of Angels (Vinny Chase)” flips “Whole Lotta Something Goin’ On” by Raphael Ravenscroft referring to Los Angeles as his 2nd home which I can relate to personally while “The Come Down” returns to an airier, more melodic vibe pointing out the fact that it could be worse. “Keep It In Confidence” however ties things up here by hooking up hi-hats on top of a high-pitched sample by taking everything he was told & putting his trust into them.
Ascension still stands as my personal favorite body of work throughout Ty’s discography thus far & this prelude EP over here has me intrigued to hear what direction the sequel will take it when we get it presumably later on in the year. He does a fine job displaying his versatility whether it be poppy trap bangers or contemporary/alternative R&B ballads as L.3.G.I.O.N. helping him continue to expand his sound on the production end.
Zombie Juice is a 32 year old MC from Brooklyn, New York who came up as 1/3 of the trio Flatbush ZOMBiES when he & the other 2 members all attended Midwood High together. They would go on to release a couple mixtapes & albums together throughout the previous decade all to critical acclaim, but have been focusing on solo careers since their debut EP now, more than ɘver… with Meechy Darko being the first up at bat with a full-length album of his own executive produced by Dot da Genius last summer & Isaac Blaze being up next with his solo effort.
The album kicks off with Dylvinci taking the wavy route on “Melancholy” calling depression a bitch whereas “Hikari” follows it up with a jazzy boom bap jam produced by Erick the Architect talking about the light he brings his lover illuminating her through the darkness. Curren$y tags along for the synth-heavy “Terpalation” making it clear that they always want more, but then “Hootz” works in a wavy backdrop as well as some kicks & snares courtesy of Powers Pleasant talking about waking up next to something beautiful.
Moving on to “Dizzy”, we have The Underachievers joining Zombie Juice over a spacious ballad with some hi-hats that Issa Goldhappened to lace airing out those trying to kill then leading into the 2 Dead Boyz linking up for the desponding trap joint “Dr. Miami” talking about needing a nut & not missing their exes. “Say Enough” is more piano driven hoping everyone remembers him after a long year while the tranquil “Fly” talks about being on his way. The penultimate track “Alto” with Devin the Dude psychedelically acknowledges those figuring out how they did it & “Mindful” ends the album with a thoughtful 6 minute closer with a luxurious beat.
Gothic Luxury was such a solid way for Meech to differentiate himself as a solo act & what he does with both Flatbush AND the Beast Coast. As for Jewice, he manages to do the same thing on Love Without Conditions. The lyrics confess his experiences with abuse, homelessness & loss with the production ranging from trap to jazzy boom bap & even psychedelia. That leaves only Erick left to branch out by his lonely on an album that I hope elevates him from his early mixtapes/EPs.
Kung Fu Vampire is a 36 year old MC from San Jose, California who began breakdancing 3 decades ago & taught himself how to rap & sing while playing drums & bass as a hobby. He then began to make his presence in the underground felt by releasing his full-length debut Blood Bath Beyond in the fall of 2003, which would be followed up 5 years later by signing a 2-album deal with Mad Insanity Records for the sophomore effort Dead Sexy & eventually Love Bites. The Kung Fu Vampire returned after 3 & a half years in the form of Look Alive & again a few summers afterwards with his previous full-length Come Dawn after founding his own label Ultra Violet Entertainment. The last we heard from KFV however was the self-titled debut from Double Dragon & is finally unleashing his 6th album.
“Sugar” is a futuristic opener produced by Charlie Beans making it clear that he just wants to bite something sweet whereas the title track has a more cheerful tone to it talking about how he used to be happy. “How I’m Livin’” dives into trap turf courtesy of MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 trying not to change & advising to stay up out his way, but then “Gimme Skull” takes fellatio to a whole new level down to the electro-tinged instrumental.
Continuing with “5am”, we have the Kung Fu Vampire over a dubstep beat getting wild early as fuck in the morning leading into A-Wax tagging along for the guitar-tinged “Neck & Neck” as they talk about their significant others bagging killers. “Fur Sure” boasts that he ain’t got shit to prove at this point over a robotic instrumental just before “These Days” continues to draw from dance music talking about taking what he wants & running.
“Bigger Than Rap” makes it clear that they started a trend over a clinky trap beat until “Torment” with Trizz sees the 2 joining forces for a morbid wicked shit banger. The song “Eddie Money” returns to an EDM-inspired groove needing tickets to paradise while the penultimate track “Expired” talks about nothing being left but revenge & vedetta over another dancy beat. The closer “No More Bad Days” though ties everything up to an optimistic look at brighter days ahead.
Look Alive & Come Dawn have both ranked themselves high as amongst the best bodies of work throughout KFV’s discography with Blackheart Machine joining them rather quickly. The production that Action Paxton mostly handles is rather versatile pulling from EDM to trap & rock as opposed to the heavy 80s influence throughout the predecessor as the San Jose horrorcore veteran delivers amongst his fiery performances to date with a couple dope guest verses by his side.
This is the 6th full-length album from Detroit emcee Kovax. Beginning to catch my interest when he opened up for the Last American Rock Stars at the release party for their MNE-backed self-titled debut, he then left me highly impressed with his previous effort Manifestor fully produced by Middle Finger Music co-founder Foul Mouth the following summer due to the eclectic range of sounds throughout from horrorcore to jazz rap & trap as well as the strong lyricism throughout. But as the 4 year anniversary of that previous body of work approaches in a couple months, Kovax is making a Komplex return.
“Posthumous” opens the album with a eerie trap anthem declaring to be back from the bottom whereas “Sights Set” takes the rap rock route thanks to Onry Ozzborn talking about taking all he needs with him to the target of his ambition. The title track has a chill boom bap approach to it admitting that he ain’t nothing like his brothers or cousins prior to “Isolation Tapes” blends some guitars, kicks & snares courtesy of DJ Los detailing his personal rigors of dealing with life during the 1st of 2 COVID lockdowns & all that came with it.
Moving forward to “Zip Zoom”, we have Kovax over a more bassier instrumental telling him to give him anything that’ll get him fucked up just before “Aura Glow” brings it back to a more boom bap sound with some keyboard melodies woven in. “Super Like” however has a peppier groove to the beat bragging that he just had to get laid, but then “Old Fashioned Blood” with Sankofa finds the pair over a dusty Marv Won instrumental spitting that hardcore shit.
Marv eventually hops on the mic too on the dreary “Chet Steadman” comparing their flows to the Rookie of the Year character until longtime collaborators J Bone & Big Dude reunite throughout “Simpin’” by delivering a quirkily comedic ballad about lust. “Steve ‘54” however ends the album with a sample-based tribute to his father.
Manifestor is still my favorite album of Vax’s yet that doesn’t change the fact that Komplex is still a worthy follow-up looking into the Detroit emcee’s rapidly changing, explosive creativity as some of his best songs to date reveal themselves here. The production pulls from pop, boom bap, trap & rock focusing more on real life stories, punch lines, catchy hooks & double time cadances.
This is the debut EP from New York producer, “rapper”, DJ, songwriter, record executive & hype man Swizz Beatz. Emerging already a quarter of a century ago as the in-house producer for Ruff Ryders Entertainment, he later started his now defunct Full Surface Records in 2001 & dropped a decent compilation called G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories the following year on my 6th birthday. It wouldn’t be until 2007 however that he would try to officially go solo with 1 Man Band Man, a solidly produced album that was unfortunately weighed down by the lack of features & of course Swizz’ horrendous rapping on every song. He eventually took a backseat from the mic on the sophomore effort Poison over a decade later & is doing so on the Mass Appeal Records-backed Hip Hop 50, Vol. 2 following up the Hip Hop 50 EP that DJ Premier dropped through Nas’ indie label last summer.
“Runaway” by Nas starts off the whole thing with a soul sample & admitting that he’s still trapped in a box tryna clear his name whereas “This Shit Right Here” by Lil Wayne has a more celebratory vibe as Weezy F drops some fly braggadocio. “Take ‘Em Out” by Benny the Butcher, Jadakiss & ScarLip goes into boom bap turf making it clear that it’s all about the calls prior to “City Sound Like” by Fivio Foreign & Bandmanrill dives into synth territory paying homage to the Brooklyn drill scene with Fivio stealing the show. “Say Less” by A Boogie wit da Hoodie & Lil Durk finds the pair talking about they ain’t squashing shit over a cinematic trap instrumental, but then “Khalas” by Jay Electronica finishes the album with a drumless loop telling y’all about himself.
The previous Hip Hop 50 EP that Mass Appeal dropped last summer is still my favorite of the 2 that we’ve gotten so far, but I’d still say that the new installment here is worth checking out if you liked Poison as much as I did. Even though a couple of the guests punched under their weight with their performances, most of them manage to hit the mark as they rock it over Swizz’ signature production style. Curious to hear as to who’s producing the next installment of this series celebrating this culture we all know & love.
Lloyd Banks is a 40 year old MC from Queens, New York City gaining notoriety in the 2000s for his witty punchlines along as well as being an original member of G-Unit alongside childhood friends 50 Cent & Tony Yayo. After the group’s silent disbandment in 2015, he kept himself busy for a little while by releasing A.O.N. 2 (All Or Nothing 2): L.I.U. (Live It Up) & Halloween Havoc 3: 4 Days of Fury just before taking on a 5-year hiatus that really lasted until he received a song placement on the soundtrack for Griselda Records’ theatrical debut Conflicted already 2 & a half years prior. He eventually made a grand return by dropping The Course of the Inevitable & a sequel, but is rounding out the trilogy in the form of his 6th full-length album.
“Pieces of My Pain” starts things off with some pianos, kicks & snares from Cartune Beatz as Lloyd asks how they supposed to change as well as having to see it 20/20 whereas “Onyx AMG” looks back when he used to be down as opposed to being on top now over a glistening boom bap instrumental. “Money Machine” keeps it raw thanks to Haas Almahdi as he watches the green grow just before the suspenseful “Cliffhanger” laced by V Don talks about how friends change & all that he has is himself.
Meanwhile on “101 Razors”, we have Method Mantagging along professing that money won’t ever change them keeping it in the basement as far as sound goes leading into “Movie Scenes” talking about being a big timer on top of a ghostly beat. “Opened Gates” weaves in a sample with some kicks & snares asking what would you do to be remembered, but then “LSD” with Vado makes it clear they ain’t showing love to anyone over a raw boom bap instrumental.
“Voices” flips another sample throughout layering more kicks & snares admitting he still hears voices in his head telling him they’ll never let him lay down while “Red Alert” with Tony Yayo & 38 Speshsomberly talks about hitting them right where it hurts. “Keys to Success” comes through with a shimmering boom bap beat telling y’all what it takes to be successful in life while “Automatic Pilot” by The Council couldn’t prelude the supergroup’s upcoming full-length debut any better.
The final leg of the album starts off with “Invisible” goes chipmunk soul acknowledging that he won’t see the ones he can count on to call whatsoever as soon as he makes it happen while the song “Daddy’s Little Girl” is a heartfelt ode to his daughter. The penultimate track “Showers” is a somber boom bap ballad talking about the love making the outcome better & “Deceitful Intentions” with Cormega is a sample based closer airing out those who be fraudulent.
The whole Course of the Inevitable trilogy has caused everyone to renew interest in Lloyd once again & I can definitely see why the final installment here is his favorite of the 3 personally. Cartune Beatz gets his shine with most of the production & the lyrics are more personal than the last 2 albums. Whether it’s a 4th Course of the Inevitable or something different, the most skilled lyricist in 50’s old crew is further revealing himself to be the most consistent.
This is the 8th mixtape from Las Vegas, Nevada emcee Ouija Macc. Breaking out in the fall of 2017 after the Insane Clown Posse signed him to Psychopathic Records shortly after putting out his debut EP Trashfire independently, Ouija has since proven himself as one of the most consistent & hard working dudes in the underground by dropping 3 full-lengths, 2 greatest hits compilations, his previous 6 mixtapes & 4 EPs all in the span of nearly 6 years. He even started his own label Chapter 17 Records & made the big homie HEXXX the first signee to PSY’s new subsidiary almost a year ago by now. The previous Ouija tape Fallen Angelic just celebrated it’s 1 year anniversary at the beginning of the month & his latest album Stalewind was a near perfect conclusion to the Element saga, but is now following up the Hideous collab album he dropped with Golden BSP only a few months ago by welcoming y’all to Detritus.
After the “Lost Transmission” intro, the first song “Freak” opens the tape with an ratchet ode for all of those who like it nasty whereas “Dypschyt” works in some bass & hi-hats courtesy of Shaggytheairhead so everyone can go dumb. “Blam Blam ‘Em” spits that gun talk over a dark Devereaux instrumental just before the uncanny trap hybrid “Deadzone” vividly details a demon coming after him for 3 days back to back to back.
“Apollo 17” has a bit of a Memphis flare sonically detailing a murder that he had been planning for weeks leading into “Clown Luv” coming through with a spiritual successor to the joint off Shaggy 2 Dope’s solo debut EP Fuck Off!. “Rich Boy Pacc” pulls some bells & hi-hats together making it clear what he be smoking on, but then “Lumberjacc” is a jazz/trap hybrid talking about punani being all he needs.
Meanwhile on “Rippin’ Out Ur Guts”, we have Ouija spitting the wicced shit over an unhinging beat while “Human Malfunction” switches it up into a cloudier sound admitting to not knowing much other than our days being numbered & cautioning to get back before your shit gets jacked. “Just Go” brings in more bells & hi-hats bragging that his foot’s on the gas with his pockets on swole while “Dream Survey” atmospherically confesses that demons stand by him as he sleeps.
“Well Wicced” is a short but macabre continuation with a bassy trap instrumental boasting that shit can’t get more wicced than this while “They Don’t Like Me” lays these hi-hats behind a killer guitar throughout getting on his emo shit a bit. “Look Bacc” bombastically tells y’all to keep the past in the past while “Way the Shit Go” brings back the guitars thanks to Billy Martin talking about how life be sometimes. And until the “Found Transmission” outro, the final song “In the End” sends off the tape with a roller coaster ride of an 8-minute closer about the world falling victim to stupidity.
Chapter 17 has quickly become one of the most dominant forces in the underground wicked shit scene within the last couple years & coming off what seemed to be their biggest yet, the CEO indicates that it’s only gonna get bigger from here because I happen to enjoy Detritus more than Hideous with all respect. The performances are more consistent & the production continues to evolve the sounds of his finest full-length that he gave us at last year’s Gathering.
This is the proper full-length debut from Hartford, Connecticut emcee Fuego Base. Getting his start a few years ago off his debut EP Tell My Momma Imma Rapper, he would continue to build up his catalog by going on to drop another EP called Tell My Momma Imma Rapper Still & the Say Dat mixtape trilogy before Buffalo’s very own Benny the Butcher signed Fuego to his ever-growing MNRK Music Group imprint Black Soprano Family Records last year. So considering this new label deal of his, dude’s making it clear that he’s the Biggest Since Camby to come out of the forgotten place of Hartford.
After the intro, the title track opens up the album by letting everyone know who’s running the city now over a dusty boom bap instrumental with some bass licks prior to Elcamino & 38 Spesh both coming into the picture for “Blocked” produced by the latter as the trio talk about the only thing on their mind being the paper & wealth over a more synth-based sound. “Heavy D” brings back the kicks & snares with a piano loop getting on his hustler shit just before the warm “Chest Pains” talks about having to get his people right.
Meanwhile with “Holding On”, we have Heem tagging along so both MCs make it clear that they stay strapped when cruising down the city with an atmospheric Rick Hyde beat leading into “Quality” with O.T. the Real returns to the boom bap orchestral style making it clear that excellence is the standard. “House Phone” fuses some kicks, snares & a crooning sample making it clear they’ve been running it for a grip until “Take a Look” dives into trap turf as Benny the Butcher, Lo Pro, Ricky & Uncle Murda discuss pushin’ weight.
“The Warehouse” with Benny & O.T. was a great choice for a single making their great escape from off the corner over some hi-hats & strings until the sequel with Benny, Camino & Heem keeping the string sections in tact swapping out the hi-hats with more kicks & snares talking about being the bosses they are. The solemnly produced “Tommy Brown” with Rick Hyde & Sheek Louch finds the trio asking where the fire in their eyes went while the penultimate track “White Lives Matter” featuring another recent Black Soprano Family signing Sule takes it back to the basement courtesy of Havoc admitting he’s too comfy in this music shit. “Ron Francis” though is a powerful closer to the album making it clear that they love the residue more than hoes.
You can most definitely hear the hunger in Fuego on his early material, but he really takes it to another level on Biggest Since Camby to the point where I can most definitely see it being the album that renews the public eye’s interest in the Connecticut hip hop scene & one to reveal him to be a welcoming addition to the ever-growing BSF roster. He sounds more focused than ever, it’s more well-produced & it’s really interesting to hear how well he gels with his fellow labelmates as well as their affiliates.
The Keepaz of the Krypt are a horrorcore duo consisting of Ohio emcee Kapital Z as well as Alabama professional wrestler, MC, producer, actor, graphic designer, video editor & director 1 Man Kru. The latter of whom formed the group alongside Suburban KorpsE & they dropped 3 albums in the mid-2000s with KrucifeR following it up by dropping a solo EP shortly after & eventually 2 full-lengths of his own before becoming an in-house producer for the Insane Clown Posse’s label that runs beneath the streets Psychopathic Records since the “Bewitching” intro of the critically panned Yum Yum’s Lure EP preluding the 5th Joker’s Card of the 2nd Deck Yum Yum Bedlam although he first met Violent J in 2011 when he wrestled a dark match at the Legends & Icons show that Juggalo Championship Wrestling or JCW produced at the 12th annual Gathering of the Juggalos. But after a falling out with the Duke due to $20k in unpaid royalties, the 1 Man Kru is putting the batch of beats that he had made during the Yum Yum Bedlam sessions to use by bringing The Great Zambini on board for the Krypt Keepaz’ 4th full-length outing & their first in 16 years
After the Tommy Chong intro, the title track is an aggressive trap opener properly introducing the titular character prior to “Gluttony” pulling together a chilling backdrop & some hi-hats talking about the first of the 7 deadly sins. The Psychopathic MonStar himself Lyte stops by on the shimmering trap anthem “Smoke ‘Til I Die” for a quick dedication to all the stoners out there with even a fresh ass “2nd-Hand Smoke” reference at the end of the final verse until Blaze Ya Dead Homie pops out for “Greed” with it’s carnivalesque instrumental & the lyrics about always needing more than they actually require referencing former WWE CEO Vince McMahon, who additionally self-booked himself as WWE Champion & ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Meanwhile on “I Gotta”, we have the Keepaz of the Krypt with the demented duo Twiztid discussing everything they have such as good dope as well as more foes than friends & a ton of bands as the beat blends trap & g-funk just before “Sloth” tells the difference between those who sit on their ass all day & risk-takers over some hi-hats & icy synths. Original krypt keepa Suburban KorpsE returns accompanied by the hatchet warrior Anybody Killa with the monstrous “Dope It Up” giving advice to those who think their lives such just before “Lust” with The R.O.C. is a chime/trap hybrid about fucking.
“Envy” has a more mystic sound asking if anyone out there happens to be jealous of them while the subject matter of “Hater Killer” with Boondox & LB~Sickning calls back to the highlight closer “Death of a Hater” off Turncoat Dirty’s sophomore album Krimson Creek with the production meshing trap & g-funk yet again except with the keys thrown in. “Pride” weaves some hi-hats, strings & bells together addressing the wack MCs who can’t cope with their freshness while “Bow Down” featuring The Jokerr includes a bar referring to former 6-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time AEW World Champion, inaugural ROH Hall of Fame inductee, ROH World Champion, 2-time ROH World Tag Team Champion & 5-time IWA World Champion CM Punk. Especially with the final verse being directed towards J himself.
The final leg of the album starts off with “Wrath” eerily & vividly describing what happens to those that trespass while the song “N.B.K. (Natural Born Killers)” follows it up with a morbidly raw trap heater about them, the Dark Hill Gang & G-Mo Skee describing their violent tendencies with G-Mo unsurprisingly saving the best verse for the end parodying Ice Cube on the titular song he did with Dr. Dre of the Murder Was the Case soundtrack including references to the late WWE Hall of Famer Paul Bearer along with fellow WWE Hall of Famer, former SMW Tag Team Champion, 3-time WWE world champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 12-time WWE tag team champion & WWE Hardcore Champion Kane references. The penultimate track “Sick in the Head” with Str8jaket gives off a more apprehensive vibe talking about how crazy they are with the 1 Man Kru dissing Violent J during his verse yet again & “Going to the Gathering” with former Dark Lotus member Marz surprisingly closes the album with a fun ode to Shangri-La on Earth.
Ever since Psychopathic & MNE severed ties with one another over 6 years ago by now, I know that there’s quite a bit of drama & toxicity within the juggalo realm with fans picking sides. However, I’ll always continue to support both sides strictly for the music as I too know what it’s like to be misunderstood & an outcast which is why I’ll always defend juggalos & could give a fuck about the drama. That being said: the loyalists on Facebook that I saw were quick to compare these guys to King Krimzon or Krimzon X or whatever the fuck moniker that talentless loser goes by now don’t know shit about the Keepaz of the Krypt because their first album in over 16 years is the best they’ve sounded. The feature list is mostly consistent, the concept of the 7 deadly sins is captivating & you can really hear how much KrucifeR’s production game has evolved since the group first emerged.
This is the 3rd EP from Maryland emcee & producer redveil. Emerging up at the tail-end of 2019 off his debut EP Bittersweet Cry, I wouldn’t get introduced to his music until 8 months after when a short-lived Twitter beef between him & the internet’s busiest music nerd himself Anthony Fantano broke out merely days after dropping his following EP Niagara. He then celebrated his 18th birthday last year in the form of his debut mixtape learn 2 swim & is returning by dropping playing w/ fire in the midst of the most recent tour that he’s currently on promoting it.
“stuck” is a triumphantly drumless way to kick the whole thing off talking about running it back whereas “giftbag” experiments fusing pop rap with jazz rap & chipmunk soul telling motherfuckers to get off his dick as well as how they be hoes by switching up on you. JPEGMAFIA slides through for the politically charged “black enuff” fusing trap metal with highlife & industrial music just before “f2g (fucks 2 give)” with Mekdelawit has a bit of an EDM groove to it talking about running out of exactly just that. “captain” makes it clear that it be known who’s frontin’ & that redveil is the man in charge over a soulful trap beat until the title track ends it all by blending synths, pianos & hi-hats declaring it to be done on everyone/everything he loves.
For those’ve you who started tuning into this guy off. His remarkable guest verse on Danny Brown & JPEGMAFIA’s latest collab effort Scaring the Hoes, then I’d tell you off the bat that this & learn 2 swim are the strongest offerings in his catalogue thus far. The production is a bit more experimental this time around in comparison to his older stuff & the performances are incredibly captivating.
