Sk8star – “whole new meaning” review

This is the 2nd mixtape from Atlanta, Georgia recording artist Sk8star. Getting his footing in the spring of 2021 off Superstar Status, he would go on to follow it up last year with both the B4NWØ EP & his debut mixtape New World Ørder respectively. The latter being my introduction to Sk8’s music after my lil brody UnreleasedSnip put me on, with songs like “Standin’ on Business” & “YSL Flow” being the standouts for me personally. He just put out his previous EP Mogul a month after we saw him live in Brooklyn back in November & eventually rebel at the beginning of this year, but is returning once more to surprise drop whole new meaning.

“new racks” is a cloudy trap opener to the tape produced by Noah Mejia & Toom of Vanguard Music Group with Sk8 blasting about the new money that’s been coming in over his way prior to “mitchell & ness” working in some synthesizer patterns & hi-hats knowing that he’s keep shining when it’s all said, done & over with. “permanent damage” has a more delicate trap sound to it thinking that he needs a bad bitch in his life until the title track brings back the synths & hi-hats once more talking about looking at life in a different way now.

Meanwhile, “say so” discusses being the big dog of this shit with a mystic trap instrumental accompanying him in the background referencing WWE Hall of Famer, 6-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, WWE Hardcore Champion, the inaugural 6-time TNA World Champion, TNA X Division Champion & 2-time TNA World Tag Team Champion Kurt Angle just before “red dead” talks about doubling his cup & the beat having a more psychedelic groove to it this time around. “love galore” switches it up a bit with the help of Nosaint by diving into glitzier territory by melodically detailing how much of a good heart he has & wanting to see the real her, but then “offering” turns back into a more spacious route talking about doing whatever he wants without anyone having to control him.

“hermès” brings in the rage beats with co-production from fellow Vanguard member & Internet Money Records’ very own ReidMD making it clear to cut the laughin’ since this ain’t no joke whatsoever while “light ice” featuring tana & untiljapan is another highlight on the tape for me personally as the trio hop over a cloudy instrumental talking about riding around the coup in the late night with a minimal amount of ice in their leap cups in their own distinctive styles.

The song “trendy” continues to delve further into a more atmospherical sound courtesy of Cxdy talking about everything he does is fashionable or up to date while the penultimate track “in trouble” is a hazier trap cut PROJECT4PLAY cooked up calling out those who think they’re bigger than him for hallucinating & to watch your back considering the dirtiness of the music industry. And finally, “#staytrue” rounds out the tape with a inspirationally trippy ballad about always being yourself no matter what.

Of the 3 projects that Sk8’s delivered within the last 6 months, whole new meaning is quickly becoming my favorite of the trilogy even though that’s not to throw shade at Mogul & rebel because there are still some rewindable highlights on those EPs. The handful of Vanguard & Internet Money members cook up the most consistent batch of beats he’s rapped over since New World Ørder as he profoundly displays his new perspective of this crazy thing we call life.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Axel Holy – “Persian Grillz” review

Here we have the 7th extended play 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 the Jack Danz-produced God Comflex as well as the Micall Parknsun-produced Got It Down & Welcome Back. Coming off Chess however, hearing that Badhabitz of the Split Prophets was fully producing Persian Grillz sounded promising on paper.

After the intro, “Flava” samples “Big Sur Suite” by Johnny Hammond to get things going shouting out all the people who’re still by his side today whereas “Runnin’” goes for a piano-driven boom bap vibe talking about switching up the pace. “Grillz” instrumentally has this nostalgic feeling to it boasting of going toe-to-toe in a battle & after the funky “Bwoyyyy” talks about stealing the show, the outro “Bitch Don’t” ends with a warning not to fuck up his mood.

Welcome Back & Chess both have their individual share of songs that I still enjoy, but Persian Grillz lived up to my expectations that were set when it was announced & joins Got It Down to become yet another crucial EP in Axel Holy’s growing discography as an artist. The production Badhabitz cooked up here’s significantly rawer than last couple EPs we got from Axel & lyrically, he goes a lot harder than he did compared to both of it’s predecessors.

Score: 4/5

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

Pawz 1 – “Persona Non Grata” review

This is the 8th EP from Los Angeles underground mainstay Pawz 1. Breaking out in 2014 off the strength of his full-length debut Face the Facts, he would go on to add a couple more albums & 7 EPs under his belt with the last we heard from him being Random Acts of Violence’s eponymous debut EP last spring, but his returning solo solo in the form of Persona Non Grata ahead of him opening up for Cormega at Catch 1 in Los Angeles a couple months from now.

“Sepekku” is a gully boom bap opener giving all phony fans the finger saying he don’t need them anyway whereas the “Out of Bounds” remix featuring MC Eiht & Ras Kass is superior to the original we heard on his last full-length Watch & Learn. “Welcome Home” has a summery boom bap quality talking about the streets having good intentions prior to the title track has a playful vibe with some kicks & snares saying respect ain’t worth what it used to be.

Meanwhile, “Bad News” starts the final leg of the EP weaves in a twinkling boom bap beat so he can admit that he’d probably be afraid of himself too just before the “Cross Fire” remix keeps it dusty talking about how it be like the roads in the hood. The song “Good with That” gives off a richer groove speaking on learning to accept that things ain’t always gonna be good while the penultimate track “Still” ruggedly says fuck you to all his critics & doubters. We then get treated to the original version of “Cross Fire” which is dope, but prefer the remix a bit more.

As somebody who’s been a fan of Pawz since his debut dropped my junior year of high school, this EP is no question my favorite of his in a while & quite possibly the best body of work that he’s put out in this current decade. The production stays grounded in the traditional boom bap sound as he makes a statement in regards to his surroundings & the music business altogether basically telling any 2-face snake to fuck off.

Score: 4/5

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

Highway – “Monochrome” review

This is the full-length, major label debut from Seattle up-&-comer Highway. Emerging during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, he would go on to drop 4 EPs & a couple of mixtapes until Brooklyn Haitian-American record executive/manager Steven Victor jointly signed him to his Victor Victor Worldwide imprint with exclusive distribution from Geffen Records last year. So given that, it was only a matter of time until Highway properly introduced himself to a wider audience by dropping Monochrome.

“B & W (Black & White)” starts the album with an atmospheric JetsonMade instrumental saying he don’t got no type of bad bitch & likes them all whereas “Don’t Lie” tells his girl not to front because she does a lot to drive him crazy with the beat having a more roomy feel to it. “Show Goes On” keeps things in cloudier territory saying all he does is rock, but then “All U Needed” featuring Ty$ takes a more moodier route as they talk about needing passengers like their significant others.

Meanwhile, “My Shit” makes it known that nobody built like him over a more calmer instrumental just before “Let Up” is a piano trap ballad talking about not feeling any pressure whatsoever even after the fact that he’s signed now. “Wake Up Early” featuring Seddy Hendrinx aims to blow his money without any worries over some hi-hats & claps leading into “Jet” returns to a cloudier vibe talking about hopping off his flight & knowing his people straight.

“Fuck-a-Rubberband” dives into spacious turf boasting that he does a lot while “on dat shit” returns to a more synth-based sound asking if you can depend on someone you call your brother. The song “Sin City“ happens to keep the synthesizers in tact making it clear he’s focused on his own path while the penultimate track “Gotta Kno” tells his girl not to worry about anyone other than him with a chilled out beat. “And Go” ties things up with a cavernous trap closer feeling’ like a heavyweight champion in his mind.

Compared to his earlier work, you can definitely hear the growth in Highway’s artistry on Monochrome & it makes me excited to see what the future holds for him from this point on. He delves deeper into the murky, R&B-tinged hip hop style that he’s been sporting ever since he came up by refining it to & stepping up his knack for catchy songwriting even though Ty$ had the stronger feature performance than Seddy personally.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Napoleon da Legend – “Invincibl Rap Mislz” review

Napoleon da Legend is a 43 year old MC born in Paris, France & based in Brooklyn, New York who a lot of underground heads should be familiar with at this point considering the lengthy discography that he’s built up for himself for nearly the past decade ranging from Coup D’État & it’s sequel to Street Universe & Dragon Ball G. But coming fresh off Le Dernier Glacier last month which was disappointing considering the Sicknature-produced Colossus of GOATS & the Giallo Point-produced Buckets were his strongest bodies of work in a while, his 22nd album here fully produced by DJ D-Styles of the Beat Junkies was more than enough for me to hope Napoleon would redeem himself.

After the intro, “Blaktual News” featuring Innocent? & Josiah the Gift kicks off the album with the trio talking about standing by their word protecting it like their kids over a boom bap instrumental whereas “Food” works in some piano chords cautioning that your biggest mistake is not knowing when to shut up. “Rubiks Cube” featuring Amerigo Gazaway finds the pair surviving dark times to face the light over some more kicks & snares, but then “Supreme Haiku” takes a drumless acoustic route talking about not being the one to lie to.

Moving on from there, “Alligator Tears” featuring Aïda returns to the boom bap as the 2 MCs telling y’all to sit back as you watch them do their thing just before “Gods vs. Titans” has a more symphonic groove to it calling out those operating from a distance like a narc. “Games We Play” has a glistening boom bap beat asking if anyone wants to play a game leading into “Snake Oil” lacing some guitar passages discussing the promise of a better life.

“Distortion” starts the final leg of Invincibl Rap Mislz by expressing his desire to have the music bring it out of them instead of just bringing it to the music over a synth-heavy instrumental while the song “Table Manners” featuring Nejma Nefertiti reminds how much of a good combo they are over a dusty beat. The title track has a more nocturnal aesthetic to it sonically dissing those with arms too short to box the God on the mic & “Wu-Masters” is a cool Wu-Tang homage to end the album from the lyrics to even the RZA-inspired instrumental.

If anyone else walked away from Le Dernier Glacier disappointed like I did, then PLEASE check out this new body of work right here because it’s on par with both The Colossus of GOATS & Buckets as far as I’m concerned. DJ D-Styles’ production is more consistent than what we got from Napoleon a month ago, the features list is brief yet tighter & the French-American wordsmith delivers harder performances.

Score: 4/5

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

Sicknature – “Paintings of a Withering Forest” review | Sicknature – “Malerier af en visnende skov” anmeldelse

This is the 4th full-length solo album from Copenhagen, Denmark emcee & producer Sicknature. Coming up as a member of the revered German production team Snowgoons, he’s also been showcasing his talents on the mic for nearly 18 years starting with The Outbreak as well as Honey I’m Home & my personal favorite: Nature of the Contaminated. But with the 10-year anniversary of the latter approaching this fall & fully producing The Colossus of GOATs for Napoleon da Legend roughly 5 months ago, the Danish extraordinaire is looking to make a comeback why vividly portraying Paintings of a Withering Forest.

Dette er det 4. fuldlængde soloalbum fra København, Danmark emcee & producer Sicknature. Som medlem af det ærede tyske produktionshold Snowgoons, har han også vist sine talenter på mikrofonen i næsten 18 år, startende med The Outbreak samt Honey I’m Home & min personlige favorit: Nature of the Contaminated. Men med 10-års jubilæet for sidstnævnte nærmer sig dette efterår og fuldt ud producerede The Colossus of GOATs for Napoleon da Legend for cirka 5 måneder siden, søger den danske ekstraordinær at gøre comeback, hvorfor den levende portrætterer Paintings of a Withing Forest.

“A Few Good Paintings” is a piano boom bap opener to the album discussing leaving the past in the past whereas “Dynahmite Harry” works in some heavy kicks & snares talking about how explosive his shit be whether it be his lyrics or his production work. “Plastic Sun” acknowledges that the titular object won’t give you any vitamins with the instrumental kinda giving off a DJ Premier influence which isn’t a bad thing, but then “Street Dance Records” talks about needing more records over a horn-inflicted boom bap beat.

“A Few Good Paintings” er en pianoboom bap-åbner til albummet, der diskuterer at forlade fortiden i fortiden, hvorimod “Dynahmite Harry” arbejder i nogle tunge spark og snarer og taler om, hvor eksplosivt hans lort er, uanset om det er hans tekster eller hans produktionsarbejde . “Plastic Sun” anerkender, at titelobjektet ikke vil give dig nogen vitaminer, og det instrumentale afgiver en slags DJ Premier-påvirkning, hvilket ikke er en dårlig ting, men så taler “Street Dance Records” om, at der skal flere plader over et horn- påført boom bap beat.

On the other hand, “Little Mermaids” weaves some more keys with kicks & snares telling the story of a quiet girl in one of his classes that actually used to be a prom queen leading into “A Nonfiction Story” recalling the 1998 Roskilde festival keeping it in boom bap territory as far as sound goes. “Rewinding the Tape” has a more solemn tone to it sincerely apologizing for getting shit so fucked up just before “Road Walk” vulnerably talks about not looking back because he knows where’s been.

På den anden side væver “Little Mermaids” nogle flere nøgler med spark og snarer, der fortæller historien om en stille pige i en af hans klasser, der faktisk plejede at være en promdronning, der førte ind i “A Nonfiction Story”, der minder om Roskilde-festivalen i 1998. det i boom bap-territorium, hvad lyden angår. “Rewinding the Tape” har en mere højtidelig tone i sig, der oprigtigt undskylder for at blive lort så fucked lige før “Road Walk” sårbart taler om ikke at se sig tilbage, fordi han ved, hvor han har været.

The penultimate track “Lonely Den” brings back the pianos encouraging to come on over to the titular spot because they got better songs & finally to round out the album, we have Sicknature appropriately doing everything he can in his might to “Brush Off” any distractions & encouraging everyone else who may be listening to do the same with another Premier-inspired instrumental backing him.

Det næstsidste nummer “Lonely Den” bringer klavererne tilbage og opmuntrer til at komme videre til titelpladsen, fordi de fik bedre sange og endelig for at runde albummet af, har vi Sicknature på passende vis gjort alt, hvad han kan i sin magt for at “Brush Off” enhver distraktioner og opmuntring af alle andre, der måske lytter, til at gøre det samme med en anden Premier-inspireret instrumental, der støtter ham.

Nature of the Contaminated gives me a lot of high school junior year memories (particularly “Violent Rage” featuring the Heavy Metal Kings) so considering that it’s been nearly a decade since he went solo, I wasn’t sure if this day was ever gonna come & I’m glad it did. The concept of this one is more personal than what he’s done in the past as he puts a more melodic spin on the traditional boom bap sound we know & love.

Nature of the Contaminated giver mig en masse minder om gymnasiet (især “Violent Rage” med Heavy Metal Kings), så i betragtning af, at det er næsten et årti siden, han gik solo, var jeg ikke sikker på, om denne dag nogensinde ville komme til at ske. kom & jeg er glad for det gjorde. Konceptet med denne er mere personligt end hvad han har gjort tidligere, da han sætter et mere melodisk spin på den traditionelle boom bap-lyd, vi kender og elsker.

Score: 3.5/5

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

DaBaby – “Call da Fireman” review

DaBaby is a 31 year old rapper from Charlotte, North Carolina blowing up almost 2 years ago off his viral single “Suge”. He has since built up the discography of 4 full-lengths, 13 mixtapes, a couple EPs & a collaborative project with NBA YoungBoy. Last time we heard from him was back in September when he dropped off a horrific sequel to his debut Baby on Baby, but is now enlisting G.O.O.D. Music in-house producer Charlie Heat to return in the form of a 3-track EP.

“Shake Sum’n” is a Philly club opener with DaBaby encouraging all the bad bitches to show him exactly what they’re working with while the penultimate track “Ghetto Girls >>>>” samples “Project Bitch” by the Cash Money Millionaires so he can talk about his preference in woman that be ratchet as fuck. “Sellin’ Crack” however comes through with a bouncy closer to end the EP saying he makes music like he slanging dope & Offset goes on to murder him on his own shit with his guest verse.

Baby on Baby 2 wound up being the worst hip hop album of last year & unsurprisingly, Call da Fireman as a 3-piece 6 minute EP really isn’t any better. There’s nothing wrong with Charlie Heat’s production on here at all & I’ll even argue that it’s more stronger than any beat we heard on DaBaby’s previous album, but I just feel like he’s continuing to paint himself into a corner with the same fucking flows & vapid subject matter.

Score: 1/5

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

Anwar Highsign – “Whatever the Case May Be” review

This is the 4th proper full-length album from Philadelphia emcee/producer Anwar Highsign. Coming up under the original moniker Has-Lo, my introduction to him would be in 2011 through his solo debut In Case I Don’t Make It & the sophomore effort Conversation B. He then followed that up 6 years later in the form of A Singular Point of Light, but has continued to make his presence known by dropping 8 EPs as well as small handful of mixtapes & instrumental projects. But when I found out one of the best UK producers in recent memory Giallo Point was jumping behind the boards for Whatever the Case May Be, my anticipation for it was very high.

“Landlord” is a soulful boom bap opener to the album talking about leaving a Cuban link for his wedding ring & that he gon’ still shine no matter what whereas “That’s Regular” laces some pianos, kicks & snares assuring that he’s gonna do his thing while you do yours. “Cold Plan” instrumentally is a bit similar to the previous cut talking about all that he wants is just a Rolex & that he hit the jackpot leading into “Sun Gone Shine” working in some strings looking back on the days when there wasn’t friction between him & former friends.

Meanwhile, “God Tier” has some more minimal drums this time around attached to a twinkling piano lead admitting he thought all he had was them when they don’t have each other at all just before “Mirror” gets on some scary hours over a hair-raising beat. “Diminished Spirit” goes into drumless turf talking about how he ridin’ while the song “Naturalle” gets romantic over a smooth instrumental. The penultimate track “Omaha” with Henny L.O. returns to the boom bap as they have all systems on go & the closer “Wee-Bay Face” ends the album with a cold beat making it clear he says how it must feel empty in your skin.

From the moment I heard his verse on Atmosphere’s previous album WORD? because they just dropped a new one today too, I knew he would make a grand comeback of his own & that’s what he does with Whatever the Case May Be. Easily the best thing he’s done under the new moniker in my opinion. Lyrically, he’s the best he’s sounded since his first 2 albums & you know Giallo’s signature boom bap production never disappoints.

Score: 4/5

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

Frazier Trill – “Still Trapp’n” review

This is the sophomore full-length album from South Carolina rapper Frazier Trill. Emerging as a Pi’erre Bourne protégé after signing to the latter’s Interscope Records imprint SossHouse Records, he then made his mark over a couple years ago after withan eponymous debut fully produced by his mentor properly introducing himself to the masses & showing us what he’s capable of. But as Pi’erre is now turning his attention to his SossHouse signees after dropping his latest EP Grails last month to critical acclaim, Frazier is first at bar assuring that he’s Still Trapp’n.

“Alaska” is a symphonic trap opener flexing that his shit be on froze whereas “System” works in some synths & organs getting on the more conscious tip lyrically talking about the corruption within the United States government. “Bachelor Party” hooks up some horns & hi-hats assuring that you know it’s about to get wild, but then “One of a Kind” brings back the synthesizers so he can talk about how fine & unique that one special woman in his life truly is to him.

Meanwhile, we have Frazier expressing his desire for 30 chains on “Lu Kang” over a trap instrumental with a somewhat eerie synth pattern leading into “Cold Case” taking more ominous approach talking about spending $1K on a new pair of kicks. Fellow SossHouse labelmate Jelly makes the album’s only guest appearance on “Big Dog” diving into more rowdier territory as far as sound goes boasting their statuses in the game just before “Hood Rich” has a really cool flute weaves into the fold thanking God he didn’t lose his life in the streets.

“Another One” has one of the weaker performances on the album as he sounds like he’s trying to impersonate Gucci Mane a bit jumping over a rubbery trap beat talking about not needing another plug while “Motion Picture” mixes some keys & hi-hats asking what the biz is. The song “Cash App” has a more suspenseful vibe for an ode to the titular mobile payment service while the wavy penultimate track “Steven Segal” talking about getting the dope & selling it. “My Last” is a synth-induced closer spending the remaining amount he has on 20 things.

I’ll always appreciate Pi’erre for always trying to push his protégés by producing albums for them & Still Trapp’n makes it pretty clear that Frazier ain’t going nowhere because not only is it on par with the predecessor, but has me anticipating Chavo’s World 3 as well as Sharc Wave & Street’z Hottest Young’n in the coming weeks. He sounds refreshed after taking a couple years off & I actually think the production that his mentor cooks up here is better than self-titled as solid as that album was.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Atmosphere – “So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously” review

Atmosphere is a revered underground duo from Minneapolis, Minnesota consisting of Slug on the mic & Ant on the boards. Initially a trio from the beginning of their formation up to release of their critically acclaimed debut Overcast!, they would later go on to build an independent empire with their Rhymesayers Entertainment label whether that be signing acts from Brother Ali to the late Eyedea or putting out their best bodies of work like God Loves Ugly or Sad Clown Bad Dub 9. Last we heard from them was WORD? a year & a half ago which wasn’t a bad return to form for them considering the mixed reception The Day Before Halloween got for it’s experimentation, but are back again for album #13.

“Okay” is a cheerful opener to the album assuring that everything will work itself out in the end whereas “Eventide” dives into boom bap territory talking about someone pretending not to hear Slug & pulling it off in an insincere manner. “Sterling” has more of a rap rock flare to it this time around admits that he’s running like he’s up against the clock, but then “Dotted Lines” fuses more guitars with kicks & snares talking about being unsure as to what to say to his woman.

Meanwhile, we have Atmosphere diving into funkier turf on “In My Head” encouraging someone to wake him up & check to see if he still has a pulse leading into “Crop Circles” talking about to do whatever it takes to making the same mistakes twice over a crooning beat. “Portrait” returns to the boom bap confessing he’s trying to treat his body like a church these days, but then “It Happened Last Morning” has a more industrial sound to it discussing a panic attack he had on first avenue.

“Thanxiety” makes it known that you gotta stop & try to smell your own accomplishments sometimes over some synthesizers & thumping drum patterns while the 6-minute “September Fool’s Day” talks about how this is more than production & showmanship over a piano instrumental. “Talk Talk” embraces a more electro-funk sound assuring there’s nothing here to fear & to set your secrets free while “Watercolors” has a more stripped-back sound talking about feeling like he’s driven by the sacrifice to suffer from the hunger of composure.

Moving on from there, “Holding My Breath” is a soulful reggae hybrid discussing never feeling alone when I’m alone by himself while “Still Life” keeps it tranquil talking about the whole thing being pretty like a painting even though it’s all coming to an end. “After Tears” by Sa-Roc serves as an interlude with a chipmunk soul instrumental tackling a heartbreak that’s threatening to escalate while “Positive Space” talking about haunting record players.

The penultimate song “Bigger Pictures” gets ready to round out the album with an acoustic guitar accompanied by kicks & snares looking back on his life up to this point but after the “Truth & Nail” interlude, the final song “Sculpting with Fire” psychedelically blurs the lines between self-reflection and derealization. However, the outro & official closer is actually a reprise to the opener “Okay” aptly titled “Alright”.

Of the 3 albums that Slug & Ant have given us since COVID changed the world forever, there’s no doubt in my mind that So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously has to be my favorite of the bunch so far. The production here is more gentle in comparison to all of their previous efforts combined as they present an unnerving excavation of paranoia that can be grafted onto the general malaise of a pandemic weary society full of civil unrest.

Score: 3.5/5

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