Blizzard – “Duel with Death” review

Blizzard is a 29 year old artist from Detroit, Michigan notable for co-founding the Yung Fam Mafia back in 2007 & more recently becoming an in-house producer for Middle Finger Music a little while after it’s inception. But to celebrate his born day, he’s treating fans to a full-length debut showcasing his production skills & bringing along a promising lineup of local MCs.

After the “Tao of Death” intro, the title track by Aztec the Barfly & Kid Vishis starts the album off with some angry battle bars on top of dusty drums & a haunting soul sample whereas “Flying Guillotine” by J-Classic & Ty Farris eerily proclaims themselves as the last of a dying breed. “Barrage of Tigers” by the Twin Towers vaingloriously stomps at their opposition’s necks leading into an operatic instrumental being worked in on “8 Gates” for Big Herk, Hatch Wiseguy & P.L. to talk their shit.

Meanwhile on “Lotus Leaf”, we have Blizzard taking things into a jazzier direction as A-Minus & Finale to talk about letting the hate in their hearts go just before the piano-tinged “Drunken Boxing” by Bang Belushi & Vstylez speaks on holding it down for their city. “Konichi Death Squad” by C.R.I.M. & Miz Korona brings in some horns to quench for blood, but then “Pray 4 Death” by Spoda uncannily gets on his ignorant shit.

The song “Praying Mantis” by 2 Door Coupé has a bit of a chipmunk soul flare reminding everyone that Middle Finger Music is taking over the game while the penultimate track “Slummz” by Guilty Simpson briefly but powerfully details what it’s like in his hood. “Like Water” by Isaac Castor & even Blizzard himself then finishes the album off on some spacey boom bap shit saying this ain’t for amateurs.

Of all the producer album that I’ve heard this year, I think Duel with Death could very well be the best one of them all. I love that Blizzard demonstrates his versatility behind the boards & how he brought in everyone from the OGs to the newcomers to let them do what they do best on the mic.

Score: 4/5

Larry June – “Into the Late Night” review

Larry June is a 30 year old MC from Vallejo, California who’s been grinding his ass off for the last 15 years. My favorites of his ever-growing discography include the Lex Luger-produced Trap Larry, the Cardo-produced Cruise USA, the Harry Fraud-produced Keep Going & even his last album Orange Print got some notable buzz over the summer. But now that he has a Griselda Records-backed collab tape with Jay Worthy on the way, Cardo & Larry are getting back together for the latter’s 14th EP.

“Gas Station Run” is a flawless late night cruiser with a g-funk flare to it whereas “Either Way” works in a synth-heavy instrumental talking about a lot of shit going down in the late night. “Don’t Try It” has a more hypnotizing sound advising not to fuck with him just before “Friday Activities” serves as a slick party starter for the weekends.

The song “Bigger Risk” has some jazz undertones to the production saying he’s thinking a decade ahead while the penultimate track “Red Book Chronicles” gets back into that vintage west coast sound asking where his boys were when he was taking a lot of risks. “Saturday Night Interview” is an odd choice for a closer, but it’s still a decent romance ballad nonetheless.

Although it’s only an EP, I’d actually say that Into the Late Night is a bit better than Orange Print. Cardo’s production style on here is a lot similar to that of Payroll Giovanni’s latest album Another Day Another Dollar which is perfect given Larry’s geographical background & his chilled out flow.

Score: 4/5

Westside Gunn – “Hitler Wears Hermes IX” review

This is the 9th mixtape from Buffalo emcee, songwriter & entrepreneur Westside Gunn. At this point, what can be said about the guy now that hasn’t been said already? From running one of the hottest hip hop labels in recent memory to his first 2 full-lengths FLYGOD & Supreme Blientele, you’d be lying to yourself if you said he & the rest of the Griselda crew haven’t had the culture on lock for the last 5-6 years. Dude’s been laying low throughout a good portion of 2021 so far,, but dropped the 8th installment of the Hitler Wears Hermes mixtape series & is already dropping a 9th one.

It technically starts off with the “Brodie Lee” instrumental opener named after the former AEW TNT Champion as well as former WWE Intercontinental Champion and 3-time WWE Tag Team Champion & the “End How You Start” intro, but things really don’t get rolling until Conway the Machine & Benny the Butcher tag along for “Hell on Earth, Pt. 2” for some eerie boom bap coke slanger shit. Jay Electronica assists West for the jazzy “Free Kutter” calling for his homie to be released from the pen, but then “Richies” is a Gunnlib reunion reusing same sample as “Ontheway!” by Earl Sweatshirt asking if you’ve ever seen a corpse.

“Julia Lang” despite it’s brevity gets back on that yay shit with a grimy Camoflauge Monk instrumental leading into Chase Fetti, Flee Lord & Heem aligning for the disgusting 2-parter “Celine Dion” including a dope reference to the late WWE Hall of Famer Nick Bockwinkel. Following this, Mach-Hommy pops up on “Best Dressed Demons” with a dusty Daringer beat declaring themselves as rolling stones just before Armani Caesar & 2 Chainz help morbidly declare that they’ll take their words to their graves for “Forest Lawn”.

Meanwhile on “Why I Do ‘Em Like That?”, we have Westside Gunn & Billie Essco jumping on top of a luxurious boom bap instrumental getting criminal minded whereas “RIP Bergdorf” finds him & Mach going back & forth nonchalantly on top of a mesmerizing vocal loop from Nicholas Craven. He later shouts out his boys Sly & J Batters on the perilous “TV Boy” while the orchestral “Survivor Series ‘95” with Jay Worthy, Larry June & T.F. declares Griselda as the new Roc-A-Fella taking it’s name after the event where 2-time WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart became a 3-time WWE Champion

Rome Streetz comes in for the JR Swiftz-produced “Eddie Kingston” named after the titular AEW star who formerly held the CZW World Heavyweight Championship, CZW World Tag Team Championship, アイアンマンヘビーメタル級チャンピオン & IWA World Championship saying life’s lavish & they’re beyond greatness & “Ostertag” by Stove God Cook$ makes reference to the late WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE Intercontinental Champion, 3-time WWE United States Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion & 2-time WCW World Television Champion “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

“Munch” with Tiona Deniece has a bit of an R&B flare telling listeners to love how you want, but of course the AZ-assisted “99 Avirex” works in a melodic instrumental getting on their mafioso shit. “The Fly Who Couldn’t Fly Straight” with Tyler, The Creator takes a soulful route flexing on motherfuckers while the final song “Big Al” with Rome Streetz is a depressing tribute to MF DOOM. However, the actual closer “BYE BYE” starts off with a jazz sample & then a brief spoken word passage from none other than Keisha Plum.

As much as I enjoyed VIII last month, I gravitate towards IX more & consider it to be amongst the best in the series. There are just as many features that all come correct as the first disc did, West solidifies his icon status & I like how he went with a more varied list of producers rather than sticking with The Heartbreakers again.

Score: 4/5

Eternia – “Free” review

Eternia is a 40 year old MC from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada who came up in 2005 off her full-length debut It’s Called Life. This was followed up with Where I’m At & the MoSS-produced At Last but after taking a 12 year hiatus, so much has happened to her in life & has decided to tap in Rel McCoy for her 4th album backed by now none other than Fat Beats Records.

After the intro, the first song “Freedom99” with Wordsworth kicks things off with a boom bap cut about how the city used to be their playground leading into him & Shad addressing homelessness on the emotional “Home”. She & Rel come together on the piano-tinged “Cycles” to talk about their lives are like 1, but then her husband Mr. Lif come together with “The Story of Us” compassionately detailing how they met.

“Most PPL” works in a fuzzy instrumental tackling the themes of loyalty just before “Praise” almost has a bit of a funk flare showing love to the higher power. “Grow” is quite possibly Eternia at her most vulnerable moments talking about how the world as she knows it is gone whereas “All the Men” dramatically calls out her exes on wax.

The song “Wonderful World” almost has a bit of a dystopian sound taking shots at modern technology while the penultimate track “Secret” finds Mr. Lif reuniting on top of a hollow instrumental tackling the theme of fear. “Let No Dream Fall” finishes off the album by emotionally telling us how she feels inside at the moment.

I was wondering what happened to Eternia for a while now, so it makes me happy to see that she’s made a comeback on here. She rips up the mic like she never even left to begin with & Rel McCoy’s production is just boom bap galore.

Score: 4/5

Dark Lo – “Extreme Measures” review

Dark Lo is a 39 year old MC from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who broke out in the winter of 2013 off his debut mixtape SK Tales. He’s gone on to release a handful of projects since, most notably the V Don-produced debut album Timeless back in 2018 & more recently his 3rd EP Borrowed Time over the spring produced entirely by Harry Fraud. But after dropping his 3rd album Charlie Pope back in July & being sentenced to 7½ years in prison a few weeks later due to witness tampering, he’s managing to drop his 4th full-length outing behind bars produced entirely by Havoc.

“Mob Tales” is a cinematic opener with the lit getting in that mafioso bag whereas “Lost Innocence” mournfully looks back on his past. I almost wanna say “Zombie Land” has a bit of a futuristic sound in the production with him & Hav talking about gunning cats down in broad daylight leading into Styles P tagging along for the combative yet alluring title track.

Meanwhile on “Greatest Ever”, we have Dark Lo proclaiming himself as such on top of an heinous instrumental just before the murderous “Reports” going into boom bap territory. “Make It Home” with Vado is easily the saddest cut on the entire album detailing their homies who got smoked, but then “Force of Life” brings in a hypnotic sample talking his shit.

The song “Dirty Work” has a cinematic organ loop taking shots at lukewarm MCs while the penultimate track “Captivating” brings in a cavernous beat to proclaim himself as such. “Strong Minded” ends the album by dramatically telling the story of Dark Lo’s homeboy getting murked when he was in the pen.

As much as I love Timeless & Borrowed Time, I think it’s safe to say that Extreme Measures is the best thing that this dude has done yet. He brings his A-game lyrically & Havoc’s production on here is just nasty from front to back. Whenever his next project drops, I’m definitely curious to see where he takes it.

Score: 4/5

The Grouch & Eligh – “What Would Love Do?” review

The Grouch & Eligh are a duo from California who both came up in the mid-90’s as members of the seminal West Coast underground outfit Living Legends & unified as a pair in 2000 off their full-length debut G&E Music. This was followed up with No More Greener Grasses in ‘03 & then Say G&E! in ‘09, but started focusing on other projects after the release of 333 in 2014. However about 7 & a half years later, they’ve seen fit to reunite in the form of their 4th album.

After the titular intro, “Love Feels” is a beautiful piano-laced opener asking if the listener is vibing with them leading into “Dreams” euphorically going back & forth about some of the dreams that they’ve had themselves. “Handball” weaves in a mesmerizing vocal sample putting both of their charisma on display whereas the Mistah F.A.B.-assisted “Ghost” has a bit of a snappy instrumental comparing themselves to the supernatural.

“Because” basically describes being married to the game accompanied by a hollow beat just before “The Call” serves as an empowering tribute to all the Kings & Queens in the world. “Piano God” does it’s job mystically painting an image of the titular behind, but then “Good as You” comes off a sweet letter to their significant others.

Meanwhile on “Don’t Say”, we have G&E going into tropical turf telling listeners that only love can bring you to a new day leading into Eli-Mac tagging along to express their desires to be “Like Water” & the downtuned guitar tone kinda reminds me of “Laffy Taffy” for whatever reason.

“Train Song” comes through with a somber traveling man anthem, but then “Never Kill” whips up a minimal beat speaking out against murder. After the titular interlude, the title track smoothly ponders if love was an actual person & then “Girl Be Loved” rounds out the album with a touching letter to the duo themselves.

For as long as it took, I think What Would Love Do is a welcoming comeback for the duo. Their chemistry is still one of a kind after being in the game for over 2 decades & the production (mostly handled by Eligh) sets a different vibe for each cut.

Score: 3.5/5

Blu – “The Color Blu(e) review

Blu is a 38 year old MC from Los Angeles, California who became notorious in the underground in 2007 when he & Exile dropped their debut album Below the Heavens: In Hell Happy with Your New Imaginary Friend. Since then, he’s managed to put out a handful of collab projects & solo efforts of his own. The most notable being: Her Favorite Colo(u)r, the M.E.D.-assisted Bad Neighbor produced by Madlib, the Oh No-produced A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night & the Damu the Fudgemunk-produced Ground & Water. But with the 1-year anniversary of the 3rd Blu & Exile album Miles: From an Interlude Called Life passing by over the summer, Blu is enlisting Nature Sounds to back up his 7th full-length solo outing right here.

“I Am Blu(e)” starts off the album with some keyboard embellishments going on about how magnificent he is whereas “Everyday Blu(e)s” has a bit of a jazz flare to it saying he shakes off negativity every day. “People Call Me Blu(e)” incorporates an ill ass blues sample reminding everyone who the fuck he is, but then “Because the Sky’s Blu(e)” harmoniously proclaims himself as a reflection of God.

Meanwhile on “You Ain’t Never Been Blu(e)”, we have Blu jumping on top of some pianos to get conscious leading into “I Was Born to Be Blu(e)” flipping the Ella Fitzgerald cut of the same name telling us he was destined for this. “Blu(e)r Than Blu[e]” fuses orchestral & boom bap bragging about himself just before “We’re Darker Than Blu(e)” serves as a heavenly pro-black theme.

The song “Mr. Blu(e) Sky” is an upbeat ode to living in the moment while the penultimate track “Mr. Blu(e)” has some crooning vocals & trumpets sending a message to the youth. “Blu(e) World” ends the album with an angelic sample & paying tribute to the coolest kid in his city named Ricky.

This dude’s been in the game for nearly 15 years at this point & still come together with incredible music like it’s nothing because I think The Color Blu(e) is amongst his best solo efforts. Blu’s jots down some of the most personal lyrics of his entire career & the production is very creative.

Score: 4/5

D Smoke – “War & Wonders” review

D Smoke is a 35 year old MC from Inglewood, California most notable for being the older brother of R&B singer/Top Dawg Entertainment signee SiR. He made his full-length debut in the spring of 2006 with Producer of the Year, but re-emerged in 2019 off his debut EP Inglewood High & then the Grammy nominated sophomore album Black Habits only 4 months later. However after keeping things on the low throughout a bulk of this year, D Smoke is returning in the form of his 3rd album.

The title track is a bouncy opener saying only 1 voice matters in a world between good & evil, but then “Dirty Mercedes” has a bit of a smooth boom bap feel talking about how he got ways to go. “Shame on You” takes a mistier direction going at those who don’t understand his shit leading into the Dem Jointz-produced “Road Rage” thunderously proclaiming the streets as his.

Meanwhile on “Mind My Business”, we have D Smoke going into detail about why he stays in his own lane on top of an laidback instrumental whereas the Tobe Nwigwe-assisted “Find My Way” goes back into boom bap turf looking back on their younger days. Shady Records’ very own Westside Boogie hops on board for the stripped back “Crossover” going at those faking the funk just before “Common Sense” with SiR finds the siblings on top of some jazz shit pondering the price we pay for the titular topic.

“Why Run?” is a rich reminder that life’s what you make it & “Stay True” is a jazz trap fusion about always keeping it real. “Say Go” brings in some Viking-esque horns talking about his homies hydroplaning while “Good Thing” serves as a vibrant banger about positivity coming in many forms.

Fireboy DML pretty much dominates “Sleepwalking” getting romantic with some acoustic while the song “Better Half” is a chipmunk soul-tinged tribute to D Smoke’s lady. The penultimate track “Clockwork” is an R&B-tinged cut about being loved like the world is ending & “Free Write” rounds it out with a funky fresh freestyle.

For those who dug Inglewood High & Black Habits, I think you’re gonna like War & Wonders evenly. Sure there are some portions that’re blatantly inspired by Kendrick Lamar, but I dig the whole concept of him detailing what it was like for him growing up in the city of Inglewood.

Score: 3.5/5

Gavlyn – “Say Less, Love More” review

Gavlyn is a 31 year old MC from San Fernando Valley, California who first emerged nearly a decade back off her debut album From the Art, which was later followed up by Habit That You Blame as well as Modest Confidence & Make Up for Your Break Up. But she’s been working very closely with former Funk Volume in-house producer DJ Hoppa since 2016, her last 2 outings Why Wait? & Headspace both going onto become what I believe are her best bodies of work yet. However, they’re back from a 3-year hiatus for Gavlyn’s 7th full-length outing.

After the titular intro, the first song “Creative Muscle” starts out meditatively tells the listeners to exercise such whereas “About Us” smoothly tells listeners that she feels accomplished. “Break the Mold” spaciously pleads to help define her leading into “There’s Only 1” goes into boom bap turf saying ain’t nobody like her.

Meanwhile on “Nothing To It”, we have Gavlyn soothingly reminding everyone that life comes & goes just before “Stepping Stones” serves as a piano trap banger saying she’s come to far to stop. “Self Love” is a jazzy boom bap ode to one’s own happiness, but then “Born with It” vibrantly talks about her shining like a jewel.

“Take It Slow” comes through with a sensual romance ballad while the song “Audrey May” is a twangy depiction of her life up to this point. The penultimate track “Feel a Way” goes back into boom bap territory addressing an unnamed lover & “Stop Trippin’” ends the album with another jazz-tinged cut advising not to lose your inner person.

Say Less, Love More could very well be Gavlyn’s magnum opus in my eyes. You can really hear her growth as a lyricist throughout it’s half hour runtime & DJ Hoppa continues to bring the best out of her, as he takes his production game to a whole new level.

Score: 4/5

Crimeapple – “Cartagena” review

Crimeapple is a 35 year old MC from Hackensack, New Jersey who came onto my radar in the fall of 2017 with his 4th EP Sweet Dreams along with his Big Ghost Ltd. produced full-length debut Aguardiente that following spring. His profile began to grow after dropping the DJ Skizz-produced Wet Dirt & the DJ Muggs-produced Medallo the next year, but his output since then has been either hit or miss with me personally. However, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to hear that he was re-enlisting Muggs for his 7th album right here.

“Grey Skies” is a glorious opener about him waking up feeling unstoppable whereas “Bathtubs Full of Veuve” takes things into boom bap turf spitting that fly shit. “Tony 2C” goes into a drearier direction reminding us he got that dope on demand leading into Stove God Cook$ tagging along for the battle rap piano ballad “Mermaids”.

“Meanwhile on “Papas”, we have Crimeapple jumping on top of a Daringer-inspired boom bap instrumental talking about getting a bag just before “Cheap Work” has a bit of a dark industrial sound letting us know he’s in that getting money stage. “Designer Label” has an unsettling atmosphere in the production detailing how it is from the cradle to the grave back to the cradle, but then “Reputation” has a more celebratory vibe saying he don’t care about the bullshit.

“Some More Paper” has some chilling organ harmonies confessing that’s all he really needs at this point whereas “Kleenex” brings in a guitar saying he’s been to shit since seeing TGIF on Fridays. The song “Swish” continues the rock vibes proclaiming the throne to the rap game while the penultimate track “Peligrosisimo” grimily flexes his Spanish. “Fly Shit” with RLX then ends the album by going at those who envy them.

From the moment Muggs initially announced Cartagena, I knew he was gonna give Crime what his last couple projects have been lacking & am more than satisfied with the end results. He’s been one of the nicest lyricists to come out of New Jersey in recent memory & that hasn’t changed at all, but the production on here in comparison is like night & day.

Score: 4.5/5