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.
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 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 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.
This is the 3rd full-length album from Queens emcee Grafh. Coming up in 2003 off his debut mixtape The Bang Out, he went on to release 7 more tapes before dropping his first full-length album Autografh only a few years later continuing that with a total of another 10 mixtapes & an EP. But as his sophomore effort Stop Calling Art Content produced entirely by the late DJ Shay & released through Benny the Butcher’s very own MNRK Music Group imprint Black Soprano Family Records turns 2 this fall, Grafh is enlisting 38 Spesh this time around to discuss the Art of Words backed by TCF Music Group
“Life’s the Same” is a symphonic boom bap opener with Grafh remind everyone of the fact that time’s passing us all by at an incredibly fast rate & it ain’t waiting on on a single soul out there whereas “Rain Falls” with Conway the Machine finds the 2 telling their mothers to pray for them. Bun B & Stove God Cook$ both come into the picture for the jazzy “Life’s Beautiful” to talk about the beautiful things that this life has to offer leading into Dave East tagging along for “Every Day” over some kicks & snares letting ‘em know this be daily shit for them.
Moving on to “Maggie Simpson”, we have Giggs accompanying Grafh over an operatic boom bap instrumental repping the sick out in Queens & the real ones Kingston just before “Already” weaves some pianos so dude can talk about how people already know what the deal is. “Goin’ Up” has a slicker tone sonically addressing the glow up, but then “Finesse” with Rome Streetz returns to the boom bap as both MCs let y’all know how bossy they are. The penultimate track “Dirty Work” has a despondent sound explaining someone’s gotta get their hands grubby & “36 Chambers” by grimily getting on his Wu-Tang shit.
Stop Calling Art Content quickly surpassed Autografh in quality to become my favorite body of work throughout Grafh’s ever-growing discography & there’s no way that anyone can tell me Art of Words isn’t up there too. Spesh’s production is as raw as the late DJ Shay’s was on the last album that we got from the Queens lyricist a year & a half ago on top of the man with the pen himself making hip hop meet art.
Bill & Isiah are a Detroit hip hop duo consisting of Valid & Stretch Money. Although both of them have already established names for themselves individually in the local hip hop scene at this point, the pair first joined forces a couple years ago on the songs “5 Fingers of Death, “Like This” & even “Sentimental” only a few months back. So considering their past history together, both of them are gonna take it to the next level on their eponymous full-length debut by letting it be known as to who the modern day Bill Laimbeer & Isiah Thomas of the rap game really are.
“‘89 Cadillacs” is a smooth opener you can blast in the whip when driving around late at night welcoming y’all to the Palace whereas “You Know I Like It” dives into soulful turf instrumentally thanks to Pig Penn including a reference to former アイアンマンヘビーメタル級チャンピオン, TNA World Tag Team Champion, WCW World Television Champion, 2-time WWE United States Champion, 7-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, 4-time WWE Intercontinental Champion & 2-time WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall. “Revenge” takes a more melodic, somewhat funkier route making it clear that they will have their vengeance in the end just before “Game Film” shifts gears into a more trap-based sound paying tribute to all the classic 80s movies that raised them.
Meanwhile on “Sentimental”, we have Bill & Isiah incorporating elements of 80s pop into their sound so they continue to get nostalgic about the decade they came up in leading into “The Girls” keeps it funky & brings back the synths to express their taste in women who love to party referencing 2-time WWE Hall of Famer, former 16-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, 6-time WWE United States Champion, 6-time WWE tag team champion & 9-time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair. “Commentate” almost gives me a J Dilla vibe with the beat as both lyricists give y’all something to talk about, but then “Eastern Conference Finals” provides more of a rap rock flare getting on their battle shit.
The song “Drink with Me” weaves a bluesy guitar in the fold as Valid & Stretch ask the bartender for more shots while the penultimate track “So Divine” comes through with a more shimmery approach referring to WWE Hall of Famer, 6-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, WWE Hardcore Champion, IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, the inaugural 6-time TNA World Champion, TNA X Division Champion & 2-time TNA World Tag Team Champion Kurt Angle. “Like This” however ties things up with a feel good anthem for people to have fun to with some crazy interpolations of the timeless Dr. Dre single “Nuthin’ but a G Thang” featuring Snoop Dogg throughout.
Valid’s been a good friend a mine for a few years now & I’ve heard him talk about this album to me for a while but since it’s finally available to listen to, it proves to me that he & Stretch Money both truly are the Bill & Isiah of hip hop and hopefully they continue to build up their discography as a duo down the road. I like how both of their styles gel so well with one another & it’s cool to hear the production pulling from the sounds of the very decade that’s referenced throughout.
Motown Priest is a 37 year old MC from Queens, New York by the way of Detroit, Michigan who first emerged in almost a decade ago off his the strength of his debut EP This Thing of Ours followed by the full-length debut Art of Urban Warfare only nearly 16 months afterwards. But after an 8-year hiatus, the Motown Priest is signing to the historic Boston label Brick Records to help make a comeback on his sophomore album.
“Great Depression” is a jazzy opener asking what you know about pacing in a prison cell depressed out of your mind whereas “Pandora’s Box” goes full blown rap rock with a conscious take on the paper. “The Calogero Effect” works in a bare soul sample as dude talks about needing a closet to hide his skeletons in when he was a child just before “Farewell to Welfare” asks how much is a dollar worth over a boom bap instrumental with some unsettling pianos.
Meanwhile on “Employee of the Month”, we have the Motown Priest delivering a scathing & engaging takedown of the American Dream leading into the raw, grungy “New Religion” talking about the gangsta lifestyle. “Nathaniel’s Mask” returns to jazzier turf discussing power being a powerful drug in a city full of cowards & thugs, but then “For Sale” hope on top of some swooning vocal chops & string sections saying everyone’s for sale because everybody for self.
“Alphabeta” is a bluesy boom bap cut wanting to have a conversation with his people while the song “Trials” fuse some kicks, snares & a guitar loop to heartbreakingly looks back on the people he’s lost to the gang life. The penultimate track “Dreams & Stories to Tell” brings back the jazz 1 last time talking about that being exactly what he has to offer until “Drug Money Theory” ties things up with a conscious rap rock ballad.
For a debut, Hawthorne definitely gives new listeners a look at at the Motown Priest is capable of doing on the mic & is surely destined to continually grow as an artist from hereon out. The production is fascinatingly eclectic, it’s cohesive & the narratives give a searing look at the world we all live in today in such a gripping fashion by connecting the unique worlds of both music & film.
This is the full-length debut from Midwest underground collective United Grind. Consisting of Ohio duo Play Havoc alongside Detroit quartet GameChangers, the crew initially formed about a decade ago with all 6 members putting in work throughout the independent hip hop scene both individually & as a unit. So in order for the crew to take their profile up to the next level, the sextet is getting together for an official full-length debut collectively.
“Step Lively” opens the album with some kicks, snares & pianos as HiJinks, Lee Harvey & R.E.D. all belittle anyone who dares to step up to them on the mic whereas “Give It Back” finds everybody over some dusty boom bap production obliterating all wack emcees. Vice Souletric & GameChangers stick around for “Got Somethin’” talking about being the illest spitting without even trying to front over a sample-based instrumental, but then “Ambush Ballad” by HiJinks & Lena Jackson says it all very well down to the cavernous boom bap beat as well as the warmongering lyrics.
Moving on to “Similar”, we have Play Havoc on top of a trap instrumental with a vocal loop delivering that signature O State tempature just before the GameChangers shine on their own with “Doin’ This All Night” returning to the boom bap with his mood being treating every single joint he hops on as food leading into the aptly titled Juggernaut June solo cut “Cut Throat” fusing some horns & keys. The energizing “M.A.M.N. (Me & My Neighbors)” by Benny the Butcher, G. Huff & HiJinks makes it clear you don’t want issue with them while the Vice Souletric solo cut “Real Wild” aggressively let’s y’all in on how they keep it.
“Grimey Love” by GameChangers has a more vibrant tone getting on his fly shit while “The Order” by Play Havoc, G. Huff, Che Noir weave some more pianos talking about how it be like another hobby bar for bar. The penultimate track “Undercover Goons” HiJinks & Juggernaut June keeps the well-flipped samples going declaring themselves to be such with HiJinks ending the album on his own throughout “Body Bag” making it clear that United Grind be a problem.
Being a midwesterner myself, the United Grind really got something going on with this debut album here & to see the outfit continuing to elevate musically from here is definitely worth keeping an eye on. It’s really fresh to hear every single member getting a chance to shine as they each have something that makes them stand out in their own unique ways & make it clear that they’re living proof of hip hop always evolving over tight production.
This is the 2nd solo album from Philadelphia veteran Black Thought. Most notable for being the frontman of The Roots, he has since cemented himself as one of the most skilled & well respected lyricists in all of hip hop from his work with the band or his lengthy list of show-stopping features. However, it wouldn’t be until 2018 when he finally started putting out projects under his own name with the 9th Wonder-produced debut EP Streams of Thought before following up with the Salaam Remi-produced sequel Streams of Thought 2: Traxploitation & of course the Sean Cane produced full-length debut Streams of Thought 3: Cain & Abel that wrapped up the trilogy. Last time we heard from Thought was last summer when he & Danger Mouse finally released their Dangerous Thoughts debut Cheat Codes after 17 years in the making to universal acclaim, but is returning alongside El Michels Affair to spit some Glorious Game.
“Grateful” is a consciously abstract opener to the album with Black Thought encouraging the listeners to at least show some gratitude whereas the title track takes a more jazzier, psychedelic soul route to talk about how mackin’ & pimpin’ never died. “I’m Still Somehow” dives into spacier territory as far as sound goes confessing the heat he received from a friend & that black joy is rebellion, but then “Hollow Way” goes into boom bap turf asking if it’s the monster within or that causes black-on-black violence.
Meanwhile on “Protocol”, we have Thought over a more summery instrumental explaining that he’s from another planet & takes shit for granted leading into “The Weather” continues to dive into mellower territory looking back on the crazy summers he’s lived through. “That Girl” is a heartfelt ode to his wife Michelle with a sample-based beat just before “I Would Never” blends returns to the boom bap with a soul sample unloading spiritual baggage & telling those who’re still here to do their job.
“Alone” continues to fuse kicks, snares & keys to make it clear to the listeners who can’t help but feel loneliness while the song “Miracle” has some jazzy undertones throughout the beat has Black Thought talks about never realizing how much he had to sacrifice to be in the position that he’s in now. Then after the “Glorious Game” reprise interlude, the closer “Alter Ego” incorporates some synthesizers so he can admit publicly that he he was starting to lose his drive 15 years ago.
I would say it’s better than Cheat Codes but if you admire Mr. Trotter’s lyrical talents as much as I do, then I think you’re gonna like Glorious Game almost as much & it increases my anticipation for the 4th installment of the Streams of Thought series that was announced earlier this week whenever the time comes. The subject matter here is more personal & transparent & El Michels Affair’s production here is more bottom-heavy yet soul-tinged as opposed to Danger Mouse’s.
Rae Sremmurd are a trap duo from Atlanta, Georgia consisting of real life brothers Swae Lee & Slim Jxmmi. However, many forget that they came up as a quartet in 2009 alongside Bobo Swae & Lil Pantz under the name Dem Outta St8 Boyz & dropped their only mixtape 3 Stooges with Lil Pantz would departing the group prior due to legal issues & Bobo following suit after to focus on his studies in Florida. P-Nazty would go on to introduce Swae & Jxmmi to revered trap producer Mike WiLL Made-It, who took the Brown brothers under his wing by making them the first act to sign to his Interscope Records imprint Ear Drummer Records rechristened as the names they’re known by today. After beginning to turn heads with hits like “No Type” & “Throw $um Mo” featuring Young Thug, it was enough for Rae Sremmurd to properly introduce themselves on the full-length debut SremmLife a month after the final single & the sophomore effort SremmLife 2 the following summer finding them to artistically expand more. Especially considering that “Black Beatles” featuring Gucci Mane is unquestionably the duo’s biggest hit to date. Their previous album however SR3MMLIFE in the spring of 2018 had a pretty strong start as it contains some of their best songs like “T’d Up” or even “CLOSE” featuring Travis Scott, but each of the Brown brothers’ respective solo debuts that were attached to it Swaecation & Jxmtro were both underwhelming at best which is a shame because I really was intrigued by the whole Speakerboxxx / The Love Below concept/homage except it’s 3 discs instead of simply 2 & the first one actually has new music from the titular duo. But after 5 long years, Swae & Jxm are returning with their 4th full-length outing.
“Origami (Hotties)” is a synth-trap opener produced by none other than Mike WiLL Made-it as the Brown brothers asking if you can see the others that’re surrounding them & to fold the paper whereas “Royal Flush” works in some horns & hi-hats courtesy of Chopsquad DJ as Thugger tags along so the trio can talk about dropping cash on land along with making grandmaster plans that’re complex. “Mississippi Slide” has a more shimmery approach sonically thanks to Zaytoven so Rae Sremmurd can pay homage to the titular state leading into the piano/trap “Not So Bad (Lean’s Gone Cold)” interpolating “Thank You” by Dido on the hook talking about the racks stacking up too tall.
On the other hand, “Tanisha (Pump That)” feels like a Slim Jxmmi solo cut featuring Swae on the hook despite the electro undertones throughout the instrumental & the lyrics describing how no one can do it the way she does just before the Murda Beatz co-produced “Bend Ya Knees” brings back the keys & hi-hats so they can ask their lovers to forgive them for their rich tendencies. Future joins Rae Sremmurd for the cloudy “Activate” talking about not being normal anymore, but then “Flaunt It / Cheap” delivers a well sequenced 2-parter encouraging the the party girls to get if started & nearly spending a dozen.
“Sexy” is an irresistibly catchy pop trap jam that 30 Roc helped Mike lace describing how physically attractive they both are while “YMCA” weaves some synth horns & hi-hats talking about how the conduct will quickly become disorderly now that they in the place. “Something I’m Not” has more acoustic groove to it as Rae Sremmurd gets more introspective on the lyrical front while Sonny Digital gives the song “Torpedo” a more atmospheric vibe so the duo can take off the the cash. The penultimate track “Diamonds Dancing” reminds everyone they’re here to stay over a trap beat from DJ Sremm with a reversed loop & “ADHD Anthem (Too Many Emotions)” sends off the album with some rage beats from Ronny J & Dynox of Internet Money Records talking about being misunderstood.
Considering the 5-year gap between this & Rae Sremmurd’s last album, I was intrigued to hear where both these guys would take it with the comeback effort & I think fans will find Sremm 4 Life to be more salvageable than SR3MM was. I admire how the approach & content are both a little different than before, Mike WiLL & company bring some consistent trap production to the table, Swae & Jxmmi both sound more focused than they did on their respective solo debuts that were attached to the predecessor & they didn’t go overboard with the features.
Meyhem Lauren is a 39 year old MC from Queens, New York that came up as the leader of the Smart Crew graffiti team. He eventually started rapping in the mid-2000s, it wouldn’t be until the 2010s decade that he saw success. Most notably with Mandatory Brunch Meetings, the Buckwild-produced Silk Pyramids, Piatto D’oro & most notably the DJ Muggs produced Gems from the Equinox. But coming off the Daringer-produced Black Vladimir to universal acclaim, Meyhem’s keeping the momentum going by reuniting with Muggs & bringing along Madlib so both West Coast veterans can produce his 6th album.
After the “Quicksand”, intro, the first song “Fresh Out the Water” truly sets things off with Muggs supplying a creepy vocal loop as well as some kicks & snares for Meyhem to make it clear that shit ain’t changed prior to Action Bronson tagging along for “Szechuan Capitol” so they can hop on a piano boom bap instrumental with a soulful beat-switch encouraging to protect your energy & Bronson talking about making his AEW debut in Arthur Ashe Stadium after a segment between former 2-time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, TNA Hall of Famer, 4-time TNA World Champion, TNA World Tag Team Champion, 8-time WCW world champion, WCW World Television Champion, 3-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, WWE Hall of Famer & 2-time WWE United States Champion Sting alongside former 3-time AJPW三冠ヘビー級チャンピオン, 5-time AJPW世界タッグチャンピオン, 4-time IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, 6-time IWGPタッグチャンピオン, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, GHCヘビー級チャンピオン, GHCタッグチャンピオン, WCW World Television Champion, WCW World Tag Team Champion & newly inducted WWE Hall of Famer ザ・グレート・ムタ. “Midnight Silk” dives into drumless turf courtesy of Madlib to spit that mafioso shit leading into “Sunday Driving” having a more classier vibe sonically talking about focusing on the better things in life.
“Big Money” returns to the boom bap so he can flex his wealth just before “Evolution” blending some keys, kicks & snares so Meyhem can thank back from where he came from to how he’s evolved since then. “Dom vs. Cris” keeps it in the basement to justifiably talk about how he out here winning drinking champagne in the sunshine, but then “Holographic Rhetoric” by his little brother Hologram has a more soulfully drumless approach to declare that he doesn’t need to stop & he ain’t ever gonna change.
After the “Pop Clink Fizz” interlude, “OD Wilson” gives off a more sinister feeling to the beat bragging that the real ones are back on top like they oughta be while the cavernously funky “African Pompano” talks about repping the fly shit forever. After the “Triple M Airlines” instrumental interlude from Madlib, the penultimate track “One of Them Ones” reveals itself to be an unsettling boom bap anthem referring to himself as amongst the greatest & “Wild Salmon” is a grand drumless closer letting y’all know what he got on the grill as he drinks with the homies.
Black Vladimir quickly became a favorite of mine in his discography last summer & went on to be the best albums of the previous year, but he really outdid himself on Champagne for Breakfast to the point where I as someone who’s been listening to him since Silk Pyramids can say it’s the best album he’s ever done. Muggs & Madlib both play Yin & Yang behind the boards much like how Ye or formerly known as Kanye West & Pharrell did on Pusha T’s last album It’s Almost Dry with Meyhem murdering it with the gangsta raps complimenting both West Coast beatsmith’s signature production styles.
Legends Will Never Die 