Noah Cyrus – “I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me” review

Noah Cyrus is a 25 year old singer/songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee notable for being the younger sister of Miley Cyrus & the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus as well as voicing the titular character in the English dub of the スタジオジブリ fantasy classic 崖の上のポニョ. She later signed to Columbia Records after becoming of age, her first couple EPs Good Cry & The End of Everything left listeners divided until her full-length debut The Hardest Part found herself beginning to come into her own. We just got her sister’s most acclaimed project of her career Something Beautiful over a month ago & she’s looking to catch up with her sophomore effort.

“I Saw the Mountains” made for a tight singer/songwriter, Americana & indie folk intro singing about holding onto hope whereas “Don’t Put It All on Me” featuring Fleet Foxes was an unexpected folk pop, singer/songwriter, indie folk, Americana & adult contemporary collaboration that impressed me as a Father John Misty fan since my senior year of high school a decade ago.

Another favorite has to be “What It’s All For?”, delivering vocal performances that feel reminiscent of Miley’s over acoustics reflecting on Noah’s current relationship with her father & the 2 divorces he’s had in 24 months just before “Way of the World” featuring Ella Langley finds the pair coming together for a contemporary country track explaining that them crying on the curb is usually the way it works with them.

“New Country” featuring Blake Shelton served as the final single learning to walk on your own 2 feet & finding your own independence drawing inspiration from Americana once more & the secondary soft rock influences during “Long Ride Home” making our way to the halfway point of were incorporated pretty well singing about her feeling as if the wheels have left the road.

We have Noah over some heavy pianos over the course of “Apple Tree” cautioning not to question or push her to lessen her love since she’s learned from her own experiences that it’s a weapon that ruins everything while “Man in the Field” returns to an Americana sound singing about her father becoming unrecognizable to her & having unfinished emotional business with him implying that he disappears when she calls out for him.

“With You” starts the final act of I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me wanting someone in her life she’s shared good & bad times with to know that she’ll always be by their side while “Love is a Canyon” comes to a “beautifully true” realization comparing romance to a gorge vulnerably pulling off these low register vocals. “XXX” featuring Bill Callahan closes the album with a duet radiating a nostalgic campfire vibe signing about signing every letter with 3 X’s regardless if it’s to their exes or not.

I wasn’t a fan of Good Cry or The End of Everything, but I did enjoy The Hardest Part for the complete stylistic departure she went for compared to those early EPs & I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me only reveals what she had inside her all this time. It’s more singer/songwriter & indie folk lenient than the last LP was comfortably finding who she is further pulling from country pop, soft rock, Americana, contemporary country, folk pop & adult contemporary.

Score: 4/5

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

Openness Trio – Self-Titled review

The Openness Trio are a jazz trio consisting of Oakland, California guitarist Nate Mercereau alongside Takoma Park, Maryland saxophonist Josh Johnson & Los Angeles, California percussionist Carlos Niño. Known for collaborating with the likes of Kamasi Washington & André 3000, all 3 members have decided to form a new supergroup under none other than the greatest jazz label of all-time Blue Note Records & make a broader introduction with an eponymous full-length debut studio album.

“Hawk Dreams” was a solid, freely improvised new age lead single & a better intro to the LP with secondary influences of spiritual jazz whereas “…Anything’s Possible” works in a saxophone & some percussion for a little over 5 minutes. The final single “Openness” blends new age & ambient for the shortest composition of the 5 but once “Chimes in the Garden” embraces the spiritual jazz vibes a bit heavier for a moment, “Elsewhere” finishes with a mesmerizing free improvisational outro that Nate originally teased on YouTube in 2021.

For fans of the prominently ambient new age direction that André 3000 embraced on New Blue Sun or Kamasi Washington making amongst the greatest spiritual jazz of this current millennium even a decade after The Epic, the freely improvised self-titled debut from the Openness Trio brings a sound to the modern Blue Note roster than their own moniker implies & hopefully it’s only the beginning for them collectively.

Score: 4/5

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

Tha God Fahim – “Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 15 (Final Explosion)” review

This is the 25th studio LP from Atlanta, Georgia emcee/producer Tha God Fahim. Starting as an affiliate of Griselda Records & being 1/3 of the Dump Gawds alongside Mach-Hommy & Your Old Droog, we also can’t ignore the massive discography that he’s managed to build for himself, some of the standouts include Breaking Through tha Van Allen Belts & Dump Assassins. He’s been putting out amongst his best material in the past few years like the Camoflauge Monk-produced Dark Shogunn Assassin, the Nature Sounds-backed Iron Bull, the Nicholas Craven-produced Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King series, the Oh No-produced Berserko, the Mike Shabb-produced Dump Gawd: Rhyme Pays, Tha Supreme Hoarder of All Pristine Wealth, Supreme Dump Legend: Soul Cook Saga produced by Cookin’ Soul & Machine Gun Vocabulary produced by Cartune Beatz. I don’t even have to mention the Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap saga since we’re already 14 entries deep & the 15th one looks to serve as the “season finale”.

“D.Y.O.G. (Dig Your Own Grave)” featuring Jay NiCE was a soulful boom bap intro produced by Nicholas Craven breaking down what it’ll be like in a rap battle against them whereas the self-produced “Order of Pain” ruggedly talks about leaving y’all slumped with the Mossberg pump. “It’s Darkness” goes for a drumless chipmunk soul vibe running hunting bags up top rank with the heavy artillery prior to “Flame Weaver” talks about his name being solidified in stone.

As for “Another Meal”, we have Fahim over a bare organ instrumental hittin’ spears harder than 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion as well as 2-time NXT Champion & NXT Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker did to iShowSpeed at the Rumble just before the crooning “Don’t Blink” featuring Jay NiCE references 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.

“Dead Giveaway” continues the soulful sampling techniques boasting his whole library collection of raw raps & throwing the moon at the last person who wanted to battle him, but then “Break Records” featuring Jay NiCE strips the drums completely for a hardcore chipmunk soul talking about their extraordinary lyricism. Jay NiCE sticks around on “Plant Seed” discussing revenge feeling better than forgiveness to them “Perfect Attendance” featuring Jay NiCE speaks of keeping full clips in the mag.

To get the 3rd & final act of the “season finale” going, “Precise Planning” keeps it drumless weeding out the fake until they get sent to their graves while “Keep Dat” makes MCs catch more shells than the bottom of the sea. “Solid Granite” brings a woodwind into the fold talking about having more guns than Gaston Glock advising to take heed to his warnings & “Bone Cracker” featuring Jay NiCE ends the album blowing .45 ACP mags to make their haters’ comrades sit down.

Said Final Explosion of the inaugural Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap season diverts from the norms of it’s predecessors by having Fahim himself producing almost half of it with the rest being left to Craven as opposed to the others being solely produced by the latter, expanding into a full-length body of work unlike the other 14 entries being EPs & finally 35% of the rhyming throwing it back to his chemistry with Jay NiCE during the 12th chapter capitalizing on the improved schemes of the more recent installments.

Score: 4/5

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

Recognize Ali & Tragedy Khadafi – “The Past, The Present & The Future” review

New collaborative between Recognize Ali & Tragedy Khadafi. One of whom hails from Ghana breaking emerging out the underground in the past decade or so into veteran status & the other comes straight outta Queensbridge, New York as part of the Juice Crew collective. They’ve crossed paths on several instances with tracks like “Black Cocaine” or “Intelligent Hoodlums” & to hear that The Past, The Present & The Future were all colliding on the 4th of July made for an interesting kick off to the 2nd half of 2025 already.

“Will Be Free” breaks the door down with a drumless chipmunk soul instrumentally calling for their apparatuses to be checked whereas “Select Few” airs out all the corny ass people flooding the airwaves these days. “The Most Real” featuring Vinnie Paz produced by Hobgoblin made for an exciting hardcore single back in the fall of 2022 holding up now, but then “Loot Thirsty” finds the duo fiending for some money.

Trife Diesel joins Ali & Tragedy on “Black Coke” warning of their shooters laying everyone down like it’s Syria out in the east coast just before “Everything” chops up a vocal sample matched with kicks & snares talking about no survivors being left alive around their parts, not even the babies. “Cold” craves the taste of blood advising to get ready for the drama while “Gone Tomorrow” featuring Ransom jazzily plays in the kitchen until the food bubbles.

“Diplomats” gets the final leg goin’ sending missiles through your roof like it’s 9/11 while “Elevation” weaves a symphonic flip talking about their artistic altitude. “King Kong” hooks up some piano chords to say that they’re both in the hood with it while “Kuwait Regulate” featuring Flash sees the trio boasting their aggressive flows. “Old & New Legends” closes the album with both parties complimenting each other’s respective generations.

Originally planned to come out in 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic occurring a year beforehand had obviously caused both parties to hold off on joining forces for a full body of work & long awaited project will satisfy people who’ve been following either side or both. Hobgoblin producing half of it made for some of the strongest batch of tracks & it feels like they’re trying to see who can out-rap who.

Score: 4/5

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

Arrested Development – “Adult Contemporary Hip Hop” review

Arrested Development is an alternative hip hop outfit from Atlanta, Georgia consisting of dancer/choreographer Montsho Eshe, vocalist Tasha Larae, vocalist/dancer/choreographer Fareedah Aleem, vocalist 1 Love, guitarist JJ Boogie & frontman/producer Speech. Their 1992 debut 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of… as well as their sophomore effort Zingalamaduni are widely considered to be the most important entries of their discography, putting out 10 LPs since then with the most recent being Bullets in the Chamber. A year & a half later, their 13th album has finally arrived to start the 2nd half of the year.

“Let’s Get On with It” was a jazzy, soulful boom bap intro produced by Configa calling for everyone to keep striving in their respective fields whereas “All I See is Melanin” kinda has a funkier vibe to the beat talking about melanin pride. “Live Forever” works in some orchestral elements for the instrumental suggesting that people need to be led while “My Job Ain’t Done” hooks up some jazzy horns from Speech explaining his mission is far from over.

We still get some jazz-inflicted brass on “Easy” representing a brand new style of hip hop music just before “Flowers” talks about being unable to help themselves from giving people black power energy. “Forward Ever” kinda has a funkier flare to the beat basing itself around the concept of continually progressing instead of moving backwards while “Pearls” keeps the vibes groovy pleading for the shell to open up & not being afraid.

“Pulsate” finishes up the 2nd quarter of Adult Contemporary Hip Hop with a delicately jazzy boom bap instrumental discussing our palpitations while “Baby Yes” chops up a chipmunk soul sample take on themes of love. “Original” brings a woodwind into the fold praising the lord & keeping the faith while “Mil Town Soldier” finds themselves charismatically riding around in a 1968 Chevrolet Nova.

Bee Taylor joins the crew for a jazzily dusty hardcore hip hop collab “Pack It Out” allowing them to speak on who got the magic & who doesn’t, but then ”Goal Dysmorphia” explains that the titular issue was exactly what happens when one goes through a metamorphosis. “Family” kinda has this lo-fi feel to the beat responding to those questioning who they are by saying they’re like relatives while “Stay Awake” soulfully talks about his dad teaching him not to be poor.

The song “Lifing” marks the beginning of the end regarding Adult Contemporary Hip Hop returning to the boom bap knowing that days can be completely different instantly while “Danger” looks to completely blow any & all competition out of their frame dismantling those whose pen game couldn’t hold up to Speech’s then or now. “Stardust” closes the full-length by atmospherically responding to the question of how they handle their fame.

Reflecting on freedom along with self-determination & the contradictions still woven into African American life this 4th of July, what Arrested Development achieves with Adult Contemporary Hip Hop feels similar to what Public Enemy on Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025 last weekend: Proving their relevance after decades in the game. The homage to the late Twan Mack takes on theme of melanin pride, the state of the world since this January, mortality, relationships, love, legacy & bar-for-bar energy elevated in part by soulful boom bap production.

Score: 4/5

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

9 Vicious – “For Nothing” review

Atlanta, Georgia rapper 9 Vicious celebrating the 4th of July with his 3rd LP. Breaking out last summer off his debut single “U Fancy”, he would go on to further introduce himself on B4SA & the debut album Studio Addict helped him gain more exposure to the point where Young Thug signed him to YSL Records after B4TM dropped & Tumblr Music wasn’t that bad of a debut for the label other than “Clout Demons”. A little over a month has passed since B4FN became his most beloved EP & he’s familiarizing himself with new fans on For Nothing.

“Can’t Tell Me Nothing” produced by 406ahmad starts by suggesting that people only hate him because they’re broke when in really because of the “Clout Demons” controversy whereas “Takin’ Swag” talks about being the father of swag likening everyone else being his children. “New Means” responds to the people wanting to go back to that Studio Addict style by saying he’s evolving prior to “Co-sign” with R8 & Patrick Garza talking about not needing anyone else’s approval.

The bar referring to Marilyn Manson at the start of an underwritten verse on “Valley” is odd timing as a fan of his Triptych because of his horrid Falling in Reverse collaboration “God’s a Weapon”, but then “Moshpit” makes up for it with a pretty solid rage track to get the pits going. “Internet Gangsta” produced by BenjiCold has possibly my least favorite hook on the album implying he’ll cheat on his girl if she pisses him off while “Face” opens up regarding his lifestyle of wealth & sex visiting 渋谷、東京、日本.

“Chaos” gets the 2nd half of For Nothing started with a 2-parter from Jwade taking “Die Young” over “Thumb in the Ass” without hesitation while “Mobb Deep” has very little to do with the influential east coast duo & more so feeling like a clown with Rick Owens shoes on in the snake-pit. “Hurt Sum” speaks of the changes in life since Tumblr Music this spring & being on the phone with Lil Uzi Vert while “Slatt Gospel” hopes that he doesn’t die young even if he’s not afraid of it.

Nosaint of Vanguard Music Group links up with 9 on my personal favorite song here “Pretty” talking about being a money getter not giving a fuck about shit while “DBZ” references the timeless ドラゴンボールZ created by the late 鳥山明 during the hook chillin’ in New York. The song “So Many Tears” goes on to diss Uzi claiming they fell off officially after Eternal Atake 2 although I can’t really argue against it because it did suck & “The End” finishes with another cut split in 2 halves: “Cardigan” & “WhiteHo”.

Mass Appeal Records had good reason to threaten legal action against YSL due to the original artwork biting The Big Picture (1974-1999) since they got a posthumous Big L offering Harlem’s Finest: Rise of the Forgotten King as part of their ongoing Legend Has It series, which is a good thing because it makes me greatly appreciate For Nothing than that initial cover art & lemme make it clear that my opinions on 9 Vicious’ output much like Autumn!’s doesn’t have ANYTHING to do with either one of them as people & mainly the quality within their music itself. Now that that’s out the way, expanding on the cloudy rage-inducing trap sound of it’s prelude EP days following the announcement of a collab on the upcoming deluxe version of Kevin Abstract’s new album blush.

Score: 4/5

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

WRLD Tour Mafia – “C.$.B. (Cross $tate Boys)” review

Detroit trap outfit the WRLD Tour Mafia consisting of Rafa, WTM Solid, WTM Miles, WTM Re, WTM Amex, WTM Bankroll & WTM Niketech celebrating the 2nd half of 2025 with a sophomore effort. Originally forming in 2019, they dropped their debut mixtape World Tour Mafia or Die a couple summers later followed by Tourmania the fall after that & the Mob Ties EP. Tourmania II marked DaeMoney’s final appearance as a member & Blood, Sweat, Tours began a new era for the Mafia’s remaining members. Spending the past 7 months on their solo endeavors, the C.$.B. (Cross $tate Boys) aren’t look to slow down.

“Money Counter” opens with Rafa & Solid teaming up over a Detroit trap instrumental to talk about picking up bags of money from Chalmers whereas “We the Best” introduces WTM Bankroll with both the same members from the previous cut to flex that they be living life flawlessly. “Back on My Grind” finds Bankroll dipping out so Milt & Solid can find themselves hustlin’ again following some time off leading into JayLuciano joining them for a decent collab about “Crossing States”.

Miles tags in for Solid on “Dodgin’ Federales” suggesting with Milt that you need to watch the way you’re moving if you got the opps on your tail just before Solid returns on “Postman” with Rafa taking about those shopping from the bottom shelves actin’ like dope men. “Hit the Road” works in a cloudy backdrop & 808s explaining that traveling has changed their lives for the better, but then “Scammer Trapper of the Year” featuring WB Nutty sees the trio sellin’ out the city without doing shows.

“WRLD Tour or Die” reps the squad for a couple minutes & laughs off the people tryin’ to cross paths with them not having a damn thing on their resumes while “Trim” featuring Speedy Caloso brings some bells in the fold talking about those locking done the 1st half of the game eventually slipping up. “Pick the Blunt Up” has a cloudier Detroit trap flare having money on the same line the bitches hit wanting to fuck them while “NBA Ballerz” calls for these pitiful bums to get jobs.

WTM Re makes his only appearance on the LP during “Chicken Tender” joining Rafa in favor of opting to make their entrance with the heaters giving fingers to nearby security while “Never Been” hooks up a sample & 808s talking about working for more made them become different to those they once knew. “Rocket Man” refers to themselves as fashion icons getting higher in terms of status & “Stephen A.” likens the hate they get to Stephen A. Smith of The Walt Disney Company division ESPN.

“No Means No” marks WTM Amex’s only appearance & Rafa checking in first taking it to the booth after shit in the streets started to get hot prior to “Bestfriends” referencing future WWE Hall of Famer, former 6-time WWE world champion & 4-time WWE Tag Team Champion Dave Bautista’s rendition of a power bomb once Bankroll’s final verse on the LP ends. “Slaughter” links Solid & Miles up to talk about there not being a day where they slack while “Nights Like This” by Rafa featuring Brooks & Samuel Shabazz kinda seems like a microwaved Madman leftover.

The song “Hot Boy” reunites Solid & Milt tying some wordplay together regarding the amount of paper on their table & the Cash Money Millionaires subgroup the Hot Boy$ while “Make a Difference” gets back on the synth-lenient Detroit trap crossovers talking about having significant impact on people or situations rather than attempting to save the whole world. “Cross Yo Fingers” closes the album with both MCs not giving a fuck & fearing nobody.

Becoming a fan of these guys in 2022 & seeing them perform live twice since, they’ve already joined Drego & Beno and the ShittyBoyz in becoming one of my favorite groups the Detroit trap subgenre has heard in recent memory & C.$.B. (Cross $tate Boys) returns over 7 months since Blood, Sweat, Tours to continue the new era they’ve been on since last summer. Given I wasn’t too crazy of the guests on this one, I still appreciate them refraining from having any on the predecessor shifting focus towards both Rafa & WTM Solid as performers.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Ramirez – “Tha Playa$ Manual II” review

Here is the 5th studio LP from San Francisco, California emcee Ramirez. Emerging as a longtime affiliate of the $uicideboy$, he would go on to co-found to the New Orleans-based indie label G*59 Record$ with them & build himself as an artist by dropping 8 mixtapes, his last dozen EPs & 4 full-lengths. Tha Playa$ Manual was his best LP yet with it’s g-funk production from Rocci & is looks to mark a new chapter with the sequel on his newly formed EMPIRE Distribution imprint Velvet Note Records over a week after G*59 announced his departure to go do his own thing.

After the “Velvet Note Lounge” skit, the first song “Hollow Tips” was a synth-funk intro & skittering hi-hats introducing y’all to his heater if you even try to make a move on him whereas the jazzy “Cut Throat Game” advises to get back up no matter how hard you fall. “Playas Need Love” fuses both g-funk & jazz to talk about that very subject in hand, but then the 2nd single “True Playas” suggests not to trip because fortune favored the strong putting a synth-heavy feel on the Mobb sound.

“I’m Not Yo Daddy” fuses trap & synth-funk together suggesting you come take a ride with him just before “Boulevard Nights” featuring Jason Joshua & Rocci matches a seducing instrumental that wears it’s jazz influences more during the 2nd half with all 3 of them sharing a melodic delivery. After the “Playing a Fool” skit, “Money Don’t Stop for You” jazzily sings of wanting nothing more to waste his time with a woman he’d fall for while “Shake Junt Hoes”proved to be a Memphis inspired final single.

Meanwhile on “Pushin’ on Some Paper”, we have the Lil Homewrecker talking about pimpin’ being second nature to him & making it look easy while the lead single “Chain Swangin’” turns the Mobb influences back up explaining that he’s still the same playa with a deadly weapon on him. “Scrapin’ tha Corner” throws back to the phonk undertones of Tha Playa$ Manual to talk about being on some larger shit while “Never Listen” offers invest in oneself as his best advice.

“Don’t Lose Hope” gets back on the g-funk/synth-funk crossovers wanting to hold his romantic interest tight because he wants her to know she’ll always be safe around him in any possible situation & “Cadillac Burnin’” featuring Rocci ahead of the “Goodbye & Goodnight” outro properly finishing Ramirez’ debut of Velvet Note with a captivating duet feeling reminiscent of something you’d hear during the 70s & I mean that as a compliment instead of implying any indication of it being outdated.

Tha Playa$ Manual has been regarded by many in the G*59 fandom to be the crown jewel of the label’s entire discography & I’d have to say it’s aged astonishingly well as a modern g-funk classic since it came out down the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns. Tha Playa$ Manual II as a sequel raises his artistic stakes even higher than I would’ve thought. There are a few songs where he takes a break from delivering bars of the gangsta life to favor towards sung vocals with on top of the best production he’s had in a few years culminating in elements of g-funk, Memphis rap, pop rap, jazz rap, synth-funk & Mobb music.

Score: 4.5/5

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

Trae tha Truth – “Angel” review

Houston, Texas veteran Trae tha Truth celebrating his 45th birthday with his 17th studio LP. A member of the Screwed Up Click collective, he would go on to join the Guerilla Maab & ABN with over a dozen solo efforts under his belt. Stuck in Motion & Crowd Control were both received mixed-to-negatively in the past couple years, hoping of making up for the lackluster reception of his most recent outputs by channeling all the pain he’s endured onto Angel pushing it back from it’s initial May release.

The intro opens up with Trae singing his heart out over bare pianos of losing faith & needing a savior whereas “All This Time” passionately admits to feeling like the world around him wants him deleted. “Letter 2 Truth 2” brings a drumlessly cloudier vibe instrumentally speaking to his daughter until “Alright” featuring Lecrae blends some synths & gospel choir vocals for a religiously themed direction in terms of subject.

“Where Did You Go?” gives off a cloudy trap feeling addressing the people he wishes he could see for the last time just before “The Gathering” featuring Vory finds the 2 talking about feeling like they’ve been on the edge lately & other going as far to thinking they were finished. “Lord Know” speaks of everything he’s been going through in recent years being the type of shit to give you grey hairs leading into the gospel-trap crossover “Amen” talking about his being head down because he was praying.

Chance the Rapper joins Trae on “Thank You” turning the gospel influences up even higher giving their praises to God for everything he’s done for them while “Daddy Miss You” strips the drums & pens an open letter to his daughter on the road telling her how much he misses her. Kocky Ka makes for the weakest of the 2 guests on the “Alone” remix despite Lil Poppa’s verse being no issue, but then the acoustic trap fusion “Out Here” talks about people being a joke lately.

“I’m Human” pushes the 2nd leg further responding back to the people who’ve turned on him & suggesting some of it might have to do with his own mistakes he’s taking accountability for while “Reaching Arms” advises not to blow the only few chances you got at making it over a drumless gospel flip. “Bet on Me” radiates a sample-woven trap energy in terms of the beat talking about everything being heavy on him while “Ain’t tha Truth” featuring Hunxho asks what the deal is with the cap.

Dave East & Trae get together during “Down on Me” talking about needing to get better over a trap instrumental with sped-up sampling & after “All Luv” featuring Jeremih takes a trap soul route always standing up for something different, “Before I Die” atmospherically finds himself with the foot on the gas taking aim at the individuals who think they know what his eyes have seen.

“I’m In” laughs off those who think they’re bigger than the program & getting honest of this becoming his moment of revenge on ‘em while “S.4.T.W. (Struggle 4 the World)” suggests the idea of their hardships being for entertainment purposes only & to stand on business if it’s pressure. “Let It Go” caps off Angel with a drumless soul flip not needing the pain because he’s big alone along for you to wake up.

For at least several months, Trae tha Truth has been saying for the past several months that Restless could have competition for the #1 spot in his discography & I can completely understand what he meant by that since it’s far well conceived than his last couple dudes. Heavily inspired by his daughter & the journey they’ve taken together, it all made for the most deeply introspective he’s been in his almost 3 decade career.

Score: 4/5

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

Daddy-O – “East New York Stories” review

Daddy-O is a 64 year old MC & producer from New York City notable for being the frontman of the original hip hop band Stetsasonic with 6 solo albums under his belt. The group officially reunited last spring signing to SpitSLAM Records & putting out Here We Go Again to warm welcoming praise after over 3 decades of inactivity last spring, initially signing to the label for 1st Team & the 9th full-length LP under his own name kept my fingers crossed it would do the same since I enjoyed the predecessor.

“Keep Dat” featuring Lena Jackson produced by C-Doc pairs the 2 over a soul sample with horns advising not to bring that wack shit over their direction whereas “Cheating” takes a bit of a soulful boom bap direction instrumentally playing harps in the ghetto. “Gloves Off” continues the sampling mixed with kicks & snares looking to bring it to you without any ifs or maybes until “Small Ting” talks about the posers & savages over a reggae beat.

Meanwhile on “CounterAttack”, we have Daddy-O speaking on chillin’ at a Brownsville party during a Friday evening & shots ringing out leading into the self-produced “Off Dem” explains that he felt taking up hip hop as a career was far better than a bitter alternative. “The Pros 2” featuring Choclatt fuses trap & reggae for a collaboration dedicated to the Brooklyn borough while “Clap” tells of a story ending in gun violence.

“Here But Gone” counts down the final minutes of East New York Stories sampling the late great Curtis Mayfield to talk about needing to be warned beforehand if you don’t know him by now refusing to erase his roots because grew up as a trooper & “Raised by Wolves (Ask Cavario)” wraps up the half hour collection of experiences with a drumless string instrumental refusing to call it quits until he gets his respect.

Many a Daddy-O album thus far has left Stetsasonic finds divided like You Can Be a Daddy, But Never Daddy-O as well as From My Hood 2 U or G.O.A.T. Antidote & only a week since Public Enemy returned to a Bomb Squad sound on Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025, the East Coast pioneer takes us on a trip through the neighborhood he grew up in from the hoods to the hustlers to the pros & the MCs.

Score: 4/5

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