Central C – “Can’t Rush Greatness” review

Ladbroke Grove, London, England, United Kingdom rapper & singer/songwriter Central C putting out his sophomore effort & major label debut as the we approach the end of the first month in the new year. After putting out a total of 4 EPs & a couple mixtapes in addition to his Split Decision collab EP he & Dave did, the 2023 XXL Freshman Class member has seen fit to sign with Columbia Records for him to make his proper introduction reminding that you Can’t Rush Greatness.

“No Introduction” is this UK drill intro talking about women tryna pretend as if they don’t know who he is already whereas “5 Star” reflects upon his come-up in the rap game. “Gata” featuring Young Miko apologizes for not answering sooner due to spending life & time while the money-hungry “St. Patrick’s” samples “C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)” by the almighty Wu-Tang Clan talking about being in the trap house getting his funds up & beef going hand-to-hand in hip hop.

21 Savage joins C on the 3rd single “GBP” highlighting the contrasts between the 2 artists’ roots & dealing with the struggles of street life while “Top” premeditates a graceful exit in the midst of trying to maintain. “Up North” maintains a UK drill flare talking about the life we live being as hostile as it already is, but then “CRG” featuring Dave finds the pair encouraging everyone to slow down with the greatness because it has to take time looking back on going from financial hardships to riches.

“Limitless” produced by Einer Bankz balances ambition & emotional burdens by tackling the internal conflict between wanting to escape his past & the sacrifices required to achieve financial success just before “Now We’re Strangers” tells an ex of his that he hopes she finds her way back home. “Truth in the Lies” featuring Lil Durk flips “So Sick” by Ne-Yo admitting to feeling suicidal without their partners’ love while “10” featuring Skepta boasts that they’re in UK top 3 every year.

Lil Baby accompanies C for “BAND4BAND” dropping braggadocio together while “Gen Z Luv” serves as an open letter to Madeline Argy. The song “Walk in Wardrobe” is a 2-parter promising to do it all again if he goes broke while “Must Be” talks about what his definition of “real” is. “Don’t Know Anymore” closes C’s debut doing more than 10,000 hours for him to get into the position that he’s at currently.

Catching onto him after a string of high profile guest appearances from The Kid Laroi to J. Cole & Ice Spice, I can definitely understand why Central C has becoming increasingly popular although the way he pulls off the UK drill/pop rap crossovers doesn’t necessarily appeal to me. The sampling of R&B & even Brazilian funk music is cool & I can’t deny that he’s come a long way from his earlier output.

Score: 2/5

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Ghais Guevara – “Goyard Ibn Said” review

Ghais Guevara is a 24 year old MC, producer & political activist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania starting in 2019 under the original moniker Jaja00 putting out a total of 8 mixtapes & 3 EPs in that span of time until signing to Fat Possum Records this past fall. His music is know. For expressing simmering anger felt by Black communities shocking & raising awareness among white listeners, coming off all 5 singles he’s dropped off ever since his new label deal gearing up for his official full-length debut studio album.

After the Act 1 intro, the self-produced “The Old Guard Is Dead” that was synced at the very start of Kendrick Lamar’s historic Super Bowl LIX halftime show begins by talking about becoming everything that everyone else didn’t want him to whereas “Leprosy” warns that he rolls with the killers that be packin’ it up & being the ones. “3400” acknowledges the amount of miles he is away from the hood & yet still can’t take it out of him, but then the 2-parter “I Gazed Upon the Trap with Ambition” cautions that his squad stay keeping the sticks on them.

“Monta Ellis” featuring Yoko McThuggin’ advises that you’re not really an all-star since you’re a startup & to check behind them while “Yamean” featuring FARO finds both of them asking where the palates at calling out everyone out here who doesn’t have any taste whatsoever. “Camera Shy” hits the function in fashion showing off his favorite designer brands & after the Act 2 intro, “Bystander Effect” featuring Elucid & produced by DJ Haram pleads not to come their way since neither of them have time.

Meanwhile on “4L”, we have Ghais talking about making sure you’re good for life while “The Apple That Scarcely Fell” featuring McKinley Dixon hops over a drumless loop talking about everyone wanting to put an end to them. “Branded” is this orchestral trap hybrid proud that he made it out even if he didn’t capture everyone’s hearts while “Critical Acclaim” talks about knowing one’s intentions & said individuals catching bodies for praise.

“Shaitan’s Spiderweb” nears the conclusion of Ghais’ full-length studio debut cloudily discussing having too many hoes in his phone these days while the closer “You Can Skip This Part” wraps things up on a chipmunk soul note asking who’s gonna take the bullet for him & who’ll take a shot for him when it comes down to it all in the end dancing for these crackers calling everyone else crackers in the process.

Inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 film Persona which Ghais says “opened my mind to the concept of the deflated self as a result of trauma” to the books Black Skin, White Mask & The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat by Frantz Fanon & Oliver Sacks respectively, Goyard Ibn Said for it being his Fat Possum debut is more conceptual acting as a fictional anti-hero. Act 1 highlights the glory & spoils of mainstream hip hop stardom & Act 2 takes a surprise turn, focusing on the tragic experiences faced achieving that success through the sounds of east coast hip hop, experimental hip hop, hardcore hip hop, chipmunk soul, conscious hip hop, trap, spoken word & gangsta rap.

Score: 4/5

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OsamaSon – “Jumpout” review

This is the 3rd full-length studio LP from Charleston, South Carolina up-&-comer OsamaSon. Starting a few years ago, he would then start to pump out 3 EPs shortly after I’m da Man as well as Vengeance & Carnival respectively. He returned at the beginning of 2023 by dropping osamavrt, following it up this past spring in the form of slime & Bad Habits. Osama’s debut Osama Season & the follow-up Flex Musix increased his profile as did the 3vil Reflection collab EP with Glokk40Spaz last spring, but he’s now ready to Jumpout after some delays.

“Southside” gets the album rollin’ by talking about everyone being mad at all the racks he’s made in the past year & a half over these synth-horns from Ok whereas the quasi-rage inducing “Fool” celebrates all the wins that he’s continuing to experience. “GTFO Out the Room” tells everyone to clear out proving that he can very much rock out too while “Made Sum Plans” asks his girl to talk to him since he off that drank.

Meanwhile on “Break da News”, we have OsamaSon bombastically flexes that his shooters don’t ever miss leading into “Room 156” maintains the hypertrap vibes to talk about not knowing if you never try to go. The title track produced by gyro reminds everyone that he’s not a new artist since he’s been around for a few years at this point just before “Going Dumbo” talks about going stupid.

“She Needs a Ride” completes the first half of Jumpout boasting himself waking up stoned off that good weed while “New Tune” talks about hittin’ licks dressed up in an outfit that cost him approximately $300K. “Waffle House” stands up for nonbinary rights since his bitch “don’t by no pronouns”, but then “I Got the Fye” shows how turnt up he’s been these days.

The classy trap direction of “Insta” is something that I really found myself enjoying talking about a girl he met on the Meta Platforms-owned Instagram app coinciding with it’s founder Mark Zuckerberg showing us his true shtoile on Monday while “Frontin’” gets back on the rage beats addressing an individual who be cappin’ suggesting they ain’t got shit to hide. “Mufasa” reaches the encore of the LP feelin’ like The Lion King’s antagonist while “Ref” talks about having more stripes on his chest than a referee.

“The Whole World’s Free” captures the artist’s message of liberation & personal empowerment amid the complexities of relationships & material pursuits while “Round of Applause” encourages everyone to pull-up & have fun. “Logo” starts a brief deluxe run talking about being that muhfucka tryna get his stats bigger & the final bonus track “Luv” shows off the hundreds he has in the bank posted up in the 6.

Flex Musix marked a huge breakthrough in OsamaSon’s career & he’s making up for all the pushback 8 months after 3vil Reflection became the best collab EP that he or even Glokk40 have ever cooked up in their careers by decent continuing where he left off on Jumpout. The rage-heavy production isn’t exciting as it was 13 months ago, but Lil O himself takes his intense performances higher.

Score: 3/5

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Isaac Castor – “The Rabbit Hole 3: Smoking Caterpillar” review

Detroit, Michigan emcee Isaac Castor returning after 2 years for his 3rd full-length studio album. Coming up in 2010 under the original moniker Gameboi, he would go on drop 4 mixtapes & 3 EPs prior to signing to the local underground hip hop powerhouse Middle Finger Music following its formation 8 years later. He then enlisted the label’s co-founder Foul Mouth behind the boards for his full-length debut The Rabbit Hole & the sequel ahead of the trilogy chapter Smoking Caterpillar.

“Here They Come” is this boom bap-driven opener tryna get the money while he’s still here & assuring that he ain’t ever behind whereas “I Ain’t Fresh?” keeps it in the basement instrumentally dropping off battle bars for a few minutes. “Blind” has a soulfully & jazzier vibe talking about finally living in the mountains leading into “Why Should I Die?” hops over some horns, kicks & snares to call himself a diamond in the sky.

Kain Cole joins Isaac on “Cash Rules” planting the seeds whilst everyone else is camping while “Sidetracked” talking about all these other MCs selling out instead of him & refusing to do so. “Customer” maintains a boom bap edge promising 2025 gonna get ugly just before “Shadow Realm” featuring J-Classic & Mvck Nyce bringing the trio together so they can all flex their pen-game.

“Time for Jazz” hooks up a crooning sample talking about ditching the lazy habits he used to have, but then “Gotham” compares himself to Batman here to save the city. “Spin Itch” heads for more of a rap rock direction feelin’ cold blooded while “No Comp” featuring Jalen Frazier & Tone Plummer reminds everyone that you play by the rules if you in the game.

The song “Thoughts Runnin’” nears the end of the final chapter in the Rabbit Hole trilogy Smoking Caterpillar promising that he’ll break your head wide open so he can examine the contents of it while the closing track “Live Wire” aggressively rounds it out talking about going through the cycle all over again in the midst of him growing.

This upcoming spring will mark the 5 year anniversary of The Rabbit Hole in addition to the sequel turning 2 a couple weeks from now so whether Isaac intends on continuing the series with a Rabbit Hole 4 or a completely different body of work within itself, The Rabbit Hole 3: Smoking Caterpillar takes everything that made both of it’s predecessors the most essential listens in Isaac’s discography & elevates them. Foul Mouth builds his production around boom bap, jazz rap & rap rock with Isaac’s lyricism going from hardcore to introspective.

Score: 4.5/5

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Mac Miller – “Balloonerism” review

2nd posthumous outing & 7th full-length studio LP overall from Pittsburgh’s very own Mac Miller. The man exploded onto the scene in the 2010s with a handful of projects including K.I.D.S. (Kickin’ Incredibly Dope Shit), Macadelic, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, Faces & GO:OD AM. The final album of his lifetime Swimming was inspired by his breakup with Ariana Grande & he tragically passed away only a month later. A sequel to Swimming produced by Jon Brion called Circles stands as one of the best posthumous offerings in recent memory & Balloonerism is looking to do the same.

After the “Tambourine Dream” intro, the first song “DJ’s Chord Organ” by SZA starts off by singing over the late Daniel Johnston’s chord organ about running around & the ruthlessness of cocaine whereas “Do You Have a Destination?” cloudily asks where you’re going. “$5 Pony Rides” produced with Thundercat crosses over neo-soul, jazz rap, contemporary R&B, pop soul & funk reflecting on a complex, emotionally distant relationship while “Friendly Hallucinations” takes the mellow boom bap route talking about paradise waiting on the other side of the dock.

“Mrs. Deborah Downer” continues the atmospherically dusty vibes instrumentally admitting that everything feels slow to him leading into “Stoned” keeping the kicks & snares in tact to talk about wanting to get high with his romantic interest. “Shangri-La” wants to know exactly how super a supermodel really is on top of this lo-fi boom bap beat, but then “Funny Papers” takes the negatives & positives of what somebody might read in a newspaper while reflecting similarly on his own emotions

As for “Excelsior”, we have Mac hooking up more kicks & snares with a piano thrown in asking when did life become so serious while “Transformations” marks the return of the Delusional Thomas alter ego. “Manakins” talks about there being no such thing as freedom returning to the boom bap prior to “Rick’s Piano” pondering what death’s like playing Rick Rubin’s piano, but then “Tomorrow Will Never Know” ends Balloonerism asking if the dead have dreams like the rest of us.

Over a decade later & recorded around the same time as Faces, the 2nd posthumous offering in Mac’s discography shares a lot of the same key characteristics that made Faces his most acclaimed mixtape. His production builds around the sounds of jazz rap, east coast hip hop, neo-soul, cloud rap, neo-psychedelia & experimental hip hop showcasing both the breadth of his musical talents & fearlessness as an artist.

Score: 4.5/5

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Napoleon da Legend – “Great Minds” review

This is the 29th studio LP from French-American emcee Napoleon da Legend. Heads in the underground should already be familiar with him due to the lengthy discography that he’s built up for himself for nearly the past decade including Coup D’État, it’s sequel, Street Universe, Dragon Ball G, the Sicknature-produced Colossus of GOATS, Buckets or the DJ D-Styles-produced Invincibl Rap Mislz & the DJ Rhettmatic-produced Legmatic. 8 months later, he & JR Swiftz are coming together on Great Minds.

“Death Star Lazer Beam” kicks things off with this airy boom bap intro talking about not wasting time & making money with his whereas “Raining Sledgehammers” aggressively sends a message to everyone who thought it was over for him. “Destroy Your Ego” sets out to dismantle the egos of everyone who ain’t willing to go the distance just before “Pride” maintains a dusty edge feeling like failure coming up similarly to the reaper.

Moving on from there, “K.O.B. (Knock Out Blow)” keeps it in the basement referencing WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson while “My Truth” featuring REKS finds the 2 linking up to apply lyrical pressure. “Sniperific” featuring Nejma Nefertiti rawly demands respect & $1M each while “Righteous” featuring Awon gets together to talk about their grind being unbelievable. “Sistine Gravel” concludes Great Minds on a piano-driven note cautioning no one wants smoke with him.

Napoleon usually comes out with more than 1 project a year in contrast to Legmatic being his only 2024 offering but either way: Great Minds continues to maintain the high level of quality that its predecessor achieved. JR Swiftz’ boom bap production carries the Griselda sound over strongly & Napoleon himself taking 8 months off to focus on making this another standout in his vast discography feels evident.

Score: 4.5/5

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Scum – “IOUz” review

Here we have the 16th studio LP from Denver, Colorado emcee & Lyrikal Snuff Productionz founder Scum. Starting as a member of an experimental grind/noise band called Down Syndrome about 29 years ago, his solo debut Enter the Asylum just turned 20 this past winter & has outdone himself plenty of times since. Case in point: The Gorefather, Out with the Old & recently his 3rd EP Bad Uncle fully produced by Chapter 17/Psychopathic Records in-house producer Devereaux. I also found myself enjoying the previously mentioned Dyin’ World Chroniclez trilogy of course too & paying off some IOUz almost 9 months since Anti-Human.

The title track by S.O.S. starts with this grisly trap intro paying up & making a deal with the devil whereas “Not Us” apocalyptically talks about representing the outcasts of the outcasts. “On My Behalf” brings back the trap vibes showcasing his bilingualism rippin’ the mic in both English & Russian respectively during his verse prior to “What I Want” featuring Rysk suggests you’d already be dead if they wanted you gone.

“Snuff Lab” offers a heinous trap flare instrumentally morbidly breaking down his murderous tendencies & saying that Jesus hung up on y’all while the ghostly boom bap joint “Tell Me” featuring Our Inner Circle asking if there’s something you haven’t told them yet. “Skeet Skirt” keeps it in the basement slaughtering anyone trippin’ leading into the sample-driven trap cut “Neva Good Enough” featuring Chloe Killz talking about that very feeling.

As for “When That Bill Due”, we have Scum on top of these ominous synthesizers to talk about revenge never being too late just before “Free 2 Rot” featuring Mista Doesha clarifying that they’ll probably never live up to the expectations of others. “Blown Off Heads” cloudily discusses headless corpses literally being unable to speak with police, but then “Whatever Awaits” featuring Madopelli & Mikahl Lawless returns to the boom bap heading towards what’s on the other side.

“Necessary Evil” gets the encore of IOUz going on a villainous trap note reassuring the fact of every story needing a villain while “Reburn” by M.M.M.F.D. energetically talks about pyromania. “Giving Up” ties up the Gorefather’s first body of work in 9 months feeling as if there are heavy chains attached to his legs getting ready to go for a swim off the edge a cliff & the chances of surviving being very slim.

Apologizing for being less professional & on point from time to time than everyone else deserves, the LSP founder has a reached a point where his life-long tab is due for a payment & IOUz is the best way he knows how to do it. All profits from the limited run of persobalised & signed physical copies will be donated to a non-kill animal shelter owing them too since as an animal lover & not doing as much as he should to help.

Score: 4/5

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The Weather Station – “Humanhood” review

The Weather Station are a singer/songwriter band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada consisting of bassist Ben Whiteley, keyboardist Johnny Spence, guitarist Will Kidman, guitarist Christine Bougie, saxophonist/clarinetist Karen Ng, drummer Evan Cartwright, drummer Kieran Adams & frontwoman Tamara Hope. Self-releasing their debut The Line in the spring of 2009 only to further introduce themselves with their sophomore effort All of It Was Mine as well as Loyalty & an eponymous LP, the latter of which resulted in Fat Possum Records signing the band & elevating them on their debut for the label Ignorance & recording the follow-up How Is It That I Should Look at the Stars around that same time. 3 years later, Tamara’s returning for her 7th album.

After the “Descent” intro, the first song “Neon Signs” is this artsy piano rock opener singing about it never being enough in a world without trust relying upon the lightning flash of lust whereas “Mirror” fuses art rock, trip hop, jazz fusion & jazz-rock comparing God to that of a reflection. “Window” balances art & jazz rock admits to feeling like her heart’s racing leading into “Body Moves” bringing together sophisti-pop, post-rock & jazz fusion after the “Passage” interlude addressing an individual seeing too far away.

“Ribbon” hooks up some heavy pianos singing that her pain is ordinary & being like anyone else followed by a fantastically lush outro but after the “Fleuve” interlude, the title track colorfully details diving into Lake Ontario & being shocked into a sense of the present. “Irreversible Damage” offers a heavy trip hop vibe reminiscent of Portishead while “Lonely” calmingly realizes what it was not to be alone. “Sewing” after the “Aurora” interlude closes Humanhood by clarifying it’s too late to take it all back.

Managing to be this cinematic widescreen record that tells a story going from dense to open to loud to silent, Humanhood returns 4 years after Tamara & company made their Fat Possum debut making commentary on the global climate crisis to showing a predominantly more personal side of Tamara & do so in such an ambitious manner showing influences of art pop, art rock, jazz-rock, post-rock, sophisti-pop, jazz fusion, trip hop & piano rock.

Score: 4/5

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1 Man Kru – “Overthrowing the Underground” review

Alabama emcee, producer, professional wrestler, martial artist, boxer, actor, graphic designer, video editor, content creator & audio engineer 1 Man Kru ringing in 2025 by releasing his 3rd full-length studio LP. A founding member of the Keepaz of the Krypt, he would even put out a couple solo albums & an EP of his own until becoming an in-house producer for the Insane Clown Posse’s label that runs beneath the streets Psychopathic Records for the early part of this decade after meeting them the Legends & Icons show Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) produced. However, he fell out with the clowns due to $20K in unpaid royalties after production during the original Yum Yum Bedlam sessions landed on the Krypt Keepaz’ comeback effort The Astronomic Dr. Khronik almost 2 years ago. 21 months later, he’s Overthrowing the Underground.

After the “Burial” intro, the first song “Fuck You Motherfucker” is this an eerie trap opener with an unnecessary line referencing Violent J’s daughter being a furry & the title track featuring Project Pat after the “Robbery” skit maintains a trap vibe seeking to be the next kings of the underground with 1 Man Kru taking shots at J in his verses again while “Respect on My Name” by the Keepaz of the Krypt featuring MC Eiht finds the trio putting their detractors to shame.

“The Business” featuring Juicy J finds the pair linking up for a Memphis club banger wanting skinny model bitches leading into the 3rd single “Street College” featuring The Game giving the listeners some old head knowledge & Game reusing his verse from “Underworld Degen” by G. Twilight, although it sounds better here. “In the Building” featuring Kurupt mixes trap & g-funk together boasting their gangsta ties & after the “Awakening” interlude, the lead single “Off with Their Heads” featuring Krayzie Bone & Twista aggressively calls for their detractors to be decapitated & 1 Man Kru dissing Violent J in his verse again.

WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg appears on the dark 2nd single “Hard Times” talking about that being the very reason that they hustle & take what’s theirs while “Fancy Bitch” by the Keepaz of the Krypt featuring Too $hort after the “Interrogation” skit gets back on the party tip explaining their preferences in women. “No Future in Your Fronting” by the Keepaz of the Krypt featuring Gucci Mane & LB~Sickning is another trap cut staying busy hustling while “Afterlife” by the Keepaz of the Krypt featuring Xzibit mixes organs & hi-hats feeling like it’s too late for them to reach heaven.

“Dear God” has one of the most awkward flows throughout Overthrowing the Underground despite the beat dabbling with drill music & bringing a Holy atmosphere to the table with it asking for the Higher Power to save him from these drugs that he’s been on while the closer “Suck My Dick” featuring Bizarre, Kuniva & Swifty McVay of D12 sends off the LP with all 4 of them delivering a dedication to the shooters & killers.

This guy’s production on the “Bewitching” intro off the Yum Yum’s Lure EP few years ago is still one of the very few moments on there that I still enjoy even years after he fell out with Psychopathic as someone who respects the clowns & juggalos. Compared to both its predecessors on the other hand, I don’t think Overthrowing the Underground is as great as Legend of the Earth. I don’t mind the prominent trap sound whatsoever since my issues more so lies with some of the guests’ verses being recycled from previously released material as opposed to being newly recorded except a few of them actually sounding better & even 1 Man Kru himself occasionally faltering in a couple of his performances conceptually built around his beef with the clowns.

Score: 2.5/5

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Eric the Red – “The Red Alert” review

Bristol, England, United Kingdom emcee Eric the Red starting 2025 with his 3rd studio LP. Known for being the brother of Illinformed & Real Life Drama Records co-founder Leaf Dog of The Four Owls, he would also become 1/3 of the Creatures of Habit & 1/4 of NLP in addition to forming his own label Lost Scroll Records almost a decade ago. His compositional solo EP Basement Blues dropped in 2016 & the In My Element beat tape followed as did the Illinformed-produced debut album Caught Red Handed. Coming off Broken Ear Drum & more recently the sophomore effort Painting da Town Red under Illin’ for Meds Records, he’s having Leaf fully produce The Red Alert a few weeks after Michael Oku became a 2-time RPW British Heavyweight Champion.

“Wins & Sins” begins with a symphonic boom bap instrumental talking about having to risk yourself in part of making your dreams come true whereas “The Good, the Bad & the Druggies” works in some pianos speaking of benefiting his by pushing buggies or moving weight for baby necessities. “Place of the Lost” featuring Verbz finds the 2 dismissing their competition’s reputation for being a parody of itself just before the crooning “Champagne” featuring Leaf Dog talks about delivering Christmas presents via a spaceship in 2021.

“Candies”, we have Leaf flipping organs mixing some kicks & snares in the picture for Eric to get more sexual lyrically leading into “Black Hole Wisdom” featuring Killah Priest soulfully linking the 2 up so they individually hold their own composure dissecting the track together. “The Fish Scale Tale” chops up more soul samples talking about the downsides of cocaine addiction while the jazzy boom bap fusion “Bentley” talks about people becoming envious of Lost Scroll’s success.

“Bad Luck” reaches the halfway point of The Red Alert hauntingly shrugging off the idea that he’d look back at his past feeling remorseful while the 109 second “Asgard” featuring Leaf Dog jazzily reunites the 2 siblings on the mic to drop lyrical braggadocio. “Shut It All Down” also featuring Leaf Dog sticks around so both of the Leigh Brothers can talk about being professionals with the mic while “Don’t Be Scared” features Leaf Dog again likening themselves to sleeping giants.

Eric holds the fort down by himself again for “Duck & Dive” hopping over a violin-infused beat talking about conquering the whole entire map with Leaf but after “Takes Practice” carries over the orchestral boom bap aesthetics explaining that it takes preparation to acquire the kind of skills has, “Sepia” soulfully advises those looking for a sign to hold their loved ones closely & grief doesn’t become easier the more time passes.

“Pappa’s Brothers” featuring Leaf Dog kicks off The Red Alert’s final moments talking about burning weed tags by the numbers & laughing at undercover cops driving past them due to them being so wild while “3 Kings” featuring Leaf Dog & Sonnyjim hops over a prominent woodwind for all 3 of them to flex their royalty status. “Last Lesson” finishes with Eric talking about smoking kush to help him sleep at night & his squad being a bunch of baboons hopping off the balcony spraying up houses.

I’ve been hoping for Eric the Red to have Leaf Dog produce an entire body of work for a minute now & since The Red Alert has arrived, I’d comfortably rank it in the top 3 amongst the Lost Scroll CEO’s discography alongside Caught Red Handed & Painting da Town Red. Leaf’s boom bap production is more rawer than Illinformed’s jazzier sound obviously, his 6 guest appearances all combined make a great showcasing at both Leigh’s’ performative chemistry & Eric going as hard as he did a year earlier.

Score: 4/5

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