Daniel Son – “Hare Brained Schemes” review

Here we have the 8th proper full-length solo LP from Toronto, Ontario, Canada emcee Daniel Son. A member of the Brown Bag Money collective, his profile began to rapidly increase in the underground off projects like the Giallo Point-produced debut mixtape The Gunners or the Futurewave-produced sophomore album Yenaldooshi. He just teamed up with Raz Fresco this spring for the spectacular collab album Northside paying homage to the roots of the Toronto hip hop scene & a few months after reuniting with Futurewave for the first time since Son Tzu & the Wav.God on Bushman Bodega over the summer, he & Finn are linking up for Hare Brained Schemes.

“Femoral” is this grungy boom bap opener talking about turning flesh into ice since he’s so cold & people wasting time like they have extra lives whereas “Missing Teeth” gives off a jazzier approach instrumentally applying pressure on everyone’s necks with their feet for deep pockets. “Capital Gains” featuring Pro Dillinger maintains a jazzy boom bap flare cautioning to recognize before they reck their lives, but then “Dance of the Drunken Mantis” briefly expresses his desire to be a Bush Doctor Millionaire.

As for “Clicqout Fountains”, we have Daniel hopping over a soulful beat boasting at the main pot to piss in was shitting on the competition leading into “Courtleigh Chemist” regularly talking about not changing shit if he were to do it all over again. “Chalk Brothers” featuring Lord Juco mixes the exuberant with the raw bodying shit together while “Iron Leash” featuring Family Gang Black finds the 2 grittily translating their pain into passion now that their music rocking overseas.

“Talon Claw” starts the final leg of the LP talking about cooking as if he was a French chef in the ‘60s while “Call Me” drumlessly reaffirms that he’ll go down as a legend when it’s all said & done saying it’s the dope everyone needs. “Sharing Needles” featuring Mooch returns to the boom bap catching the big sharks since neither one of them want to meet their demise struggling & “Fall Breeze” closes Hare Brained Schemes in the form of a dedication of those who have to stay home on the weekends because they can’t afford a sitter.

Dirty Dishes has always stood out to me as one of my favorite Daniel Son projects much like everything he & Futurewave have done with one another in the past, so that was more than enough to have me anticipating the follow up here & they sure as Hell delivered. Finn’s production here is some of the best that I’ve heard from him in a while, the features all match Daniel’s energy & the BBM standout himself lyrically keeps the same energy from the other 2 acclaimed projects I’ve covered from him this year.

Score: 4.5/5

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

Kutt Calhoun – “T.D.I.A.L. (The Devil Is A Lie)” review

This is the 6th full-length studio LP from Kansas City, Missouri emcee & business executiv Kutt Calhoun. Originally a hype man for Tech N9ne & amongst the first to sign to Strange Music alongside Krizz Kaliko, he ended up dropping 4 albums & 2 EPs with the local independent powerhouse before starting his very own EMPIRE Distribution imprint Black Gold Entertainment named after his classic Strange victory lap. The only 3 projects he’s given us on his own so far are his 3rd EP Kuttin’ Loose, his 5th album Persona Non Grata: Truth Be Told & his 4th EP Residue a year & a half ago. Refusing to slow down, he’s hitting us with T.D.I.A.L. (The Devil Is A Lie).

After the “Mis-Understanding” intro, the title track featuring Stevie Stone who recently did a theme song for former Evolve Champion & The Crash Pesocompleto Campeon as well as 2-time WWE United States Champion & WWE Tag Team Champion Austin Theory finds the Black Gold Ahdasee together over a symphonic trap instrumental talking about Satan being a myth whereas “No Comparison works in more strings & hi-hats dissing those who think they flyer than him. “Hot Comb” hauntingly lets listeners know that it’s never too late to make the call & after the “Understanding” interlude, “Pandemik” featuring Yocelin Ali hops over horns talking about the plot taking form.

“2 Sides” featuring Da Real King offers a soulful trap vibe to the beat wanting to be free just before “I Can’t Complain” featuring Trap Banks hooks up these guitar licks & hi-hats saying this some shit to fly too even though Kutt doesn’t smoke weed at all. “The Undenied” featuring Bishop da Don Moshey Ben Yahudah has a bland trap tone despite the theme of not being denied any longer while “The World’s a Ghetto” featuring Ben G da Prince of Soul says it all.

After the 3rd & final interlude “Wisdom” we get to the final moments of T.D.I.A.L. (The Devil Is A Lie) starting with “Redrum-Eulogy” featuring Z_ taking the eerie trap route instrumentally getting murderous & “All I Need” featuring Irv da Phenom ends the album on a high note due to it’s soulful production matched with the subject matter of God himself being everything they need.

Residue was a solid comeback for Kutt after a 4 year hiatus & as excited as I was for T.D.I.A.L. (The Devil Is A Lie) since Bloody Kutty might as well be the most underrated artist in the history of Strange Music considering that he’s a Day 1er, I came away from the finished product a little torn on it. I don’t mind the concept or even the production, the thing with it is the overabundance of features that’re hit or miss.

Score: 2.5/5

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

Bilal – “Adjust Brightness” review

Bilal is a 45 year old singer/songwriter & producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania emerging as a member of the Soulquarians collective & the Interscope Records-backed full-length debut 1st Born 2nd becoming a neo-soul landmark. He returned nearly a decade later for a sophomore effort Airtight’s Revenge followed by his MNRK Music Group debut A Love Surreal & most importantly, In Another Life produced by Adrian Younge in the summer of 2015 shortly after I graduated high school returning to a high level quality of his debut. Almost another decade later, Bilal’s returning for his 5th album.

The title track produced by Antman Wonder angelically starts off the LP singing about sinking or swimming into the light of day without any other choice whereas “Sunshine” atmospherically gives his flowers to the very person in his life who makes his world bloom. “Evr Chngin Nrml” takes the chill boom bap route instrumentally thanks to Karriem Riggins addressing the fact of life gradually changing as time passes while “The Story” hooks up some synths courtesy of Robert Glasper to sing about life unfolds the answers told & everybody knowing.

“Tell Me” gives off a smooth soul approach to the beat crooning that he’ll chase his love like prey leading into “A2Z” not needing a whole lot other than a simple life in a complex world over warm production. “Lay Around” strips the drums completely singing over a bare loop that he’s in the mood to be relaxing, but then the self-produced “Who R We Now?” groovily pleading that he doesn’t want to be locked out again.

The song “Quantum Universe” begins the encore of Adjust Brightness with another standout that Bilal laced all by himself cavernously calling to give him a holiday once the door’s open while the soothing “Conditional” thanking this woman for giving love based on the recipient meeting certain conditions set by the giver. “Micro Macro” closes up shop with 1 last atmospheric joint that Bilal wound up producing individually assuring after the storm starts again, they’ll build & destroy & build it again.

Deeply inspired by a period of musical & visual experimentation, the results of Bilal’s reemergence makes a bold step forward in his evolving sound continuing to defy genre conventions & highlight his unmatched vocal & musical prowess. It’s an intimately human record that speaks to the heart in an era of cold digital sounds conceptually based around themes of love, warmth & intimacy.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Kit Sebastian – “New Internationale” review

Kit Sebastian is a neo-psychedelic Turkish pop duo from London, England, United Kingdom consisting of producer Kit Martin & singer/songwriter Merve Erdem. Dropping their only extended play Passionate Objects in the summer of 2016, their full-length debut Mantra Moderne & the subsequent sophomore effort Melodi would both become well received enough to have Flying Lotus sign them to Brainfeeder Records distributed by Ninja Tune. Needless to say, their 3rd full-length album was going to be something special.

“Faust” sets the tone with this neo-psychedelic Anatolian rock lead single & intro incorporating additional elements of psychedelic Turkish pop confessing to turning this man into a total liar whereas “Camoflauge” was conceived a year prior to Mantra Moderne, singing about the relatable paranoia & anxiousness a lot of us have been feeling regarding the state of the world & Merve’s relationship insecurities. “Ellerin Ellerimde” embraces the love they have for ’60s Turkish & Latin music singing about a woman who’s always on the verge of insanity while “Göç / Me” leans heavier on the Turkish side of things admitting that she’s been in a strange mood lately.

Merve finds herself singing in English again on the 3rd single “The Kiss”, reaching the halfway point singing to her lover that she’ll kill all of his pain no matter what he’s been through leading into “Metropolis” singing about someone projecting hope onto a new place can call home. The 4th & final single “Bul Bul Bul” taking it’s cues from neo-psychedelic Turkish pop & gamelan to describe a relationship where they’re romantic alone & apathetic in public.

“Mechanics of Love” nears the conclusion of New Internationale going full tropicália poignantly singing about the time to move on coming when the sunshine reveals the rust of memories while “Odyssey” provides only 2 brief verses wanting one to sing their prophecy to her under their wings until letting it compositionally speak for itself during the final minute. The title track officially wraps things up hooking some keys reminiscent of Stereolab asking if this is an adamant march toward catastrophe or an overture to the age of revolutionary action.

New Internationale has been widely considered by fans who’ve been around since the Mantra Moderne era to be a huge improvement above the latter & being a fan of Flying Lotus since my adolescence, it’s right behind Hiatus Kaiyote’s 4th album Love Heart Cheat Code & 長谷川白紙’s 3rd album 魔法学校 for a spot amongst the top 3 Brainfeeder releases of 2024. In fact: I’d put it on the same pedestal as Ross from Friends’ sophomore effort Tread or Genevieve Artedi’s 3rd album Forever Forever & Louis Cole 4th album Quality Over Opinion as some the label’s greatest output of this ongoing decade. Secondary influences of Anatolian rock, Turkish pop, psychedelic rock, Tropicália & yé-yé make their way through them quantizing the neo-psychedelic pop style they’ve become known for both parties are at their most precise.

Score: 4/5

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

SOPHIE – Self-Titled review

SOPHIE was a 34 year old producer, songwriter & DJ from Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom known for her brash take on pop music distinguished by experimental sound design, “sugary” synthesized textures & incorporation of influences from underground dance styles as well as pioneering the hyperpop microgenre. Her debut album OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES has become a bubblegum bass & deconstructed club classic with additional inspiration from art pop, wonky, glitch pop, ambient & ambient pop. Fast forward to the beginning of 2021, she accidentally fell 3 storeys from the rooftop of a building in Athen, Greece while attempting to take a picture of the full moon & tragically passed. Ever since her death, a 2nd & final album has said to be in the vaults & now it’s l here at last.

After the ambient “Future Horrors” intro, the first song “RAWWWWWW” by Jozzy starts off by hopping over a minimal electronic dance music beat assuring us that she isn’t dirty even though she rolls whereas the glitchy “Plunging Asymptote” heavily samples Juliana Huxtable’s libretto for Xavier Cha’s performance art/dance piece Buffer. “The Dome’s Protection” favors for an ambient direction instrumentally with Nina Kraviz providing spoken word while “Reason Why” by BC Kingdom & Kim Petras was a great lead single fusing dance-pop, electropop, bubblegum bass & future house talking about taking a look inside your mind.

BC Kingdom sticks around for “Live in My Truth” alongside LIZ radiating a soulful house vibe to the beat flexing that they’re doing shit their own way leading into “Why Lies?” by BC Kingdom & LIZ once again keeps the trio together for a synth-pop banger wanting to know the reason they’re being lied to. “Do You Wanna Be Alive?” by Big Sister throws it back to the 80s electro era showing off a promiscuous side, but then “Elegance” builds itself around a vocal sample of Popstar saying the titular word & is sure enough to get the dance floors turnt.

“Berlin Nightmare” featuring Evita Manji doing additional vocals from happens to be a dope tech house single with undertones of acid house, Detroit techno & fidget house lasting 3 & a half minutes just before “Gallop” serves as this instrumental bridge that feels like something Death Grips frontman MC Ride would absolutely body. “1 More Time” brings a progressively ambient & dream trance vibe to the table including a hint of weightless while “Exhilarate” by Bibi Bourelly heads towards alternative R&B, bubblegum bass, alt-pop & electropop keeping their feet on the gas.

“Always & Forever” by Hannah Diamond nears the final moments of SOPHIE’s eponymous coda promising to shine together throughout the duration of eternity while “My Forever” by Cecil Believe embraces alt-pop, synthpop, electropop, balearic beat, ambient house & alternative R&B sings about wanting to go back to what he perceives as his own forever. “Love Me Off Earth” by Doss ties everything up wanting to know what is it worth for SOPHIE to be loved when she’s not here, foreshadowing her own death.

Would I say this eponymous posthumous outing is as cutting-edge & decade defining as OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES? Not necessarily. Nevertheless, it’s still a respectively solid way to conclude the hyperpop pioneer’s career having Benny Long finalizing what SOPHIE had mostly completed up until her tragic death. Damn-near every track has guest performing over her visionary spin on electronic dance music whether it be bubblegum bass, dance-pop, ambient, tech house, acid techno, electropop, techno, UK bass & post-industrial connecting with her in the form she loved most.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Tommy Richman – “Coyote” review

Tommy Richman is a 24 year old singer/songwriter & rapper from Woodbridge, Virginia who began making music in 2016 by releasing his debut single “Ballin’ Stallin’” on SoundCloud & Spotify respectively. He even has 3 EPs under his belt already with Paycheck as well as Alligator & The Rush, the latter of which caught the attention of Brent Faiyaz who in turn made Tommy the first signee to his newly formed ISO Supremacy imprint. Coming off 2 of the biggest songs of the summer however, Tommy’s ready to let his full-length debut studio album out a week after fall began.

“Elephant in the Room” works in some synthesizers to get the ball rollin’ melodically talkin’ about being back on his own & the fear of being thrown away whereas “Whitney” crosses over contemporary R&B & synth-funk asking why things get odd if we really are made in God’s image. “Temptations” gives off a bit of a disco vibe instrumentally discussing his dream to get some salt leading into “Whisper in My Ear” going for a laidback approach singing about wishing that they could live forever.

As for “Give It All”, we have Tommy over this groovy ass beat expressing his desire to give everything he’s got into the current relationship that he’s in just before “Tennessee” featuring Trevor Spitta & Zachary Moon finds the 3 over a Mobb-flavored instrumental to sing about wanting to see these models poppin’ ass. “Thought You Were the One” fuses contemporary R&B, trap soul, synth-funk, alternative R&B, Mobb music & phonk addressing a woman who isn’t on the same page as him prior to the funky “Letterman” singing about sex until 5am.

“Green Therapy” hooks up some pianos & crooning background vocals picking up the the pieces & having to set the tone after leaving home for a long time while “Vanity” serves as this 6 minute throwback to the 80s singing that he doesn’t know what she’s done or been through, even going as far as convincing her to face it all by coming clean & telling him. “seems like time moves forever” featuring mynameisntjmack officially closes out Tommy’s debut with an R&B/hip hop duet talking about time moving eternally.

The first of 2 bonus tracks “$1M Baby” is easily one of my favorite songs of the year blending contemporary R&B, synth-funk, phonk, Memphis rap, Mobb music & dirty south altogether achieving his goal of making it in the industry, represent his home state of Virginia & discusses the importance of staying out of trouble on the way to achieving your goals & knowing what you’re worth while the other “Devil is a Lie” instrumentally pays homage to my favorite production duo The Neptunes with it’s hip hop soul, synth-funk & dirty south sound singing about his success & not letting anyone or anything preventing him from accomplishing it.

Tommy’s creativity was what led both bonus cuts that I previously mentioned launching him into mainstream popularity during the 2nd quarter of 2024 & even if they were left off the final version of Coyote since art lasts forever compared to vitality coming & going, what he gives us here still exemplifies that he’s very much here to stay. He shows off his versatility pulling from a myriad of sounds including contemporary R&B, trap soul, synth-funk, alternative R&B, Mobb music, phonk, dirty south, hip hop soul & Memphis rap with his Day 1s letting his fans know that success in the industry really is possible.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Cody Manson – “Double Cups & Demons” review

Cleveland, Ohio emcee Cody Manson is back for his 3rd LP. For the last few years now, he’s been on one Hell of a meteoric rise in the underground whether it be him signing to Lyrikal Snuff Productionz or dropping his full-length debut Psychoactive on Christmas Day a few years back to widespread acclaim & the sophomore effort E=MC Skelter proved to be his very own classic. Cody unfortunately fell out with Ouija Macc at the beginning of 2024 which caused some 17%ers to turn their back on him immediately, but I still wanted to give Double Cups & Demons a shot since he remains a standout on the LSP roster.

The title track featuring Keith Stoned starts with chimes & hi-hats to tell us the only 2 things they’ve been seeing as of late whereas “Troublesome” also featuring Keith Stoned offers another trap vibe with a dark atmosphere showing off their disruptive tendencies. “They Love to Hate Me” produced by Stir Crazy stands as a highlight for me personally with it’s trap metal instrumental addressing the hate he’s been getting this year just before “27 Club” featuring Jamie Madrox & Keith Stoned hops over this off-the-wall beat from $crim of the $uicideboy$ referencing the list of celebrities who’ve died at 27 although Jamie out-rapped Keith in my opinion.

“Feel Like Dying” featuring a standout feature for Majik Ninja Entertainment’s head of graphic design Insane E & of course Keith Stoned finds the trio over dull trap production explaining that they themselves feel like they’re on the verge of death even though they kinda enjoy it on top of Insane E providing another high quality guest appearance much like Jamie’s while the solemn “100K” proves to be another standout giving a middle finger to friends preferably tryna touch that exact amount of money instead prior to the sinister trap joint “Shooters” featuring fellow LSP artist Claas showing off their mob ties.

Meanwhile on “Never Too Much”, we have Cody talking about doing too much & never enough giving off this bassy trap approach instrumentally leading into the introspective “All My Life” with it’s blissful musical backdrop that Charlie Beans provides striving when people have hated on him forever. “Limitless” featuring Keith Stoned radiates a dreary trap tone to the beat feeling like both of them are boundless while “Blood Money” featuring Bonez Dubb, Doc Gruesome, Gorilla Pimp & Keith Stoned serves as a decent 5 minute posse cut.

Danny Diablo joins Cody for the Memphis flavored “F.A.B. (Fuck a Bitch)” setting out to set the worlds of their detractors on fire completely while “Born Evil” featuring Keith Stoned clashes these guitars & hi-hats together staying high when they’re alone regardless if it doesn’t help them at all. “Scars” fuses grunge with trap encouraging everyone listening to remember exactly who the fuck you ate & “Sulfur” bombastically ends the LP politicking with the demons in his basement.

I’ve always shown love & support to both Cody Manson & Ouija Macc, so it’s a shame that neither of them are on good terms. Now do I think Double Demons & Demons is the best album that Cody’s ever done? No, I still very much have E=MC Skelter on top of the throne as far as that conversation goes. That said, it’s still not a bad listen. The features are hit or miss, the sounds he’s experimenting with are potently detailed & the Trife Life general’s letting off the steam that’s building up throughout 2024.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Ouija Macc – “Psycho Babbel” review

This is the 5th studio LP from Las Vegas emcee Ouija Macc. Breaking out in the fall of 2017 after the Insane Clown Posse signed him to Psychopathic Records shortly after putting out his debut EP Trashfire independently, Ouija has since proven himself as the hatchet’s biggest solo act dropping his last 3 full-lengths, 2 greatest hits compilations, 8 mixtapes & 5 EPs all in the span of nearly 7 years. He even started his own label Chapter 17 Records & made the big homie HEXXX the first signee to putting out his first 2 classic west coast wicked shit albums Demon Season & Tales of a Cursed G before amicably fulfilling all contractual obligations with the Psychopathic subsidiary last fall. Darby O’Trill is now the only C17 artist other than Ouija, teaming up with each other back in April for the excellent collab effort Anemoia & is coming off the darccest material of his career Darcc Planet to release Psycho Babbel coinciding the announcement of Psychopathic Records’ upcoming Train of Terror Tour with a livestreamed JCW Lunacy show.

“Maxwell House” ponders if the signal goes beyond what we know over a cold trap instrumental from none other than Devereaux saying this ain’t for the bustas whereas “Clown Curse” takes more of a hypnotically bassy trap route to the beat talking about having the curse of the wicced clown. “Kicc da Wiccit” throws it back to the days of Dr. Dre’s debut album The Chronic with it’s g-funk sound kiccin’ da wiccit shit as appropriately titled, but then “Absent Minded” offers a morbid trap flare haunting the beat like a fuckin’ ghost wanting to know where his mind went.

On the single “Fire Buggalo” released earlier this week with footage of Ouija’s performance at this year’s Gathering of the Juggalos, we have Ouija himself talking about burning shit down over a grisly backdrop with hi-hats courtesy of both Brian Kuma & Devereaux just before “‘86 from da Mall” eerily paying homage to the Memphis scene declaring himself as the new Esham, giving his flowers to his 3-Headed Monster counterpart along with Violent J. “Delusions” uncannily discusses the results of such to pure psychosis prior to the unsettling “A New Rune Cometh” cautioning to listen to the morals being told.

“Hell Raiser” featuring Darby O’Trill gives off a trap metal vibe boasting that the bands you’re flexing on Instagram isn’t even a lot pleading to do everyone a favor by fixing your face with a straight razor leading into “The Great Fall” gets in his storytelling bag explaining to us all how the floor started to crack in the midst of him chillin’ on his couch. “Ain’t It Mane” cloudily throws up his set showing disregard as to what they say while “Another Summer” talks about spending the titular season in Hell’s Pit of The Wraith.

Starting the final leg, “Hatchet on my Dresser” once again gives C17’s respect to the Memphis hip hop scene representing Psychopathic as always while the trippy “Let’s Just Ride” assures that everything’s ok. “B.I.D.N.G.A.F. (Bitch I Do Not Give A Fucc)” aggressively reassures that he gives 0 while “Pazuzu” named after Professor Farnsworth’s gargoyle in Futurama blends sampling & hi-hats causin’ a ruckus. “Summoning da Mane” ends on a darkly charming note talking about people knowing his name.

Only been a little over a couple months since Darcc Planet quickly became my favorite Ouija Macc album behind Stalewind, he maintains the consistent grind that he’s always had balancing quantity & quality except that I’ve been well-documenting his artistic evolution in the last 5 years since Resistance: The Walk to Wasteland & his evolution continues to reveal itself. You still get the Insane Clown twist on the SoundCloud trap aesthetics mixed with the recent trap metal sounds & even giving g-funk a shot for the new wave of juggalos that he forefronts.

Score: 4.5/5

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

Consequence – “Nice Doing Business with You” review

Consequence is a 47 year old MC & songwriter from Queens, New York notable for being the cousin of Q-Tip as well as appearing on nearly half of A Tribe Called Quest’s 4th album Beats, Rhymes & Life. He later went on to release a total of 8 mixtapes before one of my top 10 producers of all-time Ye formerly known as Kanye West signed him to a joint deal with G.O.O.D. Music & Columbia Records for the well-received debut album Don’t Quit Your Day Job! in the spring of 2007, going on to drop 5 more tapes & an EP since then. An official sophomore effort following up Don’t Quit Your Day Job! has been teased since the summer of 2022 & now we’re finally getting it after almost 2 & a half years.

The self-produced “Can’t Give Up” happens to be a genuinely impressive opener classily refusing to give up & continuing to push forward whereas “No Apologies” featuring Ye works in a boom bap instrumental so they can talk about how they ended up making millions. “Blood Stain” delves into the chipmunk soul that Ye helped pioneer with co-production from YZY SND Head of Music 88-Keys flexing superstardom in the hood while “The Chase 3” featuring Caiden the Crown picks up where Cons’ b-sides with ATCQ left off although I prefer both it’s predecessors.

Former G.O.O.D. Music in-house producer Keezo Kane reunites with Ray Tip on “Love You So” embracing the chipmunk soul vibes once again telling his partner why he loves her as much as he does just before the synth-driven “Overdose” talks about us going too far & the YNW Melly feature feels absolutely pointless. “Free the Guys” speeds up the soul samples again wanting more change while “I’ll Be Loving You” sensually gets back on the romantic tip.

“Relationship Advice” featuring a spoken word interlude from Chris Rock pushes towards the end of Nice Doing Business with You by jazzily asking why he doesn’t free & “Spaghetti” featuring Ye’s cousin as well as fellow early G.O.O.D. Music alumni Tony Williams of the Sunday Service Choir finishes the album maintaining the jazz rap influences from the previous cut pleading to the higher power to take him higher.

I’ve always respected Cons for his history with Tribe & G.O.O.D. Music even if I think he kisses Ye’s ass more than anyone. That said: i’d be lying if I said that this is better than the 2016 EP & debatably the most I’ve enjoyed something from him in 17 years. The production compared to his subsequent mixtapes & EP combined see high quality improvements, a vast majority of the guests manage to stick the landing performance-wise & Consequence himself sounds a lot more focused.

Score: 3.5/5

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

TR Dee – “Evolution” review

This is the 3rd full-length studio LP from Detroit rapper TR Dee. Notable for being 1/3 of the ShittyBoyz alongside Babytron & Stanwill signing to Lando Bando’s own The Hip Hop Lab Records, he also began carving a path for himself as a solo artist off his first couple mixtapes Trapped in My Bag & Made for This ahead of his debut album M.I.P. (Most Improved Player). He has since given us 5 more tapes in Trapped in My Bag 2, Crunch Time, Ice Trae, Trapped in My Bag 3 & Early Mornings, Late Nights followed by the sophomore effort The Greatest until it was time for the next Evolution.

“2 Steps” hooks up a soothing sample & rattling hi-hats to get things going talking about his future looking tropical since nobody else been able to fuck with the Dog $hit Militia while “Rain on Me” cavernously discusses being in the midst of a storm. “Stars” samples “The Body” by Wale owing the fact that he doesn’t flex a lot to remaining humble just before the calm “Summer Fling” talks about some things never changing.

The sampling continues on “Passport” encouraging listeners to grab their travel documents since they heading out of the country whereas the title track flips “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper thanks to Danny G talking about his growth in the last 5 years that he’s been in the game. “2050” has a dancier flare to the beat telling us he’s living a little over a quarter of a century in the future leading into synth-driven “Goated” talking about being one of the best.

“Love No Thotti3s” makes it abundantly clear over a lightheartedly carefree Detroit trap instrumental that he has absolutely no love for thots at all, but then “Favorite Pastor” officially closes out the first half of TR Dee’s Evolution hoping that he gets his flowers by the time he’s ready to hang up the mic for good & call it a career chopping up soul samples. “Role Modelz” sets out to grind for a couple millions putting his family on & giving back to the youth while the tense “Crashout Music” serves as the theme song for people to legit crash out to.

Meanwhile on “TR Dee Type Beat” produced by Jakesand, we have TR himself boasting that he’s hotter than an oven ridin’ around with 4 sticks taking the Detroit trap sound & giving it a lavish edge prior to “Top Dawg” featuring Stanwill demonstrating a back-&-forth chemistry between the 2 for only 110 seconds. “Double Double” grimly talks about knowing the opps were coming when they were out of plain sight & “Triple Double” laces these prominent bells making an expensive puddle.

“Kill the Game” boasts that he puts up shooting with the left that you’d think it was really Tayshaun Prince while “What the Fuck is This?” addresses everybody being haters nowadays. “50 Ball” featuring M.I.N.E. Entertainment signee 3200 Tre finds the pair coming clean regarding how much the ice costed & “Grand Finale” ends the LP on a charismatic note talking about real ones coming last when it’s all said & done.

Merely 4 months since 4ever $hittin’ quickly became the most exciting that Stanwill has sounded all by himself since Van Gundy & approximately 6 weeks out from Babytron making up for Tronicles’ continuous delays, the Evolution of TR Dee isn’t too hard for me or anyone else who’s been following him this long enough to hear. After half a decade, he’s showing off his earned stripes demonstrating his growth both artistically & personally.

Score: 4/5

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