Falling in Reverse – “Popular Monster” review

Falling in Reverse is a pop punk/metalcore band from Las Vegas, Nevada consisting of lead guitarist/backing vocalist Max Georgiev, rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Christian Thompson, bassist/backing vocalist Tyler Burgess & last but not least frontman/keyboardist Ronnie Radke. The latter of whom was the original frontman for Escape the Fate whose debut album Dying’s Your Latest Fashion is the only good thing in Ronnie’s entire career, but was kicked out in 2008 after being sentenced to prison for violating probation due to his involvement in the murder of Michael Allen Cook found guilty of battery with substantial bodily harm & prompted Radke to start From Behind These Walls which would later become Falling in Reverse. Signing to Epitaph Records immediately due to Ronnie’s former ties with Escape the Fate, they put out a mediocrely received debut album The Drug in Me is You in 2011 & came back with one of the worst albums of the previous decade Fashionably Late. Just Like You was almost as bad & Coming Home is their best although not by much, but Popular Monster was set out to be almost worse than Fashionably Late given some of the singles.

“Prequel” starts with over-the-top metalcore production & Ronnie writing in his diary that he’s a cynical, egotistical, unpredictable & hardenеd criminal whereas the title track fuses rap rock, post-hardcore, trap, melodic metalcore, djent & emo rap talking about depression. “All My Life” featuring Jelly Roll works in elements of alternative rock, hard rock, country rock, bro-country, nu metal & alternative metal asking for their souls to be saved leading into “Ronald” featuring Tech N9ne gratingly blending metalcore, trap, nu metal & hardcore hip hop to talk about identity & overcoming adversity.

Meanwhile on “Voices in My Head”, we have Ronnie culminating rap metal, trap, electronicore, nu metal, metalcore & djent whining that there feels like there’s a hurricane going on inside his head just before “Bad Guy” featuring his girlfriend at the time in former NXT Women’s Champion & former AEW Women’s World Champion Saraya a.k.a. Paige who used to date former AAA Mega Campeon, CMLL Mundial Pesocompleto Campeon, TNA World Champion, 4-time WWE world champion & 2-time WWE United States Champion Alberto Del Rio comes clean over a metalcore/trap hybrid that he’s a psycho douchebag. “Watch the World Burn” fails at mixing trap, alt-metal, hardcore hip hop, metalcore, post-hardcore, epic music & symphonic metal rapping about his inner demons prior to “Trigger Warning” asking if you’re proud to be American over a metalcore/nu metal abomination.

“Zombified” continues the torture on this LP bringing the alternative metal, electronicore, post-hardcore & djent vibes back for a pathetic jab at cancel culture while the final song “No Fear” finishes the album biting the $uicideboy$ at the start talking about how “saying what’s on your mind’s like stepping on a landmine” when in fact what he says from the mind is hateful & ugly in actuality. The bonus track happens to be a hideous cover of Papa Roach’s biggest hit “Last Resort”, which I was never a big fan of yet has aged poorly in the last 2 decades or so.

Ronnie has justifiably been one of the most scrutinized figures rock has seen in recent memory due to the battery with substantial bodily harm, assaulting a 16 year old girl & a 24 year old man at Six Flags Great Adventure’s Fright Fest metal festival FestEVIL resulting in Six Flags permanently banning rock/metal bands from performing at their parks going forward, raping a 25 year old-woman, going on transphobic tirades on Twitter (fuck calling it X) or most notably never handling criticism of his music very well & Popular Monster really takes the shit-cake on the same day as Post Malone’s new album F-1,000,000,000,000 did. His production is almost worse as it was over a decade ago uglily mutating sounds together whining about why people hate him tryna gaslight his listeners to thinking he’s the victim. In terms of metalcore, it’s NOWHERE near the epicness of Knocked Loose’s You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To.

Score: 0/5

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

Post Malone – “F-1,000,000,000,000” review

Here we have the 6th full-length LP from Grapevine, Texas rapper, singer/songwriter & producer Post Malone. Rising to stardom in 2015 with the single “White Iverson”, this resulted in him signing to Republic Records quickly makjng himself home ever since by dropping his last 5 albums & a mixtape. Now even though I’ve never really been the biggest fan of Posty’s work, there’s no denying that he has a decent amount of tracks that I genuinely enjoy like “Congratulations” as well as “rockstar” & who could forget “Sunflower”? Hell I even liked his sophomore effort beerbongs & bentleys, which I maintain is the crown jewel of his discography. Hollywood’s Bleeding rode the emo rap coattails, his Mercury Records debut under it’s revival as a Republic subsidiary 12kt Toothace felt like 1-long song & Austin was mid to the point where Posty finally succumbed to Lil B’s tweet about him going country in 2017 on F-1,000,000,000,000.

“Wrong Ones” featuring Tim McGraw starts by bringing the 2 together over a guitar advising to keep the cold ones coming whereas “Finer Things” featuring Hank Williams Jr. talks enjoying all the finer stuff in life. “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen was a patience testing lead single mutating country pop, pop rock & country rock tackling the theme of relationship struggles just before “Pour Me a Drink” featuring Blake Shelton works in some bro-country undertones looking for a buzz.

Dolly Parton saves one of the album’s best features for “Have the Heart” talking about not having it in either one of them to break each others’ hearts leading into the country pop flavored “What Don’t Belong to Me” telling his partner he can’t give her what doesn’t belong to him. “Goes Without Saying” featuring Brad Paisley is a country rock breakup ballad coming to terms with their ex-girlfriends not rekindling the flame, but then “Guy for That” featuring Luke Combs continues the country & rock hybrids talking about being good at breaking hearts.

“Nosedive” featuring Lainey Wilson is this acoustic duet reminding that every thorn has it’s rose while “Losers” featuring Jelly Roll starts the 2nd half of the LP for a legitimately enjoyable tribute to all the outcasts. “Devil I’ve Been” featuring Ernest delivers a contemporary country vibe being fed up with living a life of sin while the southern “Never Love You Again” featuring Sierra Ferrell talks the road not being their friends & the long, lost highway ahead of them.

Luke Combs joins Posty yet again on the stripped-back “Missin’ You Like This” so they can both cry over exes they still dream of all these years later while “California Sober” featuring Chris Stapleton turns the country pop influences back up telling the story of a woman on the run after stealing some sucker’s money. The contemporary country-inspired “Hide My Gun” featuring Hardy asks their lovers if they would conceal their weapons while “Right About You” goes country rock once more asking if she’d still love him if we were down bad & at home.

“M-E-X-I-C-O” nears the conclusion of F-1,000,000,000,000 pulling from traditional country hangin’ ’round & broken down with a settled downtown girl prior to her diplomatic father giving him a significant amount of money for him to leave the country heading to the continent of South America while “Yours” serves as an acoustic closer paying tribute to his own daughter telling her that she’ll always be his little girl knowing one day a special man will come in her life & they’ll get married.

Starting the Long Bed deluxe run, “Fallin’ in Love” is this tacky country rock cut talking about him falling in love becoming inevitable while “Dead at the Honky Tonk” continues the aesthetics from previously singing about a hole in his heart. “Killed a Man” tries to get in his outlaw bag falling flat on his face while “Ain’t How It Ends” keeps it traditionally country whining to a woman that this can’t be the way their relationship ends.

“Hey Mercedes” throws the rock influences in the picture again asking the titular character what she has planned for tonight while the contemporary country joint “Go to Hell” sings about a love interest making him feel right & being unable to figure out exactly what makes him feel that way about her. “2 Hearts” strips things back telling us what happens when 2 hearts split in 2 while the peppy “Who Needs You?” shrugging off a bitch since he can break himself into 2. The final bonus track “Back to Texas” goes contemporary again for a tribute to the titular state.

7 years after The Based God predicted it, Post Malone has finally gone full-blown Kid Rock making his official country debut like the WWE Hall of Famer himself did resulting in one of the worst albums of this decade just like the new Falling in Reverse album Popular Monster. His takes on contemporary country, country pop, pop rock, country rock & bro-country feels more of a cash-grab as opposed to passionate although some of the guests’ performances either outshine him or match his level of awful. You’re much better off listening to Slumerican Records artist Tony Martinez’ new debut album Everywhere West, Johnny Cash’s latest posthumous effort Songwriter, Beyoncé’s 2nd act of her ongoing trilogy Cowboy Carter or even Willie Nelson’s best late career album The Border instead.

Score: 0.5/5

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

38 Spesh – “Mother & Gun” review

Rochester, New York producer/MC 38 Spesh is back for his 5th solo LP. Known for being the leader of the Trust Army & founder of TCF Music Group, he’s been steadily busy throughout the last few years whether it be him producing projects for the likes of Planet Asia & Elcamino or his own solo output. Coming off lacing Grafh’s 4th album God’s Timing a few weeks ago however, Spesh’s hopping back on the mic for Mother & Gun almost a year after the Gunsmoke EP.

“Early Morning” is a soulful opener to the album talking about the fact that they didn’t believe him when he initially said he was gonna be rich whereas “Sacrifice” works in some hi-hats sampling soul music once again thanks to STREETRUNNER hustling hard. “Spesh is Back” moves forward going for a self-produced orchestral vibe instrumentally to talk about him returning to the mic while “Del Lago” shifts gears back in trap territory flexing his power was imposed.

Havoc & Lloyd Banks join Spesh for the rugged “Had It Coming” cautioning to build the ark because they gonna be flooding shit just before “Burn Marks” asks how he couldn’t hold a grudge towards his cuzz since the opps been chillin’ with him lately. “Speshal Methods” introduces the world to the titular east coast duo over boom bap production applying lyrical pressure, but then we’re treated to the latest installment of the “Can’t Show Love” trilogy.

“Only You” featuring Klass Murda nears the conclusion of Mother & Gun hooking up a crooning sample responding to the bitches who say they got them clarifying that they aren’t idiots while “Underestimated” featuring Benny the Butcher & Che Noir wraps things up with all 3 of them talking about people estimating them lower than they actually are.

In case some of you forgot, 38 Spesh has always been as much of a quality MC as he is amongst the most in-demand producers that the underground has to offer & his first full-length in almost 4 years here has to be the most intimate of his entire career. He takes a backseat behind the boards allowing other beatsmiths to gain more exposure laying out some of the most personal lyrics that he’s laid out on wax yet.

Score: 4/5

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

Pouya – “They Could Never Make Me Hate You” review

Pouya is a 30 year old rapper & singer/songwriter from Miami, Florida who’s a pioneer of the early underground rap scene that began on SoundCloud in 2012 & discovering the $uicideboy$ in their early career. His 2016 debut Underground Underdog was released to mixed reception although 5 showed considerable improvement as did The South Got Something to Say & Blood Was Never Thick as Water. 17 months after Gator was said to be his final LP, the BatKave & Buffet Boys member is returning for a 4th album.

“LORD FORGIVE ME FOR THE PAIN I INFLICT ON MYSELF” is a cloudy Memphis opener to talk about earning his stripes over a decade in the game whereas “FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING” has a smoother trap flare encouraging to let go of the bullshit to hop in the ride with him & not getting too high. “BLAME GAME” blends jazz & trap instrumentally assuring that he doesn’t want to be pointing fingers at anyone, but then “WHERE DID I GO WRONG?” shoots for a Memphis-inspired atmosphere once again saying he’s been singing the same song.

Rick Ross joins Pouya for the single “UH OH” pulling from mobb music referring to themselves as hood rats hanging out the window of the ride just before “BACK THE FUCK UP” returns to the Memphis sound so he can talk about dying a legend. “LAND OF IGUANAS” brings a cloudy boom bap vibe to the table only waking up for money & sex while “LEMONADE (DEAD MAN WALKING)” talks needing something to numb the pain. “WHAT UU BOUT” finishes the LP crossing over trap & jazz knowing what he’s gotta do.

22 months in the making & what Pouya has given us in They Could Never Make Me Hate You has to very well be a step above his last few albums & quite possibly the biggest one of his entire career spanning over a decade long. The production ranges from trap to jazz rap, Memphis rap & mobb music flexing his underground status & breaking down the lifestyle that comes with it all.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Willy Northpole – “Broadway Theatre” review

Willy Northpole is a 44 year old MC from Phoenix, Arizona who gained national exposure after Ludacris signed him to Disturbing tha Peace Records in 2007 distributed by Def Jam Recordings at the time releasing his debut album Tha Connect in the summer of 2009 to mixed reception & departing both labels in 2012. That said, he’s finally returning over a decade later joining Astray in becoming the first 2 artists to sign to Whitney Peyton’s independently owned Alpha Howse & releasing long-awaited sophomore album effort.

The title track is a jazzy opener talking about Willy’s return after so long whereas “Dear Young Willy” takes the soulful route instrumentally sending a message to his younger self. “OG” brings a jazz rap/trap hybrid to the table reminding everyone that he’s been around in the game prior to Bigshot’s awkward feature on “Rearrange” embracing the trap sound fully so both of them can talk about sex.

“1 Car” finishes the first half of the LP on some dreary trap shit feeling like giving up on everything just before “Blue Balls” embraces a hardcore boom bap flare delivering cutthroat lyricism for 3 & a half minutes. “Citizen” keeps it dusty brushing off the idea that he’s a gangsta, but then “Cook” featuring Whitney Peyton as well as Astray & Bag of Tricks Cat comes through with a trap-flavored Alpha Howse posse cut.

Nearing the encore of Broadway Theatre, the penultimate track “Cosmic Highway” strips the drums completely hopping over a bare loop telling us that he calls it a lil’ vacation as opposed to what our ancestors call it & “Chocolate Cholo” featuring Glasses Malone closes the album pullin’ receipts on them putting their respective cities on in a major way representing their Afro-Latin heritages over a Latin trap beat.

Him signing to Alpha Howse was said to be the best thing to ever happen in his entire career & it sure enough proves to be a sophomore joint that doesn’t try pandering to a mainstream audience much like his major label-backed debut did 15 years ago. The production is a healthy dose of boom bap, trap, drumless & jazz rap letting everyone know what he’s been up to after all this time & I last but not least enjoyed all but 1 feature performance.

Score: 3.5/5

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

Tony Martinez – “Everywhere West” review

Tony Martinez is a 30 year old singer/songwriter, guitarist & multi-instrumentalist from Nashville, Tennessee notable for being the son of Rick Martinez who taught him how to play guitar & to whom this full-length debut album of his is dedicated to. He later met Nashville superstar & former Shady Records/Interscope artist Yelawolf at one of his bar gigs, developing a friendship to the point where Catfish Billy officially signed Tony to his independent label Slumerican Records & helped him produce Everywhere West.

“Ain’t Nothin’ Gonna Slow Me Down” proves to be an exceptional introduction from the outlaw country Slumerican shitizen singing that absolutely nothing’s gonna stop him or get in his way whereas “Someone Else” has a country/southern rock flare asking this individual when did they become so blind to the point where they lost sight of themselves. “Crazy” featuring Yelawolf gives off a more simpler country rock vibe finding Tony & his mentor asking their romantic partners why they have to be insane & the Merle Haggard-influenced “White Label Lies” goes for an acoustic direction criticizing a liquor bottle with a white label that said ‘Truth’ on it.

The introspection gets turned up to 11 with “I’ve Lost More (Than What I’ve Got Today)” continuing the country rock influences singing about the hardships he’s faced just before “Try” goes bare acoustics passionately blaming himself for losing an ex-girlfriend of his. “Believe I’ll Be Leavin’” has a summertime atmosphere that I really enjoy talking about gettin’ done with the show & the party & going back to the hotel alone & calling your significant other way too late time after time after time & the toll it takes on an already rocky relationship, but then “Back to the Wall” hooks up crooning background vocals & guitars fighting the good fight.

“Wrong Like the Weatherman” brings the country rock influences back owning up to being wrong in the past much like an actual weatherman while the warm, catchy “See You on Broadway” written by Yelawolf’s ex-wife Fefe Dobson sings about a woman he knows who always comes around. The song “Alabaster Rose” maintains the country rock sound discussing a lil care & kindness going a long way being all he ever wanted while the title track that Waylon Jennings almost recorded pays homage to Marty Robbins. The instrumental on the closer “Won’t Say No to You” feels like some funky shit brought back from the early 1970s telling his partner he can’t say no to her.

Everywhere West is as much Martinez’s legacy as it is his father’s chronicling all phases of the incredible journey he’s been on & certainly reveals that Tony has a bright future ahead of him in the outlaw country scene joining Johnny Cash’s latest posthumous effort Songwriter, Beyoncé’s 2nd act of her ongoing trilogy Cowboy Carter or even Willie Nelson’s best late career album The Border as some of the best country I’ve heard this year as opposed to Post Malone’s latest album F-1,000,000,000,000. All 13 songs evoke emotions in listeners so they know they’re not alone in whatever they are facing in life giving us a look through his battles with NMOSD & an opioid addiction in addition to Yelawolf honing in on his sound with the production.

Score: 4/5

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

Frisco Boogie – “Lost in the Loophole” review

Nottingham, East Midlands, England, United Kingdom emcee, producer, graffiti writer & b-boy Frisco Boogie making his Hidden Hobby Records debut with his 7th LP. Dropping his solo debut in 2020 with The Internal Masquerade the sophomore effort Masks of the Morning Son a few months later, he would go on to release Rainbows in the Rubble as well as the COVID-19 themed C.I.R.C.U.S. (Conditions In Reality Causing Us Stress) or the optimistic Sunflowers in September. Coming off 50 From the Cradle last fall honoring his 50th birthday, he’s found himself Lost in the Loophole.

“Lost” begins with a self-produced beat that reminds me of something Dr. Dre would’ve made in the 2000s essentially serving as the title track whereas “Same Ol’ Same” takes the boom bap route instrumentally talking about feeling like life’s repeating itself. “Silence” works in some pianos & woodwinds explaining that keeping your mouth shut is the best answer when realizing it doesn’t value your words leading into “March” featuring the Local Healers taking a smoother approach to talk about a woman who won’t give in.

To get the 2nd half going, “Karma” returns to the boom bap hooking up a prominent vocal sample telling the story of a woman he knew by the name of Susie while “No Answer” orchestrally suggests maybe he would be asking different questions. Frisco later waits for the human race to disappear the “Field of Crows” in a breeze over a vocal sample but once he observes some “Turmoil in the Trenches” all the way from a park bench, the final song asks “1 Question” & that being whether one would push their children.

Known for being the UK hip hop scene’s equivalent to Skyzoo in terms of everything he does having it’s own different concept, Frisco Boogie preludes his forthcoming 8th album celebrating this new era of a career spanning 3 decades when he started out as 1/2 of Lost Island. Topically, a lot of Lost in the Loophole continues the maturity of Frisco’s last couple offerings using dizzying wordplay to ponder whether or not those listening are stuck in a loophole of their own over old school boom bap production.

Score: 4/5

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

Fliptrix – “Dragonfly” review

South London, England, United Kingdom emcee Fliptrix teaming up with the Leigh Brothers consisting of Illinformed & Leaf Dog to have them produce his 10th solo LP. The founder of High Focus Records as well as a member of The 4 Owls, he made his debut in 2007 off Force Fed Imagery followed by Theory of Rhyme and later 3rd Eye of the Storm & The Road to the Interdimensional Piff Highway. Out the Box & Polyhymnia both came couple years later as did Patterns of Escapism & Inexhale, but is coming off Light Work & Mantra #9 to unleash the Dragonfly less than a couple weeks away from 白川未奈 & Luke Jacobs becoming the new RPW British Women’s Champion & RPW British Heavyweight Champion respectively.

“Striving” starts by stripping the drums completely hooking up a bare orchestral loop forever making great efforts to achieve or obtain more whereas “Forever” has a bit of a soulful boom bap flare instrumentally talking about having springs in their steps representing that. The acoustic “Keep Going On” wants to know if they can continue to go on with their lives since they’re unsure of it, but then “Dragonfly Steeze” works the kicks & snares back in flexing his titular style.

Moving on from there, “See it in the Clouds” delivers a cloudier boom bap flare forecasting rain that’ll be coming down feeling it in his bones leading into “Make It Rain” hopping over a soul sample for a minute discussing the importance of rain itself. “Funky Microphone” blends a piano with kicks & snares getting hardcore lyrically just before the jazzy “Cosmic Scenes” assuring that the sweet sound of birds can be heard though sirens.

“Spooky Times” maintains the jazz influence crossing it over with boom bap to talk about how nice it is to let the beauty rise sometimes while “The Glow” keeps it raw so everyone listening is able to feel the sunshine. “Paradoxical” has a darker atmosphere to the beat coming to heal you while the flute-heavy “Making Waves” talks being on madness these days. “Grapevine” maintains the instrumental vibes from previously feeling happy & sad simultaneously while the title track jazzily ends the album showing unconditional love to his family.

A series of life-changing events compelled Fliptrix to hole up in the studio to capture the true essence of his recent experiences in real time, resulting in his most alive offering to date with the handbrake fully off as well as emotions & energies dialed up to 11. Each unpacking a tumultuous year which included the birth of his daughter & unexpected passing of his father who played in a 70s rock band that Dragonfly is named after, all this while navigating the ever-shifting music scene he has championed for so long.

Score: 4/5

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

Chlöe – “Trouble in Paradise” review

Chlöe is a 26 year old singer/songwriter, producer & actress from Atlanta, Georgia coming up as 1/2 of the duo Chlöe x Halle with Halle Bailey. Introducing themselves in 2018 when Beyoncé signed them to Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records for their decent debut album The Kids Are Alright, the Bailey sisters’ sophomore effort Ungodly Hour in the summer of 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns would prove to be their most acclaimed body of work yet & have since been focusing on their solo careers. In contrast to Halle having yet to release her solo debut, Chlöe’s own debut In Pieces received mixed responses & is looking to have Trouble in Paradise top it.

“All I Got (Free Falling)” has a bare gospel-influenced beat from Bongo to get the ball rollin’ wishing she & her ex could start all over whereas “Might as Well” featuring Ty$ fresh off ¥$’ sophomore album Vultures 2 last Saturday morning coming together for a soulful duet singing about texting each other at 2am. “Boy Bye” fuses pop, contemporary R&B, 2-step, alt-pop & dance-pop thanks to Rogét Chahayed for anyone who needs to get rid of someone toxic and draining from their life just before “Redemption” catchily sings that she’s not being too big on the titular act herself.

Meanwhile on “Temporary Single”, we have Chlöe over a predominantly acoustic sound assuring that she briefly doesn’t have a man at the current moment while the intoxicating trap soul cut “Rose” talks about becomin’ alone & not meeting another man like the one she has now. “Favorite” featuring & produced by Anderson .Paak stands out as infectious R&B duet not tryna buy into favoritism, but then the syrupy “Same Lingerie” sings about needing some time to herself.

Lauryn Hill’s son YG Marley joins Chlöe for the dancehall/R&B crossover “Never Let You Go” finding both partners refusing to let go of one another while “Want Me” by Chlöe x Halle hops over acoustics as well as hi-hats & snapping fingers asking why everything in their past relationships changed. The piano-driven “Moments” sings that she has true love for her ex due to all the memories they have together while “F.Y.S. (Fuck Your Status)” blends trap soul & alternative R&B discussing one’s social status.

“Nice Girls Finish Last” atmospherically starts the final leg of Trouble in Paradise singing about intercourse while “Strawberry Lemonade” experiments with a nu disco R&B sound talking about having the sugar for her partner. “Shake” featuring Jeremih goes from the nu disco undertones of the previous track to prominent house influences throwing that ass back & “Somebody” wraps up the album with an empowering pop ballad feelin’ like she needs someone.

She & Halle already earned my respect when Ungodly Hour came over 4 years ago, so I figured that Trouble in Paradise had to improve on the moderately received debut & it’s certainly a more consistent showcasing of what Chlöe’s capable of doing by herself. It’s a summer fling & coming-of-age celebration of being a woman having fun & not taking life too seriously pulling from pop, contemporary & alternative R&B, pop soul, pop rap, afropiano, trap soul, dancehall, nu disco, 2-step, alt-pop & dance-pop.

Score: 3.5/5

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

BP Infinite – “Kill or Be Killed” review

This is a brand new producer album from Amityville, New York beatsmith BP Infinite. In the last 19 years or so, he’s found himself working with underground veterans from K-Rino to Diabolic, Ill Bill, the Black Market Militia & Uncle Murda. His first producer album Timeless Music was released in the fall of 2017 followed by an EP called The Supreme 7, so I was interested in hearing Kill or Be Killed since the list of performers compared to the last couple solo efforts looked grander & jam packed on paper.

After the “Tournament of Champions” intro, the title track by RJ Payne & Skyzoo sets the tone with its organ/boom bap instrumental explaining that you either kill or be killed in this game called life whereas “Street Vengeance” by Nature & Tragedy Khadafi has a mafioso flare to the beat getting in their hardcore bag lyrically. “We Out of Here” by Elucid & Gudda Vell soulfully unites the pair flexing that they runnin’ on their last legs prior to “They Know Who It Is” by E-Class & Nature keeping the soul samples in tact comparing themselves to Steph & Klay or Kobe & Shaq.

“Kill Squad” by Redman gives one of the hardest performances on the album over horns although my biggest complaint is that it’s a shorter than I imagined just before the vocal sampling returns on “Love & War” by Bub Rock, Eddie Kaine & J. Arrr talking about wanting to see their brothers ballin’ & keeping it 100 being law to them. “Raise Your Glass” by Bunchy Cartier, Shabaam Sahdeeq & 9th Prince strips the drums to make a toast while “Can’t Fuck with Me” by Mooch & Tragedy Khadafi ruggedly talks life being different for them now.

Gudda Vell & the Intelligent Hoodlum express their desire of being great on “No Replay” further marking a return to the boom bap, but then “The End” by E Murda & Shots hops over a crooning sample to make money & put others in their place. “Screwface” by Dunbar has a suspenseful vibe instrumentally putting the listeners in his shoes while “Deep in My Heart” by Cory Gunz, eLZhi & Tragedy Khadafi hooks up a gospel flip flexing their lyrical prowesses.

“I Survived” by Eddie Kaine & Shots further pushes towards the end of the LP going chipmunk soul looking to stay high where they reside witnessing someone pass away in front of them at 16 & “Listen Up, Pt. II” by Bunchy Cartier & Pillz wraps up by working in pianos clarifying that the only thing on their minds is the money both of them stay stackin’ up.

Kill or Be Killed is the hip hop equivalent of a roundhouse kick to the face from both the beatsmith & his incredible cast of collaborators, almost like the movie Bloodsport with a tournament of diverse & unique talent. To make all of it possible, BP spent 18 months of fleshed out all the production that he thought specifically matched the artists he wanted to work with & it’s finally paid off.

Score: 3.5/5

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