Josiah the Gift – “The Happening” review

This is the 7th full-length studio LP from Brooklyn, New York emcee Josiah the Gift. Emerging in the late 2010s by releasing his first 2 EPs Jack Johnson & Raw, he later broke out within the underground back in the summer of 2020 off his acclaimed debut album Iron Mic. His profile continued to elevate with the debut mixtape Remain Raw, the sophomore effort Mightier Than the Sword as well as the sequel, the True Cipher-produced TOGO, God’s Gracious, The Glorious Si’s eponymous debut & his previous album Lavish Language from last summer. Over 5 months later, Machacha’s being listed to fully produce The Happening.

“Jeux” featuring Vega7 the Ronin sets the tone of what’s to come with both of them over a drumless loop talking about the flowers they tried to water being hydrophobic whereas “Honor” featuring Willie the Kid taking the boom bap route showing off a savage psychiatry. “Guess Who” featuring Eddie Kaine reminds that they were the ones down with the drama & left in the end leading into “Thor” stripping the drums asking how you want it.

M.A.V. joins Josiah on “Royalties” returning to the boom bap talking about stacking up their dough & “Teflon” keeps it in the basement instrumentally showing us what his legend status has made out of. “The Lord is My Sheppard” aggressively makes it a mission for him to go hunting for dead meat while the flute-tinged “Heroes” talking about every single way that people could imagine a hero being refusing to get political in the process.

“When the Pen Hits” brings the woodwind-heavy boom bap sound back in the fold once again boasting his lyrical ability that’s been elevated, but then “The Reality” featuring Jamil Honesty talks about being prisoners feeling the conviction beforehand asking why they have to comprise themselves for their safety. “Trivial” finishes my new favorite Josiah project with him over a vocal sample turning shit into gold possibly only bodying your soul with his skills.

Familiarizing myself with the Gift of the Umbrella several years ago through several features he’s done, his first offering of 2025 & the Lavish Language follow-up surpasses his debut from 5 years ago as the strongest & most cohesive thing he’s ever done. Machacha’s production outstandingly balances drumless & boom bap on top of the well-assessed guest appearances leveling Josiah’s penmanship.

Score: 4.5/5

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Ty Farris – “Timing of a Tarantula” review

Detroit veteran & Bars Over B.S. Records founder Ty Farris dropping off a physical exclusive 4th EP a week before Thanksgiving. Originally going under the moniker T-Flame being featuring on a lot of projects throughout the mid-2000’s until the very end of the decade, it was at that point where he started to put out solo stuff at a prolific rate by dropping 11 mixtapes, 11 full-lengths & his last 3 EPs. Standouts include the Room 39 duology & the No Cosign Just Cocaine series, the Machacha-produced Malice at the Palace & the Graymatter produced Sounds That Never Left My Soul. He just put out Enigma with an Attitude over the summer & is back with the Timing of a Tarantula.

“Gawd Mode Activated” is this drumless rap rock opener giving y’all the pain, the glory & everything that comes with it whereas “Trendsetter” gives off a mafioso vibe instrumentally talking about mixing longevity & high quality in addition to those tryna copy him when he’s building a monopoly. “Glass Joes” has a cloudy boom bap flare expressing his only concern now being the cash flow while the sample-driven “Venom in My Veins” talks his visions of living in flames.

Flames Dot Malik joins Ty on the piano boom bap joint “8 Eyes on the Paper” tryna maintain with 1 foot in the game each as they try to get paid just before a personal favorite of mine “Eat What You Kill” produced by Denny LaFlare keeps it in the basement suggesting that those thinking they better than him be mixing PCP in their blunts. “Top Rank” featuring Estee Nack aggressively reaffirms both of their statuses as lyricists & “Web of Lies” protects what’s his refusing to get involved with a network of deceit.

“You Bleed, I Bleed” featuring Rome Streetz reaches the final moments of Timing of a Tarantula with both of them hopping on top this crooning, drumless beat from Apollo Brown letting y’all know that it doesn’t even have to be this hard at all & asking why you can’t even see their stars while the closer “Heart of a Champion” finishes the EP by keeping the soul sampling in tact 1 last time flexing that he can simply email himself if he needs a raise.

For anyone who happens to love the conceptual street hip hop like some of Ty Farris’ previous releases, you’re gonna love Timing a Tarantula without question & it really might be my new favorite EP in his discography. His imagery makes sharp comparisons to the aptly named Theraphosidae family of arthropods & Divine Crime reveals himself as a future A&R that’ll be a force to be reckoned with over production balancing boom bap & drumless.

Score: 4/5

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Jamil Honesty – “Shots from the Soviet” review

Staten Island, New York born albeit Baltimore, Maryland based emcee/producer Jamil Honesty linking up with Giallo Point for his 4th EP. Getting his footing in off the strength of his debut mixtape Verses, he would go on to build a name for himself but putting out 3 EPs & a full-length debut serving as a sequel to one of the EPs that Hobgoblin produced. Coming off the Harbor Kidz’ self-titled debut alongside the Krazyfingaz-produced The God Honest Truth or the Machacha-produced Give Us Our Daily Bread & the final installment of the Martyr Musik trilogy, Jamil’s firing Shots from the Soviet.

After the intro, the first song “Bolshevik Bullets” is this piano-driven boom bap opener comparing the bars to Russian strays whereas “The Hit” strips the drums completely talking about everyone in the streets knowing the name. After an interlude, “Double Barrel” featuring Substance810 hooks the kick & snares back up, spitting that gun talk while the solemn boom bap joint “DNA” talks getting your life in a cypher if you’re made for it.

“Makarov Murders” starts the final leg of the EP dropping bodies with the titular semi-automatic pistol that the Soviet Union has made their standard military sidearm for over 7 decades leading into “Gun Pen” grittily comparing his pen-game to that of a firearm, which is pretty accurate. The final song “No Evidence” prior to the outro ends the EP mixing some sampling with kicks & snares talking about leaving the murder scene clean.

After producing Big Trip’s most acclaimed EPs to date Honestly Filthy & it’s sequel, Jamil taps in one of the UK hip hop scene’s most prolific producers in recent memory to make an EP that surpasses the Martyr Musik trilogy as the most essential offering in his discography. I have no complaints regarding Giallo Point’s boom bap production during the 21 minute run nor is there any regarding Jamil’s performances.

Score: 4.5/5

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Big Trip – “Honestly Filthy 2” review

Detroit, Michigan emcee Big Trip reuniting with Jamil Honesty for his 4th EP. A member of The Umbrella collective, he introduced himself in 2021 off his first EP Bullet Tooth Tony followed by another one Crasseux & of course the full-length debut album Filth Be Thy Name. All of which showed the underground what Big Trip was capable of doing on his own, but Honestly Filthy would elevate him & the sequel here is shaping to maintain the classic caliber they reached over 4 months ago.

The piano-driven boom bap intro talking about everyone else being unable to come outside until they say so whereas “Wave Runners” featuring Jamil Honesty & Snotty finds the trio aggressively referring to themselves as trendsetters. “Kenny Lofton” takes the soulful boom bap route instrumentally to write pain with a golden glove prior to “Ice Wood” featuring Mvck Nyce paying homage to the late, great Blade Icewood.

“Clout Chasers” hops over a vocal sample observing a drought in real ones out here this day and age while “In the Filth We Trust” returns to the boom bap talking about getting it out the mud with no luck. “Gold Mouth” featuring Mickey Diamond maintains a dusty edge getting on their street shit together, but then the outro brings back the exact same beat as the intro so Trip can body it again talking about being destined to shine.

What made Honestly Filthy the best entry in Big Trip’s whole discography for me personally was the fact that it excellently refined everything that you’ve heard from him previously & the sequel here takes that to a whole new level. His hardcore lyricism & Jamil Honesty’s boom bap production from the predecessor carry their way onto the follow-up, except their chemistry is being elevated.

Score: 4.5/5

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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

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Planet Asia – “Trust the Chain II” review

Fresno, California veteran Planet Asia back with 38 Spesh to produce his 12th EP & a sequel to one is his best EPs in recent years Trust the Chain. Emerging as 1/2 of the duo Cali Agents, he would also go on to have a very successful solo career & has made a lengthy yet consistent discography for himself. This includes The Grand Opening, The Medicine, the DJ Muggs-produced Pain Language, Abrasions, the Apollo Brown-produced Anchovies & Sardines backed by Mello Music Group, the Evidence-produced Rule of 3rds & the Snowgoons-produced U.Z.I. (Universal Zeitgeist Intelligence). Now with the 1-year anniversary of Sardines approaching in a few weeks, Trust the Chain II is finally here.

“Checking Traps” sets the tone of what’s to come with a rich instrumental talking about the whole team out here getting fat whereas “Inertia” takes a cloudier route expressing his gratitude to be alive serving a purpose. “Crumble Cake” works in some pianos preparing everyone for the poisonous arrows that have yet to be unloaded, but then “BBQ” goes head-on boom bap talking about bringing out the drink & partying.

Starring the EP’s other half, “Players & Dons” has a blaxploitation flare to the beat telling us the difference between the 2 types of people while the sample-driven “Illuminati Money” by the General Monks featuring Klass Murda calls out everyone on their weirdo shit. “Upscale” featuring A Plus tha Kid & The Musalini brings a blusier vibe to the table refusing to do deals with bitches in the field & “Greatness” ends Trust the Chain II peacefully brushing off that he’s on some fake shit.

Of the small handful of projects that Asia has given us in the last 11 months, Trust the Chain II easily stands as his best of 2024 so far surpasses last month’s God’s Timing or even last weekend’s Mother & Gun as my personal favorite from the TCF camp. Spesh’s production is more consistent than some of the Fresno emcee’s output in these last 8 months, the features are toned down significantly & the dude himself sounds as focused as he was on the predecessor 5 years ago.

Score: 4.5/5

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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

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Grafh – “God’s Timing” review

Queens, New York emcee Grafh linking back up with 38 Spesh for his 4th LP. Coming up in 2003 off his debut mixtape The Bang Out, he went on to release 7 more tapes before dropping his first full-length album Autografh only a few years later continuing that with a total of 10 mixtapes & an EP. The sophomore effort Stop Calling Art Content produced entirely by the late DJ Shay & released through Benny the Butcher’s very own MNRK Music Group imprint Black Soprano Family Records as well as his TCF Music Group debut Art of Words would become his most acclaimed material to date, so I didn’t expect less going into God’s Timing.

“Language” begins by jazzily calling out those who ain’t gang like they say they are whereas “Fight for Love” featuring Method Man takes the soulful boom bap route instrumentally getting in their hardcore shit lyrically. “Rock, Paper, Scissors” featuring 38 Spesh himself displays a back-&-forth chemistry between the 2 accompanied by a rugged beat just before “Roc-A-Fella Chain” featuring Freeway, Memphis Bleek & Peedi Crakk turns the jazz rap influences up paying homage to the Roc La Familia Dynasty.

Papoose joins Grafh for the grimy “Straight Shooter” reminding that you’re either legit out here or you’ve never had any losses whatsoever leading into “Take Risk” featuring Dre Island & Vado aggressively explaining that one has to take risks out where they from. “Glory” featuring Wretch 32 has possibly the weakest hook on the album despite the mature subject matter, but then “Remember Who You Are” featuring Jim Jones incorporates an organ talking about staying true.

“Coolin’” has a slicker vibe to the beat providing a calming & charming smoker’s anthem while the groovy “Poetry” touches on raunchier subject matter. “Right Now” featuring Talib Kweli returns to the boom bap not giving a fuck if the radio plays them due to their nasty styles while the rhythmically produced “Bullet Proof” featuring Don Paul & Dope Gang Porter talking about running this shit. “Give Praise” featuring Spesh again ends the LP with a dusty gospel flip talking about giving praise to God.

Even if I came away enjoying this a little less than I did Stop Calling Art Content & Art of Words, I can still say that I enjoyed a good amount of what I heard & hope that Spesh continues working with Grafh as much as possible. Only a select few of the guests miss the mark, but most of them throughout God’s Timing stick the landing & match Grafh’s level of penmanship scored by the mostly traditional boom bap production that made Spesh as big as he is of a beatsmith in the underground.

Score: 4/5

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Ty Farris – “Enigma with an Attitude” review

Detroit veteran Ty Farris returning after nearly a whole year for his 11th LP. Emerging under the name T-Flame being featuring on a lot of projects throughout the mid-2000’s until the very end of the decade, it was at that point where he started to put out solo stuff at a prolific rate by dropping 11 mixtapes, all 10 of his previous albums & 3 EPs. Standouts include the Room 39 duology & the No Cosign Just Cocaine series, the Machacha-produced Malice at the Palace & the Graymatter produced Sounds That Never Left My Soul. An entire summer later, Ty’s returning as the Enigma with an Attitude.

After the “Riddler Meets Jigsaw” intro, the first song “Alchemy in the Trenches” produced by Futurewave sets the tone of what it’s to come excellently from the boom bap production to Ty’s deadly lyricism whereas “Riddles from a Ruger” talking about never getting a read on him over a chipmunk soul instrumental. “Puzzle Full of Pistols” has to be another favorite of mine here from the Animoss beat to the bars about full mags resolving issues, but then the crooning boom bap cut “Mind of the Jigsaw” reveals the villain with charisma.

“The Man, The Myth, The Mystery” has a significantly darker vibe thanks to August Fanon visiting him by turning the music up loud as you can just before “The Enigma” uncannily talks about remaining mysterious. “True Identity” pushes forward the 2nd half of the album tensely moving at a different pace asking why he needs to still move packs when he making music leading into the lavish “Villain with the Smile” smiles at his enemies playing chess at the highest level.

To begin the encore of Enigma with an Attitude, the song “Who Got the Answers” returns to the boom bap explaining that it’s another day another question while “3rd Eye Never Lie” from the Wavy da Ghawd instrumental to the lyrics about seeing differently when focused stands as another personal favorite. Even the title track with its haunting Camoflauge Monk beat & flexing he’s 20x better than your favorite MC.

After a year off, T-Flame returns for a journey dating back to 7th grade for him filled with thought provoking lines and heavy play on the enigma. He does this by taking street scenarios & life situations & bend them with this theme of Enigma if you really think about the streets being mysterious & very complex as it is. Regardless of the approach for Ty being different, he still gave the world something that forced you to think in a painful way.

Score: 4/5

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Big Trip – “Honestly Filthy” review

This is the 3rd EP from Detroit, Michigan emcee Big Trip. A member of The Umbrella collective, he introduced himself in 2021 off his first EP Bullet Tooth Tony followed by another one Crasseux of course the full-length debut album Filth Be Thy Name. All of which showed the underground what Big Trip was capable of doing on his own, but felt Honestly Filthy would elevate since Maryland emcee/producer Jamil Honesty was hopping behind the boards for it.

“And Now You Know” starts off ruggedly introducing y’all to his sound refined whereas “Death Wish” takes the boom bap route instrumentally talking about everyone out there who want him dead. “Serenade” works in a pleasant soul sample encouraging to get rich by being real ones doing real shit prior to “Underplays & Overlays” featuring Ty Farris hooking the kicks & snares back up talking about making plays.

Starting the EP’s latter half, “Major League” gives it to them ice cold over a jazzy boom bap beat while “Gillie & Wallo” featuring Jamil Honesty likens themselves to the $1M Worth of Game hosts of the same names. “Filthy Cabaray” gives a middle finger to the fame & the imposters only wanting the money & finally, “Life’s a Gamble” ends Honestly Filthy talking about on some cutthroat shit likening his squad to gorillas & whipping up in the tank like Master P.

Being the 4th project that Big Trip has released of his own in the span of 3 years since beginning to make waves in the underground, it now zips past everything that he’s done previously to quickly take the #1 spot as the crown jewel of his entire discography so far. The production that Jamil Honesty’s cooks up is an excellent refinement of what you’ve heard from Trip in the past & the Detroit emcee jots down some of the hardest bars of his career yet.

Score: 4.5/5

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