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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Daniel Son & Raz Fresco – “Northside” review

Here we have a brand new collaborative LP between Toronto, Ontario, Canada emcees Daniel Son & Raz Fresco. The latter of whom I was introduced to during my freshman year of high school off the strength of his feature on former Odd Future member Ace Hashimoto’s 5th mixtape All Day DeShay: AM & the other coming to my radar at the tail-end of 2019 linking up with Futurewave for his classic sophomore effort Yenaldooshi. We’ve heard both these guys together on numerous occasions such as the songs “Dirty Dozens” & “Big Bird”, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that they’re turning things up a couple notches on Northside.

To get us started, “Ice Water” works in a sample with kicks & snares talking about how cold it is where they’re from going back & forth with one another whereas the title track serves as a dusty ode to all the lock-breakers & Glock bleeders from where people get even instead of getting old. “W.C.H.M.F. (Who Can’t Hear Must Feel)” incorporates a string sample explaining that somebody eventually gonna get burned wherever there’s smoke while “Lawyer Fees” soulfully makes some noise in the studio.

“Rusty” featuring Gritfall brings a groovier flare to the beat talking about trying to get rich, but then “Frostbite” goes into soulfully drumless turf referring to themselves as trailblazers where the path is empty. “Last Minute” returns to the boom bap so both of them can bring you a different flavor on some court-side shit just before “What’s the Mission?” comes through with an atmospheric albeit dusty vibe explaining that the mission both of them are on is to get paid.

Nearing the conclusion of Northside, the calmingly drumless penultimate track “Watch Ya Mouth” flips the iconic Jeru the Damaja single “Ya Playin’ Yaself” warning everyone near their vicinities to watch what comes out their mouths that is until “Forks on the Road” closes up shop returning to the boom bap using the titular metaphor to talk about being unsure which way to take & that they must keep going.

Physics of Filth & Bite the Bullet with Asun Eastwood have been my favorites from Daniel Son when it comes to collaboration projects with another MC & now Northside has surpassed them both on top of being my new favorite Raz Fresco collab effort. The sound that the latter goes for like wearing a northface jacket in a snowstorm in the sense that it’s but with a feeling of warmth on the inside, but they also pay homage to the deep hip hop roots in Toronto & add on to that legacy with another solid contribution of art that continues to push the culture forward.

Score: 4.5/5

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Pro Dillinger – “Reasonable Dirt” review

This is the 6th full-length LP from Haverstraw, New York emcee Pro Dillinger. A member of the Umbrella collective as well as 1/2 of The Steiner Brothers, he has released a total of 5 mixtapes along with his last 5 albums & even 7 EPs. Favorites include the Finn-produced debut Pray for My Prey, the Machacha-produced Dirt Don’t Hurt, his 3rd EP MOSFoul, the Sting vs. Flair collab EP with Mickey Diamond & The Steiner Brothers’ eponymous debut. And with Dirty Work celebrating it’s 1-year anniversary this summer, the dirtiest of the Umbrella has brought Sean Kelly back to handle production for Reasonable Dirt much like Forever Foul.

“Bad Business” begins with a grand instrumental refusing to let anyone throw him off his focus whereas the funky “We Don’t Believe You” featuring Substance810 warns all these foul muthafuckas that there ain’t no more hiding & it’ll be lit when they catch ‘em. “So Guilty” goes into a jazzier direction with the beat talking about having murder on his mind, but then “Fall for Nothing” soulfully discusses wanting it all.

Blokkito joins Pro Dillinger for “Someday” jumping on top of this harmonious sample talking about being body snatchers & that they didn’t want them succeeding while “Home Team” delivers a smoother vibe overall to the beat telling everyone that they rockin’ with the best & he’s a part of bringing back the culture. Instrumentally, the song “Last Days” has this trippy mood to it so he can talk about becoming rich & going broke twice just before “The Change” incorporates another soul flip admitting that he’s caught up in the game.

“Selling Hope” featuring Big Trip weaves some pianos into the fold refusing to back down from any smoke that heads their way along with having the city on their backs & the squad chillin’ on a boat with everyone else bitterly watching from the background prior Reasonable Dirt’s title track finishing the album over synthesizers talking about rising from the soil, his amazing lineage & pouring beer on the flowers that’re growing from the sidewalk to make them stronger.

What we have on Reasonable Dirt is Pro Dillinger & Sean Kelly making a sequel album to Forever Foul that takes everything from the predecessor & turns it up to 11. Sean’s production still has the jazzy undertones from previously except you can hear that he’s grown as a producer over the course of these past couple years, Dirtius Jackson goes harder on the mic, there are a lesser amount of guests & Futurewave killed it with the mixing.

Score: 3.5/5

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Mickey Diamond – “Super Shredder” review

One of the illest Detroit emcees in the underground currently Mickey Diamond back with his 12th LP. Emerging at the beginning of 2020 off the strength of his debut EP Bangkok Dangerous, the dude has since gone on to turn quite a few heads in the underground by building up the impressive discography for himself with his previous 11 albums alongside 7 EPs & a mixtape. But for the past year, Mickey has been consistent putting out some of the best material of his career thus far. This includes the Gucci Ghost album & it’s sequelproduced by Big Ghost Ltd., the Ral Duke-produced Oroku Saki EP, the Sadhugold-produced Death Threat$ album, the Camoflauge Monk-produced Capital Gains album or more recently the 3rd & 4th installments to the Gucci Ghost saga this past winter. But to begin the 2nd quarter of the new year, Diamond & Ral Duke are getting back together for the Oroku Saki sequel Super Shredder.

“TGRI” begins with a cold boom bap instrumental treating the sewers like his 2nd home calling himself a bonafide villain with the chrome mask referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE United States Champion, WCW World Television Champion & the inaugural WWE Royal Rumble winner “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan whereas “Shredder Loves April” goes for a soulful approach instrumental likening his romantic interest to April O’Neil. “Foot Clan Party” comes through with a cinematic sample talking about his name ringing bells from the Motor City all the way to Baltimore, but then “Cartoon Car Tunes” takes the uncanny boom bap route to cook in Dex’s lab in hazmat suits & protective masks declaring to be the face of true terror.

Moving on from there, “Coffee Beans” hooks up kicks & snares with a melodic vocal chop grinds on the office scene as well as people not knowing shit about high fashion until you saw him prior to “Rocksteady” ruggedly cautioning to get the fuck out the way since the Umbrella making their way in this bitch including a reference to WWE Hall of Famer, 7-time WWE women’s champion & WWE Hardcore Champion Trish Stratus. “The Masked Man” menacingly talks about Diamond’s competition knowing the deal with him by now but after the “Feudal Japan” interlude, “Tin Can Assassin” hops over strings discussing his style.

After the “Oozey” interlude, “Technodrome” continues the symphonic boom bap vibes to brush off anyone who steps up to him on the mic as “old news” while “Hyperstone Heist” heinously talks about being a killer. After the “Shredder’s Hideout” interlude, “They Took Splinter” dustily tells everyone else to say their prayers for God’s sake & after the “Anchovies” interlude, the final song “Shell Shock” finishes the album with a fun track for the party people.

4 months after dropping 2 last-minute additions to my Best of 2023 list, Diamond has done it again by taking everything that made Oroku Saki his best EP & translating it for the duration of an entire full-length. Ral Duke’s production is grimier even though he’s still somewhat new to being behind the boards for others’ projects, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles concept remains untouched for any fan of the franchise & Mickey’s lyricism goes harder.

Score: 4.5/5

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Vega7 the Ronin – “Kawasaki Killers” review

Queens, New York emcee Vega7 the Ronin continuing to dominate the underground releasing his 3rd album to end the first half of 2024. Emerging after enlisting Danish beatsmith Machacha to produce his debut EP The Lead Lined Wall, he would go on to land feature placement on the 5th & final installment of Ty Farris’ historic No Cosign Just Cocaine mixtape series this past February & tap in with Superiorfor his debut Sleep’s the Cousin. It’s been 6 months since the latter & Body Bag Ben is being brought in to produce Kawasaki Killers.

“Imagine That” is this dark intro referencing WWE Hall of Famer, 7-time world champion, 7-time tag team champion & WWE Hardcore Champion The Undertaker iconically defeating fellow WWE Hall of Famer, former 3-time WWE Champion, 11-time WWE tag team champion, the inaugural WWE Hardcore Champion, CWA World Tag Team Champion & TNA World Champion Mick Foley during King of the Ring VI whereas the infernal “New Jack” remembers the late 3-time ECW World Tag Team Champion & SMW Tag Team Champion of the same name on top of likening himself to Undertaker prior to marrying 4-time WWE women’s champion Michelle McCool.

Meanwhile on “Rage Against the Machine Gun”, we have Vega7 heinously making reference to former 3-time WWE Tag Team Champions & WWE Hall of Famers The APA prior to “Ghost in the Shell” featuring Body Bag Ben himself throws in a bar regarding the late WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE Champion, 2-time WWE United States Champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 4-time WWE Tag Team Champion, 2-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion, 2-time ECW World Television Champion & AAA Mundial Parejas Campeon Eddie Guerrero.

“The Gray Man” brings an unsettling boom bap vibe to the table comparing himself to Walter White from my all-time favorite show Breaking Bad just before the title track references AJPW世界タッグチャンピオン & WWE’s former Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis, who admitted almost 2 months ago that the Endeavor-owned TKO Group Holdings division’s former CEO Vince McMahon held power & control over him making dictatorial sexual demands with repercussions if they weren’t met in light of the former self-booked WWE Champion & ECW World Heavyweight Champion’s ongoing sex trafficking scandal.

To get Kawasaki Killers’ last leg rollin’, “Lion Tamer” hooks up a bloodcurdling boom bap instrumental promising he can take the best rapper you know & break his spine using the aptly named object while “Scott Summer Shades” featuring Body Bag Ben again treats treating garbage like the Earth at it’s equator. “Hip-Fire” boasts him taking the cap off the pen he writes with & magma coming out of it, but then “Harley Bandanas” talks about him making music as if it’s gateway computed.

Following a Hell-&-back journey, Vega7 turns personal experiences of pain & streetwise knowledge into elevated rhyme schemes over Ben’s impeccable production paired with an enterprising tone & flow that cuts through the fog making the listing experience from the top to the bottom a declaration leaving the listener stuck between Earth & the Afterlife musically steeping into a dystopian city where the sonic mischief are the only source of salvation in a world filled with mediocrity & force feed elitism.

Score: 4.5/5

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Jae Skeese – “Testament of the Times” review

Buffalo emcee Jae Skeese joining forces with Superior for his 4th full-length studio LP. Getting his start off the strength of his his debut mixtape W.A.C.K. (Women, Alcohol, Cash & Kicks) in the fall of 2010, it wasn’t until a decade later where he & 7xvethegeniusgained wide exposure as the very first signees to Conway the Machine’s very own EMPIRE Distribution imprint Drumwork Music Group. The Big Ghost Ltd.-produced 3rd EP Authenticity Check & the previous album Abolished Uncertainties both elevated Skeese’s popularity in the last couple years, so Testament of the Times can only amplify it.

To get us started, “Union 2’s” hops over a guitar-laced boom bap instrumental talking about being lowkey dangerous when that’s already been proven with the last 2 projects of his that I named near the end of the previous paragraph in my opinion whereas “In My Hands” has a jazzier approach aiming to stay focused. “Cement 4’s” works in some organs asking what y’all think he did this for since he been on one for life leading into the flute-tinged “2Cents” referring to real game as priceless.

“Cantonese Characters” featuring Rome Streetz & Ty Farris references current AEW manager, WWE Hall of Famer & former SMW Heavyweight Champion Jake “The Snake” Roberts prior to the luxurious keyboard embellishments on “Preguntas” talking about staying hungry & blessed. “Ksubi Tags” isn’t really much of an interlude rather it’s Jae over a sample-heavy boom bap beat feeling like a threat waking up, but then “Risk & Reward” draws inspiration from rap rock talking about having to work to get as nice as he is now.

O.T. the Real comes into the picture on “Sign of the Cross” somberly advises to let the problems accumulate while the delicately-produced “Broken Mirrors” talks about being in his head overthinking at times. “Mothers & Gods” clarifies that he’s never been anyone’s favorite except for his mom alongside the higher power over plainly piano chords until “Skycraper” concludes the LP on a drumless note continuing to put in the time & labor building from ground level.

The introspective story that Abolished Uncertainties told almost a year ago this month was a personal way for Jae to introduce himself to a wider audience, but I think I might prefer Testament of the Times more. Superior continues to stand as amongst the most interesting German producers in hip hop, the guest-list is tighter & Skeese here sets out to encourage everyone in taking themselves to new heights.

Score: 4.5/5

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Ty Farris – “Sounds That Never Left My Soul” review

This is the 10th full-length LP from Detroit veteran Ty Farris. Emerging up up 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 9 of his previous albums & 3 EPs. Standouts include the Room 39 duology & the No Cosign Just Cocaineseries, the 5th & final installment of which finally arrived earlier this year followed by the Machacha-produced Malice at the Palace a month later. However, Ty’s returning 7 months later by letting y’all hear some Sounds That Never Left My Soul with the help of Graymatter.

“The Vortex” is a 2-minute rap rock opener clocking in at almost 2 minutes staying humble with the help of God himself whereas an early standout “Everything They Not” continues forward on a more rugged note talking about how he’s everything that these motherfuckers wish they were. “Box of Bullets” goes for a psychedelic sound detailing that more problems arise when you earn more money just before another favorite “Lifetime of Misery” is a dreary boom bap follow-up feeling the menacing vibrations as their souls demise.

On the other hand, “Samples of My Soul” weaves a woodwind flip into the picture cautioning that he has a heart of gold although it then cold if you bringing danger his way while the eerie “Death Over Disagreements” talking about keeping his name out your mouth in funny ways since he’s from the 313. The solemn “Splashes of Tragedy” admits that part of his meditation process is polishing the heaters that he owns while the luxurious title track asks to close your eyes & envision.

The song “Light the Corners of Ya Mind” hops on top of a soul sample to get into his specialty of giving haters to show their jealousy while the penultimate track “Kavanah” hauntingly talks about a soul with a hole in it. To round out the album though, we have T-Flame over a dark instrumental sending a clear message to all the “People Who Dead & Don’t Know It”.

Ty’s been known for his consistency, but he’s really been stepping up each year because dude just went on a threepeat here. Graymatter’s production is a slight step above Machacha’s on the last album Malice at the Palace that I found myself enjoying as much earlier this year & some of the concepts that T-Flame addresses resonated with me in relatability.

Score: 4.5/5

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