BeTheGun – “Miami Deco” review

Here we have the debut solo EP from London, England, United Kingdom emcee & filmmaker BeTheGun. A former member of the Children of the Damned collective & currently apart of it’s successor the Cult of the Damned, he’s probably the most elusive member of both crews making occasionally rare guest appearances on a handful of projects to come out of Blah Records for over a decade. However, we’re finally getting a better look at who Barebase is altogether using some Miami Deco.

“Excepts of Irony” hops over this funky beat produced by Lee Scott talking about nothing changing around his part of town whereas the title track goes for a lo-fi boom bap vibe instrumentally observing that everything seems to be the same to him. “Force Majeure” keeping the dustiness ensuring he maintains his audience & after “Better Daze” smoothly talks about knowing what some people out there have been looking for, “Metropolis” ends the EP discussing most of the frogs that got kissed became princes of darkness.

Keeping my fingers crossed that Miami Deco won’t be the only time we get to hear the original Children of the Damned member as a solo artist & was quite surprised it took BeTheGun this long for him to create a body of work under his own name, but it makes me hopeful it won’t take another extended period of time until he makes his full-length debut. The hook maestro & storyteller extraordinaire we were introduced to 15 years ago hasn’t lost a step & the production mostly handled by Lee Scott could be some of his greatest.

Score: 4/5

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Sly Moon – “Banned From the Vic” review

This is an extended play of solo material from London, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Sly Moon. A former member of the Children of the Damned as well as currently being apart of its successor the Cult of the Damned & the Sohio Players, he made his full-length debut in 2020 with Why Am I So Sly? under Blah Records & teamed up with it’s founder Lee Scott for the collab effort F.D.M.B. (Flippin’ Dough Makin’ Bread). Fast forward 8 months later & he’s been Banned from the Vic nearly a week after Luke Jacobs ended Michael Oku’s longest reign as RPW British Cruiserweight Champion.

We get an eerie self produced instrumental on the intro talking about being dressed like a jester of sorts in the middle of “Leicester Court” whereas the title track confirms that the Grosvenor Casino Victoria did in fact ban him over a drumless chipmunk soul loop. “Take Money” featuring Sonnyjim goes for a jazzier vibe expressing their love of money leading into “Back for More” incorporating some synthesizers talking about coming at people’s doors after going from rich to poor.

“How My Thoughts Go” gets the other half of the EP blending a crooning sample & a piano for a dedication to the 24/7 grinders & nightlifers while “Stuck in the Hippodrome” featuring BeTheGun & Stinkin’ Slumrok finds the trio teaming up for a hardcore jazz rap anthem reminiscent of the Cult of the Damned’s output collectively. The jazz elements seep through the 67 second look at a “Holographic World” & the final song sends it all off on a smoother note sipping Hennessy at the local “Hippo Bar”.

Taking in consideration that the Sohio Players produced a vast majority of Why Am I So Sly?, it was interesting to hear Sly Moon solely handling the beats himself & Banned from the Vic provides a better look at his individual dexterity whilst leaning towards a gambling theme. His production’s more soulful than was a couple years earlier & spends 19 minutes telling late-night stories right around the poker table with a well selected guest list adding their perspective to the issue.

Score: 4/5

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Stinkin’ Slumrok – “Stink-O-Vision” review

This is the sophomore effort from London, England, United Kingdom emcee Stinkin’ Slumrok. A member of the Cult of the Damned collective as well as 1/2 of the duos Swamp Harbour & Morrstinkin’, he would eventually sign to the London imprint Blah Records in the summer of 2015 after I had graduated from high school & make his full-length debut with Don Pong. He has since shifted his focus towards Swamp Harbour & Morrstinkin’ whilst making a handful of guest appearances, returning to his solo endeavors by turning on the Stink-O-Vision globally for all to view.

Nobodies Home hits us with a jazzy boom bap instrumental on the intro “Yeayeayea” responding to a woman saying he needs to change his ways that he’ll take it slow whereas “SAS” featuring Black Josh finds the 2 teaming up to rip it hardcore together. “Burst” takes a piano flip & throws some kicks & snares in the mix talking about now being the time to get wrecked instead of split open prior to “Botany Bay” featuring King Grubb & Lee Scott finding the trio talking about keeping it going until they hit kingdom come.

“Why Slummy?” reaches the halfway point of the album addressing the people who question him for the way he is leading into “Whodafuckisthis? leaning towards the trap side of things so Swamp Harbour can talk about people giving no fucks regarding them whatsoever. “Show Me” has a moodier boom bap sound altogether tackling themes of lust just before “Some Things” hooks up a prominent vibraphone talking about spending an entire 24 hours not doing shit.

Meanwhile on “Goblet”, we have Bang On! joining Slummy getting ready wrap up the broadcast on the Stink-O-Vision needing their paper pronto due to the fact of time waiting for nobody while “Rah Rah Rah” featuring the B-Movie Millionaires alongside Bill Shakes & King Grubb spends the full-length’s last 4 minutes or so representing the Cult each of them have memberships in over synthesizers combined with kicks & snares.

Sticking out amongst the other Cult of the Damned members for his style bridging younger & older hip hop fans alike, the follow-up to Stinkin’ Slumrok’s debut could be a cut above his debut 7 years earlier although some could dispute that opinion. Nobodies Home’s production kinda reminds of King Grubb’s debut album Droopy. in the sense that it’s experimental, except it’s catered towards the jazz rap style & Grubb’s wordplay has been swapped out in favor of Slummy getting waved & smoking weed with baby mamas despite him not having any children.

Score: 4/5

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Black Josh & Milkavelli – “Swegasus” review

Runcorn, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom veteran Lee Scott solely producing Manchester emcee Black Josh & London emcee Milkavelli’s collaborative studio LP. The latter of whom was a member of the Children of the Damned & the other joined its succeeding collective the Cult of the Damned. So considering the intertwining history both of these guys have with the Blah Records founder comprising 1/2 as the B-Movie Millionaires & the Mcabre Brothers respectively, I can understand the intention behind Swegasus.

“Fisher Price” opens up with a boom bap instrumental assuming life’s a joke until we all die from laughter whereas “La La La” mellowly references Jamiroquai’s 3rd album Traveling Without Moving containing their biggest hit “Virtual Insanity”. Anyway, the song “Doin’ Bits” continues from there dippin’ to the crib in a whip that eventually flipped just before “Sherbert” dustily reaches the halfway point talking about being 6 feet in their graves with weed in their papers.

Meanwhile on “Golden”, we have Josh & Milk flowing on top of a boom bap beat with synths talking about things being far from over for either one of them musically leading into “Proper” shifts towards a west coast vibe a bit boasting their lyrical proficiency combined. “Take a Chance” shows off Lee Scott’s ear for sampling to talk about life being a fat joke other than keeping their heads to see the sun in the clouds & “Die to This” wraps up Swegasus sends it off with a boom bap outro.

Blah Records would unfortunately drop Milkavelli only months after Swegasus came out when it was revealed he was scamming fans, making Swegasus the last time the prominent UK hip hop label would release anything that had his creative input. It’s a shame too because not only did he & Black Josh really had someone beginning to develop in terms of abstract chemistry, but Lee Scott’s lo-fi boom bap production was the most suiting musical soundscape conceivable.

Score: 3.5/5

Cult of the Damned – “The Church Of” review

The Cult of the Damned are a hip hop collective from England, United Kingdom consisting of Blah Records founder Lee Scott, BeTheGun, Sly Moon, Salar, Bill Shakes, King Grubb, Tony Broke, Black Josh, Stinkin’ Slumrok, Bisk, Sleazy F Baby, Col. Mustard, Dr. Zygote, Sam Zircon & Reklews. Properly introducing themselves as a unit in 2015 off an eponymous debut EP, a sequel would come in the form of their full-length debut Brick Pelican Posse Crew Gang Syndicate & are getting back together for a sophomore effort.

“Ahem!” begins with this 5 minute posse cut asking over a guitar-driven boom bap instrumental from Nobodies Home if anyone listening has been picking this important signal whereas “Internal Error” talks about being the modern day No Limit Records & everyone else being their children. CLBRKS joins the Cult on “Worship” referencing WWE Hall of Famer, 14-time WWE world champion, 5-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 3-time WWE tag team champion & WWE’s current COO Triple H. just before “WTH” finds the B-Movie Millionaires with BeTheGun & Milkavelli talking about them being sick in the head.

BeTheGun brings Sly Moon & Stinkin’ Slumrok besides him on the mic during the piano boom bap crossover “Rotation” realizing the has-beens they used to kick it with amounted up to nothing leading into “Norman’s Theme” talking about them being averagely normal as they come. “AB NO (Red Leicester)” dismantling little league MCs who want to battle them knowing they wouldn’t stand a chance while “W.Y.T.B. (What You Talkin’ ‘Bout?)” ends the 1st half with the Cult posing that very question to people flapping their lips.

“Gung Foo” hits us with another posse cut to start the 3rd quarter continuing to spit battle raps over a boom bap beat while “Skid Row” hilariously disses an adversary claiming to be all the knowledge when they don’t know a damn thing about them at all. “Step” featuring Danny Lover has a bit of a cloudier tone instrumentally talking about their need of succeeding & rewriting the whole game plan while “Good News” featuring Bang On! grittily obliterates rappers with basic penmanship.

To get The Church Of’s last leg going, “Castles” talks about being better off staying inside & smoking weed because of their bent-up whips while “Rear View” fuses jazz rap & boom bap so they can speak of seeing things a lot more clearer than they did previously. “Henny Shots” comes through with a 2-parter where the entire squad’s having a toast & “Brick Pelican’s Lament” finishes by having King Grubb holding down the outro for a solo track of his own.

Diminishing the grime undertones of Cult of the Damned 2: Brick Pelican Posse Crew Gang Syndicate significantly, the 2nd album from the Children of the Damned’s spiritual successor takes themselves beyond their self-titled EP & their previously mentioned debut for a great follow-up to the Cult of the Damned’s early output. The boom bap production’s darker than Brick Pelican Posse Crew Gang Syndicate’s, the inclusion of outside guest appearances was only a matter of time & every member’s verses remind me of the almighty Wu-Tang Clan in that they’re all unique swordsmen of their own category.

Score: 4/5

Swamp Harbour – Self-Titled review

Swamp Harbour is a duo from London, England, United Kingdom consisting of Bisk & Stinkin’ Slumrok. Both of whom are known for being members of the Cult of the Damned collective & have crossed paths with each other a handful of times over the years on tracks like “Catfish” or “Runt” to only name a couple. However after being signed to Blah Records as solo artists for quite some time, they’re ready to properly introduce themselves by joining the label & putting out an eponymous debut album entirely produced by Sam Zircon.

“No Response” featuring Jack Danz after the “Heads Roll” intro was a solid hardcore hip hop opener instrumentally reminiscent of the Wu-Tang Clan single “Can It All Be So Simple?” & after “Marsh Law” featuring HAPPYPPL references WWE Hall of Famer Mr. T talking about dumping bodies in the swamp, “Cantaloupe Island” has a jazzier vibe to the beat dismissing rappers who hit the ground as soon as shit goes down in a session.

King Grubb appears on “Pelican Beach” ruggedly talking about knowing when the Swamps call your name while “Indicity III” finishes a trilogy Morrstinkin’s debut started & Gutter City bridged. “Francs” hooks up a reversed string sample mixed with kicks & snares talking about wanting others’ money when they die & after “Wholegrain” eerily speaks of both artists finding their way up, “Zip Ties” concludes with a lo-fi boom bap outro speaking of keeping it g when shit gets deep.

Bisk & Stinkin’ Slumrok have individually spent the past several years making names for themselves whether you look at their own respective solo discographies or the appearances they’ve made on the Cult of the Damned’s self-titled EP & it’s sequel Brick Pelican Posse Crew Gang Syndicate, but Swamp Harbour’s introduction marks births exciting side project for the UK’s answer to the Army of the Pharaohs. Sam Zircon’s boom bap production is dark, the amount of guests are kept to minimum & we get a better look at the chemistry between both MCs than either of the Cult’s previous discography entries.

Score: 4/5

Bill Shakes – “Eh?” review

This is the full-length studio debut from Blackburn, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom emcee Bill Shakes. Formerly a member of the Children of the Damned collective & currently apart of it’s successor the Cult of the Damned, he would eventually sign to the London imprint Blah Records & have Reklews produce his 2011 solo debut EP For Goodness Shakes. However when I learned that Lee Scott would be handling all of Eh?’s beats by himself, I knew this return for Bill would be special.

The entrancing boom bap instrumental on “Chips ‘n’ Gravy” was a great way to grab listeners’ attention for an intro talking about taking everything he wants for free whereas “Smartprice” featuring King Grubb finds the 2 ruggedly speaking of being the kings of the most high regardless of the altitude. “Tugay Kerimoğlu” shouts out the retired Turkish soccer player of the same name alongside Black Sabbath frontman & WWE Hall of Famer Ozzy Osbourne leading into “Once Upon a Time in Blackburn” telling a story taking place in his hometown.

“Yeah Yeah” ends the 1st half of the LP showing a more aggressive side to Bill from the raw beat to the aggressively confrontational lyricism while “Uvavu Kart 64” featuring King Grubb reunites the 2 so they can assure everything will be ok, but it wouldn’t be alright. “The Legend of B-Town” recalls a hot summer day in 2002 where he was hanging out with friends blending elements of funk & boom bap while “11:30” dustily talks about an assailant running from law enforcement after failing to apprehend him.

Jam Baxter appears on “Lost S07E01” making their own continuation of The Walt Disney Company-owned ABC hit sci-fi adventure drama series that ended back when I was in 7th grade while “Funkpellybrick” featuring Sly Moon hooks up a downtrodden piano sample keeping their mind on others’ money. “U What M8” wraps up Eh?experimenting with hip house & probably has the most repetitive songwriting out of another other track I mentioned previously.

Catching onto Bill Shakes through guest appearances on projects like Leaf Dog’s sophomore effort Dyslexic Disciple or Eric the Red’s debut Caught Red Handed, he makes his comeback nearly a decade later with the most personal material he’s ever conceived. The production’s significantly darker than For Goodness Shakes’ was during my final year of middle school & lyrically, Bill uses this opportunity to thematically gives flowers to the Lancashire town that made him the man we hear in front of us today.

Score: 4/5

Lee Scott – “Lou Reed 2000” review

This is the 7th studio LP from Runcorn, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom emcee, producer & author Lee Scott. Introducing himself through The Wrong Bootleg Demo & the full-length debut Put on the Glasses over a decade ago under his own label Blah Records, some may even recognize him for his memberships with the Antiheroes, the B-Movie Millionaires, the Children of the Damned, Cult Mountain, the Cult of the Damned, Group, HAPPYPPL, Hock Tu Down, the Mcabre Brothers & Nobodies Home. Peppered Mouth Soup & Happy Sellout Shit were ok, but the sophomore effort Stupid Poignant Shit produced by Illinformed would become his most celebrated work following it up with Tin Foil Fronts as well as CactusOwlMoonGoat & the High Focus Records-backed Butter Fly being another favorite of mine. Nice Swan would become as beloved although Supergod5000plus & Oh, the Fun We’re Having were alright. He’s wrapping up 2018 however producing a great deal of Lou Reed 2000 homaging The Velvet Underground’s late frontman of the same name.

After the “Lou Lives” intro, the self-produced title track begins with him talking about turning negatives into positives despite everything in his life being shit whereas “Rocket Fuel” produced by Nobodies Home talks about today not being great yet it’s alright because there’s always yesterday. “Bad Foot Forward” featuring King Grubb finds the pair asking why people are pushing them around & flippin’ a cough on this battery operated machine while “Me Alone” talks about starting a riot because the damage is done.

“Mid Afternoon” continues the 2nd half of the album talking about not having a dream & occasionally waking up in the middle of the afternoon looking to get some food inside him sooner rather than later if after “Foneline ‘06” featuring King Grubb expresses a desire to call someone who doesn’t even call them anymore, “Colossal Jones” featuring Jam Baxter talks about confusing people’s 6th senses & it taking more than a stretch of marble pillars to hold their tongues.

The track “Next Stop” opens up about him constantly thinking of all the things he doesn’t want to do & sending the whole world on a “fuck you” note while the final song “Fuck U Save Me” featuring Sadhugold the “Lou Lives II” outro spends the last few minutes of the full-length with both of them lyrically getting in their hardcore bags, commending some for impressing them the way they take this joke called life so seriously & being nothing like the artists comparing themselves to him.

All 3 of the extended plays Lee Scott has dropped post-Butter Fly still have their share of notable moments despite not considering them to be on par, but Lou Reed 2000 is definitely the most I’ve enjoyed his solo material in a couple years. The production primarily handled by Lee himself with live instrumentation from his Nobodies Home companion Jack Chard occasionally chops up some samples to spend a bulk of the half hour exploring a varied range of sounds from jazz rap to lo-fi hip hop & boom bap cutting down the guest appearances to only a select few for a 30 minute collection of thought provokingly sad philosophical ignorant rap.

Score: 4/5

Black Josh – “Yung Sweg Lawd” review

Manchester, England, United Kingdom emcee Black Josh of the Cult of the Damned & LEVELZ collectives as well as the duo B-Movie Millionaires returning for his 5th studio LP. Making his full-length debut Brick Flair’s Ape Mountain following an eponymous debut extended play, the sophomore effort albeit Blah Records debut #blahblahblahblackjosh alongside the Blosh & Pete Cannon-produced Smoking Kills EP would all succeed it. Coming off the Ape Tape & his last full-length Brexit however, Joshi£’s clearing up why they call him the Yung Sweg Lawd.

“Round Ere” begins with a blaring boom bap instrumental suggesting not to spend all one’s time around his neck of the woods since people there aren’t really living their lives whereas “925” produced by Reklews references WWE chairman, CEO, self-booked WWE Champion & ECW World Heavyweight Champion Vince McMahon along with the company’s primary flagship program Monday Night RAW right out the gate basically making comparisons to that of dayjobs.

The title track has Josh talking about trust issues resulting in him no longer having a relationship with certain people over another boom bap beat leading into “Bad Omens” dustily discussing the idea of ghosting negative spirits in one’s life. “This is It” featuring Truthos Mufasa & Yussuf Maleem finds the trio coming together to discuss doing this shit for the Cult just before “Cult Sag 2” featuring the Mcabre Brothers funny enough hits us with a Lee Scott & Sly Moon-laced sequel to a #blahblahblahblackjosh highlight.

“Judge Judy” featuring Nah Eeto brings a psychedelic flare to the table talking about the only woman who can save them while “Dem Ways” wraps up the 1st leg of Yung Sweg Lawd instrumentally shooting for a mellower boom bap vibe explaining him hustling & achieving because his struggle was deep. “Thinkin’” hooks up some sampling so he tackle relationship struggles while “Own Tings” by the B-Movie Millionaires featuring Jesse James Solomon & Sniff talks about the independent grind all 4 of them uniquely possess.

Pitch 92 gets behind the boards during “1000 on Red” featuring Milkavelli getting fed up of being fed up while the mediocre trap cut “What I Need” talks about this woman being what he wants. “2 Fone Shawty” makes up for it from Reklews’ beat to the lyrics about female who has 2 cell phones while “R Kid” featuring Con M1 & Sangy shrugs off what people say regarding them. “Linguine Limbs” featuring Milkavelli reunites 1 last time for a passable cloud rap joint while the closer “Ciggaweed” includes a reference to WWE Hall of Famer Mr. T over a Skepta beat.

#blahblahblahblackjosh & the Ape Tape were both seen has significant improvements above Black Josh’s earlier output, but the Yung Sweg Lawdarrives 9 months following the Attack of the 50,000ft Sweg Lawds from Outer Space taking himself to a newer level artistically through some of his greatest material. His lyricism’s more abstract & the production has an experimentally illbient feeling to it than most of his previous output.

Score: 4/5

Hock Tu Down – “Hock Tu 3” review

Hock Tu Down are a duo from Liverpool, Merseyside, England, United Kingdom consisting of producer Reklews alongside Runcorn, Cheshire, emcee/producer & Blah Records founder Lee Scott. Forming in the late 2000s, both members of the Children of the Damned & it’s successor the Cult of the Damned would drop their full-length Prozium Peddlin’ at the end of 2009 & followed it up 9 months later with their debut EP Something Strange. It’s been over 8 years since the latter & these guys are reuniting for a sophomore effort.

“Breakfast” talks about having so much fun in the sun to the point where he might cry over a raw boom bap instrumental whereas “Fanks” takes a more personal approach to Lee’s songwriting speaking of both his parents. “Glenn’s Eye” has a slower vibe to the beat talking about being the ones to explain how shit’s gonna go down leading into “Kit Bag” featuring Milkavelli reunites the Mcabre Brothers referencing former UFC Featherweight Champion & UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor.

As for “Deus Ex Machina”, we have Hock Tu Down giving a fuck less if they impress or disrespect anyone surrounding them working in more kicks & snares with some jazzier undertones just before “1 Tu” talks about reality being what you make of it whether someone’s there cooperating or not. “Game On” featuring Jehst finds the Group talking about life being unfair on top of this slow boom bap instrumental & “Black Hoodie Season” after the “Bengal Tiger” skit moves forward with an autumn ode.

“Yarbles Mahoney” continues the 2nd half of Hock Tu 3 ruggedly talking about being a rare 1-of-1 edition sitting on a lonely shelf while “Honest Daze” featuring Nickelus F & Quelle Chris sees the trio confessing every mistake they made caused them to run & gun more. “Sun D” dustily talks about having nothing to do like it’s a Sunday while “Zip” takes a couple minutes so he can discuss today being a great day to rebel in Hell.

The track “Breathe 101” winds down the album’s final minutes jumping over a gully beat reminding us to take deep breathes regularly & the final song “I Made Some Shit” preceding the compositional 60 second outro sends it all off treading intergalactic boom bap waters instrumentally talking about making more music with the money that Lee’s made off his previous material & tripping on the 12th stair when he was on his way to the pearly gates of heaven.

Prozium Peddlin’ was an outstanding debut for Hock Tu Down & I felt like Something Strange in comparison was ok, but Hock Tu 3 wedges itself in middle behind their inaugural LP almost a decade ago & above the extended play they gave us prior to their hiatus. Waiting for the right time to make a return, Lee Scott takes a batch of boom bap production he’s had from Reklews for some time in middle of him hanging around family & using them as inspiration to write the final product.

Score: 4/5