LMNO – “3 Mimes & an Elephant” review

LMNO is a 51 year old MC from Long Beach, California known for being a member of the Visionaries. Making his solo debut over 2 decades ago with Leave My Name Out, he would go on to release a total of 17 more bodies of work under his own name with the most notable being the 10-disc James Kelly & the Madlib-produced 10:20. The last time I covered LMNO was when he formed the trio LMD in the fall of 2022 & put out an impressive debut called Flying High. So when I heard DJ D-Styles was fully producing the 19th LP in LMNO’s catalog, I knew it was gonna be quality considering D-Styles’ recent production run.

After an intro, the first song “A Dual with a Dual Edge” featuring Self Jupiter finds the 2 over a boom bap instrumental reflecting in coming from the bottom & jumping off the ledge before their wings began to spread whereas “Cross Examination” takes a funkier yet mellower approach not knowing what to do if he couldn’t create never tapping out. “Best to Lay Low” dabbles with rap rock preferring to sail the 7 seas instead of selling his soul leading into “Son of a Daughter” dustily talks about keeping babies out the street & never competing

“Hip Hop as Fuck” ruggedly breaks down the explanation of others either having it or not just before “Garlic Braid” was a great piano-driven single homaging the title track off Eric B. & Rakim’s sophomore effort down the hook & sample. “Bloody White Flags” deliriously suggests you find him if you want the smoke brought right to you directly while “Saved & Spent” drearily talks about giving thanks daily. “Out of Sight (Out of Mind)” featuring Blu closes the album with them flexing they daydream with night vision & their west coast underground statuses.

10:20 was easily the most I’ve enjoyed a solo effort from LMNO since After the Fact produced by Evidence over a decade ago & like I had expected, he & DJ D-Styles knock it out of the park with a follow-up halfway through the current decade that compensates the gap between the predecessor & now. D-Styles’ production similarly to Invincibl Rap Mislz & Beluga pushes the Beat Junkies sound forward with LMNO holding down the performances by himself like he did the last time we heard from him.

Score: 4.5/5

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Nowaah the Flood – “Beluga” review

This is the 7th studio LP from Dallas, Texas emcee Nowaah the Flood. Breaking out in the summer of 2018 by releasing his first EP Trill Life Mathematiks around the same time as Nas’ 11th album NASIR fully produced by Ye or the Nazi formerly known as Kanye West, he would go on to drop 21 EPs along with The Nowaah & the Dewer’s eponymous debut album and roughly his last 6 proper full-lengths. Standouts for me personally include the DirtyDiggs-produced Private Stock, the Estee Nack collaborative effort Planted Seeds, The Infallible, the Stu Bangas-produced Respectfully, the Giallo Point-produced Right Over Left & it’s sequel, the DJ D-Styles-produced Crème de la Crème, the Kyo Itachi-produced Sudan Samurai Scrolls & recently Plans of the Diligent last Thanksgiving. Almost exactly 4 months later, DJ D-Styles is returning for Beluga.

After the intro, the first song “On Sight” kicks it all off perfectly from the grimy synth-driven boom bap instrumental to Nowaah’s lyricism promising the way it’ll be to those who wanna front whereas “7,000°” ruggedly talks about turning the heat up on everyone. “Big Wheels” keeps it in the basement making a reminder of his murderous reputation, but then “As I Walk Out My Door” featuring DNTE speaks of being weight watchers on the way to a weight house suggesting Planet Fitness can’t even catch a cardio case now.

“No Safehaven” starts the 2nd half of Beluga with a beat feeling reminiscent of “Back Down” by 50 Cent taking no prisoners & showing no mercy while “Willie Bobo” remembers the late Latin jazz percussionist of the same name. “The Sleeping Giant” strips the drums comparing his bars going straight to your brain to blow while “Never Expected” returns to the boom bap for a 3 & a half minute lyrical attack. “Rent Due” wraps things up by waking up the snakes in the grass with a pistol.

Crème de la Crème remains one of the most beloved entries in Nowaah’s catalog & this sequel nearly 2 months after the divided reception of Smash & Grab (Vanglorious Vandals) was what he needed, myself personally annoying it as much as Plans of the Diligent last fall. He’s significantly more focused, DJ D-Styles’ production is stronger, the songs feel more fully structured out in contrast to the rushed state of Smash & Grab (Vanglorious Vandals) almost 8 weeks ago.

Score: 4.5/5

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Napoleon da Legend – “Invincibl Rap Mislz” review

Napoleon da Legend is a 43 year old MC born in Paris, France & based in Brooklyn, New York who a lot of underground heads should be familiar with at this point considering the lengthy discography that he’s built up for himself for nearly the past decade ranging from Coup D’État & it’s sequel to Street Universe & Dragon Ball G. But coming fresh off Le Dernier Glacier last month which was disappointing considering the Sicknature-produced Colossus of GOATS & the Giallo Point-produced Buckets were his strongest bodies of work in a while, his 22nd album here fully produced by DJ D-Styles of the Beat Junkies was more than enough for me to hope Napoleon would redeem himself.

After the intro, “Blaktual News” featuring Innocent? & Josiah the Gift kicks off the album with the trio talking about standing by their word protecting it like their kids over a boom bap instrumental whereas “Food” works in some piano chords cautioning that your biggest mistake is not knowing when to shut up. “Rubiks Cube” featuring Amerigo Gazaway finds the pair surviving dark times to face the light over some more kicks & snares, but then “Supreme Haiku” takes a drumless acoustic route talking about not being the one to lie to.

Moving on from there, “Alligator Tears” featuring Aïda returns to the boom bap as the 2 MCs telling y’all to sit back as you watch them do their thing just before “Gods vs. Titans” has a more symphonic groove to it calling out those operating from a distance like a narc. “Games We Play” has a glistening boom bap beat asking if anyone wants to play a game leading into “Snake Oil” lacing some guitar passages discussing the promise of a better life.

“Distortion” starts the final leg of Invincibl Rap Mislz by expressing his desire to have the music bring it out of them instead of just bringing it to the music over a synth-heavy instrumental while the song “Table Manners” featuring Nejma Nefertiti reminds how much of a good combo they are over a dusty beat. The title track has a more nocturnal aesthetic to it sonically dissing those with arms too short to box the God on the mic & “Wu-Masters” is a cool Wu-Tang homage to end the album from the lyrics to even the RZA-inspired instrumental.

If anyone else walked away from Le Dernier Glacier disappointed like I did, then PLEASE check out this new body of work right here because it’s on par with both The Colossus of GOATS & Buckets as far as I’m concerned. DJ D-Styles’ production is more consistent than what we got from Napoleon a month ago, the features list is brief yet tighter & the French-American wordsmith delivers harder performances.

Score: 4/5

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XP the Marxman – “Pacific Standard Time” review

This is the 5th full-length album from XP the Marxman. Coming up as 1/3 of the trio Rhyme Addicts. As far as his solo career goes, the dude has a handful of projects under his belt already, with my personal favorite being the Roc Marciano-produced Keep Firing. He just dropped The Marxman at the very beginning of the year & as we finally enter summer, D-Styles & DJ Rhettmatic are being brought in to fully produced Pacific Standard Time

After the “Pst #1” intro, “Get At a God” kicks off the album on a dreary note thanks to D-Styles with XP comparing himself to that of a God whereas “Lil Mijos” takes a jazzy boom bap route talking about growing up in the streets. RhymeStyleTroop tags along for the guitar-driven “Ms. America” embracing their Mexican heritages leading into the spine-tingling “Trunk” getting in his hustler bag.

After the “Pst #2” skit, Sick Jacken comes into the picture for the dusty “Tom Fears” produced by Rhettmatic reminding everyone how they play just before the eerie “Paint Pictures” quenching for blood. “The Kuyas” with Big Twins finds the 2 over a piano-laced boom bap instrumental talking about keeping them open, but then “Ski Mask to Jet Skis” lavishly reflects on his life then & now.

The song “Turn Up the Volume” incorporates some colorless piano melodies so XP can get on his thug shit while the penultimate track “Old to New” talks about being a king & the beat on here is just petrifying to the core. However, “Frost Bitten” is a gully ass way to end the album from the horn-laced production to XP’s malicious lyricism.

I was very excited going into this given that I’ve been a fan of The Beat Junkies for a minute & how much I’ve enjoyed some of XP’s most recent projects. Needless to say: It’s some of the best shit he’s ever done considering how great the chemistry between him, D-Styles & Rhettmatic is. Purely raw penmanship & production from start to finish.

Score: 4/5