Truth – “Nostalgia ThEraPy 2” review

Brand new EP from Queens, New York emcee Truth. Formerly of the trio Gods’Illa, he would start to build up a solo discography for himself the year after the group’s full-length debut Believe in Gods’Illa however with From Ashes to Kingdom Come. He later followed it up 3 years later by dropping the sophomore effort The Fight for Survival as well as For All Intents & Purposes. The latter of which was also produced by Da Beatminerz fully as was Nostalgia ThEraPy, running it back with DJ Evil D & Mr. Walt for a sequel.

“Painful Truth” set up shop with a gully boom bap instrumental suggesting to try fuckin’ with him in a battle just to see what would happen until “Want It Back” dustily talks about his desire for New York to take it back to it’s roots dismissing “mumble rap” when I feel like we’ve been past that phase for a grip already. “Redrum Seen” brings a murderous vibe from the beat to the relentless penmanship while “Cause for Concern” featuring Psycho Les & Tragedy Khadafi comes together for a lyrical onslaught.

The song “Done Did It” kicks off the 2nd half of Nostalgia ThEraPy 2 by having Truth hopping over some horns mixed with kicks & snares talking about doing this rap shit with ease while “Check It Out” unloads a couple of razor-sharp 16s with more authority than the MTA on top of an aggressive backdrop. “Get to It” featuring Royal Flush finishes the EP with both of them over a soul sample refusing to slow down until they get what’s owed to them.

Hungrier than ever, the 3rd dosage of potent east coast boom bap from Truth & Da Beatminerz continues the former Gods’illa member’s elevation as a solo artist that began nearly 4 years ago with For All Intents & Purposes alongside the original Nostalgia ThEraPy EP celebrating it’s 2-year anniversary in only a couple months. Everything regarding the latter being elevated throughout its follow-up from DJ Evil D & Mr. Walt’s production to the sharp lyricism.

Score: 4/5

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Da Beatminerz – “Stifled Creativity” review

Da Beatminerz are a production duo from Brooklyn, New York consisting of brothers Mr. Walt & DJ Evil D. Widely recognizable for their affiliation with the Boot Camp Clik during the 90s, they managed to put out a full-length debut of their own Brace 4 Impak through Rawkus Records at the end of July 2001 & subsequently the April 2005 sophomore effort Fully Loaded w/ Statik. Nearly 2 decades later, the Dewgardes are reuniting to sign a deal with Soulspazm Records & releasing their 3rd LP after a string of singles building up anticipation for it previewing an intriguing list of guests.

After the “Live from Bushwick General Hospital” intro, the first song “Seckle” by KRS-One was the best single that I’ve heard from the Blastmaster in recent memory reminding the game that he don’t fight fair over a dusty boom bap instrumental whereas “Product” by Ruste Juxx eerily reminding y’all that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. “Back in Style” by Ras Kass gives off that funky west coast energy in lieu of the waterproof MC himself making it clear Da Beatminerz are back at it again, but then “Champion” by Mickey Factz gets back on the east coast tip excelling in hopes of seizing the moment for clientele.

“Martial Law” by Apathy rawly declares that your whole block will get popped since he’s firing missiles over a piano-driven boom bap beat just before “Fear None” by Da Villins adds kicks & snares on top of a gospel sample advising to learn early so you don’t have to fear shit. “It’s All 4 U” by Halley Hiatt & Al Skratch fuses boom bap & R&B tackling themes of romance just before the passionate “Can’t Live Without It by Marquee & Monifah prior to another “Live from Bushwick General Hospital” skit showcasing their musical inclination rapping AND singing.

Black Moon gets together on “Anti” taking back to basics since maybe it’s been too long since their outstanding comeback album Rise of da Moon even though that was almost 5 years ago while “The Birds” by Bishop Lamont jumps on top of more kicks & snares showing off crazier flows. “Adore H.E.R.” by Keith Murray hypnotically picks up from there calling women the most beautifullest thing in God’s creation while “Where You From?” by Loaf Muzik for a decent hardcore anthem about being dressed to kill.

“B-Ville Pioneers” by Lil’ Fame & Steele unites 1/2 of both M.O.P. & Smif N Wessun to represent the Hell outta Brownsville while “Cheeba” by Camp Lo & Stahrr moves on from there with a chilled out theme for the smoker’s that is until “It’s All 4 U” remix swaps out Al Skratch’s verse in favor of a new one from AZ, outdoing the original. “100 Proof” by Ras Kass gets on some jazzy boom bap shit personifying alcohol & after a final “Live from Bushwick General Hospital” skit, “My Year” by De La Soul, Pharoahe Monch & Rasheed Chappell ends the album with everyone talking about the streets 1 last time.

Turns out Walt & Evil D have been working on Stifled Creativity for 15 years now in the midst of doing other things like DJing all over the world, it’s just that they were inching their way up to this point especially after the last Black Moon album. Now that we’re finally here, the duo are returning having a better grasp on reality when it comes to down to certain things & it makes a welcoming comeback. They both stick to their signature sound being the Boom Bap Ambassadors they are relying more on samples than Fully Loaded w/ Statik & a mostly solid guest-list.

Score: 4/5

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Truth – “Nostalgia ThEraPy” review

Queens emcee Truth formerly of the trio Gods’Illa teaming up with Da Beatminerz for his solo debut EP. The year after the group’s full-length debut Believe in Gods’Illa however, he would start to build up a solo discography for himself with From Ashes to Kingdom Come. He then followed it up 3 years later by dropping the sophomore effort The Fight for Survival as well as For All Intents & Purposes. The latter of which was also produced by Da Beatminerz fully & was not only my personal introduction to Truth’s music, but one that I found myself enjoying more than his previous work too. So with that in mind, I was sure I was gong to enjoy Nostalgia ThEraPy as much if not more than that previous LP.

“Truth Is” really sets the tone of what‘s to come by laying battle bars down over dusty boom bap production whereas “Lock & Load” works in an eerie loop with kicks & snares aiming for the kill. “Spit It” featuring Al Skratch & Kurious finds the trio over a bloodcurdling boom bap beat encouraging to speak your thoughts just before “Here & Now” brings in the horns boasting that he’ll tear down any stage anywhere.

To start the 2nd leg of the EP, “Da Beatminerz Sound” has to be my personal favorite track off the whole thing as Truth reminds that him matched with Mr. Walt & DJ Evil D is a deadly combo on top of this raw ass instrumental that they’re known for prior to “Won By One’s Will” taking the symphonic route telling y’all to kneel down to the pharaoh. “Queens Carnivores” featuring Royal Flush begins the encore with this bluesy sample repping their stomping grounds & “Calling” ties everything up with a soulful flip by getting busy.

Even as a 9-song EP running at 27 & only 3 features, Da Beatminerz continue to bring the best out of Truth because this is another pretty impressive body of work from them. It’s like a warm dish of hip hop comfort food that just so happens to incorporate some new herbs & spices courtesy of the chefs involved, all by design as Truth continues to evolve lyrically over the traditional east coast boom bap sound.

Score: 4/5

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Truth – “For All Intents & Purposes” review

This is the 3rd full-length album from Queens emcee Truth. Coming up as 1/3 of Gods’Illa, it wouldn’t be until the year after the group’s full-length debut Believe in Gods’Illa where he would start to build up a solo discography for himself with From Ashes to Kingdom Come. He then followed it up 3 years later by dropping the sophomore effort The Fight for Survival & now with the 3 year anniversary of that coming up next month, Truth is enlisting Da Beatminerz to produce For All Intents & Purposes in it’s entirety.

After the “Power of Truth” intro, the first song “Let’s Do It” is a dusty boom bap opener encouraging those who want problems to pursue it whereas “Duck Dodge Hide” takes a more blood-curdling route talking about watching your step around him. “Where You At?” goes into a more orchestral direction getting on his Queens shit just before “Listen Up” sends a chilling warning to anyone who wants to step to him in a battle referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE Champion & WWE Tag Team Champion The Iron Sheik.

Meanwhile on “Aim to Kill”, we have Truth delivering some deadly battle raps leading into “Fistory in the Making” following it up with a full-blown fight anthem. “Stomped Out” picks up where the previous cut left off topically except it works in some pretty cool horns, but then “Brutality” samples “I’m Alive” by Johnny Thunder to talk about his rapping prowess. “Attack” has some funky undertones into the production to rap circles around his opposition once more while “Take ‘Em Down” goes into bluesier turf talking about never letting up.

The penultimate song “Entourage” with Joe Fatal, Large Professor, Ras Kass, Tragedy Khadafi & Treach is an absolutely stellar posse cut with a haunting yet relaying vocal loop & after the “Pardon the Disruption” interlude, “The Eternal Forces” ends the album with a beautiful ode to those in his life who couldn’t be here today.

If you ask me, this is easily the best thing that Truth has put out yet & it exemplifies why he could be the illest of the Gods’illa camp. He & Da Beatminerz all take it back to the essence on here from the rugged lyrical content to the raw boom bap sound that the production duo blew up off of 3 decades ago & even the scratch hooks.

Score: 4/5

Black Moon – “Rise of da Moon” review

Black Moon is a highly regarded hip hop trio consisting of Buckshot, 5ft & DJ Evil D. Their 1993 debut Enta da Stage would go on to become a hip hop essential & despite their 1999 sophomore effort War Zone not being as acclaimed, it was still solid. Last time we heard from the group was in 2003 with Total Eclipse & all these years later, they’re making a comeback with their 4th full-length album.

The album kicks off with “Creep wit Me”, where Buckshot & 5ft both go at their competition over a piano-inflicted boom bap beat. “Da Don Flow” reclaims Buckshot’s prowess over a slaughterous instrumental while the track “Ahaaa” talks about cops over a g-funk/boom bap fusion. The song “Pop Off” flexes their skills over a boom bap beat with some gloomy horns throughout while the track “Ease Back” with Method Man & Steele go at their naysayers over a vibraphone inflicted boom bap beat.

The song “Impossible” with Smif-n-Wessun talks about how they can’t be stopped over a gritty instrumental while the track “Black Moon Rise” talks about their comeback over a funky beat. The song “Children of the Night” with Rock talks about what goes on during the midnight hours of the hood over orchestral boom bap beat while the track “Glory” makes numerous references to the color black over a mellow instrumental.

The song “General Feva” is a vicious 5ft solo cut while the track “Look at Them” talks about people tryna rob the group over a rhythmic bass-like & some haunting strings. The song “At Night” finds Buckshot & 5ft trading bars back & forth over a somber organ-inflicted beat while the song “Payback” talks about getting money over a funky beat. The penultimate track “Roll wit Me” with Tek gets romantic over a slick boom bap beat & then the closer “Time Flys” gets reflective over a jazzy instrumental.

This is a fantastic return from one of the hardest East Coast groups of all-time. You can really tell the trio all seem really happy to be back together as it really sounds like they never left from the deadly lyricism to the grimy production. Here’s to them hopefully dropping more efforts together in the future.

Score: 4/5