Kozmonautz – “Full Circle” review

The Kozmonautz are an MC/producer duo from Los Angeles, California consisting of Key Kool & DJ Rhettmatic. Making their eponymous debut in the summer of 1995, they would both go on to form the Visionaries with 2Mex alongside LMNO & another duo called Writer’s Block comprised of Dannu & Lord Zen putting out 5 full-lengths within the next 3 decades. However to commemorate the anniversary of their introductory LP over the summer, the Kozmonautz are running it back for an official sophomore effort.

After the “Big Bang 2” intro, the title track opens up by talking about livin’ life at ridiculous speed on top of sending empathic energy towards their people & presenting the truth whereas “Yes Yes Y’all” takes the boom bap route instrumentally representing all 4 elements of hip hop culture. “Listen to This” works in a funkier beat making way for Key Kool to drop a couple verses in Japanese prior to “Reconcentrated 2” talking about history repeating itself if we don’t learn from the past & teach it to the youth.

“Legacy” incorporates a woodwind to live life with integrity & maintain a pedigree taken from the blood of samurai just before the 2nd & final single “Quite Unique” jumps on top of this funky ass beat to talk about both of them speaking with their hands in dangerous ways. “Down with Us” by the Visionaries gives a taste of what’s to come from their upcoming 6th album in 2026 staying fly as fuck & come from Up Above while “Better World” finds the Kozmonautz reflecting on the current state of things whether it he politicians abusing their power & children playing with iPads rather than going outside.

Maintaining a boom bap vibe, the song “Sureshot” talking about always rockin’ stages whenever tbh hit the scene while the Key Kool solo cut “Catchin’ U Off Guard” produced by Kutmasta Kurt wraps up this Full Circle moment explaining that he & Rhettmatic don’t have anything to prove since they’re a couple of b-boys who have genuine respect for the culture in contrast to all of these mainstream record labels exploiting the art form in addition to the wankstas who think they be hot shit & finally the wannabe star acting larger than they really are.

These guys’ eponymous debut remains amongst the most slept-on west coast hip hop albums ever made filled with consciously abstract & hardcore lyricism flowing over boom bap production, but for Key Kool & DJ Rhettmatic to celebrate 30 years of that full-length by reforming the Kozmonautz for an aptly titled Full Circle moment recapturing the same energy of that beloved album & channeling it through the perspectives of the veterans they have evolved into from the young up-&-comers starting out.

Score: 4/5

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Napoleon da Legend – “Legmatic” review

Paris, France born albeit Brooklyn, New York based emcee Napoleon da Legend releasing his 28th studio LP. Heads in the underground should already be familiar with him due to the lengthy discography that he’s built up for himself for nearly the past decade including Coup D’État, it’s sequel, Street Universe, Dragon Ball G, the Sicknature-produced Colossus of GOATS, Buckets or the DJ D-Styles-produced Invincibl Rap Mislz. Much like the latter, this time we have another Beat Junkies member DJ Rhettmatic being enlisted to produce Legmatic.

After the titular intro, the title track sets us off with a horn-heavy boom bap instrumental referencing Evander Holyfield whereas “Legendary Legacy” works in more kicks & snares on top of some subsistier horn melodies & the title rightfully not needing any further explanation. “Midnight Madness” is this misty piano-boom bap hybrid talking about making your own destiny prior to “Pressure” featuring Innocent? ruggedly putting their feet on their necks.

“2 Step 2 the Bank” has a lavishly dusty flare to the beat providing an anthem for those built for this leading into “The King Walk” telling everyone running their mouth album to make it make sense over heavier kicks & snares. After the DJ D-Styles interlude, “Not Without a Heart” featuring Nejma Nefertiti finds the 2 backed by horns once again talking about gasoline running through their veins on the warpath & “We Don’t Know You” ends Legmatic going for a futuristic albeit grimy approach instrumentally rebelling until his last day on Earth.

Invincibl Rap Mislz became amongst Napoleon’s best material around this time last year & sure enough, Legmatic standa out as one of his strongest LPs in a while & most definitely a go-to for anyone who isn’t up on him by now already. Everything from Invincibl Rap Mislz whether it be the boom bap production or Napoleon’s hardcore lyricism is recaptured, but the founding Beat Junkies member himself DJ Rhettmatic takes it a whole new level completely.

Score: 4.5/5

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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