Decksterror – “Love & Honour 2” review

London, England, United Kingdom producer Decksterror returning with his 2nd extended play Originally known under the moniker G-Man, he would form Hollow Sun Records alongside Cosm in the spring of 2020 a couple weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic began & eventually made his full-length solo debut with Black/Gold Stash a couple years later. Signed to the Croydon underground imprint Hidden Hobby Records as an in-house producer, he made his debut for the label with Love & Honour and has dropped the highly anticipated follow-up only 24 hours away from Callum Newman becoming the youngest IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン.

“Democracy Manifest” by Ill Sykes, Kakarot & Lomax opens with the trio spitting hardcore bars over a boom bap instrumental whereas “The Source Code” by Lomax lets everyone know what this shit’s really all about. “Terminal Horizon” by Ill Sykes works in some horns to talk about his words being more effective than sticks & stones while “Tony Stark / Speed of a Train” by Murkerz gets the 2nd half of the EP going with a dusty 2-parter.

Body Bag Ben & DreMilla appear together on “P.A.K. (What Does It Mean?)” talking about their respective pens slicing anyone who dares to step up to them in a rap battle while “The Golden Eye” by Juga-Naut, Micall Parknsun, Montener the Menace & Teach ‘Em ends on a more luxuriously rawer note talking about how they made a pledge when it comes to the artform & those who ain’t do shit having the inability of complaining because ain’t a game to them unless anyone else has actually played it.

A little over a month since DJ Sam Seed introduced himself artistically bridging The Unaligned, we’re now being treated to a Love & Honour sequel that reached the bar it’s predecessor had set & continues what could be Hidden Hobby Records’ biggest year yet. There are some slight improvements within the list of guests most notably towards the backend of it, but it’s really Deckterror’s production that really shines the most.

Score: 3.5/5

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LIFEOFTHOM – “Re-Route: Reflection” review

This is the 6th extended play from New York City emcee LIFEOFTHOM. Coming up in the late 2010s off his first couple EPs Thomas & Robot Jesus, he would go on to release 3 more in Floor 11 as well as Room 44 & Cocotaso respectively. Driving Blind produced by Plain Pat following an appearance on Lørd Skø’s sophomore effort United Palace has since become his most acclaimed material & Re-Route: Reflection produced by Supah Mario looks to reach that same pedestal.

“Can’t Help” featuring Meechy Darko gets things going with this gritty boom bap beat talking about being outside looking for the hard play whereas “Monday” goes for a summery vibe instrumentally telling this woman he can’t live without her. “The World is Yours” shift towards a cloudier direction realizing that it seems like he doesn’t need the internet anymore & “Grape Vine” ties it all up in the form of this boom bap outro talking about him staying asking questions because answering them is a bonus.

LIFEOFTHOM already has 5 other EPs he’s given over the course of this ongoing decade & I might not have Re-Route: Reflection above Driving Blind, but it’s pretty close & continues to dent more cracks into realizing his true potential than a lot of his earlier output a decade ago. There’s more of an obvious reflective approach to his songwriting & Supah Mario’s production is more lenient towards the trap sound he’s become known for over the course of a decade.

Score: 4/5

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Giffy Pluggo – “The Layoff: No Hooks” review

Here is the 4th extended play from Chicago, Illinois emcee & ATIP Records founder Giffy Pluggo. Emerging a few years ago off his debut mixtape Paid Leave & its sequel, he would later put out an expanded version of his debut album Los Pluggos followed by Pluggo’s Birthday & Douda respectively. The latter mostly produced by Myles & becoming the most beloved entry in his discography thus far, coming off a Luxury Manifesto almost 9 months prior to break down The Layoff: No Hooks.

“Notice Received” recalls the very moment he was let go from his day job over a crooning vocal sample talking about this only being an overview of the feature presentation whereas “Overqualified” goes for a chipmunk soul vibe instrumentally boasts of copping a Cybertruck when I personally think they look like refrigerators although I don’t mind the interface of it. “Division Shut Down” talks about knowing your worth & labels having to pay him in advance while “Out Here” includes a dope bar referring to Ye’s debut The College Dropout.

Global appears on the song “Pink Slip Poetry” shifting towards a cloudier direction with the beat talking about the Cybertruck that Giffy copped earlier being unable to fit in his garage & considering it to be the problems of a baller while “Exit Strategy” incorporates some warm synthesizers so he can speak of growing up on a different type of block. “Restructured” spends the last few minutes of the EP announcing that Paid Leave 3 will be arriving soon over a drumless loop & going through a lot to get to where he’s at presently.

Giffy Pluggo has also confirmed that he’s working on something with Drumwork Music Group founder Conway the Machine as we speak & I look toward to that considering that the Black Soprano Family Records collaborations happened through him opening for Benny the Butcher several time. And in light of him getting laid off from his job, The Layoff: No Hooks rebuilds himself in real time & this improvement above Luxury Manifesto EP is only the beginning of this new era in his career. The production’s an improvement above the predecessor & conceptually, he’s taking a piece of the moment when life flips on us & we have to decide whether to fold or level up.

Score: 4/5

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che – “Fully Loaded” review

New surprise EP & the 5th overall from Atlanta, Georgia recording artist che. Starting as a member of the 4ersona collective under the original moniker murkio before settling on cheRomani+ & later abbreviating it, it wasn’t until more recently where he decided to build a solo catalog for himself by putting out the debut EP 3 over a year ago & followed it up in the form of X or the original version of his 3rd EP Closed Captions a few summers ago. Crueger that same Halloween showed more of a Chief Keef influence & sayso says was an acclaimed rage debut of its own, coming off the beloved Rest in Bass to drop Fully Loaded.

The self-produced “$1M Mansion” begins with some synthesizers & 808s boasting the new crib he copped around his parts whereas “Promoting Violence” talks about people getting robbed for pennies. “White Folk” energetically describes his lifestyle becoming more expensive these past 2 & a half years but once “Tattoos” comes through with an ode to all of the ink he has on his skin, “Kittens” sends off Fully Loaded talking about being a big pup.

It’d be a huge stretch to put Fully Loaded in the same category as both of his LPs, but it feels like the beginning of a new era for che & eagerly await where his next album takes it beyond this point. The production experiments beyond the rage sound to explore trap metal & retain the Chicago drill influences of his previous material, spitting hardcore lyrics & using a deep voice reminiscent of Mr. Krabs from the Paramount Skydance Corporation subsidiary Nickelodeon hit series SpongeBob SquarePants.

Score: 3.5/5

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Central C – “All Roads Lead Home” review

Here we have the 6th extended play from Ladbroke Grove, London, England, United Kingdom rapper & singer/songwriter Central C. After putting out a total of 4 EPs & a couple mixtapes in addition to his Split Decision collab EP he & Dave did, the 2023 XXL Freshman Class member signed to Columbia Records & his full-length debut Can’t Rush Greatness was received mixed-to-negatively even if his popularity keeps growing. 14 months later, All Roads Lead Home has arrived following it’s delay only a few days after Alexxis Falcon ended Alex Windsor’s 2nd reign as RPW British Women’s Champion to become a 2-time champion herself.

The introductory freestyle was an mediocre choice of an intro considering he’s just going off the top promoting Drake’s upcoming 11th album Iceman whereas “Slaughter” featuring J Hus blends UK drill & 3-step, countering each other by spitting forgettable verses of their own. “Wagwan” kinda has this lo-fi drill vibe to it talking about a shorty he hasn’t seen in a minute prior to the self-produced “Feelings” acknowledges what it’s like when nobody believes in you.

“DC10” winds down the last few minutes of All Roads Lead Home talking about being inside of a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos until Einer Bankz produces what could be my favorite instrumental on the EP during “Maka” featuring A2Anti, even if the latter’s guest appearance was worse than the other one. “Y Fi Dat” finally ends All Roads Lead Home talking about having his eye for sexy women & saving a hoe like he’s Spider-Man.

You’re better off listening to the new Fliptrix album Elevation produced by Telemachus if you’re looking for some new UK hip hop this weekend because not only has Can’t Rush Greatness aged like milk, but Central C’s newest EP preparing for his sophomore effort is somehow worse. A lot of that would attribute to a great deal of the beats feeling pretty cheap for this style of drill as well as his singular flow & basic lyrics.

Score: 1.5/5

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Mike Shabb – “The Lost Tapes” review

New surprise EP & the 8th overall from Montréal, Québec, Canada emcee, producer & engineer Mike Shabb. Emerging in the spring of 2018 off his full-length debut Northwave, he would continue to make his presence known by putting out his last 7 EPs & a few mixtapes before gaining notoriety for engineering Boldy James’ 5th album Fair Exchange No Robbery along with producing “Switches on Everything” off Hitler Wears Hermes X & enlisting his mentor Nicholas Craven to fully produce his 5th EP Shadow Moses from top to bottom. Hood Olympics & Sewaside III were both solid in their own rights, following up Shabb Van Gogh as well as Fight the Power! & Vrai Rap Keb! to have Drega33 produce The Lost Tapes.

The jazzy “Don Gargon” officially kicks us off talking about how he can’t be seconded out by anyone while “Nike Tech” goes for a boom bap vibe instrumentally wondering why people acting like he isn’t pushing hip hop culture forward. “Kiss & Tell” embraces a more psychedelic sound talking about keeping shit to himself just before “Evidence Flicks” hops over a bare saxophone loop whacking up anyone who fucks around with him.

“Dudududu” continues the final half of The Lost Tapeson some soulfully funky shit talking about dying for this shit since he’s way too deep into it & once “Jet2” continues the crooning sampling techniques calling out someone who’s acting all tough when everyone knows that isn’t the case with him, the closing track “World Go Round” wraps things up combining chipmunk soul & jazz so he can talk about money making the globe spin.

It was already announced earlier this week that he’s working on Sewaside IV & I have no clue whether that’s coming before or after Hood Olympics 2, but I wasn’t anticipating Mike Shabb to drop another extended play so soon after Vrai Rap Keb! became some of the greatest French hip hop I’ve heard recently. He takes a backseat from the production so Drega33 can pull inspiration from drumless, boom bap, chipmunk soul, jazz rap, psychedelia & funk all for Montréal’s finest to body himself.

Score: 4.5/5

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Elcamino – “Bruv” review

2nd extended play of 2026 & the 22nd overall from Buffalo, New York emcee & singer Elcamino. Blowing up almost a decade ago off his self-titled EP with Griselda Records, his profile increasingly grew after being followed up by Walking on Water mixtape in the summer of 2018 along with dropped 2 studio albums & a few EPs the year after that. They Spit on Jesus proved to be a well received Black Soprano Family Records debut becoming the first Camino project that I had covered since On the 3rd Day & that much like No Weapon Formed Against Me was an improvement over some of the material we’ve gotten from him in recent memory. Real Bad Man would produce The Game is the Game followed by Ill Tone producing Built for Cuban Links named after Raekwon’s iconic solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… produced by RZA in addition to flexing his Millionaire status & Full Moon showing a heavy Future influence. Martyr’s Prayer III produced by 38 Spesh made for a gratifying conclusion to the beloved trilogy as did Mino, but now he’s coming off the Ill Tone-produced God is Love to drop Bruv.

“London Bruv” hops over a soulful boom bap instrumental to give his flowers to the United Kingdom’s capital whereas “Green Beret” produced by Ill Tone continues the chop up the soul samples talking about those kind of people not getting a whole lot of love. “Adele” keeps the crooning chipmunk soul vibes going using the same rhyme scheme for a couple minutes while “You’re Here” talks about doing it all for the glory & taking pride in the joys of him being African American.

The song “Getting Old” continues Bruv’s last leg going completely drumless to speak of knowing he’d lock himself in since there was always more in store for him than what he’s already achieved while “Eating Steaks” brings back the sampling techniques so he can talk about being in Paris for Fashion Week last year, embracing some jazzier undertones additionally. The closer concludes the EP with a chipmunk soul outro calling out a backstabber who doesn’t wanna see the “Other Side”.

Although I lean a little more towards God is Love, I can appreciate Elcamino getting in passport mode for Bruv since France & the UK have always been my 3rd & #1 biggest audiences outside of the States respectively. The production’s more soulful than it’s primarily drumless predecessor & Meech details a hustler philosophy with runway lighting including overseas backdrops, designer details & war-ready bars balanced by flashes of family, memory, the weight of who didn’t make it, grief, pressure & discipline through flexes that he earned himself.

Score: 4/5

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iyrus – “III” review

Up-&-coming Philadelphia, Pennsylvania rapper & producer of Nigerian descent iyrus is back for the final installment of his ongoing extended play trilogy. Emerging in the summer of 2024 after doing an On the Radar freestyle, he would later introduce himself more properly last spring off his debut EP Resurgence until continuing to make waves with I & II. It’s only been a couple of months since the latter began turning more heads & III has dropped exclusively on his SoundCloud page.

“Scarlett Johansson” begins with him looking to turn up the streets whilst driving a trackhawk Jeep over a sample-based trap instrumental whereas “Igbo Man” turns up the rage so he can talk about the way he’s been living. “Noise” featuring diamond* & produced PROJECT4PLAY finds the 2 boisterously boasting their top shotta statuses leading into the self-explanatory “Make Money” talking about waking up every single day to stack up his bread.

Wrapping up the 1st half, “oK” discusses walking off the stage & going back to his hood a lot similarly to Miley Cyrus prior to “Blessed in Hell” incorporating some heavy 808s to talk about his confidence of always doing all of this without needing any help. “Spam” featuring Zukenee claims to be damned if they fall off harder than Lil Xan when both of them are more talented than he ever was while “Big Red Dog” talks about paying the cost of any artist wants to be at his level.

“Get Money” winds down III’s final minutes flexing that he’s been letting his expensive habits get to him, coppin’ an expensive palace out in Calabasas over more rage beats & once “Kunta Kinte” talks about going from middle schoolers insensitively calling him the main character of Roots: The Saga of an American Family during his adolescence to the one their bitches want, “Pablo” ends the EP talking about feeling like Gregg Popovich whenever he’s in Texas & the reputation he has in his own hometown.

Local artist slayr has been making a lot of waves this month because of his 2nd mixtape Half Blood being reissued, recently joining ApolloRed1 & 9 Vicious in the studio last weekend. iyrus on the other hand already began revealing his artistic potential back in January although it hasn’t been fully realized yet, continuing to flourish throughout his 4th extended play. I can appreciate him taking a backseat in terms of production compared to its predecessor like I to focus more on lyrically spazzin’ alongside both guests.

Score: 3.5/5

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Samara Cyn – “Detour” review

This is the 3rd EP from Murfreesboro, Tennessee rapper & singer/songwriter Samara Cyn. Beginning her career in 2019, it wasn’t until the fall of 2024 where her debut EP The Drive Home began to turn heads and catch people’s attention because of the way she fused alternative hip hop with neo-soul. Her most recent extended play Backroads came out right around the time she was selected to be apart of the 2025 XXL Freshman Class last summer, looking make a quick Detour exactly 9 months later & only a week following her most recent single.

“Free” starts us off with this heavenly intro singing about wanting to fall in 2 prior to an EDM breakdown to conclude it whereas “Good is a Lie” produced by ovrkast. blends neo-soul & hip hop talking about her desires to light this guy’s world up. “oooshxt!” honors the legacy of Missy Elliott admitting that she hasn’t been doing so sweet as of lately despite all of her successes, but then “Bushwick” featuring ovrkast. brings both of them together so they can talk about nobody threatening them.

The song “over influence” continues Detour’s final moments rapping like the rent’s due on top of promising that she won’t ever let a weak bitch inside of her home & taking some inspiration from orchestral music with the strings while “Highest” incorporates 1 last ovrkast. beat talking about doing shit that others out here aren’t. “Nomad” finishes things up with a moody closer detailing her experiences of being stood up, lied to, led astray & people spitting in her face.

Known for often fusing hip hop & neo-soul in her music, Samara Cyn comes off her Camp Flog Gnaw performance this past fall by creatively pushing herself throughout Detour to the point where I have to put it above the EP she gave us 9 months earlier. The pop rap, boom bap & alternative R&B production’s a bit more experimentally darker than what many of us familiar with her have grown accustomed to & conceptually, she’s issuing a statement based off her own experiences of disconnecting from social media built around remaining human in the modern age of the internet.

Score: 4/5

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Jon Connor – “The Artist Yahn Freeman III” review

Flint, Michigan emcee/producer Jon Connor returning for the 3rd installment of his ongoing 12-part series of extended plays almost a week since Divine Dominion, the current CMLL World Light Heavyweight Champion Místico alongside JetSpeed & Jack Perry all became the new AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champions, AEW World Trios Champions & AEW National Champion at Revolution VII and days after Wren Sinclair & Aaron Rourke became the new WWE Women’s Speed Champion & WWE EVOLVE Champion respectively. Someone who’s steadily been holding it down for the last 2 decades including The Calling, Vinnie Chase & S.O.S. trilogies along with the Best in the World series paying homage to some of Jon’s influences, Salvation, While You Were Sleeping & Unconscious State. He was even signed to Aftermath Entertainment for 6 years before departing after Vehicle City wound up being shelved, coming off Food for the Soul & 24 produced by KLC of the No Limit Records in-house production team Beats by the Pound to go on a 3-peat with Smitti Boi.

“Black Messiah” aggressively comes out the gate talkin’ about fightin’ & throwin’ fists until his arms gets tired whereas “No Smoke” takes the trap route instrumentally explaining that BabyChiefDoIt using AI to write his raps has to be the dumbest shit he’s ever heard. “So Far Gone” goes for a bit of a boom bap vibe talking about public opinion changing only when you’re dead while “War” apocalyptically confesses to feeling like we’re at conflict.

Reaching the halfway point, “Good Money” addresses a woman who claims to be stripping to make it out the hood except she’s still doing it even after becoming wealthy leading & after “To the Young Lady at the Barber Shop” melodically speaks directly to a female who isn’t receiving the love she wants promising it’ll all be ok, “Come Over” goes for a conscious rap rock direction wanting to elevate the female he’s talking about & leaving the old version of her behind.

“Look the Other Way” begins The Artist Yahn Freeman III’s encore soulfully discussing an experience he had the the other day where he ran into someone he personally knew & they eventually turned their heads after saying something while “Silent Conversations” returns to the boom bap telling everyone who’s tuned in to keep going no matter what. “Things You Can’t Control (For TTT)” soulfully ends the EP talking to a young king who should play this when lost in their thoughts.

So we’re almost a quarter way through 2026 already & of the 3 entries to come out of this whole saga so far, The Artist Yahn Freeman III makes improvements above The Artist Yahn Freeman II & dethroning the 1 that began it all. It’s starting to look increasingly likely that Smitti Boi will be producing the whole series & I can’t complain because the production’s more varied than the other 2 installments, backing the messages Jon’s portraying through his rhymes tend to be more urgent than it’s predecessors.

Score: 3.5/5

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