Pasto Flocco – “Rebirth” review

Queens, New York rapper Pasto Flocco returning after a 2 year hiatus for his 8th EP. Coming up as an associate of Lil Tecca, he’s seen quite the success off his own once branching out on his own by dropping his first 2 albums March Madness & Dreams 2 Reality along with a debut mixtape Surf to Kill (SGBSTK) as a member of the Surf Gang collective. Pasto rang in 2022 by dropping sophomore tape R.O.A.M. (Rich Off A Mic) under his newly founded Ghetto Luxury Entertainment & continued to build upon the sample drill sound on March Madness 2 & Walking Glitch. The Way Lyfe Goes was a solid mix of all kinds of sounds & is returning for a Rebirth following up Flocc4President.

“My Aura” is this cloudy trap intro produced by Swervo of Vanguard Music Group talking about the chick that’s seeing him feeling the vibes he gives off generally whereas “Nick Cannon (Wylin’ Out)” works in some synthesizers to flex that he still gets these hoes going crazy even after his sabbatical. “D Rose” maintains a synth-heavy sound comparing himself to the Windy City Assassin who retired after the previous NBA season, but then “Mentally Stable” talks about stepping away to get right.

Moving on from there, “Off the Grid” goes for a plugg vibe refusing to go for 2nd place while “Jimmy Butler (Sean John)” makes a bold nod to disgraced Bad Boy Entertainment founder Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy or Diddy & that he feels like the Golden State Warriors player. “Hot Like Summer” has these fabulous synthesizers showing off his stunner status leading into “Keep It 100” calling for everyone to be legit around him.

“Accident Prone” starts the encore of Pasto’s first body of work in 2 years with a colorful plugg track talking about a clumsy woman trying to get with him & basically telling her to back the fuck up from him that is until the official closer “Lobotomy” finishes off the EP with these psychedelic synths talking about having too much on his mind calling out every fuck boy copying him these past couple years when he stepped away.

The Surf Gang nowadays is mostly known for their run as a production team since a lot of their vocalist members have departed the collective & for Pasto’s comeback effort, quite possibly my favorite member of the collective departs from the sample drill sound that was prominent on his most recent material in favor of plugg rapping as if he never even had to take a step back.

Score: 4/5

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Action Figure 973 – “JxllyB & Blunts” review

Belleville, New Jersey emcee/producer Action Figure 973 reuniting with Queens, New York producer Wulverine for his 5th EP. Introducing himself off the UFO Over City Music beat tape followed by a couple solo mixtapes & the last 4 EPs he’s put out, I should further mention that the beatsmith from Act-Lo’s neighboring state has fully produced Luchadors Going Platinum Was Destined to Come & it’s sequel Luchadors Going Diamond Was Destined to Come the previous year respectively.

“Outside” opens with a reference to both the inaugural IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, former 12-time WWE world champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time WWE Hall of Famer, Real American Beer founder, Real American Freestyle Wrestling (RAF) co-founder & known racist Hulk Hogan and former 7-time WWE world champion, 3-time WWE tag team champion, 5-time WWE United States Champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion & 2-time WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart whereas “Fuck Bill Goldberg” featuring Ricky Mapes & the homie 100GrandRoyce disses the WWE Hall of Famer, former 4-time WWE world champion, WWE United States Champion & WCW World Tag Team Champion of the same name.

Book$ joins Action Figure 973 for “Coke & a Smile” to reference former 2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champion, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, TNA Hall of Famer, WWE United States Champion 5-time WWE tag team champion & 26-time WWE Hardcore Champion Raven’s former valet Beulah McGillicutty taking piledrivers from her husband in former 2-time アイアンマンヘビーメタル級チャンピオン, 2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, 3-time ECW World Tag Team Champion, TNA Digital Media Champion & 14-time WWE Hardcore Champion Tommy Dreamer.

“Mets vs. Sox” featuring Chyna Baejing strips the drums so both of them can talk about treating hip hop as if it’s a martial art & after the “Smoke Break” skit, the final song “1 Night in Sue” officially wraps up JxllyB & Blunts with a drumless guitar instrumental putting the Belleville luchador’s storytelling abilities on full display breaking down an encounter he had with a woman of the same name & admitting that he hasn’t been getting out much as of late because of him spending time in the studio continuing the everlasting hustle.

As a 90’s baby who got into professional wrestling during the Ruthless Aggression Era a little over 2 decades ago already & a hip hop head for as long as I can remember, Action Figure 973’s potential as a lyricist is undeniably bright & compared to the last couple EPs that he had Wulverine fully produce for him, JxllyB & Blunts leaves me torn with slightly more highs & lows. I don’t mind the boom bap/drumless production or Act-Lo’s lyricism, but the guests’ performances don’t really do the same aside from 100GrandRoyce.

Score: 3/5

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Diorvsyou – “Untitled EP.9” review

This is the 3rd EP from Atlanta, Georgia up-&-comer Diorvsyou. Coming up in 2021 off his debut EP Scoreboard, it wasn’t until I saw him open up for southsidesilhouette in Brooklyn the following November where I was personally introduced to his music & I was actually impressed with his set. The next EP w.t.f.i.dvy? (who the fuck is diorvsyou?) marked a bigger breakthrough for him artistically & returned up from the Ashes almost a year since Diorvsrxlvnd’s eponymous debut. That said, he’s dropping off Untitled EP.9 a couple days ahead of Valentine’s Day weekend.

“Ronda Rousey” with Cxdy of Internet Money Records & Vanguard Music Group opens with a cloudy ode to the UFC Hall of Famer, the inaugural UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, 3-time WWE women’s world champion & WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion from both TKO Group Holdings divisions whereas “Allclear” talks about seeing everything. “BBeep” works in some rage influences cashing out leading into “KTA” talking about wanting to body everyone in his path.

As for “WYA” produced by 406ahmad, we have Dior referencing current AEW World Tag Team Champion Bobby Lashley of The Hurt Syndicate after taking the belts from the previous titleholders in former GCW Tag Team Champions & HoG Tag Team Champions Private Party while “Talmbout” featuring Sk8star brings the pair together to talk about exactly how fly they get. “Freshman” boasts that he takes risk daily trying to get high enough to see heaven itself on the daily & “decarnin balmain” ends by showing fondness of Christophe Decarnin’s time as Balmain’s creative director.

He recently made a handful of standout appearances on The XA Tape that the Xavier Anthony clothing brand put out last weekend even if one of the executive producers incorrectly accused me of using AI on my review on it because I’ve never used AI to write any of the music I’ve covered & Dior gears up for an upcoming sophomore effort teasing 16 minutes of the modern trap sounds he’s become known for.

Score: 3.5/5

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Coi Leray – “What Happened to Forever?” review

Here we have the 6th EP from New Jersey rapper & singer Coi Leray. Growing up as the younger brother of Sosshouse Records signee Chavo & the daughter of Benzino, she began to carve a path of her own with her debut mixtape Everythingcoz along with her first 2 EPs Everythingcoz 2 & Now or Never even though they were mediocre to me personally. She then signed to Uptown Records after being relaunched by Republic Records & put out her major label debut Trendsetter not too long after which had a few of her strongest tracks yet, but the bad mostly outweighed the good & the same applied to Coi considering “Self Love” off the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack could be my favorite song of hers yet. Lemon Cars produced by Mike WiLL Made-It under Island Records was her most acclaimed body of work yet & his moving over to Epic Records wanting to know What Happened to Forever?.

“Keep It” was a decent pop rap intro airing out Trippie Redd for cheating on her not too long after her pregnancy with his child was announced whereas “Leave You Alone” tells Trippie not to lie to her because it cuts too deep. “I Hate Your Friends” is my favorite track here from the CashMoneyAP instrumental to the lyrics expressing the genuine hatred she holds against her baby daddy’s homies while “U Too” professes to being fucked up & “Lick Back” concludes the EP talking about getting into her bag again.

Lemon Cars made me more optimistic regarding Coi’s ability to craft a consistent body of work & for her Epic debut, she whips up a mediocre EP built around the sounds of both pop rap & alternative R&B channeling the frustrating betrayal that she felt after Trippie Redd was stupid enough to get her pregnant a little over a month prior. The concepts are there & so is the anger, my biggest issue is the production falling flat significantly harder than her last one did.

Score: 2.5/5

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G-Mo Skee – “The Toast Tape” review

Richmond, California lyricist G-Mo Skee remembering his dog Toast on the 1-year anniversary of his death with his 4th EP. Emerging as a member of the trio Stampede & later the Inf Gang. He would drop 2 official mixtapes Got Filth & Got Filth II: The Great Adventures of G-Mo independently before Twiztid signed him to Majik Ninja Entertainment in 2016. His full-length debut My Filthy Spirit Bomb coming out that same winter to significant acclaim, but I personally think G’s sophomore effort Chaly & the Filth Factory is his best work so far because of it’s incredible concept & the instrumentals accompanying it (mostly handled by former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7). The Filth Element commemorated his 30th birthday by proving that he didn’t need MNE, returning to The Dojo for 8 Bit Filth II: Hero Hunter & Filth City produced by Stu Bangas. Ahead of Huckleberry Filth however, The Toast Tape gives a taste of what to expect from it as Astronomicon approaches in a couple months.

“The Story of Toast” talks about the untimely death of his dog Toast turning him into a whole new person over a lo-fi boom bap instrumental whereas “Ghost Dog” samples the “Song of Healing from The Legend of Zelda games Majora’s Mask & Twilight Princess telling Toast his sprit lives on in his heart & mind. “Slide 4 Toast” flips Twinrova’s theme from the iconic Ocarina in Time game getting in his gangsta rap bag looking for smoke & sliding for his beloved dog, but then “The Gates” ends the EP opening up about sneaking off to cry & mourn Toast’s passing a month after his death.

G-Mo is known to be a huge fan of The Legend of Zelda franchise & sampled video games numerous times on both installments of the 8 Bit Filth series of EPs, but I actually enjoy The Toast Tape more than either entries in the 8 Bit Filth saga since the lyrics in only 14 minutes recaps the past year since Toast was taken way too soon remembering & mourning his best friend only days after his 10th birthday. Huckleberry Filth is said to be G at his most personal & if anything, The Toast Tape is only an appetizer.

Score: 4.5/5

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Yuno Miles – “YNX” review

Yuno Miles is a comedy rapper who’s been making waves online throughout this current decade by dropping off a dozen EPs, with the most acclaimed of the bunch being Knock Knock It’s Santa Bitch & Yuno History. Unfortunately the self-professed Nazi himself Ye formerly known as Kanye West currently in the midst of his grossest Twitter meltdown ever as of yesterday named Yuno as the only rapper he listens to & this shoutout inspired him enough to the point where he’s droppin’ YNX to start Super Bowl Weekend following his appearance on the “Bomb”’remix off ¥$’ sophomore effort Vultures 2.

“Hop Steps” begins the EP with some finger-snaps & Yuno admitting he can’t dance although he’ll hit the titular move whereas “Break Something” featuring BRBLuhTim finds the 2 talking about their music giving off that exact vibe. “Side Chick” is this cloudy pop rap cut dedicated to the woman he’s seeing in the midst of his ongoing relationship prior to “In My Zone” referencing 16-time WWE world champion, 4-time WWE tag team champion & 5-time WWE United States Champion John Cena fresh off putting over former WWE Intercontinental Champion & 10-time WWE tag team champion Jey Uso at last weekend’s Royal Rumble XXXVIII.

Ayekeem joins Yuno Miles on “IDGAF” freestyling over the classic Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz joint with Mystikal & one of my favorite Krayzie Bone verses regardless if I find myself enjoying Yuno’s parts the most in my respectful opinion while “Oh Naw” goes for a rage vibe to talk about them being on my dick like the belt on his waist. “Poured Up” featuring Ayekeem reunites the 2 for the EP’s final moments so both of them can take the time to talk about remember being played showing a diverse side to them dabbling with pop rock.

Not too sure if it’ll surprise some people that I appreciate comedic music acts like Milo Murphy’s Law star “Weird Al” Yankovic or Wheeler Walker Jr., but one of my top 10 producers of all-time naming Yuno as the only rapper he listens to is ironic since he posted “‘08 Obama” off the new Coast Contra EP In Case You Forgot on his IG story 48 hours before his embarrassing self-destruction calling out disgraced Tesla CEO, SpaceX founder, Neuralink founder & Twitter owner Elon Musk for “stealing my Nazi swag” at the inauguration couple weeks ago resulting in me never wanting to buy a Tesla ever again. Either way, it’s a decent EP.

Score: 3/5

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Babytron – “Song Wars” review

Detroit, Michigan emcee Babytron preluding Luka Trončić 2 with his 5th EP. Coming up as a member of the ShittyBoyz along with his childhood friends Stanwill & TR Dee signing to Lando Bando’s own The Hip Hop Lab Records, he’s also built an impressive solo career for himself as well as the side groups Lewis & Clark and the Dookie Brothers. But the last couple years was probably his biggest yet landing interviews ranging from No Jumper to even Rolling Stone following the release of Luka Trončić until signing with EMPIRE Distribution later that same month & Bin Reaper 2: The 2nd Coming that same fall. Bin Reaper 3 ended the trilogy with a 2-disc effort, the bootleg Style EP wound up being disappointing, the full-length LP 6 made up for it as did his previous mixtape Megatron 2. His collab mixtape Mario & Luigi with Certified Trapper wasn’t all that great either & Tronicles was cool, whipping up 5 new tracks & compiling them into Song Wars.

“Xyla” was a decent Detroit trap intro with these bells & pianos talking about being immersed in the dangerous gangsta lifestyle & after “5 Star” finds himself feeling like he’s on Tattooine from The Walt Disney Company-owned Star Wars after consuming some psychedelic mushrooms, “Boogaloo (May God Be My Witness)” gets back on the gangsta tip lyrically.

16-time WWE world champion, 4-time WWE tag team champion & 5-time WWE United States Champion John Cena gets referenced on my favorite track here “2025” produced by Danny G prior to “Killas, Juggers & Robbers” peacing up the Song Wars by talking about his preference of being the kidnapper instead of the hostage or a killer rather than getting popped.

Recorded for PlaqueBoyMax’s popular series on his Twitch channel where he invites rappers to compete against each other in a music competition & judged by a panel of guests, Song Wars still proves to be tolerable enough to satisfy fans of Babytron distinguishable punchlines until time for the sequel to my favorite tape in his catalog comes.

Score: 3.5/5

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9 Vicious – “B4TM” review

Atlanta, Georgia up-&-comer 9 Vicious gearing up for his upcoming sophomore effort Tumblr Music by releasing his 4th EP. Breaking out last summer off his debut single “U Fancy”, he would go on to further introduce himself on B4SA & the debut album Studio Addict helped him gain more exposure to the point where Young Thug has been trying to sign him to YSL Records since. Coming off both TM 1.5 & TM 2.9 from earlier in the month, the time has come for B4TM ahead of the main course later on in the year.

“R.I.P. Keed” kicks things off with a cloudy trap intro he, Jwade & Patrick Garza made together paying homage to the late Lil Keed whereas “Slime Bidness” boasts about making your hoe throwing it back for him keeping a stick & a mag on him over a 406ahmad beat. “Conversating” takes a soulful trap direction instrumentally addressing those who thought he was gay while “You Said” asks if this woman remembers if she told him she loved him. The outro produced by Taurus finishes the EP telling his life story.

Studio Addict was welcomed over a month ago to mixed reception although I could very much hear what 9 Vicious was capable of doing artistically & the prelude EP to his next LP here only provides 11 & a half minutes of what Tumblr Music has in store at a later date. The trap production gets refined here compared to both of his previous projects showing a hint of cloud rap thrown in the mix & he shows the world more of who he is lyrically.

Score: 3.5/5

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V Don – “Sent For” review

New York producer V Don curating his 3rd EP after signing to Black Soprano Family Records & Roc Nation Records. In the past 15 years, he has become one of the most in-demand producers that the underground has seen working with the likes of Willie the Kid to Ransom & Estee Nack in addition to his small handful of solo efforts including the debut album The Opiate & his last EP Better Than Money. The latter celebrated its 3-year anniversary earlier this month & is returning with Sent For.

“Mafia” by Eto is this gritty boom bap opener talking about never sitting in a spot if he could never landlord it whereas “Fortunate” by Hobx & WhoisBravy hooks up some strings along with kicks & snares to discuss staying putting in orders in order to maintain the baller mentality of theirs. “The Same Day” by Benny the Butcher & Conway the Machine finds the pair talking about goals coming together doing something to your soul leading into “Episode” by Lloyd Banks boasting that his life’s complete.

The song “Too Much” by Al-Doe & Willie the Kid reaches the backend of Sent For by going drumless suggesting you should take it if you like what you see from them while “Old Kemba” by BabyMaine & Ty da Dale returns to the boom bap talking about staying hands on with the work. “Know Me” by Elcamino & Sule closes V Don’s debut with B$F/Roc Nation with both MCs giving headshots as if they’re photographers & that you better act as if you know what the deal really is.

Whether it be the Deutsche Marks saga or B.R.A.P. (Born Rewards & Penalties) & the Chaos is My Ladder duology, V Don’s case in being one of underground hip hop’s most in-demand producers has already been made clear as day in the past 15 years & his Black Soprano Family/Roc Nation debut takes it a step further introducing himself to a wider audience. His signature hardcore boom bap sound remains the same & he recruits a mostly high tier list of performers to kill his beats.

Score: 4/5

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Coast Contra – “In Case You Forgot” review

Coast Contra is a jazz rap/trap group from Los Angeles, California consisting of RioLoz, Eric Jamal & Ras Kass’ twin children Taj Austin & Ras Austin. Their debut album Apt. 505 in the spring of 2022 received significant acclaim & their debut EP The Old Way the next fall, coming off being featured on Masta Ace & Talib Kweli’s latest albums Richmond Hill & The Confidence of Knowing respectively followed by the Austin twins’ appearance on Kamasi Washington’s 5th album Fearless Movement a year ago by teaming up with Toronto, Ontario, Canada producer Marco Polo for their 2nd EP.

“Mountain Climbers” begins with this jazzy boom bap intro wanting everyone who’s working all day to know that their time is on the way & to keep climbing making way for “‘08 Obama” co-signed by one of my top 10 producers of all-time Ye formerly known as Kanye West to work in a soul sample referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former 3-time WWE world champion, 3-time WWE United States Champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 9-time WWE tag team champion, 8-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion, アイアンマンヘビーメタル級チャンピオン & The Crash’s inaugural Mundial Pesocompleto Campeon Rey Mysterio.

The first half of the EP ends with “Shanghai Tower” gets romantic over a luxurious boom bap instrumental prior to setting out to make it right with their partners on “Been a Minute” backed by strings, kicks & snares. “Sunday Regulars” realizes obedience bringing a gospel/boom bap twist & the dusty, piano-driven title track wraps up Coast Contra’s finest work as a group with that shit you can’t fuck with.

These guys’ rise to notability has served as a breath of fresh air to hip hop fans due to the raw talent, complex lyricism, camaraderie & infectious personalities of all 4 members celebrating a decade together with the project that I’ve always wanted Coast Contra to make capitalizing on what makes the group so special. Marco Polo’s production strongly caters to boom bap, jazz rap & samples of gospel & soul music perfectly backing the quartet in reminding everyone who they are.

Score: 4.5/5

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