Pradabagshawty – “Forever & After” review

Here’s the 4th EP from Columbia, South Carolina born albeit Atlanta, Georgia rapper Pradabagshawty. Introducing himself last summer off his debut EP Bloxk Addiktion, he would go on to follow it up with 1 Love & the Cegular Records debut 10 Freak Ho’s found Whyceg making him the 2nd artist to sign to his newly formed Sony Music imprint after Babystaydown. A couple months after his debut under the label Hate da Way Um Livin’, the pressure’s being applied with Forever & After.

The intro “Plate” clocks in at 108 seconds talking about loving paper more than hoes & staying on the block for days whereas “Living Room” doesn’t shy away from admitting that he pops an adderrall when he wakes up every single morning over a Hariroc beat referencing Eric André, host of the greatest talk show of all-time The Eric André Show that ran for 5 seasons on the Discovery Global owned Cartoon Network subsidiary [adult swim].

Babystaydown saves the best guest appearance of the 3 for “Clueless” offering a glimpse of their chemistry while “Sub 0” featuring Bakkdoeshawty references former 6-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time AEW World Champion, inaugural ROH Hall of Fame inductee, ROH World Champion, 2-time ROH World Tag Team Champion & 5-time IWA World Champion CM Punk over a Whyceg beat. “Tangled Up” takes a pluggier vibe instrumentally talking about getting caught up between 2 hoes while “Mary Jane” could probably be my favorite track personally being a stoner myself.

The song “U Cried” featuring ImSoMarcus & produced by SOULJASPIRITS begins the EP’s final leg with both of them reflecting on going from not having shit to being locked in but after “Green n Goin’” talks about not doing relationships because he’ll end up leaving a bitch if she happens to bore him over a piano instrumental from Wizardpem, the closing track “Rehab” finishes by admitting that he needs serious help with his addiction to drugs.

Bloxk Addiktion as well as 1 Love & 10 Freak Ho’seach had their own individual amount of standouts that captured Pradabagshawty’s potential in the plugg/gangsta rap scenes, but Forever & After surpasses 1 Love in becoming his greatest extended play yet & revealing that he a lot like Babystaydown are leading the charge regarding Cegular Records’ popularity increasing heading into the new year. Although I could’ve done without a couple guests, production is prominently centered around trap this time around with plugg still included as a minor influence & Prada’s pen further suffices.

Score: 4/5

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Ty Farris – “Timing of a Tarantula” review

Detroit veteran & Bars Over B.S. Records founder Ty Farris dropping off a physical exclusive 4th EP a week before Thanksgiving. Originally going under the moniker T-Flame being featuring on a lot of projects throughout the mid-2000’s until the very end of the decade, it was at that point where he started to put out solo stuff at a prolific rate by dropping 11 mixtapes, 11 full-lengths & his last 3 EPs. Standouts include the Room 39 duology & the No Cosign Just Cocaine series, the Machacha-produced Malice at the Palace & the Graymatter produced Sounds That Never Left My Soul. He just put out Enigma with an Attitude over the summer & is back with the Timing of a Tarantula.

“Gawd Mode Activated” is this drumless rap rock opener giving y’all the pain, the glory & everything that comes with it whereas “Trendsetter” gives off a mafioso vibe instrumentally talking about mixing longevity & high quality in addition to those tryna copy him when he’s building a monopoly. “Glass Joes” has a cloudy boom bap flare expressing his only concern now being the cash flow while the sample-driven “Venom in My Veins” talks his visions of living in flames.

Flames Dot Malik joins Ty on the piano boom bap joint “8 Eyes on the Paper” tryna maintain with 1 foot in the game each as they try to get paid just before a personal favorite of mine “Eat What You Kill” produced by Denny LaFlare keeps it in the basement suggesting that those thinking they better than him be mixing PCP in their blunts. “Top Rank” featuring Estee Nack aggressively reaffirms both of their statuses as lyricists & “Web of Lies” protects what’s his refusing to get involved with a network of deceit.

“You Bleed, I Bleed” featuring Rome Streetz reaches the final moments of Timing of a Tarantula with both of them hopping on top this crooning, drumless beat from Apollo Brown letting y’all know that it doesn’t even have to be this hard at all & asking why you can’t even see their stars while the closer “Heart of a Champion” finishes the EP by keeping the soul sampling in tact 1 last time flexing that he can simply email himself if he needs a raise.

For anyone who happens to love the conceptual street hip hop like some of Ty Farris’ previous releases, you’re gonna love Timing a Tarantula without question & it really might be my new favorite EP in his discography. His imagery makes sharp comparisons to the aptly named Theraphosidae family of arthropods & Divine Crime reveals himself as a future A&R that’ll be a force to be reckoned with over production balancing boom bap & drumless.

Score: 4/5

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Tha God Fahim – “Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 2” review

Tha God Fahim enlisting Nicholas Craven for his 48th EP. Starting as an affiliate of Griselda Records as well as being 1/3 of the Dump Gawds alongside Mach-Hommy & Your Old Droog, we also can’t ignore the massive discography that he’s managed to build for himself, some of the standouts include Breaking Through tha Van Allen Belts & Dump Assassins. But dude has been on a CRAZY ass EP run in 2023 with the standouts being the Camoflauge Monk-produced Dark Shogunn Assassin, the Nature Sounds-backed Iron Bull & the Nicholas Craven-produced Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King series, the Oh No-produced Berserko, Dump Gawd: Rhyme Pays produced by Mike Shabb, Tha Supreme Hoarder of All Pristine Wealth. Supreme Dump Legend: Soul Cook Saga produced by Cookin’ Soul & more recently Machine Gun Vocabulary produced by Cartune Beatz. 5 years since Tha Myth Who Never Quit, we got a 2nd AND a 3rd installment last month. Coming off Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap from last weekend, they’re dropping a sequel.

“Tha Unfathomable Horror” is this soulful intro promising that your wounds won’t ever heal & that he’s forever ill whereas “Shogun Jump” takes more of a chilled albeit hardcore route instrumentally talking about his legacy being set in stone calling himself the golden goose the litter. “Planetary Exploration” hooks up a prominent piano sample likening his raps to war & proclaiming himself as a scholar for dollars while “Planet Vegeta” keeps the keys in tact to talk about the game being watered down.

To kick off the other half of the EP, “Otha World” soulfully writes tracks of sorrow since he’s borrowing time & staying strong after losing loved ones just before “Onslaught” pulls a bit from orchestral music showing his steadiness with the aim. “Mad Life Menace” gets back on the chipmunk soul tip assuring he’s still a menace on the mic & “Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 3” finishes the EP with a jazzy installment of the titular song trilogy.

It wouldn’t even surprise me if Fahim dropped Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 3 next weekend or the weekend after since he’s dumpin’ nonstop in the last month, but he & Nicholas Craven continue to prove themselves as an unstoppable duo. A lot like the other 3 projects that they’ve put out in the last month, the latter’s production during the 20 minute experience is absolutely flawless & the Dump Gawd goes harder than he did last weekend.

Score: 4.5/5

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Chetta – “Can’t Replace Me” review

New Orleans, Louisiana emcee/producer Chetta coming off one of his best LPs to date Sacrifice & Sabotage produced by $crim of the $uicideboy$ for his 21st EP. Starting out a decade ago with his debut mixtape Nino White, this was followed up with 18 EPs as well as 11 more tapes & a full-length debut, but gained significant attention off his G*59 Record$ debut Been Here Forever a couple summers back. Falling Off went on to be an equally dope prelude to Playboy, which also maintained the level of consistency as those previous projects since signing to G*59 as did Sick Bitch. 6 months after Sacrifice & Sabotage, he’s returning by declaring you Can’t Replace Me.

“Far Away from Okay” is this depressingly bleak self-produced trap opener getting on some emo rap subject matter whereas “OXY&ME” takes a cloudier route instrumentally talking about doing OxyContin chilling in the northside with the mob. “Mistakes Happen, That’s Why You’re Here” aggressively admits he’s tired of waiting asking what the fuck is up while “Pain 3:16” psychedelically gets too turnt up.

The song “Something Tragic” begins the other leg of the EP with a 2-parter addressing the familiar feeling of loneliness keeping it toxic & locked in prior to “Incubus” sampling “Adam’s Song” by blink-182 interestingly to talk about the drugs continuing to lift him even when he feels like he’s falling. “Apocalypse Now” ends Can’t Replace Me by talking about wanting to maintain this specific feeling forever without any worries.

Sacrifice & Sabotage still stands as my favorite offering in Chetta’s discography to come out in 2024 since it recaptured everything that made Been Here Forever the outstanding G*59 Record$ debut as it was & Can’t Replace Me continues to do the same. His own production sticks out on its own compared to $crim’s & he made his point clear as day in regards to his irreplaceable status on the label’s roster.

Score: 4/5

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Jamil Honesty – “Shots from the Soviet” review

Staten Island, New York born albeit Baltimore, Maryland based emcee/producer Jamil Honesty linking up with Giallo Point for his 4th EP. Getting his footing in off the strength of his debut mixtape Verses, he would go on to build a name for himself but putting out 3 EPs & a full-length debut serving as a sequel to one of the EPs that Hobgoblin produced. Coming off the Harbor Kidz’ self-titled debut alongside the Krazyfingaz-produced The God Honest Truth or the Machacha-produced Give Us Our Daily Bread & the final installment of the Martyr Musik trilogy, Jamil’s firing Shots from the Soviet.

After the intro, the first song “Bolshevik Bullets” is this piano-driven boom bap opener comparing the bars to Russian strays whereas “The Hit” strips the drums completely talking about everyone in the streets knowing the name. After an interlude, “Double Barrel” featuring Substance810 hooks the kick & snares back up, spitting that gun talk while the solemn boom bap joint “DNA” talks getting your life in a cypher if you’re made for it.

“Makarov Murders” starts the final leg of the EP dropping bodies with the titular semi-automatic pistol that the Soviet Union has made their standard military sidearm for over 7 decades leading into “Gun Pen” grittily comparing his pen-game to that of a firearm, which is pretty accurate. The final song “No Evidence” prior to the outro ends the EP mixing some sampling with kicks & snares talking about leaving the murder scene clean.

After producing Big Trip’s most acclaimed EPs to date Honestly Filthy & it’s sequel, Jamil taps in one of the UK hip hop scene’s most prolific producers in recent memory to make an EP that surpasses the Martyr Musik trilogy as the most essential offering in his discography. I have no complaints regarding Giallo Point’s boom bap production during the 21 minute run nor is there any regarding Jamil’s performances.

Score: 4.5/5

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Lex Luger – “TMOG Forever” review

Lex Luger is a 33 year old producer from Suffolk, Virginia notable for co-founding the 808 Mafia production team with Southside & mostly producing Waka Flocka Flame’s groundbreaking debut album Flockaveli. He later battled drug addiction throughout the mid-late 2010s, kicking the habit for good in 2018 & has been looking to redeem himself by getting his name back out there by producing again. Interestingly enough, he surprise released a 3-track EP clocking in at 9 minutes & it peaked my interest.

“Leech” by Jay Critch happens to be a decent trap intro talking about the money flowin’ similarly to the lean feelin’ crazy flexin’ on Instagram while “Lex Meet Dex” by Famous Dex makes up for it with what’s easily the most enjoyable Dex song I’ve heard in a long time & maybe one of the best tracks in his discography period going harder than Critch on the previous joint. “Workin’” by Casey Veggies & Rich the Kid finishes the EP with both of them showing off their hustle & Casey outrappin’ Rich.

TMOG Forever is basically Lex Luger working with all 3 artists on the Rich Forever Music roster but if you’re a fan of the collaborative tapes they’ve done in the past, you’ll get a kick out of this. I’ll even say it’s the best that they’ve sounded since linking back up. Lex’s distinct production style is exactly what they needed considering the fact that some of the beat selections on a lot of their recent material has been lackluster.

Score: 3.5/5

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Matt Champion – “Slint’s Favorite” review

This is the 2nd EP from Woodlands, Texas rapper, singer/songwriter & producer Matt Champion. A founding member of the now defunct BROCKHAMPTON collective, he also released a solo EP Harley in the spring of 2017 right before the classic SATURATION trilogy & Mika’s Laundryfrom this spring showed the versatility that he was very much capable of. 8 months later, Matt’s surprise-dropping Slint’s Favorite.

“Faye” fuses experimental hip hop, trap, cloud rap, alternative R&B, witch house & industrial hip hop to talk about being haunted while “Hacker”works in elements of alt-pop, neo-soul, alternative R&B & psychedelic soul singing that he wants a home run. “SPJ” produced by Romil Hemnani brings indietronica, alt-pop, minimal wave, alternative R&B & neo-soul together asking if everyone would erase their minds if it was easier prior to “Ash” featuring Deb Never finishing the EP pulling from bedroom pop, alt-pop, downtempo, alternative R&B, art pop, neo-soul & dream pop wanting to know why they don’t ask each other out anymore.

Ahead of his solo set at Camp Flog Gnaw this weekend, Matt whips up a 4-track EP that continues to demonstrate the artistic range prominently shown throughout Mika’s Laundry earlier within the year. Styles like experimental hip hop, trap, cloud rap, alternative R&B, witch house, industrial hip hop, alt-pop, neo-soul, psychedelic soul, indietronica, minimal wave, bedroom pop, downtempo, art pop & dream pop all shift into 1 another fluidly during the span of 12 minutes.

Score: 4/5

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Tha God Fahim – “Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap” review

Nicholas Craven back once again with Tha God Fahim for his 47th EP. Starting as an affiliate of Griselda Records as well as being 1/3 of the Dump Gawds alongside Mach-Hommy & Your Old Droog, we also can’t ignore the massive discography that he’s managed to build for himself, some of the standouts include Breaking Through tha Van Allen Belts & Dump Assassins. But dude has been on a CRAZY ass EP run in 2023 with the standouts being the Camoflauge Monk-produced Dark Shogunn Assassin, the Nature Sounds-backed Iron Bull & the Nicholas Craven-produced Dump Gawd: Shot Clock Kingseries, the Oh No-produced Berserko, Dump Gawd: Rhyme Pays produced by Mike Shabb, Tha Supreme Hoarder of All Pristine Wealth. Supreme Dump Legend: Soul Cook Saga produced by Cookin’ Soul & more recently Machine Gun Vocabulary produced by Cartune Beatz. 5 years since Tha Myth Who Never Quit, we got a 2nd AND a 3rd installment last month & they’re maintaining the dumpin’ with Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap.

“Saiyan Pride” is this soulful boom bap intro reminding us of the fact that his catalogue is extensive on top of the mystic energy that he always brings whereas “A Nightmare You Can’t Come Back From” works in a chipmunk soul instrumental asking who’s as dope as him lyrically. “Dump Dynasty” hooks up a guitar sample with more kicks & snares making change by spitting flames prior to “10x Gravity” soulfully talking about his power level unable to be mapped out or calculated.

As for “Tha Riddle of Steel”, we have Fahim over a flute cautioning what will happen if you fuck with the known unknown just before “LSSJ” strips the drums altogether talking about MCs tryna weather the storm. “Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 2” is a raw sequel to a Myth Who Never Quit 3 standout leading into “Tha Supreme Kai of Bean Pies” makes MCs meet death sampling soul once more, but then “Repetition” finishes the EP rhymin’ like a brewin’ storm.

Giving a couple weeks for both Tha Myth Who Never Quit 2 & Tha Myth Who Never Quit 3 to breathe, Breadrick Douglas & the greatest hip hop producer from Montréal recapture the same energy of the original “Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap” track on the last EP & carried it over onto a 20 minute EP of it’s own. Nicholas Craven’s chipmunk soul-heavy boom bap & drumless sound has always brought the best out of the Dump Gawd, except I like this more than Tha Myth Who Never Quit 3 & almost as much as Tha Myth Who Never Quit 2.

Score: 4.5/5

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HPBLK – “Bis Kwi” review

London, England, United Kingdom emcee, producer, artist & animator HPBLK has returned for his 2nd solo extended play. Originally emerging under the moniker Gen Uchiha prior to forming the Old Children with King Kashmere & Booda French, he made his solo debut back in 2016 with F.Y.M.O. (For Your Mind Only) followed by the Energy & the sophomore effort Audio Arcade. Last time we heard from him was The All Natural Supernatural in 2021 excluding the compositional Pass the Pad that succeeded it, returning after 3 years to drop Bis Kwi without having any guest appearances.

“Ultra Instincts” opens with a lo-fi jazzy intro talking about people trying to shine when they’re the ones asking for a light whereas “Yagami” goes for a boom bap vibe instrumentally recalling an encounter he had with a woman who loved his profile. “Kane” pays tribute to the WWE Hall of Famer, former SMW Tag Team Champion, 3-time WWE world champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 12-time WWE tag team champion & WWE Hardcore Champion of the same name.

“Adult Swim” clarifies the reason behind the long gap between releases boiling down to personal reasons while “Amorphus” talks about getting the cream or becoming cash ruled. “Dark Souls” spends a minute & a half making people rethink their energy but after talking about having no “Shade” to waste over a lo-fi boom bap beat, “Retrograde & Motion” speaks down upon those who aren’t as fly as him. “#FFFFFF” dustily wraps up the EP talking about running amuck out in the streets with his squad.

Regardless of HPBLK admitting that he’s had hangups believing he was done with music & couldn’t be assed to care anymore, but Bis Kwi will satisfy anyone who hears the guest appearances he made for The Album to End All Alien Abductions & Alecs in Wonderland even if I’d prefer the significantly shorter Energy in comparison. He takes a backseat from the production side of things to tackle social issues accompanied by production fluctuating between boom bap, jazz rap & lo-fi hip hop.

Score: 3.5/5

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Glokk40Spaz – “Slaughter House Recordz” review

This is the 2nd EP Atlanta, Georgia recording artist Glokk40Spaz. Emerging off the Don’t Get Took Off mixtape trilogy & the debut EP Spaz&B, he would also go on to drop his very first LP 2 Glokks followed by the sophomore effort Baby Whoa with both of them receiving quite a bit of acclaim. Took the Biggest Risk distributed by Columbia Records was a great major label debut for EBG Records founder, as was the acclaimed collab EP with OsamaSon earlier this summer 3vil Reflection & his latest magnum opus Da Real Oso. However, what was intended to be a deluxe version of his latest album has morphed into Slaughter House Recordz.

“Welcome 2 da Slaughter” produced by Noah Mejia & Internet Money Records in-house producer Vendr is this eerie drill opener breaking down his lifestyle whereas the rage-inducing “Decoy” boasts that he’s self-employed & rich as a muhfucka. “3rd Day Out” maintains a hypertrap vibe talking about being home from the pen for 3 days just before the drill-sounding “Take It Up with God” once again shows off his mob ties.

The song “Vicinity” talking about hoes being around him taking risks & bitches at the exact same time leading into “Black Rose Nightmare” hopping over another rage beat from Dylvinci flexing that he’s cool with the heat despite how cold his diamonds are. Finally, the closing track “Yess” rounds out the EP showing off his money being tall as fuck keeping his whole entire block on lockdown.

All 7 of these cuts could’ve easily made it onto Da Real Oso & would’ve fit with the context of it, but I’m not mad at him making it into a separate entity of it’s own. Even if I think the production on the latter is a tad bit better, Glokk40 still undeniably makes some aggressively hungry performances in roughly 17 minutes continuing to hold off from having any guests joining him.

Score: 3.5/5

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