Nascar Aloe – “Speed” review

Nascar Aloe is a 24 year old rapper & producer from Lexington, North Carolina who’s released a total 6 EPs as well as a mixtape & a full-length debut album since the late 2010s. He even performed at the 21st annual Gathering of the Juggalos in the summer of 2021, which to date is the only Gathering that I personally have been to. Now his set didn’t do much for me, but I could definitely see why he was booked for the festival since he’s in that trap metal subgenre. That said: I didn’t realize that he was signed to Epitaph Records since the beginning of the decade actually & hoped that his 7th EP would win me over.

The titular intro screams his brains out over a self-produced industrial beat to stop playing with him whereas “Blitz” mixes trap metal with synth-punk talking about wanting full-blown destruction as opposed to a bust down. “S.M.B.U. (Smack My Bitch Up)” dabbles with drum & bass feeling like wanting to assault his girl just before “Fuck! Ah!” featuring N8NOFACE returns to an industrial sound about your head looking better when it’s decapitated.

“Chum Reap Suor” brings a bouncier instrumental into the fold while “Skidrow” asks if you want to stroll down the streets of the slums mixing rage with pop rap & trap metal. “Tall Cans” featuring St!nk gives drum & bass another shot reminding life isn’t nice & you’re all fucked to them that is until “In My Head” finishes the EP by tackling themes of paranoia.

There are artists in trap metal like City Morgue or the Dropout Kings & Ghostemane who all do that style of music incredibly well, but others simply don’t scratch that same itch for me like Kid Bookie & you can throw Nascar Aloe in there too. He’s actually not a bad producer at all & there are some interesting ideas in his production, I just can’t say the same about his songwriting & performances.

Score: 2/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Ransom – “Lavish Misery” review

This is the 11th EP from Jersey City wordsmith Ransom. Coming up as 1/2 of the short-lived duo A-Team alongside Hitchcock, he branched out on his own in 2008 following their disbandment beginning with the full-length debut Street Cinema & the Statik Selektah-produced sophomore effort The Proposal. But it’s been safe to say these last couple years have been his biggest so far whether it be the 5 EPs that he put out produced by Nicholas Craven, 7 based around the 7 deadly sins, Heavy’s the Head produced by Big Ghost Ltd., the Rome Streetz collab album Coup de Grâce, or even his last couple albums Chaos is My Ladder, Director’s Cut 4 & Deleted Scenes 2. But I knew Lavish Misery had to be a step above Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child especially with Harry Fraud on production top to bottom.

“Immaculate Conception” is a smooth ass opener to get things going talking about being a God born in human form whereas “Chain of Command” works in these rich piano chords, kicks & snares advising everyone to look at what y’all did to him. “Matchstick Men” takes the orchestral boom bap reminding you to leave the bullshit behind route leading into the soulful “Live from the Roxy” featuring Boldy James talking about staying to themselves because misery loves company.

Approaching the 2nd half of the EP, “The Losses” focuses on the Ws whilst ignoring the Ls bringing a groovier atmosphere instrumentally just before “Wilson Fisk” featuring 38 Spesh spaciously likening themselves to the Kingpin from the Marvel franchise. “Eye of the Storm” tackles the richness of his pain with some synthesizers backing him, but then “& 1” finishes Lavish Misery by ruggedly breaking down a long road to recovery.

Ransom has already been one of the most consistent MCs that hip hop has seen in recent memory, but he really did give us a classic EP as we begin to near the end of the first quarter of the new year. The features are kept to a minimum yet both of them maintain his level & Harry Fraud’s production is more consistent Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child last fall so the Jersey City vet can find exuberance in his distresses.

Score: 4.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Ramirez – “From tha Guttah to tha Grave” review

San Francisco, California emcee Ramirez back with his 11th EP. Coming up in 2014 as a longtime affiliate of the $uicideboy$, he would go on to co-found to the New Orleans-based indie label G*59 Record$ with them & build himself as an artist by dropping 8 mixtapes, his last 10 EPs & 4 full-lengths in the span of nearly a decade. Tha Playa$ Manual was his best LP yet with it’s g-funk production from Rocci & The Tragedy of a Clown was a good comeback from a year & a half ago, but is now taking us From tha Guttah to tha Grave.

“Beige Butter” featuring Le$ starts by hooking up this synth-lead with hi-hats swangin’ in their spaceships whereas “Rehabilitation” gives off a more psychedelic approach instrumentally except it hurts to say the Lil Homewrecker’s melodic vocals feel like they’re being drowned out in the mix. “Sleepin’ with the Fishes” takes the morbid trap route getting in his hardcore bag lyrically just before “Amphisbaena” featuring SXMPRA turns up the aggressiveness hitting licks together.

Meanwhile, “Warfare” has a glitchy trap vibe to the beat talking about having his victims brought to him out in the trenches leading into the heinous “Stick Up” letting the gunshots ring out. “Goodfellas” featuring SosMula chillingly asks if anyone wants the smoke with them but prior to the chopped & screwed version of “Rehabilitation” finishing the EP, the final song “In da Trunk” is a Memphis-infused closer pushing down the block.

After pretty much laying low last year, From tha Guttah to tha Grave happens to be a pretty solid return for RVMIRXZ & and. Maybe even the most I’ve enjoyed an EP from him since the Judgement Day trilogy. The production has some cool ideas pulling inspiration from the Memphis scene, chopped & screwed music, cloud rap, glitch hop, trap, psychedelia or hardcore hip hop boiling down the features to 3 as opposed to 5 previously continuing portray the experiences of gang life.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Mission: Infect – “arM:Igeddon” review

Mission: Infect are an underground collective consisting of Lo Key, Badluck, Dubbs, DurtE, Grewsum, Madd Maxxx, Malaria, Mumm Ra, St. Sinna, Tha Wikid One & 0. They’ve released 6 full-lengths together in the span of nearly 2 decades including the Chemical Threats tetralogy, XterM:Ination & Asphyxiation with quite a few other members finding success on their own as solo artists in the wicked shit scene. However after 7 years of silence as a unit, the crew are getting back together for their first EP.

“Pathogen” featuring Grewsum, Lo Key, Madd Maxxx & Tha Wikid One is this hardcore trap opener putting their gas masks on whereas “Guns Up” featuring Badluck, Grewsum & Lo Key kinda draws from electronic dance music instrumentally talking about rallying up the soldiers. All 3 emcees stick around for “Old Man Flow” working in kicks & snares to drop battle bars just before “Load ‘Em Up” featuring DurtE, Lo Key, Madd Maxxx & Tha Wikid One finds the quartet over a dark trap beat talking about taking ‘em down.

Badluck, Grewsum & Lo Key get back together for “Get Ya Mask On” returns to the boom bap going door-to-door to get their blast on leading into “Fire Back” featuring Dubbs, Lo Key & Malaria keeps it raw talking about rightfully being veterans decapitating heads again. “Welcome Home” featuring Badluck, Grewsum, Malaria, Mumm Ra, St. Sinna & 0 concludes the EP with everyone over kicks, snares & electronic-toned synths acknowledging that the underground missed them as a unit.

This is the 2nd longest gap between releases for Mission: Infect since Chemical Threats 3 & 4 both came out 8 years after Asphyxiation since everyone’s been focusing on further establishing themselves as solo artists. That said: arM:Igeddon still proves the collective hasn’t gone anywhere after all this time. The production is varied in sound whether it be horrorcore, trap, boom bap, hardcore hip hop or electronica/electronic dance music & everyone sounds happy to be reunited.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Bishop Nehru – “Kult Life: From Pain to Paintings” review

This is the 7th EP from New York emcee/producer Bishop Nehru. Starting out dropping a couple beat tapes before emerging in the underground off the solid debut mixtape Nehruvia, he profile would only begin to increase in 2014 by signing to Mass Appeal Records & form the duo NehruvianDOOM alongside the late MF DOOM & putting out an overlooked self-titled effort together that same fall. Bishy would leave Mass Appeal a couple years later to drop 2 full-lengths Elevators & My Disregarded Thoughts on his own, both of which I look at as some of the best shit he’s ever done. He would also drop 6 EPs & 5 more mixtapes but coming off the Mysteries of Initiation EP last fall, Nehru’s beginning the Kult Life series by going From Pain to Paintings.

“Rise” is a cavernous trap opener talking about being unable to focus on healing & going from the hero to the villain whereas “Through It All” shifts into sample-heavy boom bap territory setting out to let everyone hear what this gift he has is. “Hold It Down” works in more kicks & snares promising the world when it turns around, but then “Keep It a Bean” soulfully shows the difference between real & fake.

The sequel to “Abandoned” starting the 2nd half is cool since that was a favorite of mine off Heroin Addiction going for a Flying Lotus vibe kinda while “Forever” hooks up a vocal flip & hi-hats talking about being good for life. “Devil in New York” returns to the boom bap detailing his encounters with Satan in his neck of the woods that is until the cloudy “Fears” concludes the EP by confronting all that he’s afraid of.

Regardless of Chulo or more recently 4 the Noners from a couple weeks ago being recent examples of how hit or miss Nehru’s discography has become over time, From Pain to Paintings is a solid beginning to the Kult Life series & I’m curious to hear the future installments. Dioni$ gets a chance to show his influences as a producer & Bishy breaks down more personal subject matter.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Sule – “Written on Wide’s Corner” review

Sule is a 29 year old emcee from Englewood, New Jersey whom Benny the Butcher signed to Black Soprano Family Records at the end of 2022 after putting out 7 EPs over the course of a decade. He’s also notable for his guest verse on the Biggest Since Camby closing track “White Lives Matter” produced by Havoc formerly of Mobb Deep, which was one of my favorites off that LP last spring. However, he’s releasing his first official body of work through B$F in the form of his 8th EP clocking in at 24 & a half minutes long as well as 9 tracks.

“Tommy Bundy” begins with a sample-laced boom bap instrumental from Nyckles & Harlem Zone who did the majority of the EP likening himself to the late DMX’s titular character in Hype Williams’ directional debut Belly whereas “Made for It” featuring Benny works in more kicks & snares with an symphonic flip asking if you were built for this shit if you got it but lost it. “Courtesy Inn” brings some pianos into the fold talking about his mother never having to worry ever again just before the jazzy “Jodie” tells the tragic story of the titular character.

Fuego Base & Inspectah Deck of the almighty Wu-Tang Clan comes into the picture for “Wu-Sopranos” returning to the boom bap bringing it to y’all raw lyrically, but then “Crown Vic” featuring The Hoodies finds the trio keeps it grimy flexing their powerhouse statuses. “If a Brick Could Talk” has an eerier boom bap atmosphere detailing the hustler lifestyle while “Y.N.G.A.W. (Young N****s Got a Wave)” makes a 180° with its trap beat & boisterous lyrics. “Marlo Scamfield” ends the EP with kicks, snares & a shimmery loop referencing the character from The Wire.

Black Soprano Family is constantly putting on their ever-growing roster & Written on Wide’s Corner completely takes Sule to a new level, as it’s by far the best thing he’s put out to date. I think the production here mostly grounded in the traditional boom bap sound with trap undertones is stronger compared to his previous material, it has a short yet solid guest list & the Englewood emcee sets out to make his hometown a landmark.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Jynx716 – “A.N.D.Y. (Absolutely Not Done Yet)” review

This is the 3rd EP from New York emcee Jynx716. Emerging in 2020 off his debut mixtape The Green Album, he would continue to follow this up with his debut EP The 33 & most notably Careful What You Wish For produced by Che Noir which would be an ideal place to start if you’re not familiar with Jynx at this point already, but he’s Absolutely Not Done Yet returning with Che for 8 tracks & 25 minutes worth of material.

“2nd Impression” is a symphonic opener talking about how his first impression couldn’t have been too bad whereas “Time” works in some piano chords laying it out that he ain’t doing this part time at all. “Where I Gotta Go” talks about doing what he had to do in order to get where he needs be in life giving off a mystical atmosphere instrumentally leading into “Stay Underground” featuring & produced by 38 Spesh going for a much rawer approach.

G4 Jag joins Jynx on “Pretty Penny” gives off a cinematic vibe once again as Che hops back behind the boards putting a spin on the phrase “a penny for your thoughts”, but then “Hope” featuring Che herself & Freeway incorporates this well-flipped sample talking about their triumphs. “No Voicemail” hooks up these pianos with kicks & snares to get his just before “Intent” featuring Vic Spencer finishes the EP with a declaration that they’ve done this all with purpose.

Careful What You Wish For quickly became my favorite EP that Jynx has done & A.N.D.Y (Absolutely Not Done Yet) is quite possibly better than the predecessor although it’s a solid gateway into his discography. Che sets out to evolve as a producer which I don’t see anything wrong with at all & Jynx’ lyricism has leveled up within the last couple years.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Baby Ghost – “Free da Yung O.G.” review

Flint, Michigan rapper Baby Ghost hitting us with his 4th EP. Notable for being one of the earliest signings under Rio da Yung O.G.’s independent M.I.N.E. Entertainment, he made his full-length debut in the summer of 2020 with Emotionless & the debut mixtape Cut the Light Off a couple months later. Other than his well praised sophomore effort Gho Krazy & its sequel, he also has a couple EPs under his belt in the Mislead series with a trilogy chapter on the way. We only got Gho Krazy II a few months ago & looks to make the call for his mentor’s freedom even louder.

“3Hunna Blackout” brings the 808s in for Ghost to talk about fanning out those who run up on his block whereas “Wham!” breaks down his lifestyle recalling not hesitating the first time he ever shot somebody. “Fa Fa Fa” has a general Detroit trap sound showing off his gang ties for almost 2 & a half minutes while the title track blends synthesizers & 808s to talk about him wanting Rio home as much as the rest of us do too.

We get some bells & more 808s on “Circle Pink 10’s” warning to keep his name out your mouth unless you want your brother’s head tapped just before “Wyg Gang??” asks to stop advocating for his bitch made opps to be freed & killing someone who tried to slide on him. “Smoking Her Brother” brings the synths back in the fold letting his bitch do whatever because he don’t give a fuck leading into “He Know He Smoked” featuring Homi Michel marked the only collab of the 3 I didn’t care for in my respectful opinion.

“Gang Baby” cautions that you’ll catch a headshot tryna creep up on him while “EBK” featuring Babytron finds the duo trading verses with each other excellently for 102 seconds. “WWI” poses the question of why he should trust you when his big cousin snitched & “Blitz” featuring Babytron ends by finishing what they started on “EBK” except they both share 2 verses each instead of the back-&-forth execution of the previously mentioned collab.

Mislead 2.5 was massively disappointing considering that the first 2 entries of the series are on par with the Gho Krazy saga, but Free da Yung O.G. makes up for the last EP with one that joins Mislead & of course the sequel in being the finest. Aside from both crossovers with Tron making up for “He Know He Smoked”, I love that he dedicated to his mentor similarly to what Peezy did on Free Rio a few years back.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

EARTHGANG – “EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm 2: Robophobia” review

Atlanta, Georgia duo the EARTHGANG consisting of Olu & WowGr8 back with their 7th EP. Starting out a little over a decade ago dropping 3 mixtapes along with 2 albums & an EP independently, this resulted in J. Colesigning them to his Interscope Recordsimprint Dreamville Records in 2017. This resulted in a trilogy of EPs leading up to their major label debut Mirrorland, which revealed themselves to be one of the best artists that the label has to offer. They went on to give their Spillage Village collective some shine by dropping their 4th album Spilligion on Dreamville the next year & Ghetto Gods further cemented them as the 2nd best signing on the roster behind J.I.D of course. EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm: R.I.P. Human Art this past fall Dr. Dot & Johnny Venus severing ties with Interscope to solely stay with Dreamville, but are returning to give insight on EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm 2: Robophobia about the technological advancements we’ve seen in recent years.

After the intro, “Blacklight” starts off by encouraging one to expose their flaws over a funky instrumental while “Put In Work” featuring Tommy Newport turns the funk up to 11 so both of them can get romantic. The futuristic R&B/pop rap crossover “Osmosis” has be my least favorite track on Robophobia asking if the love’s real in an cumbersome fashion & the warm “Perfect Fantasy” featuring WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg closes the EP asking what’s inside these walls.

The last EP we got from Olu & WowGr8 was a good introduction to the story of the trilogy & the follow-up has to be my favorite chapter thus far. A song or 2 I can do without, but the EARTHGANG still embarks on a sonic dive as they explore new soundscapes & topics on imperfections connections & projections within humanity’s relationship with each other & artificial intelligence.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Krispylife Kidd – “Juice” review

Krispylife Kidd is a 30 year old rapper from Flint, Michigan who’s popularity in the local trap scene has been gradually increasing since 2019 going on to release a total of 13 mixtapes & 3 EPs all in that span of time. Icewear Vezzo even signed him to Iced Up Records during the pandemic & Lil Yachty had him featured on Michigan Boy Boat. Now I’d start with Krispylife 2 & The Art of Spice Talk trilogy if you wanna dive into Krispylife’s music but since Vezzo put out his Quality Control debut Live from the 6 at the beginning of the month, I was interested in hearing that Krispy had released his 4th EP.

The opener “Bam Got Me Stuttering” gets Juice rolling with pianos & hi-hats declaring this to be a mass whoopin’ whereas “1 Time” talks about not having to many friends & the ones he does have stay tweakin’ being on nonsense over a cloudy instrumental. “Trapped Too Much” featuring Clean Up Man finds the 2 getting on their Detroit trap shit & Clean Up Man’s verse doesn’t really do much for me truthfully that is until “Back in the Basement” gets back on track works in bells & hi-hats talking about how he finna do something dangerous.

YSR Gramz’ feature on “Who at the Door?” isn’t any better than the previous guest performance despite the bell-inflicted Detroit trap beat & the idea of doing the shit that some of these dudes be rappin’ & “What You On” instrumentally gives me a Bay Area vibe impressively clapping back at those who can’t beef with him because their money ain’t long. “On the Spiritual Side” however concludes the EP with a slick Detroit trap cut flexing that his Chakra shining.

It can seem kinda corny with the title & artwork paying homage to the iconic 2Pac film of the same name & other artists have done that on previous projects in the past. Case in point: Soulja Boy. But Krispylife been got the Juice when it comes to artists in the local trap scene & continues to keep up with Vez for real. Regardless of not being head over heels for the 2 features, there’s no cappin’ on Krispy’s passionate delivery during the 17 & a half minute experience.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!