Anarchy – “My Mind” review | アナーキー – 「マイ・マインド」レビュー

Anarchy is a 42 year old MC from Kyoto, Japan getting his start in 2006 off his full-length debut Rob the World followed by Dream & Drama and Diggin’ Anarchy respectively. Following his debut mixtape D.G.K.A. (Dirty Ghetto King Anarchy) alongside his next couple LPs New Yankee & The King, it wasn’t until Anarchy’s very first EP Noise Cancel celebrating it’s 2-year anniversary of the summer being the last time we heard from him. But for his 2nd EP, we’re being treated to Statik Selektah producing the whole thing.

アナーキーは日本の京都出身の42歳のMCで、2006年にフルレングスデビューのロブ・ザ・ワールドから始まり、ドリーム&ドラマとディギン・アナーキーがそれぞれスタートしました。彼のデビューミックステープD.G.K.A.に続いて（ダーティ・ゲットー・キング・アナーキー）彼の次のカップルのLP「ニュー・ヤンキー」と「ザ・キング」と並んで、アナーキーの最初のEP「ノイズ・キャンセル」は、夏の2周年を祝うまで、彼からの最後の連絡がありました。しかし、彼の2枚目のEPでは、スタティック・セレクタが全体を制作しています。

“Light Up” sets the tone of what’s to come by weaving a rock-inspired boom bap instrumental into the fold so Anarchy can kick some flows in Japanese rockin’ it with Statik once more from start to finish whereas “Reach featuring C.O.S.A. finds the 2 over a cloudy backdrop with kicks & snares talking about the city of dreams. “Brooklyn” pushes near the end of the EP keeps it dusty with a heavenly sample flip paying homage to the titular city in Kings County, New York & “Pass the Mic” ending My Mind on a warm boom bap note encouraging to have the microphone given to him.

「ライトアップ」は、ロックにインスパイアされたブームバップインストゥルメンタルを折り目に織り込むことで、来るべきもののトーンを設定します。アナーキーは、最初から最後までスタティックで日本のロックのいくつかの流れを蹴ることができますが、「C.O.S.A.をフィーチャーしたリーチは、夢の街について話しているキックとスネアで曇った背景の上に2を見つけます。「ブルックリン」は、ニューヨーク州キングス郡の名目上の都市に敬意を表する天国のサンプルフリップでほこりを払い、「マイクを渡す」は、彼にマイクを与えることを奨励する暖かいブームバップノートで私の心を終わらせます。

Although Nujabes & the Teriyaki Boyz have always stood as my favorite acts within the Japanese hip hop scene throughout my life, Anarchy’s been putting it down for nearly 2 decades & this new EP with Statik Selektah has to be one of the best I’ve heard this year. Statik’s boom bap production matched with Anarchy’s improved performances compared to Noise Cancel makes a great introduction to anyone who hasn’t heard of him in America.

しかしヌジャベスと照り焼きボーイズは、私の人生を通して日本のヒップホップシーンの中で私のお気に入りの行為として常に立ってきました、アナーキーは20年近くそれを置いてきました&スタティック・セレクタとこの新しいEPは、私が今年聞いた中で最高のものの1つでなければなりません。スタティックのブームバッププロダクションは、ノイズキャンセリングと比較してアナーキーの改善されたパフォーマンスと一致し、アメリカで彼のことを聞いたことのない人に素晴らしい紹介になります。

Score: 4/5

スコア: 4/5

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Jay Worthy & Kamaiyah – “THE AM3RICAN DREAM” review

This is a brand new collaborative EP between Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada born albeit Compton, California raised emcee Jay Worthy alongside Oakland recording artist Kamaiyah. Both of whom have crossed paths with one another on previous singles like “Bullshit” & “Good Lookin’” throughout the duration of these last 3 years, but both west coast spitters are now looking to take things to the next level by enlisting Brooklyn beatsmith Harry Fraud behind the boards to fully produce THE AM3RICAN DREAM.

“9AM” is a triumphantly soulful kickstarter talking about the pigs knocking on their doors at 9am pacific time or noon eastern since both emcees are out in Cali whereas “Money in the Bag” has a jazzier boom bap flare talking about making that bread. “Pressure” featuring Buddy & Guapdad 4000 finds the quartet joining forces takes a groovier route admitting freaks they type, but then “Good Shit” featuring Max B flips another soul sample talking about smoking that good weed.

To start the 2nd half of the EP, “Pull Up” brings in the funk for an irresistibly fun party-starter just before “Entrepreneur” goes for a cloudier approach cautioning that shit’s gonna be getting real scary. “Figueroa Fortunes” references the luxuries of the major north-south street in Los Angeles County while “Ragtop Riches” gives me a bit of a summer feeling talking about being the highway dippin’. “Streetlights” lastly closes out this EP by asking what you would do for the spotlight over a chopped up soul flip.

It’s no 2 P’z in a Pod, but what we got here is more than worthy of further solidifying THE AM3RICAN DREAM as the 2nd best collab effort in Jay Worthy’s discography as of me writing this & the strongest I’ve heard Kamaiyah in a while. They build off one another impressively considering they’re both westside representers, the features are all well picked out & Harry Fraud’s production elevates both lyricists’ chemistry.

Score: 4/5

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G-Mo Skee – “8 Bit Filth 2: Hero Hunter” review

This is the 3rd EP from Richmond, California lyricist G-Mo Skee. 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). His last LP The Filth Element commemorated his 30th birthday by proving that he didn’t need MNE, but is returning to The Dojo for 8 Bit Filth II: Hero Hunter ahead of his upcoming 4th album album Huckleberry Filth & the next EP Filth City produced by Stu Bangas following his Astronomicon 6.5 return.

Things start off with the 3rd & final installment of the “Final Boss” trilogy sampling Super Mario World adding some kicks & snares into the fold reminding that he’s the final boss off this rap shit whereas “Filthbound” is my favorite on the EP putting a unique spin on Earthbound & former Majik Ninja in-house producer Godsynth cooking up the phattest beat on the entire project. “Inf Kong Country” featuring Cell & Jae Harmony of the Inf Gang finds all 3 members of their respective Richmond crew flipping Donkey Kong Country referencing AAA Mundial Crucero Campeon, IWGPジュニアヘビー級チャンピオン, 5-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion & WCW World Tag Team Champion Juventud Guerrera alongside WWE Hall of Famer Paul Bearer

“That Ain’t Falco” goes into trap turf sampling Starfox prior to “Heart Pieces” going for a dreamy boom bap quality instrumentally dedicating this the love of his life that is hip hop just before “Falcon Punch” featuring Seuss Mace & Ubiquitous references Captain Falcon’s neutral special move in the Smash Bros. series over a triumphant instrumental. “Skull Kid” angelically talks about what the road & show business did to him leading into the wavy boom bap closer “Hero Hunter” telling everyone to drop their coins.

A reference to Twisted Metal was made on the latter cut that I enjoy in light of it getting a TV adaption last summer on the Comcast Corporation subsidiary NBCUniversal-owned peacock with the franchise’s mascot being played by the current ROH World Television Champion, former 2-time AEW TNT Champion, GHCタッグチャンピオン, inaugural ROH Hall of Fame inductee, the longest reigning ROH World Champion, ROH Pure Champion, TNA World Champion, 2-time TNA World Tag Team Champion, 5-time TNA X Division Champion, record 3-time NXT Champion & 2-time WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe.

The original 8 Bit Filth contains some of G’s best material & this sequel here is an equally fun return to Majik Ninja for the Richmond emcee. The video game samples are as creative as they were last time mainly grounding them into his signature boom bap sound & his ear-grabbing bars always entertain. Here’s to Huckleberry Filth & Filth City.

Score: 4/5

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Black Josh – “Today’s the Day” review

Here we have the 4th EP from Manchester, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Black Josh. Known for being a member the Cult of the Damned & LEVELZ collectives as well as 1/2 of the B-Movie Millionaires, he would make debut over a decade ago off an eponymous EP & the full-length debut Blick Flair’s Ape Mountain until signing to Blah Records. He went on to drop 6 more albums & a couple more EPs under the London label, celebrating Friday the 13th in no better fashion than Today’s the Day.

“Habitat” was a dark, occasionally crooning boom bap intro coming out the gate with unapologetically hardcore penmanship whereas “Doolally” works in an organ sample mixed with kicks & snares talking about driving people crazy. The title track dustily finds himself ready to catch up to the money & the paper chase while “Vince Carter” featuring Da$h references none other then the greatest Toronto Raptors player of all-time himself over a symphonic boom bap beat.

Sonnyjim joins the B-Movie Millionaires on “E R M8” continuing the last leg of Today’s the Day bringing all 3 artists together hauntingly leaving heads spinning harder than The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s intro & after “Close to the Edge” maintains a boom bap vibe instrumentally talking about him feeling like he’s on the verge of slipping homaging the late DMX in the midst of it, we get hit with a soul sample & Josh letting the people he has in mind know he’ll “Pray” for them.

I wouldn’t put it above Smoking Kills regarding the extended plays in Black Josh’s discography, but Today’s the Day is definitely the most I’ve enjoyed a solo project from him since Mannyfornia. Rather than continuing to delve deeper into some of the most vulnerable material throughout Josh’s career much like Heartbreak Hostel did, the latter’s wordplay & the grimier production are enough to please any hardcore hip hop fan.

Score: 3.5/5

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Samson Samson – “Bye-Fi” review

This is the 2nd EP from Hampton, Virginia rapper Samson Samson. Introducing himself a decade ago by releasing his debut EP Regret, he would return last spring by releasing the full-length debut studio album Beforecore flooded with guest appearances on nearly half of it, signing to Dirtcore Music exactly a month later & embodying everything he’s been wanting to do artistically on his sophomore effort albeit Dirtcore debut Witch Hunt celebrating it’s 1-year anniversary last weekend. But if you’re looking for Bye-Fi to recapture those vibes, you might just be disappointed.

“My Place” opens with a lo-fi trap intro with a cloudy remix from his Bodies Below Sea Level cohort Crossworm later on that I personally find myself gravitating to more talking about there being a little bit of evil his dreams whereas “E-motion” responds to those calling him emotional over a downtrodden boom bap instrumental. “Darker Coat of Paint” blends lo-fi hip hop & emo rap together suggesting he should’ve listened to himself when he said he wasn’t ready while “Compatible” expresses hope of finding someone who can turn it around when they’re both hurting. Fittingly, the title track ends with Sammy addressing an ex by telling her they weren’t meant to be.

Rather than continuing the horrorcore themes of Witch Hunt last fall, Dirtcore’s inaugural signing switches it up entirely taking accountability for himself & learning not to move on from a relationship so fast. The production’s prominently more lo-fi & the heavily emo subject matter spreads the lesson he’s learned, which is that love gets fickle when you dive into it quickly & says his farewells to something that was never going to work with the hopes of those listening say goodbye to things that we as people have wanted to sort itself out regardless if we have yet to realize that it won’t.

Score: 4/5

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Twiztid – “Odyssey” review

This is the 16th EP from the Detroit demented duo & Astronomicon founders Twiztid. Consisting of Jamie Madrox & Monoxide, both of whom originally started out as part of the House of Krazees alongside childhood friend The R.O.C. in 1992 before their initial disbandment 5 years later. Almost immediately after, the Insane Clown Posse took Jamie & Mono under their wings by signing them to Psychopathic Records as who they’re known as today. They would become the label’s 2nd biggest act being their mentors off projects like Mostasteless, Freek Show, Mirror Mirror, The Green Book, W.I.C.K.E.D. (Wish I Could Kill Every Day & Abominationz. Shortly after the latter was released, Twiztid left Psychopathic to form Majik Ninja Entertainment in 2014. Since then they’ve released 7 albums & 8 EPs on their own label, my favorites of which being /ˌrevəˈlāSH⁽ᵊ⁾n/ & even their last full-length Glyph that they dropped over the fall. But coming off the Stir Crazy-produced Echoes from Dimension X this past spring, DJ Godzila’s being brought in to fully produce a new 7-track Odyssey.

“Pot Snob” starts things off with a Jamie Madrox solo cut drawing blending trap & old school hip hop for all the weed heads out there whereas “It’s About to Go Down” has a bit of a thunderous boom bap quality to the instrumental talking about everyone getting smoked out. “6 Feet Deep” is another Jamie solo joint working in some ominous keys saying everything will all repeat until you’re dead in the ground leading into “Smoke Headed Monster” by Madrox & Blaze Ya Dead Homie finds the 2 over a funk/boom bap hybrid encouraging to smoke your kush if you got it. To start the final leg of the EP, the entrancing “Astro Planin’” by the Multiple Man talks about an out of body experience while the penultimate track “Lifestyles” is a glamorous look of what it’s like for Jamie & Mono to be as stoned & high as they are. “This 4 U” by Madrox rounds out the Odyssey with an energizing dedication to those in life who’re sick & tired of feeling like they’re useless.

Some juggalos were trying to write this off as a 3-Headed Monster bite & I don’t really see it since 3HM contains 3 generations of the wicked shit in 1 & Odyssey finds Twiztid delivering a stoner-heavy concept although it’s predominantly Jamie Madrox on top of DJ Godzila’s production giving the demented duo a completely different sound from some of their past material from Glyph returning to their wicked shit roots to the hardcore hip hop approach of /ˌrevəˈlāSH⁽ᵊ⁾n/ & who could forget their rock debut Unlikely Prescription? The follow-up to the latter Welcome to Your Funeral is said to be more wicked, feature more rapping from them & fully produced by Zeuss so I expect them to deliver what Unlikely Prescription should’ve been

Score: 3/5

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Alecs DeLarge – “Alecs in Wonderland” review

Bristol, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Alecs DeLarge signing to High Focus Records for a brand new extended play of solo material. Somebody who’s spent the last several years dropping a plethora of beat tapes from Earth Seeds to S950 Bumps as well as Astro Livin’ & Bubble Goose Loops. He recently got with King Kashmere producing The Album to End All Alien Abductions in its entirety over the summer, stepping up to the mic for Alecs in Wonderland getting a chance to shine in the spotlight lyrically.

After the “$50M” intro, the first song “Scooby Snax” begins with a psychedelic self-produced opener talking about being more iconic than Cam’ron in the pink mink coat whereas & still being broke whereas “Green Goblin” takes the boom bap route instrumentally crumblin’ planets into spliffs. “Attaman!” goes for a drumless vibe talking about sending wack MCs out in space while the jazzy single “AM to AM” speaks of getting lifted 24 hours a day.

“Wonderland” continues to strip the drums talking about others suggesting he’s living the dream when he’s doing shows for drinks & some food leading into the funky “Megabus Dreams” featuring King Kashmere marking my favorite collaboration of the 2 looking at both sides of fame. “Empty Pocket Posse” featuring HPBLK hypnotically talks about both of them being poor & after the “Magic Scones” skit, “Muscle Head” drumlessly denies the possibility of slipping on an open trap ever happening.

The soulfully funky “Girl Joint” single starts Alecs in Wonderland’s final moments talking about the MPC 2000 while “Timbos x Pathfinders” jazzily finds himself seeing nothing’s changed around the block of flats that made him who he is since all the same people are there. “Far Out, Far Man” after the “Mushroom Hill” skit ends the EP taking a more melodic approach in terms of delivery singing for this woman to join him for the ride they’re gonna embark on right beside each other.

Heavily inspired by the Quasimoto alter-ego of one of my top 10 producers of all-time Madlib, the inaugural solo project in Alecs DeLarge’s career excluding all of his compositional tapes creates his own utopia to escape the one outside his council flat window idyllic living in Lynchian reality when he was exiled to a forgotten mining village. His production during Alecs in Wonderland’s course feels a lot stronger than that earlier instrumental output & he gets a couple of guests to join him in dissecting a lonely man’s soul.

Score: 3.5/5

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EARTHGANG – “EARTHGANG vs. the Algorithm: R.I.P. Human Art” review

The EARTHGANG are a duo from Atlanta, Georgia consisting of Olu & WowGr8. Starting out a little over a decade ago dropping 3 mixtapes along with 2 albums & an EP independently, this resulted in J. Cole signing them to his Interscope Records imprint 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. But in light of severing ties with Interscope & staying on Dreamville solely, Dr. Dot & Johnny Venus are celebrating by releasing their 5th EP.

“The Wake” intro sets things off where things musically have a bit of Frank Ocean influence to it calling to let all their homies free whereas “Die Today” asks if you’d come & kiss my cold or run up in my bank account if something were to happen to them over a pop rap/contemporary R&B crossover produced by Olu that’s actually better than half of what was on Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy or Diddy’s final album The Love Album: Off the Grid. “Flavors of Karma” is an organ/boom bap hybrid talking about karma coming in different flavors & not telling you what it feels like that is until the cloudy “Imagine” talks about having paradise at their fingertips. “Bobby Boucher” featuring Benji is a groovy southern pop rap closer reuniting with their vices.

These guys are truthfully my 2nd favorite act on Dreamville behind J.I.D other than Cole of course & here we have the first in a trilogy of EPs after no longer being distributed by Interscope makes me anticipate that they’re gonna have more creative freedom down the line now that they’re still with Dreamville Records & don’t have to worry about major label bullshit. The southern hip hop production also draws from cloud rap as well as boom bap & alternative/contemporary R&B with the EARTHGANG themselves feeling as if a weight’s off their chest delivery-wise.

Score: 3.5/5

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Roga Raph – “We’ll See” review

This is the 2nd EP from New York emcee/producer Roga Raph. Getting his start in the spring of 2015 off his full-length debut Visionary Shift, he would go on to follow this up in the form of his next couple albums Nostalgiks & Current-Space respectively. Raph even put out his very first EP Passing Momentsover a couple years ago & is looking to return by coming from an introspective approach on We’ll See.

“dontwannarun” has an aggressively psychedelic trap instrumental to set off the EP admitting having the desire to not run away from the problems anymore whereas “SeeingThru” works in some pianos this time around looking to trick them real good. “Up & Away” goes for a more chopped & screwed vibe paying homage it’s origins in Houston just before “LevelUp” pulls inspiration from jazz music with the beat talking about his elevation.

The song “Peace” shoots for a sample-based sound pleading for freedom of any disturbance whatsoever that is until the luscious boom bap joint “So It Seems” sheds light on the various illusions that blind us from experiencing life in its truest form. The title track ends the EP focusing on the subject of sacrifice & a wavier flare instrumentally.

If anyone reading this enjoys artists like Fly Anakin alongside Maxo or even CJ Fly from the Pro Era, then you’re gonna want to give Roga a shot because We’ll See has to be the strongest project throughout all 3 LPs & the couplet of EPs that he’s given us in the span of almost a decade at this point. The self-production is the catchiest batch he’s ever cooked up on top of him profoundly hoping that it’ll get listeners thinking about their own lives.

Score: 4/5

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Ransom – “Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child” review

Ransom is a 45 year old wordsmith from Jersey City emerging as 1/2 of the short-lived duo A-Teamalongside Hitchcock. In 2008, he would branch out on his own 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, the 7 EP based around the 7 deadly sins or his previous album 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 or Director’s Cut 4. However only a couple months after Deleted Scenes 2, Ransom’s still applying pressure by putting out a 9th EP.

“The Powers That Be” is a drumless opener with Ran talking about prophesying this entire blessing whereas “New Test of Men” takes a jazzier route making it known that it was a never a priority for him to stay rich. “Scape Goats” featuring Che Noir & 38 Spesh is where the EP starts to pick up more as all 3 artists on the TCF Music Group roster astonishingly tossing the mic together over a string-infused boom bap instrumental & “The Desolate One” might be my favorite track on here from the rock-inspired Nicholas Craven beat talking about the industry being full of demons & broken angels. “Hymns” rounds it all out by providing some ghetto gospel over a ghostly instrumental from Sibbs Roc.

Even though I still think Deleted Scenes 2 is the best EP Ransom’s dropped this year, I still enjoyed a good portion of what we got on Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child. The 2nd half of the EP is better in my opinion, but the sounds are eclectic & the lyricism from Ran never disappoints me since he’s been on another level. That goes for both features too.

Score: 4/5

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