Boom Bap Project – “Return Flight” review

The Boom Bap Project are a trio from Seattle, Washington consisting of Destro, Karim & DJ Tre. They’re also apart of the Oldominion collective, dropping their full-length debut Circumstance Dictates only 2 decades back & then the Rhymesayers-backed sophomore effort Reprogram to even more critical acclaim 4 years later. Last time we heard the crew together was in 2007 with The Countdown, but have decided to reunite from their long hiatus for a debut EP.

“Been So Long” is a lush opener talking about their hiatus whereas “Don’t Follow Me Down” enlists Wordsworth to talk about being steady on their own with a harp loop throughout. “Deion Sanders” goes into more chilled out territory talking about the golden era just before saying they’ll always kill it on the rugged “Rain or Shine”.

The song “Hagler vs. Hearns” showcases their chemistry proclaiming their music as the real shit with a woozy instrumental while the penultimate track “Achilles” has a bit of a soulful feel to it showing them they way they do shit. “Ink Drips” then finishes off the EP with an emotional piano ballad.

I’ve been a fan of these cats since the Rhymesayers days, so to hear them come back albeit in a short capacity makes me happy as Hell. The production stays true to their name all these years later & in terms of chemistry, they haven’t lost a single step.

Score: 3.5/5

Fat Joe – “What Would Big Do?” review

Fat Joe is a 50 year old MC, songwriter & actor from The Bronx, New York who came up as a member of D.I.T.C. & the Terror Squad. His first 3 albums Represent, J.O.E. (Jealous Ones Envy) & Don Cartagena are considered by many to be the best in his discography. However, much of his output since then has been either hit or miss from the underrated The Elephant in the Room to the horrendous J.O.S.E. 2 (Jealous Ones Still Envy 2). Last we heard from him was in late 2019 when he & Dre dropped their collab effort Family Ties, but is now returning with a brand new EP produced by Cool & Dre.

The intro has a soulful vibe instrumentally with Joe flexing whereas “Michael” is a luscious romance anthem. “Honey” vibrantly talks about hustling just before he & Dre reunite for the fly shit that “Diamonds” delivers on top of a fucking Prince sample. “Demon Girl” serves as a spacious bad bitch theme, but then “Africa” with Lil Yachty bastardizes the iconic Toto song of the same name.

The song “Babyface” compares his sex game to Verzuz despite the sensual beat while
the penultimate track “Back Outside” with Remy Ma serves as a funky ass shaker. The closer “Sunshine (The Light)” then samples both Rihanna & Luther Vandross saying that his girl is everything to him.

I still stand on what I said earlier about Fat Joe’s discography in the last 20 years being hit or miss, but What Would Big Do? isn’t bad. Cool & Dre do a good job for the most part at flipping the classics as Joe gets on his grown man shit.

Score: 3.5/5

Benny the Butcher – “Pyrex Picasso” review

This is the 6th EP from Buffalo emcee Benny the Butcher. Getting his start in 2004 off his debut mixtape Tana Talk, it wasn’t until 2018 when he dropped his Daringer/Alchemist-produced debut album Tana Talk 3 under his cousin Westside Gunn’s independent powerhouse Griselda Records. This was followed up with The Plugs I Met & the Hit-Boy-produced Burden of Proof but just 5 months after teaming up with Harry Fraud for The Plugs I Met II, the butcher is now proclaiming himself as the Pyrex Picasso.

After the “1st Name Basis” intro, “Flood the Block” is a bit of a celebratory kickstarter talking about drugs & clocking dollars whereas “PWRDRL” with Elcamino has a bit of a rock feel getting on their mafioso shit. The title track with Conway the Machine works in some keyboards & dusty drums talking about getting rich just before Elcamino returns with Rick Hyde for the symphonic “‘73”, saying their competitors will never be them. “The Iron Curtain” works in some haunting organs spitting that street gospel & the closer “Fly with Me” with Conway the Machine has a soulful vibe talking about being hustlers.

It’s no secret this dude has been working hard on the Tana Talk 4 double album for a while now & I think Pyrex Picasso serves as a fresh lil’ appetizer before the main course despite being recorded 3 years back. Chop La Rok & Rare Scilla do their thing behind the boards for The Butcher to let his flashy lyricism come in to play as it usually does.

Score: 3.5/5

Autumn! – “Not Much Longer” review

This is the 15th EP from Louisiana rapper/producer Autumn!. Within the last 3 years, the kid has become a household name in the plugg scene off projects ranging from the ##RETRIBUTION series to the full-length debut Ils Verront last fall. He just dropped Golden Child a couple months back & that’s probably his most introspective work to date so given that, I was definitely curious to hear where he would go on Not Much Longer.

“Incase!” is a minimal yet rowdy opener talking about doing “rich n***a shit” whereas “Dancin’ with the Stars!” goes into cloudier territory with him flexing. “WANTS!” sounds like something out of an old school video game talking about a girl whose heart he broke still texting him just before the woozy albeit self-explanatory “F.T.S.! (FUCK THAT SHIT!)”. The penultimate track “VICTORIOUS!” celebrates his dubs on top of a bass-heavy instrumental & then “MURCIELAGO!” atmospherically tells his naysayers to get out of his life.

I was hoping we were getting Golden Child 2 because I have a tendency to enjoy music that personal, but nonetheless I’m happy with Not Much Longer. I like the more braggadocious tone of the lyricism & the way he makes pluggier beats remains unmatched.

Score: 3.5/5

BBKnight – “Knight Awakens” review

BBKnight is a 24 year old rapper from Las Vegas, Nevada getting his start in the spring of 2018 by dropping his debut EP Knight’s Hive. This was followed up with 4 more EPs but after dropping the debut mixtape Beautiful Boy at the beginning of the year, it’s only right for him to returning with a 6th EP ahead of his 25th birthday that’s coming up this weekend.

“Permanent” starts things off by talking about how this life is forever with a synth-induced trap instrumental whereas “Rick Owens” is a short yet entrancing tribute to the clothing company of the same name. The retro video game sample throughout “On the Flo” is pretty cool as he boasts about himself leading into the catchy party starter “Codeine Sippin’”. The penultimate track “Tired of Yo Shit!” aggressively gets on his shit-talking bag & then “Sap’d Out” is a cloudy finisher talking about not letting these lames around him.

Of all the projects BBKnight has dropped so far, Knight Awakens could very well be my favorite of the handful & I can only see him growing going further. The production is hypnotic as fuck & his performances are at their catchiest as is the songwriting.

Score: 3.5/5

Homeboy Sandman – “anjelitu” review

Homeboy Sandman is a 40 year old MC from Queens, New York who came to my attention when he dropped his 4th album albeit his Stones Throw Records debut 1st of a Living Breed almost 9 years ago at this point. The dude would go on to drop 3 more full-lengths & 7 EPs with them before jumping ship to Mello Music Group in 2019. His first album on the label Dusty was alright, but the Quelle Chris-produced Don’t Feed the Monster. that came out last October was much better. But after forming the duo Lice with local wordsmith Aesop Rock & dropping 3 EPs together, we’re actually getting a change of pace as Sandman’s letting Aes produced his 8th EP from front to back.

“Go Hard” is a charismatic opener about being in beast mode with some guitar licks whereas “West Coast” is a g-funk banger with references to “Hail Mary” & “Hand on the Pump”. Meanwhile on “F.Y.I. (For Your Information)”, we go into a bit of a rock direction for Sandman to talk about how he’s still dope after a decade just before continuing to bust into a more speedier flow on “Cow’s Milk” & the beat on here is kin to 70’s exploitation films. The penultimate track “No Beef” is a powerful vegetarianism anthem & the closer “Lice, Lice Baby” works in a piano instrumental possibly preluding Lice 4.

I think Anjelitu has to be my favorite project that Sandman has dropped under MMG so far, although I do enjoy the vulnerability of Don’t Feed the Monster. It’s really interesting to hear him put his own spin on the whole yin/yang concept in Ancient Chinese philosophy & it just goes to show that we don’t talk about Aes’ production skills as much as his massive vocabulary.

Score: 4/5

Marv Won – “Rabbits Can’t Shoot” review

This is the 2nd EP from Detroit emcee/producer Marv Won. Coming up as a part of the world famous Fat Killahz, he has gone on to become well respected in the battle circuit & has released a total of 4 solo albums, with the latest being Sooner Than Later this past winter. But out of nowhere, Marv has decided to drop Rabbits Can’t Shoot on Bandcamp for 24 hours only just to see who really fucks. with him.

The title track at the very start of the EP has a soulful boom bap instrumental criticizing the saying “ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun” whereas “E.A.R. (Everybody A Rapper)” is a grimy shot at wack emcees. Clemmye, Guilty Simpson & Ty Farris tag along for the cold blooded “Harmony Korine” leading into him proclaiming that he speaks in “Divinity” accompanied by an angelic beat.

The harmonious “Raise a Glass” calls out those praying on his downfall & still being here while the penultimate track “Spin the Block” works in a soul sample talking about getting money for all intensive purposes. The closer “Like My Daddy” with Ro Spit is a beautiful piano ballad looking back on their childhoods.

For a surprise release, Rabbits Can’t Shoot absolutely delivers. Marv gets a lot off his chest through the pen, almost all the features come correct & I still maintain his production is the best it’s ever sounded after all these years in the game.

Score: 4/5

Yeat – “Trëndi” review

Yeat is a 21 year old rapper from Portland, Oregon who first emerged in 2018 off his debut EP Deep Blue Strips. He just dropped his 3rd mixtape Alivë back in April as well a 4th tale 4L just a couple months back but with his next full-length Up 2 Më in the works, Yeat has decided to give listeners an appetizer before the main course with his 5th EP.

“Mad ‘Bout That” kicks things off with a grisly sequel to “Sorry ‘Bout That” whereas “Fukit” is an energetic follow-up based around the expression of nonchalance. The penultimate track “Insidë Out” with SeptembersRich finds the 2 flexin’ over an instrumental from Rio Leyva of Internet Money Records that sounds clearly inspired by Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red & then the closer “Tonka 2” serves as a wavy sequel to “Tonka” off Alivë produced by BNYX from Working on Dying.

This kid’s profile has only been increasing within the last couple months & it’s really not hard to see why. I think he has a unique voice, the hunger is there in his performances/songwriting & has a decent ear for production. At this rate, Up to Me will definitely propel him to the next level.

Score: 3.5/5

Daniel Son – “JWP” review

This is the 5th EP from Toronto, Ontario, Canada emcee Daniel Son. Coming up as a member of the Brown Bag Money collective, his profile began to rapidly increase in the underground off projects like his debut mixtape The Gunners or the sophomore album Yenaldooshi. He recently dropped the Cuns-produced EP Dojo back in March to commemorate the 1-year anniversary of his previous album Dirty Dishes, but is now enlisting Ramzee for JWP.

“Above the Law” has a bit of a woozy feel in the instrumental with Daniel talking about how the cops will never catch him whereas “Tempo” is an airy boom bap cut saying he used to smell the hate on the new believers. “Haunted” goes into a more jazzier direction talking about your girl checking him naked just before proclaiming he’ll make sure the coast is clean on the soulful “Pinot Gris”. The penultimate track “Fried Burbot” works is a rap rock cut detailing the mud life while “The Ends” finishes off has a great trumpet loop & lyrics about the struggle never ending.

Dojo was good, but JWP to me is a much more consistent product. I like how Ramzee’s production ranges from boom bap to jazz & at this point, I think Daniel Son could very well be my favorite lyricist in the Canadian hip hop scene right now. I hope this & Dojo are warm-ups for a new album because I would love for him to get an all-star lineup of beat-makers on it.

Score: 4/5

Tha God Fahim – “Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King”

This is the latest EP from Atlanta, Georgia emcee/producer Tha God Fahim. Coming up as an affiliate of Griselda Records alongside Mach-Hommy & Your Old Droog, he also has a incredibly vast discography with a couple of standouts being Breaking Through tha Van Allen Belts & Dump Assassins. His 18th full-length album Dump Gawd: Stock Lord just dropped a little over a month ago & after Nicholas Craven teased a project with him on Twitter recently, we’re finally getting it in the form of Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King.

“Dear Friend” is a beautiful piano ballad to open up the EP with him & Your Old Droog saying they’re always cooking referencing 14-time WWE world champion, WWE Hall of Famer, 5-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 3-time WWE tag team champion & current WWE COO Triple H alongside 2-time WWE Hall of Famer, 6-time WWE world champion, 4-time WWE United States Champion, 14-time WWE tag team champion, 2-time WWE Hardcore Champion, RoW Tag Team Champion & TNA World Tag Team Champion Booker T whereas “Look What You Done” takes a more soulful approach talking about being strapped. Droog returns to ask the listener introspective questions on the lachrymose “Lost His Way”, just before dedicating the heartfelt “Wit Out a Question” to his peoples. Especially with the chilling vocal loop.

The song “Big George Bombs” is the only one on the entire EP that Craven didn’t produce, but I love the harmonious sample Fahim flips for him to say he’s loading up like George Foreman did to Joe Frazier. The penultimate track “Crypto” goes into chipmunk soul territory talking about that’s what he blew his $100K on while “Bitter End” serves as a jazzy closer calling out those who’re trying to keep him piss poor.

Stock Lord was good, but I like this a lot more & I’ll even go as far to call it one of the best Fahim projects yet. He’s at his most genuine on some of these cuts & Nicholas Craven continues to solidify himself as one of the best producers in the underground today.

Score: 4.5/5