Farma G – “To Kill a Butterfly” review

Farma G is a 40 year old MC/producer from London, England, United Kingdom known for being a member of the Mud Family collective & 1/2 of the Task Force alongside his brother Chester P. He would go on to produce for several big names within the underground from Rome Streetz to Vinnie Paz & the latter’s Heavy Metal Kings cohort Ill Bill. However after signing to High Focus Records as a solo artist, he’s ready to show the world what he’s capable of doing on the mic & dropping a full-length solo debut a month after Michael Oku became a 2-time RPW British Heavyweight Champion.

“Cats & Dogs” begins with a cumbersome beat referring to the titular idiom used when it’s raining really hard just before “Bearskin Coats” shifts towards a boom bap direction so he can liken himself to a walking killer carrying a harpoon. The self-produced “Junkyard” sticks out to me as a favorite of mine from the overall mafioso vibe to the lyrics detailing the kind of business you can’t get out of once you’re in while “Say How You See It” speaks of calling things the way they are.

Moving on from there, “Classic Tech” instrumentally somewhat reminds me of Griselda’s late 2010s output talking about a bad moon rising & a new sun’s quest to take it’s 1st breath leading into “Here Come the Gods” works in a gritty piano flip to explain that he was born to rock clubs. “Peet” samples an organ so he can a couple minutes to remember his late father while “In Between the Lines” talks about how he feels trapped whenever he’s writing songs over a Cuth & DJ Jazz T beat.

“Found That Funny” laughs at rappers who only have money on their minds while “Angels” talks about hearing messengers of God speaking to him. “Me Oh My” dustily offers an easy listening experience for the drug dealers & their victims while “Goat Shit” featuring Jehst finds the 2 over a woodwind instrumental talking about ranking amongst the greats. “The Start & End” finishes up the LP by jumping over a drumless loop suggesting death runs the numbers until our time comes.

Hanging up the mic in 2013 following the completion of the Task Force’s 6th & final album Music from the Corner 5 so he could focus more on his production skills, To Kill a Butterfly thematically connects itself to Farma G’s origins as part of the Mud Family duo he & his younger sibling formed 3 decades ago officially closing that chapter of his life & beginning anew. I understand him only producing a few cuts so he can let his pen shine, but I’d love to hopefully hear the guy fully produce a future sophomore effort all by himself now that his solo career’s begun.

Score: 3.5/5

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Rome Streetz – “Kontraband” review

This is the brand new mixtape from New York emcee Rome Streetz. Breaking out in 2016 with his debut mixtape I Been Thru Mad Shit. he would make his presence in the underground known with projects like Street Farmacy as well as the Noise Kandy trilogy & my personal favorite: Headcrack. He just dropped an EP earlier this year entitled The Residue & then the 4th installment of his Noise Kandy series back in June but to celebrate his 34th birthday, Rome has reunited with Farma Beats for a sequel to Street Farmacy.

The opener “Track Marks” talks about whipping up drugs over an unsettling instrumental whereas the next song “Lick da Toad” talks about being platinum plus over a tense beat. The track “Bucketz” with Daniel Son sees the 2 getting on some exploitation shit over some horns while the song “Mirrors & Smoke” talks about reaching the top over a jazzy beat.

The track “Laced” gets in his storytelling bag over a soulful instrumental while the song “Ghetto Star” declares himself as such over a dismal beat. The track “London Pound Cake” with Radamiz finds the 2 comparing their music to coke over some mischievous synths while the song “Ballad of the Lone Wolf” talks about looking for an outcome from different shit over an earnest beat.

The track “Sinsation” talks about the cash over an uptempo instrumental while the song “Eyes on Fire” with Ransom finds the 2 talking about watching those next to you over some vocal harmonies hanging in the background. The penultimate track “Lucky Stopped Dreaming” comes at his competition over a demented instrumental & then the album ends with “Word 2 Mommy”, where Rome talks about being out to get the world as it turns over a classy beat.

What a way for dude to round out the year. The chemistry between Rome Streetz & Farma Beats is just as dope as it was on Street Farmacy, especially since how much both of these guys have evolved throughout the years. Can’t wait to hear where Rome takes things in 2021.

Score: 3.5/5

Antiheroes – “Disasterpiece” review

The Antiheroes are a duo consisting of Runcorn, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer & Blah Records founder Lee Scott alongside Sari, Iran emcee/producer Salar. Introducing themselves in 2003 off their debut mixtape Middle Finger Salute, they wouldn’t return until almost a decade later when they dropped their full-length studio debut Flows for the Contemporary Urban Gentleman. However after taking a 6 year hiatus, Lee & Salar have reuniting for an extended play produced by Farma G & having Telemachus handle the engineering process of it all.

“Godnose” dustily begins advising to not stress over anything & to do your thing since they got your back whereas the title track encourages all to follow them on this path towards searching peace. We get some pianos mixed with kicks & snares promising to throw boulders at a “Glass House” just before “No Sleep ‘Till Mars” finishes this Disasterpiece with a quirky boom bap instrumental talking about both of them not losing a step after another lengthy period of inactivity.

It’s not very often where the Antiheroes release new music & almost 15 years since their formation, but I could debate Disasterpiece for only an EP places itself above Flows for the Contemporary Urban Gentleman & Middle Finger Salute in becoming the greatest thing Lee Scott & Salar have ever made together. Farma G’s production here sounds a lot rawer than both of its predecessors & for 4 tracks clocking at over 10 minutes, both of them sure deliver in that short amount of time.

Score: 4/5