Tag: Final Level Music

Ice-T – “Criminal Migraine” review

Ice-T is a 68 year old MC, actor, songwriter, producer & author from Los Angeles, California by way of Newark, New Jersey known for pioneering gangsta rap with his 1987 debut Rhyme Pays under Warner Records. Poweras well as The Iceberg: Freedom of Speech…Just Watch What You Say! & O.G. (Original Gangster) were all equally praised, dropping the underrated Home Invasion through Priority Records. Ice-T VI: Return of the Real & 7th Deadly Sin both came out independently to lukewarm reception, returning 2 decades after the poorly received Gangsta Rap for the Body Count frontman’s 9th studio LP.

After the intro, “It’s What You Say” produced by Charlemagne begins with a piano-driven boom bap opener talking about kicking game every time he’s on the mic whereas “No Competition” aggressively asks why he should stop when most of these bitches are trash over an Afrika Islam beat. “Keep It Gangsta” featuring Kenny Ivy, Treach & Zieme goes for a summery vibe instrumentally getting on their gangsta shit lyrically just before “Hardcore Motherfucker” ruggedly talks about being a badass.

“California” featuring Fedie Demarco unites the pair over a beat Dr. Dre would’ve made in the 2000s representing the west coast leading into the title track returning to the boom bap talking about him cautioning not to look inside his head when one already has. “It’s All About…” links up with P.A. Dre fresh off Inspectah Deck’s 5th album Dragon’s Breath tackling materialism while “You Can Get It” featuring Smoothe da Hustler & Treach unites all 3 of them so they can discuss achieving your dreams.

As for “Follow the Leader”, we have Ice-T leaning towards a rap rock sound talking about having a plan for your life unless you want to spend the rest of your days on the lamb while “Shut the Fuck Up” disses artists making podcast appearances snitching on themselves. “Hustle Hard” reaches the midway point of Criminal Migraine talking about always grinding no matter what while the romantically eye-rolling “Kick Rocks” gets the 2nd half going dismissing women who didn’t want to give him a chance now showing up in his DMs.

“Jewel Lick” featuring CJ Mack joins forces to put ourselves inside of the shoes of 2 jewel thieves while “The Hate’s Real” featuring Smoothe da Hustler reunites over a key-woven instrumental talking about fake love. “No One Ever Wins” tells the story of a woman who ends up burnt out, alone & broke wishing she was one of her friends happily married with kids while “Ego” shifts towards an atmospheric trap direction talking about egotism.

The soulfulness of “2 Be a Man” enhanced the mature themes explored breaking down his definition of a grown man while “N***a Please” featuring Money Reeks, Murkemz & Ras Kass gets cutthroat together with The Waterproof MC having my favorite guest verse. “Bangerz” featuring Freddie Foxxx boasts themselves amongst the ultimate but “Lost My Mind” featuring Smoothe da Hustler & Treach talks about insanity, “No Regrets” preceding the outro ends the album showing 0 remorse.

Everything Ice-T said regarding hip hop having no age limit was 100% accurate considering veterans from Rakim to the Juice Crew making musical comebacks & now Big Daddy Kane prepping his final full-length within the coming months. Nevertheless, I adamantly believe Criminal Migraine’s some of the O.G.’s most salvageable material mostly because the production’s at it’s best since Home Invasion regardless of a few being skeptical of it’s runtime.

Score: 3.5/5

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Body Count – “Merciless” review

Body Count is a crossover thrash/rap metal band fronted by the O.G. of gangsta rap, actor, songwriter, producer & author Ice-T. Introducing themselves with an acclaimed posthumous debut, their next 2 offerings Born Dead & Violent Demise: The Last Days proved to be additionally well received although Murder 4 Hire marked their return after a near-decade long hiatus to mixed feedback. Manslaughter became Body Count’s strongest body of work since their debut, later resulting in Bloodlust & Carnivore maintains that consistency. Considering the steadily consistent output, the band’s 8th album had me anticipating it.

After the “Interrogation” intro, the title track starts us off on some rap metal shit talking about having only 1 life to live & 0 fucks left to give whereas “The Purge” featuring Cannibal Corpse frontman George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher embraces more of a death metal vibe drawing inspiration from the titular film franchise conceptually. “Psychopath” brings back the rap metal sound showing his psychotic tendencies leading into “Fuck What You Heard” dissing the Democrips & Bloodpublicans since he taught me both wings are on the same bird.

“Live Forever” featuring Howard Jones raps over more heavy metal production about the idea of immortality while “Do or Die” promises that no one is safe from the war that’s going on outside & that it’s either kill or be killed the way Ice-T sees it. “Comfortably Numb” featuring David Gilmour is a cover of the Pink Floyd track of the same name & religious beef prior to “Lying Motherfucka” blasting the United States president-elect Donald Trump.

Sepultura co-founder Max Cavalera joins Body Count for the song “Drug Lords” talking about the world we’re living in being in complete chaos as it is covering it all up using lies & schemes while “World War” talks about the possibility of World War III turning our own inner cities into battle grounds with the possibility of it all getting set off either next year or maybe tonight as we speak. “Mic Contract” finishes Merciless in the form of this 1 final rap metal joint wanting his muhfuckin’ money.

After persevering through personal tragedies along with social opposition & an army of naysayers, Ice-T & company emerges bloody but unbroken & with more rage than ever to the point where you can’t take any more & you’re done. The metal production is on par with their last couple Body Count offerings & the west coast O.G. himself doesn’t let up venting genuine anger through the iconoclastic lyrics.

Score: 4/5

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