Night Lovell – “I Hope You’re Happy” review

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada rapper, songwriter & producer Night Lovell is back with his 3rd full-length LP albeit his 2nd for the $uicideboy$‘ very own G*59 Record$. Emerging in 2014 when he dropped his debut EP I’ll Be Back & then following it up 4 months later with his debut mixtape Concept Vague, heads continued to turn in 2016 off the sophomore tape Red Teenage Melody & the 2019 full-length debut Goodnight Lovell. His sophomore effort & G*59 debut Just Say You Don’t Care was a step above the album before that, but is returning by simply saying I Hope You’re Happy.

“Morrison” is a morbid trap opener produced by outby16 who did the entire project explaining that they tried to take him down with no success whereas “Who’s This Weirdo?” takes the boom bap route instrumentally talking about being back & asking exactly what the plan is. “My Day’s Ruined!” was an underwhelming choice of a single hooking up a suspenseful loop with some hi-hats dissing those who be fucking up his mood, but then “Golden Ticket” grimly talks about running ’round the fuckin’ world tryna conquer.

Meanwhile, “Sunday” goes for a dreary trap vibe melodically asking why they make him feel like it’s nowhere to go leading into “Life Sucks So We Fuck” featuring ZillaKami of prior City Morgue fame who has the best feature on the LP goes full-blown trap metal talking about how there really isn’t any better remedy when you think about it. “Peek-a-Boo” likens himself to that of a monster over some heinous piano chords & hi-hats just before “Sucks to Be You :/“ draws inspiration from the Memphis scene a bit telling y’all to pick your battles.

“Freak” featuring Freddie Dredd who’s guest appearance is a little weaker in comparison to Kami’s, but nonetheless was a ghostly trap single addressing those lookin’ like freaks tryna take their shines from them while “Eye Spy” gets in his young stunner bag keeping that occult atmosphere in the fold. “Alive Even When I Die” draws near the end of Night Lovell’s official G*59 sophomore effort by telling guys a story ’bout his life over a psychedelic guitar riff & hi-hats. Finally, the closer “Cold Shoulder” ties up the LP by professing that he doesn’t wanna live this life over a woozy beat.

Just Say You Don’t Care was a considerable step-up from Goodnight Lovell, but he really takes his elevation to a whole new level by going above & beyond on I Hope You’re Happy. outby16’s production expands KLNV’s cloudy trap sound in favor of experimenting with trap metal & even boom bap. As far as Lovell’s performances go, he outdoes himself 2 & a half years ago when he was first introduced to $B’s audience & bringing in a couple features unlike last time also.

Score: 3.5/5

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Chetta – “Sick Bitch” review

New Orleans, Louisiana emcee/producer Chetta is returning with his 20th EP & his 3rd body of work this year. Coming up in the spring of 2014 off his debut mixtape Nino White. This was followed up with 18 EPs as well as 11 more tapes & a full-length debut, but gained significant attention off his G*59 Record$ debut Been Here Forever last summer as well as his last EP Falling Off & his latest album Playboy.

“My Misery, Your Entertainment” pretty much comes straight out the gate with it with a rage beat asking if anyone out there happens to not be entertained at all leading into “Finally Killing Myself!” talking about jumping out the window over a cloudy trap instrumental. “Y2K” works in some hi-hats & twinkling keys declaring that no one can do it like him while “Look_What_God_Did” gives off a drearier vibe talking about how we already know he slidin’. “W/orw/oyou” pushes near the end of Sick Bitch with a bombastic trap beat going through the back since he doesn’t need his ID. “Be My Permanent High” closes the EP by ghoulishly admitting that he feels alone.

Chetta to me has been continuously putting out the best material of his career throughout these last few years ever since signing to G*59 during the pandemic. The production is grounded in the southern trap sound that the New Orleans label has become predominantly known for & he gets back on his emo shit a little just like we did on Falling Off, which we didn’t hear a whole lot of on Playboy.

Score: 3.5/5

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$uicideboy$ – “I No Longer Fear the Razor Guarding My Heel V” review

The $uicideboy$ are a revered duo from New Orleans, Louisiana consisting of Ruby da Cherry & $crim. Together, they’ve released a plethora of projects within the last decade whether it be the Kill Your$elf saga & Eternal Grey or even I WANNA DIE IN NEW ORLEANS & the Travis Barker-produced Live Fast, Die Whenever. The boy$‘ sophomore effort Long Term Effects of Suffering followed as did their last album Sing Me a Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation over the summer & are coming fresh off the Yin Yang Tapes tetralogy by saying fuck Grey Sheep III in favor of a new installment of their widely acclaimed I No Longer Fear the Razor Guarding My Heel series.

“Not Even Ghosts Are This Empty” starts the EP with a sample-based trap banger produced by $crim & Dynox of Internet Money Records talking about not being able to feel their faces no matter how hard it gets at times whereas “Finding Shelter In My Larynx” confessing that everything is black to them now over a more trillwave instrumental. “A Little Trauma Can Be Illuminating & I’m Shining Like the Sun” actually ends the EP by depressingly confessing that they still can’t sleep at night even though they playa.

The Yin Yang Tapes were ok even though I still go back to a couple cuts on there, but my expectations for I No Longer Fear the Razor Guarding My Heel Vwere very high the second it was announced & easily the best EP the boy$ have dropped all year. They take it back to the signature cloud rap sound of the predecessor & some emo subject matter on top of it

Score: 4/5

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Ruby da Cherry – “tragic love songs to study to” review

Ruby da Cherry is a 35 year old MC/producer from New Orleans, Louisiana emerging as 1/2 of the $uicideboy$ alongside his cousin $crim. In the span of the decade, they’ve built up an impressively extensive discography & even have their own Virgin Music imprint G*59 Record$ with an ever-growing roster of artists. Budd dropped his full-length solo debut A Man Rose from the Dead in the midst of the COVID-19 to mixed reviews & as the boy$ gear up for Grey Sheep III, it’s only right for Ruby to step up to the plate & drop off a solo EP of his own.

After the “¯\_(ツ)_/¯” intro, the first song “ROUGAROU (i’ve become the monster)” sets the tone for what’s to come embracing the pop punk sound talking about liking to hunt alone whereas “XXL hadron colliderr” following the “where y’at, duckboy?” interlude shifts gears into skate punk territory clarifying that he’s been stabbed in the back. “my love life needs a lobotomy” describes the way he learned to detail his ex & the final song “after further reasoning, i’m going to bed” after 1 last “where y’at, duckboy??” interlude closes the EP with 1 last pop punk jam asking if his soulmate would bring flowers to his grave.

For an EP, I’d still say that tragic love songs to study to is still cuts above A Man Rose From the Dead & I’m actually pretty impressed with the artistic detour he takes in comparison to his $uicideboy$ work. He completely ditches the signature $B sound so he can experiment with pop punk as well as skate punk & easycore. Almost kinda like how ZillaKami of City Morgue dabbled with grunge & alt-rock on his solo debut Dogboy a couple years back.

Score: 3.5/5

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Chetta – “Playboy” review

Chetta is a 32 year old rapper/producer from New Orleans, Louisiana who came up in the spring of 2014 off his debut mixtape Nino White. This was followed up with 18 EPs as well as 11 more tapes & a full-length debut, but gained significant attention off his G*59 Record$ debut Been Here Forever last summer & his 19th EP Falling Off only 5 months ago. However, it seems that Chetta’s returning with his 3rd album & is fully producing it again except for 1 joint this time.

“Holy:Fuck” is an unsettlingly dark trap opener making it known that he gon’ move exactly how the fuck he wants whereas “fake.com (Subscribe Now)” has a cloudier approach instrumentally talking about the fact that half of these hoes are getting fucked for free. “4am in Nola” details swerving both lanes keeps it in atmospheric trap territory asking if it’s worth snorting painkillers, but then “I’ll Get High If I Want To” gives off a bass-heavier yet cavernous vibe talking about of course being high & I as a stoner can already imagine those who get under the influence recreationally getting turnt to it.

With “2 Wrongs & a Right”, we have Chetta returning to a trillwave-inspired groove reminding that we know how it goes just before “Hot*59” gives me a dejecting atmosphere talking about being unable to fuck around. “Spoiled Rotten” comes through with more of a distorted trap edge being out on the street instead of on the clock leading into “Penthouse for My Feelings” going full-blown trap metal talking about having to watch hoes being curved like stop signs. $crim saves the wickedest beat on the whole album for the penultimate track “Blown Veins” telling a lame to get their act right until the hazy closer “Come with Me If It’s Pain You Seek” says it all topically.

At 33 projects under his belt throughout almost the span of a decade, Playboy further proves that Chetta’s progressively been stepping it up ever since the $uicideboy$ signed him their Virgin Music imprint & I’d recommend those who fuck with the boy$ as much as I do give his music a shot of they haven’t done so already. His production game as strong as it was earlier on in the year & it’s really cool to see him throw it back to his old ways a bit so new fans can familiarize themselves with his pre-G*59 material.

Score: 3.5/5

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$uicideboy$ – “Yin Yang Tapes 4: Winter Season” review

This is the 27th EP from New Orleans, Louisiana duo the $uicideboy$. Consisting of Ruby da Cherry & $crim, these guys released a plethora of projects within the last decade whether it be the Kill Your$elf saga & Eternal Grey or even I WANNA DIE IN NEW ORLEANS & the Travis Barker-produced Live Fast, Die Whenever. The boy$’ sophomore effort Long Term Effects of Suffering followed as did their last album Sing Me a Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation over the summer & are wrapping up the month of May by concluding the Yin Yang Tapes tetralogy.

After the intro, the first song “Bossier City Kidnap Victims” starts the final entry of the saga by making the block wet with an eerie trap instrumental backing them while the penultimate track “Didn’t They Give You Percoset?” takes a more straightforward dirty south turn talking about getting the money. “I Deleted Facebook a Long Time Ago” rounds out the EP with a cloudy Memphis trap banger knocking motherfuckers out they case, thus ending the Yin Yang Tapes era & marking the beginning of the Grey Sheep III rollout.

People were complaining about the predecessor to be 1-dimensional & I think I can just come straight out the gate saying that’s not the case with this final installment of the series. I mean yeah we still get doses of cloudy Memphis gangsta rap & rare phonk, but the dirty south opener was a refreshing change of pace from what we heard throughout the dozen joints we got from the boy$ this month excluding the intros & makes me confident about the Grey Sheep trilogy coming to a conclusion this summer since the original contains some of their strongest material.

Score: 3.5/5

$uicideboy$ – “Yin Yang Tapes 3: Fall Season”

The $uicideboy$ are a hip hop duo from New Orleans, Louisiana consisting of Ruby da Cherry & $crim. For almost a decade now, these guys released a plethora of projects whether it be the Kill Your$elf saga & Eternal Grey or even I WANNA DIE IN NEW ORLEANS & the Travis Barker-produced Live Fast, Die Whenever. The boy$’ sophomore effort Long Term Effects of Suffering followed as did their last album Sing Me a Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation over the summer & continuing the Yin Yang Tapes series in the form of their 26th EP.

After the “Fall Season” intro, the song “whatwhat” opens things up with some gritty synthesizer patterns & hi-hats cautioning that you better stay the fuck away from them while the penultimate track “Every Dog Has His Day” gives off a more atmospherically Memphis kind of vibe to it this time around getting on their Scarface shit. “Provolone & Heroin” featuring Freddie Dredd however happens to be a mediocre closer despite its mystic trap production the lyrics representing the north side of New Orleans.

If you’re already familiar with the last 2 installments of the series, then you pretty much know what you’re getting yourself into here as they drop off 3 songs that fans can get themselves into the fall mood in about 4 months when the leaves actually start to turn brown. The feature at the backend is probably the weakest of the tetralogy so far, but they continue to expand on the cloudy rare phonk sounds from before & dropping their signature gangsta-infused lyrics on top of it.

Score: 3.5/5

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$uicideboy$ – “Yin Yang Tapes 2: Summer Season” review

This is the 25th EP from New Orleans, Louisiana duo the $uicideboy$. Consisting of Ruby da Cherry & $crim, these guys released a plethora of projects within the last decade whether it be the Kill Your$elf saga & Eternal Grey or even I WANNA DIE IN NEW ORLEANS & the Travis Barker-produced Live Fast, Die Whenever. The boy$’ sophomore effort Long Term Effects of Suffering followed as did their last album Sing Me a Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation over the summer & are now coming off the EP they dropped last weekend Yin Yang Tapes: Spring Season for the sequel Summer Season.

After the intro, the first song “5 ‘n the Mornin’” is an occult trap opener with the boy$ declaring that players never die while the penultimate track “Starry 9” has more of a Memphis-inspired sound to it à la one of my all-time favorite groups & one of the Nawlins duo’s biggest inspirations Three 6 Mafia sonically so they can rep the 7th ward. “Bloody ‘98” featuring Ghostmane concludes the first half of the Yin Yang Tapes tetralogy with the trio collaborating for the first time with a demonic trap closer & all 3 MCs gelling with one another better than one would anticipate discussing their killer instincts.

I can only assume Fall is coming next Friday & eventually Winter the weekend after, but I really can’t complain because this is a tad bit superior to Spring in my personal opinion & it has me anticipating the 6 songs from the other 2 installments later on in the month ahead of Grey Sheep III afterwards. Blanco & Wetto continue to build upon the cloudy trap sounds of the predecessor with their production here as they keep spitting some gangsta-laced braggadocio for us to vibe to in time for next month.

Score: 3.5/5

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$uicideboy$ – “Yin Yang Tapes: Spring Season” review

The $uicideboy$ are a hip hop duo from New Orleans, Louisiana consisting of Ruby da Cherry & $crim. For almost a decade now, these guys released a plethora of projects whether it be the Kill Your$elf saga & Eternal Grey or even I WANNA DIE IN NEW ORLEANS & the Travis Barker-produced Live Fast, Die Whenever. The boy$’ sophomore effort Long Term Effects of Suffering followed as did their last album Sing Me a Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation over the summer & are now coming off the collaborative Shameless $uicide with G*59 Record$ signee Shakewell by ringing in the warmer weather with their 24th EP.

After the “Spring Season” intro, the first of 3 songs that we get here “Hot Razor” sets off the whole EP with a Memphis rap banger keeping it gangsta as a motherfucker while the penultimate track “Realism vs. Idealism” comes through with a straight up dirty south vibe as they talk about squeezin’ like they fiendin’ for a reason to give up & asking where your Makaveli is. “Château Gris” though finishes things up with a quirky yet cloudy trap jam admitting they be psychopathic with the 9 & that they be heaven sent.

They’re saying we’re getting a 3rd installment of the Grey Sheep series at some point this summer & for the boy$ to celebrate spring by giving us a 10-minute kickoff to the Yin Yang Tapes series is a fine way to hold everyone off until it’s time to complete the trilogy the way they started it. The production remains grounded in the duo’s southern roots as they stick to their guns (no pun intended) covering the usual topics that one would expect going into one or their projects.

Score: 3.5/5

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Shakewell & $uicideboy$ – “Shameless $uicide” review

This is the brand new collaborative EP between Shakewell & the $uicideboy$. The latter is a well regarded underground duo from New Orleans with the other being a recording artist out of Los Angeles that Ruby da Cherry & $crim signed to their very own Virgin Music imprint G*59 Record$ during the pandemic. The trio have a couple songs together like “Venom” & “Solutions” but considering that the boy$ have a few collab EPs with fellow G*59 signees Germ & Ramirez, it was only right for them to get one in with Shakewell in the form of Shameless $uicide.

The title track sets it off with the trio getting locced the fuck out accompanied by a somber trap instrumental whereas “Whole Lotta Grey” works in some synthesizers & hi-hats talking everything that they got. “Gutter Bravado” keeps the futuristic sounds going as all 3 of them spit that gangsta shot while the song “Went to Rehab & All I Got Was This Lousy Shirt” is an eerie trap banger about half men, half demigods. The penultimate track “6 Lines, 2 Dragons & a Messiah” has a more shimmering quality to the beat sampling “Tire Shop” by Gangsta Blac as they refer to themselves as the founders until the spacious closer “Big Shot Cream Soda” gets to the paper.

It’s always interesting when the $uicideboy$ link up with another one of their artists signed to G*59 Record$ for a collaborative EP & not only do I consider Shameless $uicide to be amongst my favorites of the bunch, but it makes me hope that this is only the beginning from them & Shakewell going forward. There are some interesting ideas with the production & the chemistry between everyone on the mic is better than it was on DIRTIESTNASTIEST$UICIDE a couple months back with all respect to Germ.

Score: 3.5/5

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