Tag: II

Jon Connor – “II” review

Celebrating the Valentine’s Day weekend with the 2nd installment of a 12-part EP saga from Flint, Michigan emcee/producer Jon Connor. Someone who’s steadily been holding it down for the last 2 decades including The Calling, Vinnie Chase & S.O.S. trilogies along with the Best in the World series paying homage to some of Jon’s influences, Salvation, While You Were Sleeping & Unconscious State. He was even signed to Aftermath Entertainment for 6 years before departing after Vehicle City wound up being shelved, coming off Food for the Soul & 24 produced by KLC of the No Limit Records in-house production team Beats by the Pound to drop II almost a month after I.

Smitti Boi cooks up a victorious trap instrumental in the intro “Don’t Cry” talking about the shit God had prepared him for whereas “Random Thoughts” references current 8-time WWE world champion CM Punk claiming the Best in the World’s nickname for himself. “The Acknowledgment” jazzily confesses there’s no easier way to reach a higher version of ourselves unless admitting the bullshit won’t stop us just before “For Life For Real” featuring Mickey Factz finds the 2 talking about never letting anyone discredit you.

“Get It” starts the 2nd half of II suggesting for everyone he’s been watching on the grind to go out & take what’s theirs while “Completion” optimistically talks about it being proud of yourself for coming this far so we can remember who we are during any hard times. “The Party” takes a couple minutes to vent regarding all the kinds of people he’s been fed up with for a minute already while “Be Free” wraps things up talking about making peace from within & shit not changing 5 decades later.

Now I couldn’t tell you whether or not Smitti Boi intends to produce the other 10 extended plays Jon Connor has lined up for the rest of the year, but I did enjoy II almost as much as I even if the general reception towards the predecessor was divided. The production isn’t any different than last month’s EP regarding stylistic variety & Jon’s still using his God given talents to counter the negative energy our world experiences daily with positivity.

Score: 3.5/5

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iyrus – “II” review

Here we have the 3rd EP from up-&-coming Philadelphia, Pennsylvania rapper & producer of Nigerian descent iyrus. Emerging in the summer of 2024 after doing an On the Radar freestyle, he would later introduce himself more properly last spring off his debut EP Resurgence & followed it up 8 months afterwards with his previous EP I. A couple months later, he’s looking to continue where he left off less than a couple weeks from Thanksgiving, the east coast trap rapper looks to pick up right where he left off preluding a debut album with II.

“2hollis” is a rage-inducing intro talking about tucking a switch inside his jeans similarly to the Chicago underground sensation of the same name whereas “Everyday” thunderously flexes that he runs up bags on a daily basis. The self-produced “I Luv Botched Bodies” talks about stealing women so he can get his rocks off & after the hypertrap-tinged “Butt Naked Nasty” continues to address themes of lust, “Lead da Way” reaches the halfway point cashing checks at Dolce & Gabbana.

Continuing the 2nd leg of II, the song “S.I.S.” (See I’m Saying)” energetically talks about making waves as well as changing the game while “Habibi” shits all over DDG & Blueface’s latest single they dropped the weekend earlier. “Das Strange” has a pluggier atmosphere to it trying to figure out how many bitches he could fit inside his Range Rover just before the closer “Erd Tee” talks about dressing a woman he’s known since childhood who sees the vision now that both of them have grown up.

So far throughout this whole trilogy of extended plays, II expands beyond the predecessor 8 week ago & it wouldn’t surprise me if iyrus was eventually signed to Lil Uzi Vert’s newly founded Cor(e) imprint soon as he gains enough traction within the next year or so. The trap, rage, plugg & cloud rap production’s starting to become increasingly more detailed & he makes his best case so far in terms of why he should be mentioned amongst the greatest to come from the City of Brotherly Love.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!