K.A.A.N. – “Anger Management” review

Columbia, Maryland emcee/producer K.A.A.N. dropping off his 28th LP. He’s delivered numerous standouts in his ever-growing discography like Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred, the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due, Mission Hillz, The Death of a Rapper & The Nightly News both produced by former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7, Peace of Minds and Delusions of Grandeur & In Due Time both produced by DJ Hoppa. Only a few months after the poorly received Yesterday, he & Hoppa are going to Anger Management.

The title track works in a flute with some kicks & snares to talk about being a problem child wylin’ whereas “Back to It” keeps a boom bap vibe instrumentally so he can see who’s really tough or not. “I.D.C. (I Don’t Care)” brings some organs into the fold to take 3 & a half minutes of not giving a fuck just before “What Do You See?” asks if one feels like him whenever you look in his eyes.

Coyote makes Anger Management’s sole guest appearance on the single “Breaking Bad” paying homage to my favorite show of all-time leading into “Smoke & Mirrors” talking about shit not being what it really seems. “Ego Death” has an eerier boom bap vibe addressing the kind whose thoughts are controlled by their self-esteem while “The Infamous” keeps it in the basement elevating above the minimals.

We get a sequel to “The Problem” where K.A.A.N. talks about having a bone to pick while “Illin’” feels like a full 90s throwback proclaiming to be the illest. “Comment Section” jazzily suggests to keep whatever they have to say in the social media comments while “Fuck ‘Em Up” suggests everyone else mind their own business. “Point of No Return” finishes the year-long trilogy by admitting he didn’t learn much & possibly erupting.

Some feel like K.A.A.N.’s whole trifecta with DJ Hoppa has overstayed it’s welcome & I would have to disagree with that because Anger Management can certainly hang with Delusions of Grandeur & In Due Time amongst the Maryland chopper’s greatest material of his entire career. Hoppa’s boom bap production is a huge upgrade from Yesterday’s & lyrically, Knowledge Above All Nonsense does a fine job of holding the fort by himself other than Coyote’s appearance.

Score: 4.5/5

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K.A.A.N. – “In Due Time” review

Columbia, Maryland emcee/producer K.A.A.N. back with his 26th LP. Over the past decade or so Knowledge Above All Nonsense has been delivering numerous standouts in his ever-growing discography like Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred, the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due, Mission Hillz, The Death of a Rapper & The Nightly News both produced by former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 or even Peace of Minds from just a few months ago. Los Angeles producer/deejay DJ Hoppa was brought in to produce Delusions of Grandeur a few months ago & is sticking around for In Due Time.

The title track starts by sampling soul music & throwing hi-hats into the equation boasting that he’s in a whole different category than everyone else whereas “C.T.T.S. (Can’t Touch This Shit)” goes full-blown boom bap talking about nobody being able to touch him lyrically. “Cautionary Tale” works in a soulfully dusty beat telling us what happens when you’re consumed by greed while “Weight” demonstrates a speedier flow trying to get rid of this baggage.

“Bon Appetit” returns the boom bap feeling like he’s about to be unleashed murdering everything in his path just before “Another Play” hooks up a woodwind talking about how much of a shame it is people are lost in the maze of the same game. “Warm It Up, K.A.A.N.” continues get in his chopper bag continuing to go at the throats of other rappers leading into the symphonic trap-flavored “Succession” advising everyone to get back.

Meanwhile on “Status Symbol”, we have K.A.A.N. over more strings swapping out the hi-hats in favor of kicks & snares likening the rap game to a petty bitch while “Stay Blessed” substitutes the orchestral elements with pianos spreading the titular message. “It Ain’t Easy” has a generally old school sound detailing the struggles while “Expectations” ruggedly tells us what some people look for all around the world.

“Enough of the Filler” pushes towards the end of the Delusions of Grandeur sequel In Due Time expressing his frustration over how much filler is packed into some of these artist’ projects in the digital age while the boom bap-tinged “Rat Race” lastly closes the 3rd consecutively amazing offering of K.A.A.N.’s this year alone talking about the weak being unable to survive.

For almost a little over 12 months now, K.A.A.N. has steadily been putting out some of the best material of his entire career & as much as I loved Delusions of Grandeur, I think In Due Time stands out as a sequel that’s better than the original. DJ Hoppa’s production is still boom bap heavy except you got some more trap undertones compared to last time & the Maryland chopper sounds hungrier.

Score: 4.5/5

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K.A.A.N. – “Delusions of Grandeur” review

Columbia, Maryland emcee/producer K.A.A.N. staying consistent by releasing his 25th album. Over the past decade or so Knowledge Above All Nonsense has been delivering numerous standouts in his ever-growing discography like Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred, the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due, Mission Hillz, The Death of a Rapper & The Nightly News both produced by former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 or even Peace of Minds from just a few months ago. Looking to continue to apply pressure though, Los Angeles producer/deejay DJ Hoppa is being brought in to produce Delusions of Grandeur.

The morbid boom bap opener “Can’t Help It” confesses to kidnapping other rappers only for the fun of it whereas “Insane” works in a flute with kicks & snares admitting he has conversations with the voices in his head quite a bit. “Nightmare” takes a darker route instrumentally taking a different path & being built to last, but then “What Can I Say?” dustily breaks down his process breaking down the beat & digesting since everyone else ran out of time.

“The Crown” keeps things in the boom bap wheelhouse cautioning not to look down if you’re afraid of heights while the orchestrally dusty “Dark Night” finds him losing his own cool playing by his rules & being anti-social. “The Plot Thickens” kinda has some jazzy undertones to the instrumental talking about the bullshit not concerning him & moving with a sense of urgency like it’s an emergency, but then “Got One” shifts into trap territory to run it up.

Starting the album’s final leg, “Countdown” returns to the boom bap dancing with his demons at high noon while the song “Destiny” flips a vintage sample on top of kicks & snares to talk about being at war. The title track advises that what doesn’t break you makes you stronger & using his own experience of dark days to get his point across that is until “Kiss the Ring” finishes the album explaining this that shit that make ‘em go up.

K.A.A.N. has absolutely been on a ROLL with the output we’ve been receiving from him throughout the duration of these past 6 months & Delusions of Grandeur very much continues that momentum. DJ Hoppa’s production is primarily grounded in the traditional boom bap sound as opposed to Peace of Mind back in February balancing that with trap & the Maryland emcee bringing more of a hardcore tone lyrically.

Score: 4.5/5

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K.A.A.N. – “Peace of Minds” review

Maryland emcee/producer K.A.A.N. reuniting with Aftermath Entertainment in-house producer Dem Jointz for his 24th full-length studio LP. a name for himself in the underground over the course of the past decade by delivering standouts in his ever-growing discography like Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred & the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due, Mission Hillz or recently The Death of a Rapper & The Nightly News both produced by former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7. But after being teasing Peace of Minds since September, it’s only right for the Maryland lyricist & the Compton producer to link back up to start the 2nd month of the new year.

After the “Wake Up” intro, the first song “Corner Store” is a 2-part trap opener talking about how they wanna see him fall whereas “A.S.C. (Ain’t Shit Changed)” keeps the hi-hats in tact making it known that things are still the same with him. “Living n Fear” has a groovier vibe to it explaining that his whole house on fire prior to “Destination” shifts into boom bap territory talking about what you get when you follow false prophets.

“Dying Breed” goes into a drumless direction likening himself to a group of people that’re slowly fading away as time goes on leading into “Hurry” bringing the kicks & snares back into the picture manically getting in his hardcore bag lyrically. “Basque” is an organ boom bap hybrid produced by Black Milk asking what the fuck he’s gotta do to prove who’s who, but then “Prize” aims to keep his eyes on the finish line over more trap production.

To start the 2nd half of the album, “Designer Drug” goes into a psychedelic direction admitting that he went down the rabbit hole for all the wrong reasons just before the atmospheric “Smoking Section” slides through for an anthem dedicated to the smokers out there. “F.Y.F. (Fuck Yo Feelings) says it all conceptually over a dusty instrumental while the rock-inspired “Past That” talks about moving on from the bullshit.

“Footsteps of Greatness” begins the encore of the LP by speaking from experience on top of an unsettling & lastly, “Katch Up” closes out Peace of Mind by hooking up this delicate back drop with some hi-hats thanks to fellow Aftermath in-house producer Focus… so K.A.A.N. can get into his shit-talking bag 1 last time talking about all the ways that people be envying him ever since his career took off really.

Mission Hillz was more trap-based unlike both Black Blood & Pure Intentions, so it doesn’t really surprise me to hear that Peace of Mind continues to expand on the sounds of the previous LP that K.A.A.N. & Dem Jointz did with one another. The latter’s production continues to show progression over the last 7 years of working together dabbling with psychedelia, boom bap, drumless & a hint of rock suiting the Maryland emcee’s potent topics.

Score: 4.5/5

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K.A.A.N. – “The Nightly News” review

Maryland emcee/producer K.A.A.N. back with his 10th EP. Getting his start in 2014, he would make a name for himself in the underground with an ever-growing discography like the Dem Jointz-produced Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred, the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due, Mission Hillz or more recently The Death of a Rapper with former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 on hip hop’s 50th birthday over the summer & was more conceptual than some of K.A.A.N.’s latest output. So keeping in mind that 7 was sticking around for The Nightly News, it was enough have me sold in checking out.

The title track eerily sets the tone of what’s to come by chaotically painting the disparity that local news stations generally bring to those who tune in whereas “The Results of What Unfolds” goes into boom bap territory talking about being unable to believe what K.A.A.N. had witnessed. “The Weather Forecast” shows off a speedier flow predicting lots of clouds over pianos, kicks & snares just before “The War Room” gives off a jazzier flare instrumental coming live from a command center”.

“The Less Fortunate” is a more somber cut to start the 2nd half of the EP describing those who’re poor & struggling to make ends meet leading into “The World Health Report” bringing a quirkier beat the fold so Knowledge Above All Nonsense can talk about symptoms of health declining. “The Free Labor” continues to push towards the end of The Nightly News by returning to the boom bap reminding us what built our country, but then “The Debt Ceiling” closes the EP talking about money making the world go round over more kicks & snares with elements of jazz music too.

K.A.A.N. got back on the conceptual tip near perfectly over the summer with 7 & they both recapture that same magic. The Nightly Newsobviously poking fun at evening news shows excellently & 7 carrying that versatile boom bap production from The Death of a Rapper on it’s way over to here. Will easily become one of the best EPs he’s ever made.

Score: 4.5/5

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K.A.A.N. – “The Death of a Rapper” review

K.A.A.N. is a 32 year old MC/producer from Maryland who’s already made himself well established in less than a decade by delivering standouts in his ever-growing discography like the Dem Jointz-produced Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred & the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due & more recently Mission Hillz. But to celebrate hip hop’s 50th birthday, former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 is being enlisted behind the boards throughout K.A.A.N.’s 23rd album.

After the “Foreword from Soul Brother #1” intro, “The Spark” is truly what gets the album going with it’s organ-laced boom bap instrumental asking how one in this industry gets it all whereas “The Glow Up” goes into more sample-based territory talking about how they done see him blow up. “The Fame” gives off an eerier atmosphere with some kicks & snares worked in explaining that some live & would kill for clout prior to “The Life Imitating The Art” hooks up a crooning loop advising not to be scared of your reflection.

“The Politics” dives into wavy boom bap turf explaining that politicians & magicians are basically the same thing just before “The Image” hops on top of these strings, kicks & snares explaining the way to truly make a name for yourself in hip hop. “The Drugs” psychedelically confesses that he did too much & now he’s fucked up as a result leading into “The Self Hate” somberly airs out everything he dislikes about himself.

Beginning the final leg of the album, “The Cavities” discusses all the stale things in like that he likes to refer to as a cavity in a metaphoric sense with a syrupy, delicate beat while “The Fall Off”’s bluesy guitar passages fit with the subject matter of one artist’s demise in success. Eventually, the title track closes out the album manically gives us a glimpse into how our protagonist’s life unfortunately ends.

I’ve publicly stated numerous times that we were in for one of K.A.A.N.’s best albums to date & that’s exactly what we got here. 7’s cooks up production that provokes the emotions each individual joint offers the cohesively-told concept is so well thought out, really a tragic tale of how the industry can genuinely be sometimes.

Score: 4.5/5

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K.A.A.N. – “Mission Hillz” review

This is the 20th full-length album from Maryland emcee K.A.A.N., who’s already made himself well established in less than a decade. Some of the standouts in his ever-growing discography include the Dem Jointz-produced Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred & the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due. He’s coming fresh off 4 albums as well as the fact that it’s been over 2 years since the prelude EP Mission to Mission Hillz, K.A.A.N. is re-enlisting the Aftermath Entertainment in-house producer to take us down Mission Hillz.

“Falling Trees” is a cloudy trap opener talking about how the journey’s been a Jungle whereas “Way Out There” goes into a more vibrant route saying he just wants to ball all day. “Flatline” keeps it rolling with a celebratory banger about feeling like he’ll never go down, but then “Timing” takes a darker turn to address those who can’t comprehend what he’s accomplished.

Meanwhile on “U.F.W. (Unfuckwitable)”, we have K.A.A.N. on top of a flute sample attacking those who want to step up to him lyrically leading into the spacious trap cut “Patience” talking about never quitting. “Emergency” incorporates some stellar horn sections to show his hunger for the paper just before “Free Fall” savagely calls out those who started fucking with him now that he’s big.

“Greatness” comes through with a cavernous banger talking about how ill he is while “Show Them” works in a more stripped back instrumental advising to watch how he gets his paper to build. “I See” bombastically advises his competition to fall back prior to “Captured” bringing the flutes back in talking about seeing the shit as a nightmare.

The song “2 Much” incorporates an organ telling his opposition to take a break while the penultimate track “Matter Fact” hypnotically talks about the difference between him & where everyone else is at in their careers. “Count’n Me Out” sends the album off on a suspenseful note airing out those who doubted him.

Every time these guys link up with one another, they always bring the heat & [i]Mission Hillz[/i] is no exception at all. I felt like some of K.A.A.N.’s last few albums have been lacking in the production department, so it makes me happy to hear him taking it back to the basics with Dem Jointz.

Score: 4/5

K.A.A.N. – “All Praise is Due” review

K.A.A.N. is a 29 year old emcee from Columbia, Maryland known for his speedy flows & conscious lyricism. The man has made a lengthy yet consistent discography for himself in just 6 years with my favorites being Black Blood, Pure Intentions, Subtle Meditation & Requiem for a Dream Deferred. He just dropped Blissful Awareness back in May & exactly 2 months later, K.A.A.N. is surprise dropping his 14th album with Big Ghost Ltd. producing the whole thing.

Things kick off with “Foreword”, where K.A.A.N. talks about how life seems so slow over a luscious boom bap beat. The next song “Elevation” talks about his growth over a moody instrumental while “The Feeling” talks about having the urge that something’s wrong over a beat with some beautiful choir vocals hanging in the back. The track “Manifesto” cautions that the world will feel something that has never been felt before on top of a dreary instrumental while the song “Valley of Kings” talks about keeping his head high over a dim beat.

The track $100K & a Benz” talks about pushing it to the limit over an intoxicating beat. while the song “Sellasie” talks about how he doesn’t know where he’s going over a somewhat jazzy beat. The track “Flight” talks about trying to lead the blind over a reclining instrumental while “Apparations” is an emotional ballad from the heart. The album finishes off with “After Words”, where K.A.A.N. vents about questions that he’s been wanting answers for over a boom bap beat with a well-incorporated violin loop.

Overall, this is one of the best albums K.A.A.N. has ever made without a doubt. He comes through with some of his most captivating bars to date whereas Big Ghost Ltd.‘s production sounds unlike anything in the past & it turns out beautifully.

Score: 4/5