Kontra-Band – Legends Will Never Die

This is the 7th full-length album from Missouri emcee Stevie Stone. Garnering attention attention as one of the very last 2 artists to ever sign with Ruthless Records alongside Hopsin, both of their full-length debuts New Kid Comin’ & Gazing at the Moonlight received little to no promotion leading both artists to leave the crumbling label. Hopsin went on to form Funk Volume shortly after before closing shop in 2016 whereas Stevie signed to Strange Music in 2012. He eventually became one of the label’s flagship artists up until he left last spring to form his own label Ahdasee Records following his previous album Black Lion. But to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of being fully independent, Stevie is back in full-effect for Raising the Bar.

“Hostile Stone” kicks off the album with a thunderous trap banger about putting his foot on these other rappers’ necks whereas “Raise the Bar” with Flawless Real Talk, JL, Locksmith, Spaide R.I.P.P.E.R. & Statik G finds the 6 on top of a Hellish beat flexing their lyrical prowesses. “Sincerly Smokin’” comes through with a cloudy weed-smoker’s theme, but then Daun P tags along for the sensual “Sex Flex Yes” which is probably my least favorite cut on the album. Meanwhile on “M.O.T.F. (Money on the Floor)”, we have Krizz Kaliko & Sage the Gemini joining Stevie for a decent party starter just before “Don’t Be Late” takes a more melodic route talking about how “this our song”.

“B.S.P. (Big Shit Poppin’)” returns into cloudy trap territory explaining that he makes this look easy, but then Daun P & Lyrikal TMG come into the picture for the gritty “Minding My Business” talking about how they don’t got time for fuckery. The penultimate track “East I-70” comes through by reflecting while driving down the titular highway & “Cold Revenge” ends the album with a piano ballad by dissing all the “friends” of his that betrayed him.

Being a fan of Stevie since my adolescence, I come away from Raising the Bar a little disappointed & torn by the final product. For this to be his 1st musical statement since leaving Strange Music, it’s overloaded with features & the production is merely passable. However, there’s no denying the husky lyricism that made him so prominent with the Snake & Bat during the previous decade.

Score: 2.5/5

With the release of Stevie Stone‘s 5th album Level Up & JL‘s Strange Music debut DIBKIS last summer, the 2 are now coming together for a full-length collab album. Things start off with “Groomed by the Block”, where the duo talk about their come up over an eerie instrumental. However, the PHresher verse at the tail-end was pretty generic to me. The next song “Lessons” talks about learning from all their losses in life over a laidback trap beat while the track “Trappin’ On the Hill” reflects on their drug dealing days over a gritty instrumental. The song “Too High Today” is a weed anthem with a gloomy trap beat from Seven & the track “She’s So Fly” is a decent love tune with a reggae-inspired instrumental.

The song “I Was Ready” sees the 2 going back & forth about being prepared for the feds over a piano instrumental while the track “Envy” is a message to their haters over some a cloudy backdrop with some rattling hi-hats. The song “Not One of Them” with Tech N9ne sees the 3 talking about hoes over a gloomy beat & the track “Boss Sauce” gets braggadocious over some monstrous bass. The song “Miles Davis” with Joey Cool sees the 3 ambitiously talking about success & the MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 instrumental is ok too, but the hook is too repetitive for me.

The track “Pluto” talks about realizing someone wasn’t who they thought they were over a spacey beat from Suli4Q & while the song “Cautious” is an aggressive & rapidly delivered message to the haters, the Flawless Real Talk verse is just average. The track “Bad Habits” with Krizz Kaliko talks about how everything will be ok in the end over some bass with a piano in the background & the Navé Monjo hook isn’t too bad either. The standard edition closer “Only a Man” is a reflection of where the duo are at now with a beautiful Adrian Truth hook & Suli4Q instrumental while the pre-order track “What You Gon’ Do” gets braggadocious over an haunting instrumental.

While I wasn’t expecting this, I did enjoy the album at the end of the day. Some of the features could’ve been better but the production mostly bangs, the song topics are delivered passionately & there’s quite a bit of chemistry between Stevie Stone’s huskiness & JL’s charismatic yet sharp lyricism. If they ever decide to make a follow-up in the future, then I’d be all for it

Score: 3.5/5

Tag: Kontra-Band

Stevie Stone – “Raising the Bar” review

Stevie Stone & JL – “Kontra-Band” review