Lørd Skø – “PiFF” review

New York up-&-comer Lørd Skø signing to Fat Beats Records for his 3rd studio LP. Getting his start in the fall of 2020 off his debut EP 13th Angel, his profile would grow from there eventually hiring one of the greatest A&Rs in the industry Dante Ross as his manager & showing the world of what he’s capable of doing last summer when he put out his debut Museum. His sophomore effort United Palace was a great dedication to his neighborhood, returning a year & a half later to drop PiFF.

“Livin’ Life” is this jazzy intro talking about living right these days whereas “2nd Thought” produced by Statik Selektah proves to be a highlight as he shows off an aura that can’t be confused with anyone else. “Stubborn” works on this high-pitched gospel sample getting reckless in the middle of his block rockin’ 2 boots while “Bong Rips” featuring MAVI along with Harry Fraud behind the boards making reference to the current TNA World Tag Team Champion in his 3rd reign & inaugural 4th Rope World Tag Team Champion Jeff Hardy of The Hardy Boyz.

Curren$y joins Skø on the single “Understand” suggesting that even the haters gotta love it & turning their plugs into fans of their music just before “Girbaud Talk” featuring Grand Puba brings back the jazz thanks to Mike Shabb talking about checking the wave & sliding. “Robinhood” takes a more cloudier route with the beat likening himself to a vigilante, but then the lo-fi boom bap “Cigarette Butts” smacks the makeup off these clowns making them do 10s.

“Camel Eyes” featuring Conway the Machine psychedelically talks about both of their standards being high & being where they are now by staying on course prior to Feardorian bringing a woozy trap flare to the table on “Holding Me Up” featuring Polo Perks airing everyone moving wack. “Problem Child” soulfully telling his homies to stay safe moving dangerously & after a “Funkee Intermission”, he puts smoke in his “Lungz” like he always does daily.

The song “Not the Same” hits the backend of PiFF working in a crooning sample referencing WWE Hall of Famer, former 3-time WWE Champion, 11-time WWE tag team champion, the inaugural WWE Hardcore Champion, CWA World Tag Team Champion & TNA World Champion Mick Foley merely 19 years to the day he gave former 2-time AEW TNT Champion, WWE Hall of Famer, 11-time WWE world champion, 5-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion & 15-time WWE tag team champion Adam Copeland married to WWE Hall of Famer & 4-time WWE Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix his best singles match.

“Randy Moss” closes it out comparing himself to the Pro Football Hall of Famer & my personal favorite WR of all-time temporarily playing with the New England Patriots at a point in time where his career was winding down, who was recently battling cancer this past winter & is now fortunately cancer free while the vinyl exclusive bonus track “Lesson Learned” reunites with Statik Selektah once again asking it all for the wrong reasons.

For his Fat Beats debut, Lørd Skø makes an example of cross-generational worldbuilding at its best with PiFF by referencing classic New York City hip hop while embracing today’s NYC sound much like he did on United Palace a year & a half ago. Inspired by the stoner wing of the Blog Era during his pre-teen years, he’s created a wide-reaching stoner-friendly future classic showcasing his evolution as an artist in full.

Score: 4.5/5

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Lørd Skø – “United Palace” review

This is the sophomore full-length LP from New York up-&-comer Lørd Skø. Getting his start in the fall of 2020 off his debut EP 13th Angel, his profile would grow from there eventually hiring one of the greatest A&Rs in the industry Dante Ross as his manager & showing the world of what he’s capable of doing last summer when he put out his debut album Museum. Now that fall started a week ago, Skø’s looking to take everyone through the United Palace.

“Headcrack” is a triumphant opener cautioning to cut the attitude since he’s been the man in his section whereas “Kush & OJ” takes a jazzier approach thanks to Graymatter admitting that he’s been falling back in his old ways as of late. “Yellow Tape” works in some kicks, snares & a whimsical loop wanting his flowers by the time the sun rises in the morning just before the horn-inflicted “Riddles in the Sand” talks about catching him at east 80 degrees next destination.

Da$h joins Skø on the drumless “St. Nicholas” getting in their hardcore bag lyrically leading into the soulful “Finder’s Fee” talking about defying the odds & being able to do the impossible not once but twice. “Enterprise” continues to chop up some soul samples comparing his raps to that of watching the greatest quarterback of all-time & 7-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady playing, but then “Mescaline Leaves” featuring Meyhem Lauren finds the 2 over more dusty boom bap production from Statik Selektah making reference to former former 2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, FTW Champion, ECW World Television Champion, 3 time ECW World Tag Team Champion, JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, IWGPジュニアヘビー級王座 & the longest reigning XPW World Heavyweight Champion Sabu.

“James Worthy Goggles” has a heavy woodwind groove to it referencing former 14-time WWE world champion, WWE Hall of Famer, 5-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 3-time WWE tag team champion & the Endeavor-owned TKO Group Holdings division’s CCO Triple H while “500” makes a 180° from the trap beat to the flow-change so he can swerve a hoe who wanted to fuck & get paid. “Malice at the Palace” has a funk/boom bap quality to it telling y’all to catch him with a bitch that looks like Richard Pryor’s wife while “G.W.B. (Good Weed Burning) featuring Wiseboy Jeremy sees the duo jumping on top of a classy instrumental talking about actually smiling the next time they snatch chains.

The song “Firestarter” featuring LIFEOFTHOM returns to a soulful-inspired direction talking about being harder than arsenic & setting fire to their dreams before starting them but after the Kurious interlude, “Pimp Socks” closes out Skø’s sophomore effort on a bluesy boom bap note saying that he doesn’t even feel like these are the golden years of his career which is true considering the insane potential Museum showed & how much he’s grown in the last year.

With that being said: United Palace continues to elevate Lørd Skø to prominence within the underground because this album right here is stronger than the one he introduced us with the previous summer. Even though the feature list is more consistent, he most importantly delivers a thorough expression of classic & modern New York culture all from his perspective. Between this & Museum, it’s only the beginning.

Score: 4/5

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