Wrekonize – “Edited for Reality” review

Here we have the long-awaited 5th studio LP from Miami, Florida emcee/producer Wrekonize. Starting out in the battle circuit, he eventually put out a total of 3 mixtapes throughout the 2000s until coming out with his full-length debut A Soiree for Skeptics in 2010. However, the following year when he signed to Strange Music as a solo artist & as a member of the group ¡MAYDAY! the following year. His 2013 sophomore effort The War Withinwould go onto receive critical acclaim & was followed up in 2017 with Into the Further. This fall will be 6 years since Pressure Point & he’s enlisted MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 to produce Edited for Reality.

After the “Ángel de la Guarda” intro, “Alpha (The Beginning)” made for a tense opener talking about him having to change his state of mind whereas “Ain’t Backing Down” encouraging people to find him if they’re looking for a fight. “Free Way” had a more laidback sound to it talking about living life freely prior to “Can’t Stay, I’m Gone” featuring Lex Bratcher joining forces so they can cavernously talk about their refusal of standing still.

“Snowfall” instrumentally shifts towards a predominant trap vibe confessing that his heart’s been getting colder by the second leading into “No Words” talking about being speechless at all the evil things this person he’s addressing has done. “You Should Get Slapped” by ¡MAYDAY! featuring Stunnaman02 & 1 Ton finds everybody enjoying the sun & staying out the way of bullshit just before “Cinder Blocks” featuring Stevie Stone talks about bracing for the fall when they land.

Continuing the 2nd half of Edited for Reality, we have Wrek taking a more melodic approach on “If Anything” singing that he’ll be there for this person whenever they need him while “For Peace” talks about not finding tranquility if one doesn’t actively seek for it. “Line in the Sand” lividly airs out his frustrations of potentially dying at the hands of a coward while “Twisted” hops over a boom bap beat talking about the state of the world.

“Planet Worth” winds down the last several minutes of the album speaking of living for the moment as a nobody on a rock full of superstars while the penultimate song “No One Else (Be Myself)” talks about wanting to be himself instead of another because he could give a fuck less what they have. The closing track “Perfection 2026” wraps up Edited for Reality explaining the realization that he’s come to regarding nobody completing the path of gaining perfection.

Containing every single he’s dropped since forming ¡MAYDAY! Music distributed by It Goes Up Entertainment & Strange Music with his ¡MAYDAY! bandmates a few years earlier, Edited for Reality egins this new chapter of Wrekonize’s career with a full-length that I’d have to put on the same pedestal as The War Within & Pressure Point. I could’ve done without a couple guests, but the chemistry between 7’s production & Wrek’s penmanship hasn’t changed.

Score: 4/5

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¡MAYDAY! – “Justus” review

Miami, Florida trio ¡MAYDAY! surprise-dropping their 9th studio LP albeit the first under their very own label ¡MAYDAY! Music distributed by It Goes Up Entertainment & Strange Music. Formed in 2003 by keyboardist/guitarist Plex Luthor & emcee Bernz, the duo released their self-titled debut in the fall of ‘06 before adding 4 more members into the fold: emcee/producer Wrekonize, bassist Gianni Ca$h, percussionist NonMS & drummer L.T. Hopkins in 2009. Together, they would begin to rock the underground off 2 EPs & their sophomore album Stuck on an Island. This would catch the attention of Kansas City veteran Tech N9ne, who signed the group to his independent powerhouse Strange Music in 2011. They would go on to cement themselves as a flagship act on the label’s roster off critically acclaimed projects like Take Me to Your Leader, Thrift Store Halos, Believers & Future Vintage. However since 2016, ¡MAYDAY! has maintained it’s current lineup consisting of Wrek, Bernz & NonMS. Their first album as a trio Search Party was a decent sequel to Stuck on an Island & the heavily reggae-influenced South of 5th was slightly better, but Minute to Midnight wound up to easily be ¡MAYDAY!’s best in 6 years. They have since remained tied to Strange by forming ¡MAYDAY! Music & signing a distribution deal with Strange Music co-founder Travis O’Guin’s own subsidiary It Goes Up Entertainment. Now as far of The Thinnest Line series, the independently released first installment is my favorite & the follow-up backed by Strange was simply decent. Minute to Midnight was a return to form for them & are returning a little over a year after The Thinnest Line III to drop Justus.

After the “Top of the World” intro, the first song “Just Us” produced by NonMS starts us off by asking what will happen when it’s only them left whereas “Black Lemonade” talks about refusing to ever ride the wave at any point in their career. “Unapologetic” reunites with Gianni Ca$h & Plex Luthor behind the boards to discuss their aptly mentioned mindset leading into the whistling “Acting Grown” talking about them simply acting grown & the inner child basically.

“Misinformed” goes for a bit of a melodic rap rock vibe observing coming down quicker than that of a middle just before the heavily melodic “Cold Shoulder” reunites with former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 to sing about hoping one doesn’t forget now. “No One’s Around” gets back on on the rap rock tip telling everyone to turn up & get down, but then the acoustic “Silver Linings” featuring Mike SB finds them driving in the late night.

The song “Ain’t for Them” nears the conclusion of ¡MAYDAY!’s official It Goes Up debut responding to those saying that the group has been aging firing back by pointing out the mere fact of the world changing by each & every day that goes by while “I Don’t Wanna Know” featuring kaub decently brings a tropical flare to the table. “Ceilings” featuring Mike SB ends with them assuring that hard work does pay off in the long run.

All the singles we’ve dropped since starting ¡MAYDAY! Music as a fully independent venture has lead us to this moment & their debut under the It Goes Up/Strange distributed imprint retains everything that made the group so beloved within the underground scene to begin with the in-house production or Mike SB improving on his feature game & the versatility that they’ve always been known for whether it be rap rock cuts or the pop rap tracks.

Score: 4/5

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¡MAYDAY! – “The Thinnest Line III” review

Miami, Florida trio ¡MAYDAY! preluding their upcoming 9th full-length LP albeit the first under their very own label ¡MAYDAY! Music distributed by It Goes Up Entertainment & Strange Music with their 5th EP & the 3rd installment of The Thinnest Line trilogy. Formed in 2003 by keyboardist/guitarist Plex Luthor & emcee Bernz, the duo released their self-titled debut in the fall of ‘06 before adding 4 more members into the fold: emcee/producer Wrekonize, bassist Gianni Ca$h, percussionist NonMS & drummer L.T. Hopkins in 2009. Together, they would begin to rock the underground off 2 EPs & their sophomore album Stuck on an Island. This would catch the attention of Kansas City veteran Tech N9ne, who signed the group to his independent powerhouse Strange Music in 2011. They would go on to cement themselves as a flagship act on the label’s roster off critically acclaimed projects like Take Me to Your Leader, Thrift Store Halos, Believers & Future Vintage. However since 2016, ¡MAYDAY! has maintained it’s current lineup consisting of Wrek, Bernz & NonMS. Their first album as a trio Search Party was a decent sequel to Stuck on an Island & the heavily reggae-influenced South of 5th was slightly better, but Minute to Midnight wound up to easily be ¡MAYDAY!’s best in 6 years. They have since remained tied to Strange by forming ¡MAYDAY! Music & signing a distribution deal with Strange Music co-founder Travis O’Guin’s own subsidiary It Goes Up Entertainment. Now as far of The Thinnest Line series, the independently released first installment is my favorite & the follow-up backed by Strange was just decent. However since Minute to Midnight was a return to form, the latest entry had to be better in my mind.

After the “End” intro, the first song “Hate to Love You” is an incredibly catchy pop rap opener to The Thinnest Line III cooked up by NonMS coming to terms how hard it is to admit that they’re in love with these individual partners whereas “Warning Signs” takes the acoustic route thanks to MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 talking about having fun pretending what they had was permanent. “Pull Up” has a groovy self-produced instrumental as ¡MAYDAY! & Mike SB refuse to stop until they’re in the car with the windows down as Mike gives the weakest feature of the 2 but I still liked it, but then the futuristically funky “Last Night” picks things back up asking what you doin’ out here tonight. “At Least We Tried” shifts into summery turf refusing to say goodbye & “Hit My Line” featuring Trizz concludes The Thinnest Line III with an atmospheric trap flare advising to give ‘em a call.

This recent installment of the Miami trio’s trilogy has to be the best since the first one & it’s more than enough to hold fans off until their ¡MAYDAY! Music debut album because much like Minute to Midnight, what we have on The Thinnest Line III is another example of their recent output continuing to improve. The production’s more consistent than The Thinnest Line II’s was primarily due to letting one of their best collaborators handle 4 of the 7 tracks leaving the other 3 being in-house mixed in with versatile performances from ¡MAYDAY! themselves & 50/50 features.

Score: 4/5

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