Meyhem Lauren – “Champagne for Breakfast” review

Meyhem Lauren is a 39 year old MC from Queens, New York that came up as the leader of the Smart Crew graffiti team. He eventually started rapping in the mid-2000s, it wouldn’t be until the 2010s decade that he saw success. Most notably with Mandatory Brunch Meetings, the Buckwild-produced Silk Pyramids, Piatto D’oro & most notably the DJ Muggs produced Gems from the Equinox. But coming off the Daringer-produced Black Vladimir to universal acclaim, Meyhem’s keeping the momentum going by reuniting with Muggs & bringing along Madlib so both West Coast veterans can produce his 6th album.

After the “Quicksand”, intro, the first song “Fresh Out the Water” truly sets things off with Muggs supplying a creepy vocal loop as well as some kicks & snares for Meyhem to make it clear that shit ain’t changed prior to Action Bronson tagging along for “Szechuan Capitol” so they can hop on a piano boom bap instrumental with a soulful beat-switch encouraging to protect your energy & Bronson talking about making his AEW debut in Arthur Ashe Stadium after a segment between former 2-time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, TNA Hall of Famer, 4-time TNA World Champion, TNA World Tag Team Champion, 8-time WCW world champion, WCW World Television Champion, 3-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, WWE Hall of Famer, 2-time WWE United States Champion Sting alongside former 3-time AJPW三冠ヘビー級王座, 5-time AJPW世界タッグ王座, 4-time IWGPヘビー級王座, 6-time IWGPタッグ王座, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, GHCヘビー級王座, GHCタッグ王座, WCW World Television Champion, WCW World Tag Team Champion & newly inducted WWE Hall of Famer ザ・グレート・ムタ. “Midnight Silk” dives into drumless turf courtesy of Madlib to spit that mafioso shit leading into “Sunday Driving” having a more classier vibe sonically talking about focusing on the better things in life.

“Big Money” returns to the boom bap so he can flex his wealth just before “Evolution” blending some keys, kicks & snares so Meyhem can thank back from where he came from to how he’s evolved since then. “Dom vs. Cris” keeps it in the basement to justifiably talk about how he out here winning drinking champagne in the sunshine, but then “Holographic Rhetoric” by his little brother Hologram has a more soulfully drumless approach to declare that he doesn’t need to stop & he ain’t ever gonna change.

After the “Pop Clink Fizz” interlude, “OD Wilson” gives off a more sinister feeling to the beat bragging that the real ones are back on top like they oughta be while the cavernously funky “African Pompano” talks about repping the fly shit forever. After the “Triple M Airlines” instrumental interlude from Madlib, the penultimate track “One of Them Ones” reveals itself to be an unsettling boom bap anthem referring to himself as amongst the greatest & “Wild Salmon” is a grand drumless closer letting y’all know what he got on the grill as he drinks with the homies.

Black Vladimir quickly became a favorite of mine in his discography last summer & went on to be the best albums of the previous year, but he really outdid himself on Champagne for Breakfast to the point where I as someone who’s been listening to him since Silk Pyramids can say it’s the best album he’s ever done. Muggs & Madlib both play Yin & Yang behind the boards much like how Ye or the Nazi formerly known as Kanye West & Pharrell did on Pusha T’s last album It’s Almost Dry with Meyhem murdering it with the gangsta raps complimenting both West Coast beatsmith’s signature production styles.

Score: 4.5/5

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Meyhem Lauren – “Black Vladimir” review

This is the 5th full-length album from Queens emcee Meyhem Lauren. Coming up as the leader of the Smart Crew graffiti team. He eventually started rapping in the mid-2000s, it wouldn’t be until the 2010s decade that he saw success. Most notably with Mandatory Brunch Meetings, the Buckwild produced Silk Pyramids, Piatto D’oro & of course the DJ Muggs produced Gems from the Equinox. Last we heard from him was Juneteenth 2020 when he dropped the Harry Fraud-produced Glass 2 & is now enlisting Daringer for Black Vladimir.

“Black Pinot” opens up the album with some dusty drums & plinky keys as Meyhem & Action Bronsoncharismatically flexing how smooth they both are whereas “Broken Rubberbands” keeps the piano boom bap vibes going talking about moving weight. “Airplane Mode” grimly detests those who claim to be on the same page leading into the dramatic “Conflict Resolution” talking about cops ducking the feds.

Meanwhile on “Red Pesto”, we have Conway the Machine tagging along over some eerie boom bap production addressing self-trust just before “Valedictorians” comes through with a rugged ode to Queens. “Chicken Chinese” takes it back to the basement talking about how his boys had the weight & everyone else has to wait, but then “Nigerian Vegetables” brings some organs to the fold to brag that he moves officially.

Westside Gunn comes into the picture for “Trigger Point Therapy” works in a glistening boom bap instrumental referencing former 4-time WWE world champion, WWE United States Champion & CWA Heavyweight Champion Sid Eudy prior to switching into the “Eric B.” beat off my favorite HWH mixtape Hitler Wears Hermes II for the final verse. “Raspberry Crush” has this incredibly ghostly sample through as Meyhem & Hologram deliver some battle taps while “Lavish Vision” has a more demented sound to it belittling a rival block.

Continuing from there, “Oversized Luggage” with Elcamino throws some strings into the fold talking about how they still wildin’ while the song “Top Grain Leather” with Flee Lord shoots for a classier aesthetic to rep for the real ones. The penultimate “G Talk” is a jazzy ode to street terminology & “Ridin’ Dirty” ends the album with a vocal loop with the title saying it all as far as subject matter goes.

Coming from someone who’s been listening to this dude since high school, he just gave us one of his best albums of his career with Black Vladimir. Daringer’s signature style production goes hand-in-hand with the gritty gangsta rap that Meyhem & all the features vividly paint in their own ways.

Score: 4.5/5

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Meyhem Lauren – “Members Only” review

Meyhem Lauren is a 36 year old MC from Queens, New York that came up as the leader of the Smart Crew graffiti team. He eventually started rapping in the mid-2000s, but it wouldn’t be until this decade that he saw success. Most notably with Mandatory Brunch Meetings, the Buckwild produced Silk Pyramids, Piatto D’oro & most notably the DJ Muggs produced Gems from the Equinox. The latter was followed up with Frozen Angels last year, but it seems like now that the 2 are getting back together for Meyhem’s 9th EP.

The EP kicks off with “Aztec Snowflakes”, where Meyhem gets at his competition’s throats over an old school instrumental. The next song “GT3” gets lavish over a grimy boom bap beat while the penultimate track “Wavy” brags & the drums on here are thunderous. The EP then finishes off with “Blue Chinese”, where Meyhem gets mafioso over a morbid instrumental.

This is a dope continuation of Meyhem & Muggs’ partership. They continue to compliment each other’s own raw styles very well. Definitely looking forward to their next full-length album together whenever it comes out.

Score: 3.5/5