Oh No – “Nodega” review

Oh No is a 46 year old MC & producer from Oxnard, California known for being 1/2 of The Professionals with his older brother Madlib & of course Gangrene with The Alchemist. His debut album The Disrupt under Stones Throw Records would become a west coast hip hop gem & the sophomore effort Exodus into Unheard Rhythms of course relied on Galt MacDermot samples. Ohnomite & the Chris Keys-produced Ashes would succeed the Oxperiment & Ethiopium beat tapes, returning over a decade after Disrupted Ads for his 6th studio LP after signing to Nature Sounds.

After the “Broken Radio” intro, “No One’s Stop” ruggedly begins with The Disrupt jumping over a gritty self-produced instrumental trying to get guap setting up shop whereas “Community Trenches” by Team Getem featuring Blu, Kazi & M.E.D. finds the quintet advising staying indoors so the war outside can be avoided. Rah Digga & Talib Kweli both rip the mic together for “Around Here” letting it be known that some ain’t allowed to be near their premises while the 2nd & final single “Rooftop Shottas” by Ghostface Killah & TriState finds the pair coming together over a gully beat advising to give up everything they got in the middle of a stickup unless you wanna get shot.

Following the “Dr. Nodega Informercial” skit, “Gutter Streams” reunites Gangrene a year & a half following their comeback Heads I Win, Tails You Lose to talk about making the needle break after shooting dope through people’s veins & after the “Watch Ya Steps” interlude, Guilty Simpson alongside Montage 1 & Vic Spencer along with him for the spaciously raw “Grounding Stars” so they can get at the throats of those who think they be running shit.

J. Sands takes us all on an 103 second “Nodega Run” having some vibraphones backing his storytelling while the lead single “Money Everyday” by Big Twins & Tha God Fahim talking about looking for new ways of getting paid. After the “Nobody Told U” interlude, “How Crime Works” by Crimeapple gets on some boom bap shit explaining his grind up until the “Alley Loitering” interlude.

“No Parking Zone” featuring Logic sets out for all the smoke with the wankstas acting like they really got it while “Czarnobyl Torture” featuring Esoteric carries the battle bars over wanting their opposition to know the applause wasn’t meant to be a congratulatory gesture to them. And after the “Good Beer Therapy (Interlude)”, “Likwit Smoke” by Tash & Wildchild makes it clear they’re still part of the Likwit Crew.

The song “ICU with Bottle Service” featuring Bishop Lamont finishes up our last few minutes of exploring the Nodega with him & Oh No over a Khrysis instrumental sampling what sounds like an SNES video game warning that they’ll let fists fly towards detractors who stay flapping their mouths while “Corner Goons” by Team Getem featuring Jayo Felony concludes with the trio suggesting everybody chillin’ at the corner to move because they carrying weight.

Thematically built around a corner store where all microphone assassins can stop through to lay down their street tales, Oh No cooks up a freshly wild collection of songs as the drama unfolds only contributing a handful of verses & letting his guests shine throughout a good bulk of Nodega. His production is some of the most cinematic he’s ever made & even though his performances are all occasional, a great deal of the veterans that’re brought on board all do what they’ve become known for VERY well.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Masta Killa – “Balance” review

Brooklyn, New York emcee Masta Killa of the almighty Wu-Tang Clan dropping his 5th studio LP almost a decade after his last one. Becoming the final member to branch out on his own 21 years ago this weekend, No Said Date today remains the most underrated solo debut from any swordsmen with Made in Brooklyn & Selling My Soul becoming more moderately received. Loyalty is Royalty came in the fall of 2017 following numerous delays & is finding Balance ahead of the Wu’s upcoming farewell tour this summer.

“Hip Hop Forever” is a boom bap intro that Easy Mo Bee laced talking about the culture we’ve all come to know & love living eternally due to it’s global connection whereas “Eagle Claw” featuring Cappadonna & Raekwon keeps it in the basement instrumentally seeing whose sword is the sharpest. “BK Harlem” was a dope homage to 2 of the 5 boroughs of their state regardless if I wasn’t too big on Head I.C.E.’s performance, but then “Building with the Abbott” featuring & produced by RZA takes it back to Prince Rakeem’s chipmunk soul roots speaking wisdom.

As for “City”, we have Jamel Irief telling us that he’s still here doing it for what the late Guru of Gang Starr used to call “The Planet” over 3 decades ago while “Glad to Meet You” featuring Method Man & WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg charmingly links up talking about catching rides instead of feelings. “It’s Been a Long Time” feels reminiscent of “Queen” off No Said Date with its romantic content leading into “Trumpets” featuring AZ, N.O.R.E. & Uncle Murda bringing some mafioso vibes.

“King Custom” continues the 2nd leg of Balance with a weird reggae/hip hop crossover that feels off-the-cuff & Jamel slightly using a fake patois almost like Drake used to on Views almost a decade ago with the only exception of it not sounding commercialized thanks to PF Cuttin’ behind the boards. The closer “Again” featuring AB Money & Big Bub is even worse, giving me flashbacks of “Trap Phone” off of Ghostface Killah’s latest album Set the Tone (Guns & Roses).

Arguably the swordsmen with the most refined flow of the entire Clan, the wise words Jamel offers with a diverse cast of MCs by his side further proves his sword is sharper than ever giving what the world & the musical universe desperately needs. The production is vintage New York hip hop at its finest & even if a couple features punch under their weight, Killa still consistently captures a wide spectrum of moods & content in a half hour.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

MAVI – “Shadowbox” review

Charlotte, North Carolina underground sensation MAVI returning after a couple years to put out his 3rd album. Emerging off his full-length debut Let the Sun Talk a day before his 20th birthday, he would go on to land a verse on “El Toro Combo Meal” off of Earl Sweatshirt’s 2nd EP Feet of Clay a month later as well as preluding the further well received Laughing So Hard It Hurts in the form of a debut EP of his own End of the Earth. Few singles later, he’s ready to Shadowbox.

“20,000 leagues” goes drumless to start the LP rapping about saving him from himself whereas the 2-part “open waters” takes a cloudier route instrumentally keeping the drums out the picture for both halves explaining that creating art out of suffering is a haunting if not a futile endeavor. “i did” finally puts some drums in the equation keeping it cloudy talking about doing stuff that he promised not to do anymore & “i’m so tired” strips the drums once again abstractly wanting to be washed off so he can can make another song without a crater or a scar.

The beat on “tether” kinda has a glitchier, funkier tone altogether reminding that we’re all gonna die at some point in our lives while “the sky’s quiet” raps about making a bunch of hearts bleed unable to measure a correct amount of soup although he’ll get back on that when he eventually does. “latch” squares up at the score even if he wasn’t sure this is what he meant over Madlib-inspired production, but then the piano/boom bap hybrid “grindstone” addresses a bitch ass dude named Brandon telling him why he’s the greatest.

After the “drown the snake” skit, “drunk prayer” talks drinking until he’s unable to feel shit over a crooning sample wailing behind him leading into “the giver” telling his partner to make it make sense for him over lavish keys dashed with kicks & snares. “too much to zelle” goes for a psychedelic trap approach getting back to his boogie just before the jazzy “testimony” produced by Tom Levesque of Vanguard Music Group refers to himself as a living dream. “my own ways” finishes the album going his own path accompanied by an instrumental that doesn’t add the drums in until near the end.

Feeling a hopelessness towards Laughing So Hard It Hurts, MAVI felt like he had to come back learn & really how to make art all over again centered around visual art, fashion, interior design & design as an artistic framework & as an organizational force in society. The orderliness in the lives of the devoutly religious became an attractive subtext & lot of shadowbox’s backbone comes from his time with The Black Experience in Design, gaining the idea from them that design is power & the ability to determine the order of things & the way things are supposed to be are power.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

eLZhi – “Heavy Vibrato” review

One of the greatest Detroit emcees of all-time eLZhi teaming up with Oxnard producer Oh No for his 5th LP. Rising to prominence as a member of Slum Village shortly after the departure of the late J Dilla about 2 decades ago, he eventually saw success of his own with his classic solo debut The Preface in the summer of ‘08 & was followed up 8 years later with Lead Poison. 7 Times Down, 8 Times Up is my 2nd favorite of his behind The Preface due to JR Swiftz’ stellar production as well as it’s resilience heavy concept & the last album Zhigeist produced by Georgie Anne Muldrow was a boom bap/neo-soul love letter to people of color. But with Oh No fresh off producing Berserko for Tha God Fahimthis spring, eL’s keeping it rolling on the Nature Sounds roster for Heavy Vibrato

After the “What Is Heavy Vibrato?!?” intro, the first song “Trick Dice” starts the album by mixing these vibraphones with kicks & snares detailing the type he is & that he stays on point whereas “In Your Feelings” featuring Dankery Harv gives off a suspenseful boom bap approach instrumentally blasting those who be squealing on them. After the “Doc No Check Up” interlude, “R.I.P. (Radio International Programming)” featuring Guilty Simpson continues to move forward hoping on top of pianos declaring this shit ain’t real now just before “Possessed” shifts gears into darker turf talking about not being sent to another dimension in this lifetime.

“Bishop” works in more kicks, snares & pianos admitting that he’s been feeling like it’s him against the world as of late leading into “Fireballs” keeps in to the basement musically talking about what’s exactly going to happen when you speak ill on his name. “Smoke” featuring Blu as well as Oh No himself & Phez Roc strips the drums in favor of a jazzy loop admitting that they’re from another space & time occasionally, but then “Twilight Zone” talks about opening up the doors with the keys to imagination over a fragilely calm beat. The penultimate track “Say It Don’t Spray It” draws near the end of the album by bringing it hardcore responding to shots being fired & to wrap up Heavy Vibrato, the closer “Last Nerve” admits that there are only a few things in this life that be getting on his nerves over another boom bap instrumental.

You can’t really go wrong with eLZhi’s discography since he’s been constantly putting out quality material in the last 25 years, but I happen to like Heavy Vibrato slightly more than Zhigeist. Oh No‘s production here is more jazzier in comparison to Georgia’s swapping those elements out for neo soul last time & the storytelling from the Detroit lyrical wizard is cinematic top to bottom.

Score: 4.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Tha God Fahim – “Tha Supreme Hoarder of All Pristine Wealth” review

Atlanta, Georgia emcee/producer & Tha Dump Gawd himself Tha God Fahim is back with the 20th full-length LP in his ever-growing discography. Starting as an affiliate of Griselda Records as well as being 1/3 of the Dump Gawds alongside Mach-Hommy & Your Old Droog, we also can’t ignore the massive discography that he’s managed to build for himself, some of the standouts include Breaking Through tha Van Allen Belts & Dump Assassins. But dude has been on a CRAZY ass EP run in 2023 with the standouts being the Camoflauge Monk-produced Dark Shogunn Assassin, the Nature Sounds-backed Iron Bull & the Nicholas Craven-produced Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King 4, the Oh No-produced Berserko & his last EP Dump Gawd: Rhyme Paysproduced by Mike Shabb. But 6 months later, Camoflauge Monk is behind brought in to help tell the story of Tha Supreme Hoarder of All Pristine Wealth.

The title track starts off the album is a drumless opener with some synthesizers talking about being his own worst critic whereas “Crisis” goes for a hypnotic groove instrumentally cautioning for haters to act right since it’s duck season. “Big Money Talk” gives off a jazzier flare to the beat admitting that he doesn’t want to get into the literature because they see inferno when he raises the temperature, but then “The Learning” triumphantly professes everything that he’s learned up to this point.

“While You Hear” goes for a mellower approach sonically advising everyone that’s tuning in to value their time referencing 10-time WWE world champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 5-time WWE Tag Team Champion & $7 Productions co-founder The Rock leading into “Doubloons” being compared to as the fastest man alive when dumpin’ over a cloudy instrumental. “Lone Warrior” works in these pianos chords comparing himself to exactly that just before “Manifestin’” returns to the boom bap talks about another day of being a living legend.

Approaching the final leg of the LP, the penultimate track “Dry Ice” blends these mellow synth leads with kicks & snares sounding like it could be played during an [adult swim] bumper discussing doing the same thing differently every single day prior to “Da Bottom” closing out the album on a twangier note talking about turning his pain into commas & living his life with nothing but honor.

It’s been a while since we’ve last heard from the Dump Gawd since he was dumpin’ like crazy at the beginning of the year, but it’s great to see that Nature Sounds is helping him & the most underrated Heartbreakers member in Camoflauge Monk return like it was nothing because this is a strong full-length from Fahim. Monk’s production is a bit versatile compared to some of his past material with the Dump Gawd & the latter sounds recharged on the mic.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Liberation – “Liberation 2” review

Liberation is a MC/producer duo consisting of Brooklyn veteran Talib Kweli on the mic & Oxnard extraordinaire Madlib behind the boards. The pair first linked up in ‘07 off the strength off an eponymous self-titled debut backed by Stones Throw Records & have collaborated with each other a handful of times since, with the last time being Black Star’s long-awaited sophomore album no fear of time* about 10 months ago at this point. An album much like Gotham’s own self-titled debut the year before proved that Kweli can still make great music even though I’m not afraid to acknowledge the fact that he makes a total prick out of himself on social media these days. Nonetheless, Liberation’s returning in effect for a sequel to their debut that’s been 2 years in the making & I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to it.

After the “Assata’s Code” intro, the first song “Best Year Ever” sets the album up with a jazzy boom bap instrumental & Kweli talking about how things are only gonna get better from hereon out whereas “Air Quotes” has a more empowering quality to the beat as the subject matter delves into the fakeness & toxicity of everyone else in the rap game. “Nat Turner” with Cassper Nyovest blends trap with afrobeats obviously getting on a more conscious tip lyrically, but then “1 for Biz” with Wildchild works in some pianos along with these kicks & snares to pay homage to the late Biz Markie.

Meanwhile on “Loop Digga’s Revenge”, we have Madlib hooking up a soul sample shouting out those who grew up staring at album covers & encouraging to come to a show if you wanna see the greatest in action just before Pink Siifu tags along for the the slick “Ad Vice” talking about how unapologetic both of he & Kweli are with the latter’s daughter Diani on the hook. “Wild Sweet Love” comes through with a drumless get spacious vibe getting romantic leading into the flute/string-tinged “Wild Beauty” instrumental interlude.

The late Mac Miller slides through for “The Right to Love Us” reminding everyone what our women are fighting accompanied by a jazzy beat with some heavy kicks while “After These Messages” with Amani finds him joining his dad on the mic so the father-son pair deliver a meditation on American racism over some keys, strings & horns. Roc Marciano & Westside Gunn tag along for the sequel to the highlight track “Richies” off Hitler Wears Hermes IX down to the same Soul Superiors sample “Trust in Me Baby” as the trio bring it raw on the mic.

The track “Marathon Through Babylon” has a colder tone instrumentally as Talib & Meshell Ndegeocello both ponder why & when did everyone become such sheep as well as comparing their rhymes to that of alkaline & prior to the “Assata’s Reprise” outro, the final song “Something Special” really ends the album by mixing these synthesizers with jazz-funk icon Roy Ayers on the vibraphones by calling this innovation as opposed to imitation.

I with all respect like to compare Kweli to Kanye in the sense that both of them are established veterans with an insane amount of artistic talent who publicly make asses of themselves on the regular & I say that because when you think about that in the grand scheme of things, the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree. That being said: Liberation 2 most certainly lived up to my expectations by continuing Talib’s artistic redemption that the Gotham album began & no fear of time* continued on with. Madlib’s production is potently jazzy & dusty with the whole concept of globally unifying through space & time undeniably needed to be heard.

Score: 4.5/5

@legendswill_never_die on Instagram for the best music reviews weekly!

Tha God Fahim – “Iron Bull” review

Tha God Fahim is a 26 year old MC/producer from Atlanta, Georgia notable for his affiliation with Griselda Records as well as being 1/3 of the Dump Gawds alongside Mach-Hommy & Your Old Droog. We also can’t ignore the massive discography that he’s managed to build for himself, some of the standouts include Breaking Through tha Van Allen Belts & Dump Assassins. He just teamed up with Camoflauge Monk a month ago with the 3-track offering Dark Shogunn Assassin & is now enlisting Nature Sounds to back his 40th EP.

“Man of Steel” opens the EP with some kicks, snares, pianos & a flute as Fahim elevates to new levels whereas “Turbulent Nights” has a more shimmering quality to the beat as he talks about cash ruling & how fly he is. “Tha Ladder” takes a more symphonic route grinding to reach a certain level of mastery & that he does this shit for the culture, but then Your Old Droog joins him on “Makin’ Rounds” comes through with some old timey keyboards as they talk about money making the world go round.

However on “Flame Wreck”, we have Jay Nice accompanying Fahim over ominous production to make sure those who dare to step up to them just before the Dump Gawds come together for the woodwind-infused “Let’s Make a Deal” asking if one can keep themselves strong. The song “Battleship” is a piano boom bap ballad about being military minded while the penultimate track “Food for Thought” displays some remarkable back & forth delivery between him & Droog over a drumless loop. “Story Exit” however sends things off on a soulful note acknowledging he can’t be great without discipline.

It’s wild as fuck to think how far Fahim has come as an artist with a discography as ever-growing as his throughout the past 8 years because Iron Bull has respectfully succeeded Dark Shogunn Assassin as my favorite thing that he’s dropped in 2023 yet. In just a month, the Dump Legend is continuing to elevate his pen-game with an undeniable determination & the production is more hypnotic yet varied than last time.

Score: 4/5

@legendswill_never_die on Instagram for the best music reviews weekly!

Your Old Droog – “The Yodfather” review

Your Old Droog is a Ukrainian-American underground MC who caught my attention when he dropped his self-titled debut. Many actually first thought he was an alter ego of Nas given that their voices are somewhat similar, but eventually became a legend in his own right off later projects such as Packs as well as It Wasn’t Even Close, TIME & more recently the Nicholas Craven-produced YOD Wave that dropped this past spring. YOD Stewart & Yodney Dangerfield both weren’t as great in my opinion, but certainly had it’s highlights at the same time & had interest in his 8th EP over here which I don’t mind in light of him going on Twitter saying he’ll drop a 6-track EP the next time someone complains to him about another 7-track EP.

The “WW3” freestyle kicks off things off with a drumless soul loop & Droog talking about wanting to get this money before the world ends whereas the Tony Touch freestyle works in a flute courtesy of Sadhugold calling himself the rap Leo DiCaprio. The David Bowie freestyle jumps on top of some impressive vocal chops throughout to talk about being on the road to victory just before “Francis Ford Coppola” comes through with a jazzy boom bap sound thanks to K-Nite 13 expressing his plan to achieve the impossible.

Droogie-La” by Droogie Otis is most definitely my favorite song on the EP from Madlib once again putting his unique ear for samples on display to Droog’s hardcore lyricism while “Zubin Mehta” starts off in drumless chipmunk soul territory talking about standing out in the pack like Lil B. The Munchos freestyle returns to a jazzier sound warning that your homie don’t want the fade kin to song endings with the 3rd & final installment of “90 from the Line” ending the EP in abstract boom bap fashion.

If this is the last EP we’re getting from him in 2022, then I’d say it’s a solid conclusion to the 4 that we got. The production’s just as decent as the last 2 were, but Droog most definitely has one of the best pen-games in the underground today & he definitely makes it a point to remind everyone that here. Whether it’s an EP or an album next year, I’’m always looking forward to hearing new music from him.

Score: 3.5/5

@legendswill_never_die on Instagram for the best music reviews weekly!

Your Old Droog – “Yodney Dangerfield” review

This is the 7th EP from Ukrainian-American emcee Your Old Droog. Catching my attention when he dropped his self-titled debut, many actually first thought he was an alter ego of Nas given that their voices are somewhat similar. He eventually became a legend in his own right off later projects such as Packs as well as It Wasn’t Even Close, TIME & the Nicholas Craven-produced YOD Wave. YOD Stewart came out this past spring & it was ok, but the singles Droog has dropped in the last month had me raised my anticipation for Yodney Dangerfield immensely.

“The Unknown Comic” opens up the EP with an abstract boom bap beat taking about sending his opposition to the G League whereas “The Hand of YOD” works in some pianos to confess that people are just mad at him because he outgrew his peers.“$50K of Brunch” takes a soulful route thanks to Nicholas Craven talking about choosing to flip that bread than have brunch with Hov, but then “The Man on the Moon” mixes a crooning loop & strings provided by Jonwayne to air out some hacks.

The song “The Simpsons” named after the longest running animated series on the Fox Corporation’s flagship property copyrighted by The Walt Disney Company shoots for a cloudier yet dustier aesthetic talking about being the only one at the top while the penultimate track “The Tonight Show” embraces the funk to remind everyone that hoes will treat you like an OutKast unless you got some Stankonia. The Sadhugold-produced “Triple Lindy” ends the album by grimly promising to get his competition in their roots like Black Thought.

Of all 3 of the EPs that Droog has dropped this year, Yodney Dangerfield has to be right behind YOD Wave for my favorite so far. The bars that he spits here are like earworms in a good way & the production compared to YOD Stewart is significantly better too. If “The Return of Sasquatch” is supposed to be on YODFATHER, then my anticipation is very high because it’s one of my favorite singles of the year.

Score: 3.5/5

@legendswill_never_die on Instagram for the best music reviews weekly!

Your Old Droog – “YOD Stewart” review

Your Old Droog is a Ukrainian lyricist by way of Brooklyn, New York who caught my attention when he dropped his self-titled debut & many first thought he was an alter ego of Nas given that their voices are somewhat similar. Nonetheless, he’s reached legend status at this point by proving that he was in his own lane off later projects such as Packs as well as It Wasn’t Even Close & TIME. He just his incredible 5th EP YOD Wave produced entirely by Nicholas Craven almost 3 months ago at this point & is following it up in the form of a 6th EP.

“Nightmares & Dreams” is a psychedelic opener produced by Conductor Williams talking about appreciating the simpler things in life whereas the drumless yet atmospheric “Mind Your Business” saying we’re better off if we don’t stick our noses where it don’t belong. “I Knew You Was a Bitch” works in some pianos to call out an ex of his leading into “Toxic Love” being a more abstract cut detailing how poisonous this woman was to him.

The song “Love & Basketball” mixes in a soul sample & a guitar to describe his new bitch while the penultimate track “Go to Sleep” has a jazzy boom bap flare to it thanks to Tha God Fahim talking about staying home some days to cash out. “The Ballad of Krutoy” ends the EP with some organ melodies admitting that he feels like crying sometimes even though the tears won’t just come out.

Although I find YOD Wave to be more superior, that’s not to say YOD Stewart isn’t worth checking out for those who fuck with Droog as much as I do. The production takes it back to the more abstract vibes of some of his more recent work & I admire how personal the lyrics tend to be during it’s short runtime.

Score: 3.5/5