Ouija Macc – “Corruptus” review

Las Vegas emcee Ouija Macc preluding his upcoming 4th LP Darcc Planet by releasing his 9th mixtape to start 2024. Breaking out in the fall of 2017 after the Insane Clown Posse signed him to Psychopathic Records shortly after putting out his debut EP Trashfire independently, Ouija has since proven himself as one of the most consistent & hard working dudes in the underground by dropping 3 full-lengths, 2 greatest hits compilations, his previous 7 mixtapes & 4 EPs all in the span of nearly 7 years. He even started his own label Chapter 17 Records, signing Darby O’Trill. As far as 2023 however, I really enjoyed Ouija’s previous tape Detritus along with both 3-Headed Monster albums & the Coronella collab album with Trizz. So coming fresh off that, the CEO’s beginning C17’s new year by treading new waters on Corruptus.

“Corrosion in C Sharp” finds Ouija singing a capella asking if it’s it real or all a lie whereas “Sorcerer Stoned” taking a groovier trap route starting off by continuing to sing for the first verse prior to rapping for the second so he can throw devil sets in your face. “Breathing is a Sacrifice” goes into full-blown rock territory advising not to spend money on him because he’ll be fine prior to “Laughing Upside Down” going a capella once more singing to find your smile.

Meanwhile, “Off the Ground” has more of an acoustic trap flare thanks to Devereaux talking about picking yourself back up when you’re down & after the “How Many Times?” interlude interpolating the song of the same name off my favorite joker’s card The Great Milenko, “All 4 Nothing” gives off a bit of a spacey trap rock vibe advising not to tell him it’s alright when you know it’s not.

“The Knowing Hand” keeps it a capella singing that he doesn’t know what he should say, but then “Wingless Bones” sings about how you can’t fix lonely over some guitars. After the “The Lights Are On in Hell” interlude & before the “To Say Goodbye outro, the final song “Nicorette” properly ends Corruptus by going head-on trap metal instrumentally as he sings that he doesn’t want to feel since none of his friends care as he shouldn’t either.

If anyone’s gonna go into Corruptus expecting the usual mix of the wicked shit & trap that a lot of Ouija Macc’s music is known for, then you’re gonna be surprised as I am to hear that he makes a huge stylistic departure on this tape & it’s probably the most experimental body of work he’s ever done. He’s showing off his singing voice more here on top of the production being more guitar-centered for a chunk of it.

Score: 4/5

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3-Headed Monster – “Rampage” review

This is the sophomore full-length album from horrorcore supergroup the 3-Headed Monster. Consisting of Detroit pioneers Esham & Violent J alongside Ouija Macc hailing from Las Vegas, all 3 members each have a distinctive history of their own. The first being the unholy godfather of the wicked shit founding Reel Life Productions, the other co-founded Psychopathic Records as 1/2 of the Insane Clown Posse whom the Boogey Man was once signed to from 2002-2005 & Ouija became the hatchet’s biggest solo act in 2017 following ICP severing ties with their former protégés the demented duo Twiztid earlier that same year despite them departing Psychopathic only 5 years before that to form Majik Ninja Entertainment now continuing to gradually build Chapter 17 Records as a dominant subsidiary of the label that runs beneath the streets as he’s been their only current artist other than the wicked clowns themselves since the pandemic. But as they begin the 2nd leg of their tour promoting their full-length debut Obliteration from over the summer displaying 3 generations of hip hop’s most underappreciated subgenre, the trio’s continuing their Rampage.

The intro begins with all 3 members aggressively going back & forth with each other on the mic over a rugged trap instrumental for a couple minutes proclaiming their greatest joy in life is to crush & destroy whereas “Bulldozer” works in a shimmery backdrop & hi-hats from Shaggytheairhead cautioning that everyone’s in danger. “End of Days” gives off a more cavernous trap vibe thanks to Devereaux making it clear that there ain’t no heroes in this saga just before the “Bepis” goes into atmospheric territory so Ouija Macc can whip up a solo joint & his rhyme schemes throughout are some the craziest he’s ever jotted.

“Sinister Super Sinister” by Violent J continues to demonstrate the talents of each member of the supergroup as he hops over a trap-rock crossover declaring himself to be exactly that leading into Esham’s solo cut “Cult Leader” diving headfirst into boom bap territory with some keyboard embellishments asking if one wants to lead a cult of their own. The 3-Headed Monster reunited as a unit for the chaotic trap banger “Red Pavement” looking to leave the haters laying, but then “Cobblestone” finds Ouija on his own again blending a suspenseful loop & hi-hats talking about them Sin City killas being at your neck.

The song “Pillow Talk” by Violent J goes for a more subdued trap sound proclaiming he gets down all the time killing for real & love how his new chick never asks why his clothes are bloody even though his raspy delivery is a little off-putting while “Dinero” by Esham talks about the money over a groovy sample flip. The title track though rounds out the trio’s sophomore effort with a 5 & a half minute trap heater taking away all the sunshine & rain in favor of smoke & fire instead.

The 3-Headed Monster’s formation has to be my personal favorite thing that Psychopathic has done all year even though I stand by me being happy to see them pumping out music at the rate they’ve been doing so all year, but I actually might like Rampage better than Obliteration by a hair. They’re stepping up their chemistry together on top of getting a couple chances to shine individually again & I love how the production sounds harder than our introduction to them over the summer.

Score: 4/5

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Insane Clown Posse – “WOH the Weepin’ Weirdo” review

The Insane Clown Posse are a horrorcore duo, the founders of Juggalo Championship Wrestling & the longest reigning JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champions from Detroit, Michigan consisting of Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope. However, very few know that 3 other members came & went during the first 5 years of the group’s inception. Not only would The Duke of the Wicked & the Southside Strangla go on to create seminal wicked shit albums like The First 6, but they gained an extremely loyal fanbase in the process & their self-owned Psychopathic Records became an independent hip hop powerhouse as the label’s roster continued to grow. I was a bit worried about their latest album Yum Yum Bedlam given that the prelude EP Yum Yum’s Lure was panned by fans when it came out a couple Juggalo Days back but when Halloween came around, they proved me wrong with what I believe to be my 3rd favorite card in the 2nd deck. They then began a trilogy EPs last year called the Seeds of Yum Yum by letting Wicked Vic the Weed blossom during the first quarter of the year & Pug Ugly the Stink Bud at the Gathering of Dreams, but took a break to J can put out his sophomore full-length solo album Bloody Sunday on this year’s Juggalo Day & even 2 Dope’s 3rd EP The Quest for the Ultimate Groove on the 6th year anniversary of F.T.F.O.M.F. (Fuck The Fuck Off MuthaFucka). But ahead of the 6th Joker’s Card in the 2nd Deck, they’re closing out the trilogy on their 19th EP.

“Out the Sky” after the intro is a ruggedly futuristic opener produced by Chapter 17 Records/PSY in-house producer Shaggytheairhead with Violent J referencing lucha libre popularized by the Lutteroth family-owned Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) & it’s rival promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) owned by the Peña–Roldán family whereas “Elly May” has that old school carnival sound courtesy of none other than Mike E. Clark so both of the wicked clowns can toss the mic back & forth with one another telling the story of the titular character. “Keep on Choppin’” dives into rap rock turf as the Duke dismembers bodies while the track “Banshee” gives off a more thunderous approach instrumentally so both of them can talk about piledriving motherfuckers through a table. And until the Mike P. remix of “Something to See”, the final song “Average Joey” is a Shaggy 2 Dope solo cut with a somber boom bap beat knowing he can’t be fixed that’s on par with the material on Quest for the Ultimate Groove.

It’s been almost 3 years since the Yum Yum era began & not only would I consider WOH the Weepin’ Weirdo to be a solid closer to the Seeds of Yum Yum trilogy, but it has me anticipating the 6th & final Joker’s Card of the 2nd Deck even more. Much like Pug Ugly the Stink Bud, the production is a mix of ICP’s past & present sounds as both of the Clowns play to their strengths in the midst of reminding everyone how strong their chemistry is over 3 decades deep in the game for those who thought they were disbanding. The Yum Yum era will always hold a special place in my heart because the first time I went to a Gathering was in 2021 only 2 months before the album came out on Hallowicked even though I’ve been down with Psychopathic since they were a roster full of artists in 2011 as a 14 year old outcast starting high school.

Score: 3.5/5

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Shaggytheairhead – “Lazy & Crazy” review

This is the 4th full-length album from Las Vegas, Nevada producer, rapper & fashion designer Shaggytheairhead. Peaking my interesting after producing one of my all-time favorite Ouija Macc songs “Nardwuar Glocc” back in 2018, he would back that up with 4 EPs before becoming an in-house producer for Chapter 17 Records & Psychopathic Records alongside his Mythic Mindz cohort Devereaux. Shaggy dropped his debut Wakin’ Up during the 21st annual Gathering of the Juggalos, which was the only Gathering I’ve ever been to & a weekend that I’ll never forget. As far as the actual music on Wakin’ Up, it’s my favorite of his thus far because of how much he improved his lyricism & that he dabbled with a wide range of sounds to show his influences. Following the Gathering of Dreams last summer however, he dropped a producer album called Grin to the Grave featuring a wide range of artists rapping over his production from Ouija to King Iso, Project Pat, Sir Michael Rocks & even Matt Ox. But coming off the sophomore effort Coffee this past February & even the personal Blood Sweat Tears last weekend, Shaggy’s continuing to apply pressure with Lazy & Crazy.

“6 Foot Killa” starts things off with a minimal trap instrumental letting it be known exactly what people should be calling him whereas “Bang” takes a more grimy boom bap route talking about how he’s feeling good in this type of scenario & that we’re gonna get a heater as soon as you hear his producer tag. “Nice List” shifts gears into rugged territory thanks to Devereaux saying he’ll fuck you up if you’re talking shit leading into “Same” pulling from cloud rap & trap talking about skating.

On the other hand, “Beef 2” blends a delicately mellow loop & hi-hats together cautioning that those fuckin’ with the Mythic will get their wigs split just before “Old News” featuring Jake G gives off a more uncanny trap vibe talking about getting faded & that they ain’t ever gon’ stop. “Clock In” tries giving off a wavier approach to the beat encouraging listeners to dream big every single day, but then Devereaux hooks up these synths & hi-hats on “Alone Sometimes” so the Airhead can talk about the loneliness that he feels every now & then.

Chapter 17 Records’ newest signee Darby O’Trill & the Duke of the Wicked himself Violent J both come into the picture for “Greaper Shorts” flexing that they have 5 pairs of the titular shorts over an organ-laced trap instrumental while “Fe Fi Fo Fum” has a more occult feeling sonically talking about how he thinks people should be running from him since he’s out here killing shit. “Pause” has an icier sound to it asking if anyone feels alone or if they’re constantly getting the bone while “Sucker Stick” jumps top of some skittering hi-hats shoving exactly that in the earholes of his haters.

“Family All Around Me” has a more vibrantly aggressive tone getting rowdy as soon as he steps up in that bitch while “Sorry Not Sorry” gives off a bleaker trap sound talking about this shit being fire even though others could call it trash. The song “PBR” despite its brevity is a cool, psychedelic ode to the titular brand of beer that I personally enjoy as well while the penultimate track serves as a more synth-based sequel to the eerily raw “Street Trash” off Darby O’Trill’s 3rd album Piecemeal. Crowd” though tends to be a shimmery trap closer hoping those don’t know by now eventually will.

The C17/PSY in-house producer has been on a ROLL in 2023 by completing the trilogy that Sleepin’ In started & Wakin’ Up bridged with Coffee back in February on top of Blood Sweat Tears giving listeners a better look at who he is personally, but I went into Lazy & Crazy expecting it to be a soundtrack to his clothing brand of the same name & it’s a genuine one at that. It’s more summer oriented musically, the features a slight cut above Blood Sweat Tears’ & you can just tell the dude’s having more fun with it this time.

Score: 4/5

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3-Headed Monster – “Obliteration” review

The 3-Headed Monster is a horrorcore supergroup consisting of Esham, Violent J & Ouija Macc. One of them being the unholy godfather of the wicked shit founding Reel Life Productions, the other co-founded Psychopathic Records as 1/2 of the Insane Clown Posse whom the Boogey Man was once signed to from 2002-2005 & the other has become the hatchet’s biggest artist since Twiztid departed over a decade ago to form Majik Ninja Entertainment now continuing to gradually build Chapter 17 Records as a subsidiary of the label that runs beneath the streets as he’s been their only current artist other than the wicked clowns themselves since the pandemic. But as they head out on the road earlier this week fresh off Bloody Sunday & Detritus alongside the preparation of Purgatory next month, they’re announcing the formation of the trio & even unleashing a full-length debut.

After the intro, the first song “Fire Breathin’” opens things up with a hardcore hip hop anthem produced by Dead Heat advising to run from the 3-Headed Monster itself whereas “Crushin’” blends trap with rock & these grueling bells during the hook talking about squashing on all y’all motherfuckers. “Clownzilla” gives off a more suspenseful trap groove courtesy of Shaggytheairhead so J can himself the Godzilla of juggalos just before “Juggalos 4 Jesus” gives off a cloudier route thanks to Devereaux with Ouija heavily calling back to “24/7” off 4th album Closed Casket which is widely considered by suicidalists to be his best even though I’d put KKKill the Fetus above it personally.

“Don’t Sell Your Soul” switches things up with a jazzy boom bap ballad as Esham solely reminds the world to never sellout leading into “The Biggest” weaves these chilling horn melodies likening themselves to 30 gorillas referencing WCW original Giant González. “Leave That Dope Alone” is another Esham solo cut works in a soul sample with these kicks, snares & twinkling keys so he can get on his hustler shit à la Dead Flowerz that is until Violent J singlehandedly covers “Possum Kingdom” by The Toadies which really isn’t a surprise to me considering the Duke’s love for rock music. Especially with Zug Izland’s debut album Cracked Tiles turning 20 this year & that being one of the most underrated Psychopathic albums of all-time in my humble juggalo opinion.

Meanwhile, “Kiccin’ the Bass” dives into the wavy trap territory including a chopped & screwed samples of “What’s a Juggalo?” off their 1997 wicked shit masterpiece as well as this reviewer’s personal favorite Joker’s Card The Great Milenko & even “Dead Body Man” off my 2nd favorite Card Riddle Box for the hook so Ouija can shine with his own solo cut talking about being born as a corpse that they called a disgrace that is until “Shaggy Shit” pops up as a brief Shaggy 2 Dope interlude. The final song ends the album “Rubble” finds the 3-Headed Monster reuniting once more with monster movie soundtrack flips spitting that hardcore shit one more time & the Mike E. Clark remix of “Fire Breathin’” is most certainly on par with the original.

If you call yourself a fan of the wicked shit, then you’d know how much of a big deal this album is considering Esham’s influence on ICP & eventually ICP’s on Ouija. We knew they were going on tour together too, but the formation of 3-Headed Monster & Obliteration as their debut is as enjoyable as the Quest for the Ultimate Groove that Shaggs went on last weekend. Each member’s generationally distinctive styles are all well displayed & to hear their chemistry together is quite fascinating.

Score: 4/5

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Shaggy 2 Dope – “Professor Shaggs & the Quest for the Ultimate Groove” review

Shaggy 2 Dope is a 48 year old MC, producer, DJ, former professional wrestler, podcast host of The Shaggy Show, Juggalo Championship Wrestling co-founder & the shortest reigning JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion from Detroit, Michigan who formed the Insane Clown Posse with his late older brother John Kickjazz alongside his best friend Violent J & the late Kid Villain. But for the past 3 decades, the Southwest Strangla & the Duke of the Wicked have spread the word of the Dark Carnival whether it be the first 6 Joker’s Cards or the label that runs beneath the streets Psychopathic Records. However, it is widely known that 2 Dope was the first of the Clowns to go solo with his 1994 debut EP Fuck Off! produced by Mike E. Clark as a prelude to the shelved full-length Shaggs the Clown. He eventually returned on his own in ‘06 with F.T.F.O. (Fuck the Fuck Off) & here we are on the 6 year anniversary of his DJ Clay-produced sophomore effort F.T.F.O.M.F. (Fuck the Fuck Off MuthaFucka) witnessing Stretch Nuts returning over 4 years after Gloomy Sunday by dropping his 3rd EP.

“Clown Boi” is a trap opener produced by Shaggytheairhead with Bazooka Joey talking about the only 2 words that he knows are seek & destroy whereas “Illuminati Don’t Want Me” works in some synthesizer patterns & hi-hats to make it known that he ain’t weak or snotty whatsoever which has been historically proven. “Defy” is an electro-trap hybrid talking about disobeying or resisting everything from love & hate to gravity with a fresh reference to both “Stomp” off my 2nd favorite sideshow EP Tunnel of Love during the first verse & WWE Hall of Famer Gorilla Monsoon on the other just before “Done Giving a Fuck” takes a cloudier route with the title saying it all that he’s doesn’t have any fucks to give anymore.

Meanwhile, “How Ya Been” begins the final leg of the EP with a smooth trap ballad with Shaggs warmly declaring that everyone’s welcome here while the song “This Ain’t That Bitch” has an eerie vibe courtesy of his lil brother Tre Lb & a Carnival of Carnage title track sample during the hook calling out all the bitch boys. The penultimate track “The Quest for…” has some crazy beat switches throughout courtesy of DJ Clay & 2 Dope talking about looking for the ultimate groove of course, but then “The Ulimate Groove” ties things up with an EDM closer.

It breaks my heart to see people trying to slander the Duke’s name as a juggalo kid from Detroit & as much as I appreciated Bloody Sunday for being darker than J’s previous solo efforts, solo Shaggy never disappoints & he once again proves his point here. The production is eclectic in sound & he continues to expand on his lyrical elevation as shown on the Yum Yum Bedlam era output as phat as he’s always been. Fuck all the toxicity & drama, everything boils down to the music at the end of the day & that’s the only thing that matters to me until I’m dead in the ground.

Score: 4/5

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Ouija Macc – “Detritus” review

This is the 8th mixtape from Las Vegas, Nevada emcee Ouija Macc. Breaking out in the fall of 2017 after the Insane Clown Posse signed him to Psychopathic Records shortly after putting out his debut EP Trashfire independently, Ouija has since proven himself as one of the most consistent & hard working dudes in the underground by dropping 3 full-lengths, 2 greatest hits compilations, his previous 6 mixtapes & 4 EPs all in the span of nearly 6 years. He even started his own label Chapter 17 Records & made the big homie HEXXX the first signee to PSY’s new subsidiary almost a year ago by now. The previous Ouija tape Fallen Angelic just celebrated it’s 1 year anniversary at the beginning of the month & his latest album Stalewind was a near perfect conclusion to the Element saga, but is now following up the Hideous collab album he dropped with Golden BSP only a few months ago by welcoming y’all to Detritus.

After the “Lost Transmission” intro, the first song “Freak” opens the tape with an ratchet ode for all of those who like it nasty whereas “Dypschyt” works in some bass & hi-hats courtesy of Shaggytheairhead so everyone can go dumb. “Blam Blam ‘Em” spits that gun talk over a dark Devereaux instrumental just before the uncanny trap hybrid “Deadzone” vividly details a demon coming after him for 3 days back to back to back.

“Apollo 17” has a bit of a Memphis flare sonically detailing a murder that he had been planning for weeks leading into “Clown Luv” coming through with a spiritual successor to the joint off Shaggy 2 Dope’s solo debut EP Fuck Off!. “Rich Boy Pacc” pulls some bells & hi-hats together making it clear what he be smoking on, but then “Lumberjacc” is a jazz/trap hybrid talking about punani being all he needs.

Meanwhile on “Rippin’ Out Ur Guts”, we have Ouija spitting the wicced shit over an unhinging beat while “Human Malfunction” switches it up into a cloudier sound admitting to not knowing much other than our days being numbered & cautioning to get back before your shit gets jacked. “Just Go” brings in more bells & hi-hats bragging that his foot’s on the gas with his pockets on swole while “Dream Survey” atmospherically confesses that demons stand by him as he sleeps.

“Well Wicced” is a short but macabre continuation with a bassy trap instrumental boasting that shit can’t get more wicced than this while “They Don’t Like Me” lays these hi-hats behind a killer guitar throughout getting on his emo shit a bit. “Look Bacc” bombastically tells y’all to keep the past in the past while “Way the Shit Go” brings back the guitars thanks to Billy Martin talking about how life be sometimes. And until the “Found Transmission” outro, the final song “In the End” sends off the tape with a roller coaster ride of an 8-minute closer about the world falling victim to stupidity.

Chapter 17 has quickly become one of the most dominant forces in the underground wicked shit scene within the last couple years & coming off what seemed to be their biggest yet, the CEO indicates that it’s only gonna get bigger from here because I happen to enjoy Detritus more than Hideous with all respect. The performances are more consistent & the production continues to evolve the sounds of his finest full-length that he gave us at last year’s Gathering.

Score: 4/5

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Violent J – “Bloody Sunday” review

Violent J is a 50 year old MC, producer, professional wrestler/manager, Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) Commissioner & the longest reigning 2-time JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champion from Detroit, Michigan notable for forming the Insane Clown Posse & co-founding the label that runs beneath the streets Psychopathic Records with Shaggy 2 Dope. He’s also released a few EPs & a full-length on his own within the last 3 decades, with my personal favorite of the handful being Wizard of the Hood. The last we heard from the Duke of the Wicked solo-wise was the Brother! EP on New Year’s Eve 2018, but J is making up for the 3-month delay of his sophomore solo album by giving it to the fans as a Juggalo Day treat.

The intro is an occult trap opener produced by Devereaux with J confessing he doesn’t want to be alive anymore whereas the title track gives me a more slower albeit still morbid approach to the beat thanks to Brian Kuma talking about a never ending cycle. “Clown Blood” returns to trap territory with J showing off some crazy flows as he describes the clown blood flowing through him leading into “In the Hole” blending some hi-hats & synths talking about where your soul will suffer.

Meanwhile on “Pitch Dark”, we have J over a more rugged instrumental describing total blackness just before “No Friends” is a decent guitar ballad about being friendless. “Scatterbrain 2” is a trap-flavored sequel to “Scatterbrain” which has always been one of the best songs off Eye of the Storm in my opinion & picks up where the predecessor left off wonderfully referencing both former 2-time SMW Heavyweight Champion & ECW World Tag Team Champion Tracy Smothers and WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion, 3-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion & WCW World Tag Team Champion Rick Rude until Mike E. Clark returns to lace “The Stiff” with his uniquely quirky sound asking if he made a friend until the end or fucked up again.

“Horrendous Ways” jacks for beats as the Duke of the Wicked asks why great lives end in the titular fashion while “Something’s in My Room” takes a turn into boom bap describing the titular being in his room staring at him. The song “The Hurter” has a more carnivalesque flare to the instrumental courtesy of Shaggytheairhead describing the titular character while the penultimate track “A Harrowing Time” is a bassy trap cut about Satan calling him. “Some Good Pussy” though ends the album with a shitty country rock ballad about a man being unhealthily obsessed with a bitch.

Wizard of the Hood is such a classic EP & I know The Shining gets a bit of mixed reception with a lot of juggalos that I know personally, but it’s most certainly no question that Bloody Sunday stands as Violent J’s finest solo album to date. It’s a lot more darker than the previous efforts that he’s put out on his own, he sounds focused & the production is a healthy mix of both the old & new sounds throughout the 3 decades that he’s been in the game.

Score: 3.5/5

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Shaggytheairhead – “Coffee” review

This is the sophomore full-length album from Las Vegas, Nevada producer, rapper & fashion designer Shaggytheairhead. Catching my attention after producing one of my all-time favorite Ouija Macc songs “Nardwuar Glocc” back in 2018, he would back that up with 4 EPs before becoming an in-house producer for Chapter 17 Records & Psychopathic Records alongside his Mythic Mindz cohort Devereaux. Shaggy would drop his last album Wakin’ Up during the 21st annual Gathering of the Juggalos, which was the only Gathering I’ve ever been to & a weekend that I’ll never forget. As far as the actual music on Wakin’ Up, it’s my favorite of his thus far because of how much he improved his lyricism & that he dabbled with a wide range of sounds to show his influences. Following the Gathering of Dreams last summer however, he dropped a producer album called Grin to the Grave featuring a wide range of artists rapping over his production from Ouija to King Iso, Project Pat, Sir Michael Rocks & even Matt Ox. But to honor the 49th birthday of J Dilla & ヌジャベス, Shaggy’s returning in the form of Coffee.

After the “Shaggythelegend 3” skit, “Abyss” comes through with a trap opener calling for all the savages in this bitch prior to Trade Voorhees tags along for “Ima Make It” to talk about getting off your ass & doing something productive today working in some synths & hi-hats alongside a chopped & screwed inspired hook. “Need a Friend” hooks together a syrupy sample à la Three 6 Mafia to seek true friendship just before “Force Fed” dives into boom bap turf speaking to those who be feeling like they’re being imposed upon.

Trade returns on “Grind Everyday” keeping it in the basement encouraging to hustle until “Gotta Ask” continues with some kicks & snares put together with these spacious synth chords curious to know why he got done dirty. Darby O’Trill comes into the picture for the shrilling “Raygun” to bust shots at the zombies & encouraging those who have a problem with him to say something to them about it, but then the YungFiend verse on “Furnace” is probably the weakest feature on the album with all respect even though the atmospheric approach is nice & the themes of proving others how hot they be artistically.

The song “When Will They Learn?” eerily claps back at shit-talkers while “Witch” serves as the official closer to the album as he describes paranormally seeing a woman in the corner of every room that he enters with a dusty boom bap beat yet the “bonus cut” title track is the true finale to the album with it’s minimal yet bluesy instrumental accompanied by the heartfelt lyrics that look back on being down in his luck to eventually hanging with his idols & pursuing his dream in a music career.

Wakin’ Up was a great debut for Shaggy & a year & a half later with Coffee as the official follow-up, it was well worth it in my opinion. His production is continuing to evolve & the feature-list is much smaller than it was on the last album although they manage to do a fine job at bringing their own unique styles to the table. Now that he’s woken up & had his coffee, where do we go from here a year & a half from now? I’m curious to know.

Score: 4/5

Insane Clown Posse – “Pug Ugly the Stink Bud” review

This is the 18th EP from Detroit horrorcore duo, Juggalo Championship Wrestling founders & the longest reigning JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champions the Insane Clown Posse. Consisting of Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope, but very few know that 3 other members came & went during the first 5 years of the group’s inception. Not only would The Duke of the Wicked & the Southside Strangla go on to create seminal wicked shit albums like The First 6, but they gained an extremely loyal fanbase in the process & their self-owned Psychopathic Records became an independent hip hop powerhouse as the label’s roster continued to grow. I was a bit worried about their latest album Yum Yum Bedlam given that the prelude EP Yum Yum’s Lure was panned by fans when it came out last Juggalo Day but when Halloween came around, they proved me wrong with what I believe to be my 3rd favorite card in the 2nd deck. Last we heard from them was Wicked Vic the Weed during the first quarter of the year & are now continuing the Seeds of Yum Yum trilogy in the form of Pug Ugly the Stink Bud.

“I’m Ugly” kicks off the EP with a horn-laced instrumental from Mike E. Clark & Violent J describing how unattractive Pug Ugly the Stink Bud truly is whereas “Abbracadabbra” has a more carnivalesque sound to it as 2 Dope joins the Duke talking about making hoes disappear. “Pug Ugly” takes a funkier route so the Wicked Clowns can vividly describe how gross the world is just before “Scrub Gang” is a piano/hi-hat infused ballad out to all the scrubs out there. The spooky atmosphere of “I’m Afraid” is pretty cool with J & Shaggs confess their fears while the 80’s Rock Ballad” is a country rock jam that’s slightly better than their “After Murder Sunrise” loosie that came out back in March & the Mike P. remix of “Queens” is inferior to the O.G. with it’s more electronic-centered sound.

As decent of a beginning to the Seeds of Yum Yum trilogy that Wicked Vic the Weed was, I think I might like Pug Ugly the Stink Bud over here a tad bit more. The production is a refinement of the Carnival sound that the predecessor had brought back & the duo sound as focused as they did at the beginning of the year. Here’s to WOH the Weepin’ Weirdo being a potentially dark conclusion to the Yum Yum era this Halloween.

Score: 3.5/5

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