Tag: Serial Killers

Serial Killers – “This Thing of Ours” review

The Serial Killers are a west coast supergroup consisting of B-Real, Demrick & Xzibit. Joining forces on Halloween 2013 by dropping an eponymous debut mixtape under Open Bar Entertainment, they would go on to follow it up a couple years later with The Murder Show & followed it up with the Day of the Dead extended play. Their debut album Summer of Sam would come out in the fall of 2020 despite its title getting more political than the trio’s earlier output, reuniting to have Scoop DeVille produce the sophomore effort.

“SK Anthem” sets the tone with this grisly boom bap intro spitting the kind of raps that’ll make you wanna punch someone in the face whereas the title track aggressively talks about the trio building a circle of trust together. “Call the Cops” gives off an old school hardcore vibe dropping bars that’ll make people snitch to the Feds leading into the horn-infused “Fired Up” advising against people trying their luck because each of them being vexed.

Moving on from there, “Levels” talks about improving oneself if anybody’s striving to reach the top just before “Hand Grenade” goes full rap rock so they can end the 1st leg boasting that they can walk through Hellfire & communicate with the dead. “High Energy” continues the 2nd leg of the album talking about life being this much of a trip & time being money while “Anarchy” encourages those listening to start promoting the strength we have instead of that other bullshit.

“Slippin’” nears This Thing of Ours’ conclusion incorporating some strings talking about keeping an eye out for the other side & not letting them catch you fuckin’ up while “By Any Means” speaks of constantly staying more solid than the concrete & representing the west coast. “We’re the Killers” finishes up the album with this ghostly boom bap outro talking about fearing no man & the lyricism of each member proving to be more deadly than fentanyl.

Summer of Sam to me was a lot enjoyable than The Murder Show or Day of the Dead were, but the Serial Killers return a little over halfway through the 2020s with Scoop DeVille behind the boards to make This Thing of Ours the greatest LP of their entire existence. Scoop’s production hits harder top to bottom as opposed to the predecessor having a couple lackluster moments instrumentally & I like that they refrained from having any guest appearances to focus more on their synergies.

Score: 4/5

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Xzibit – “Kingmaker” review

Xzibit is a 50 year old MC, actor, television presenter, radio personality & record executive from Los Angeles, California starting as a member of the Likwit Crew collective. His first 2 full-lengths At the Speed of Light and 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz under Nightz under Loud Records & RCA Records were prominently bout around the traditional boom bap sound, forming his very own label Open Bar Entertainment & fulfilling a 1-album deal with Epic Records for my favorite of his Restless. X later signed to Columbia Records to put out Man vs. Machine & Weapons of Mass Destruction, opting to release Full Circle & Napalm independently through distribution by MNRK Music Group & EMI Records respectively. Over a decade later, Mr. X to the Z is joining former UFC Featherweight & Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor’s newly formed Greenback Records to back his 9th studio LP.

“Play This at My Funeral” was a tight boom bap single to start off the rollout suggesting to say it with your chest if you want to make it out in the west whereas “Everywhere I Go” produced by Dem Jointz thunderously talks about rockin’ both coasts regardless of where he’s at. “Been a Long Time 2”recaptures the energy of a Restless highlight avoiding a conversation that was had almost 25 years ago while “The Moment” featuring Busta Rhymes & Jason Martin formerly known as Problem promises to fuck up any pussy on sight over a boisterous Focus… beat.

The horns on “Earth is Over” were a nice touch dismissing these muhfucka out here for being actors instead of experiencing the hardships of the streets like X has just before “Leave Me Alone” featuring Dr. Dre hooks up some organs with the help of Swizz Beatz so both of them can talk about wanting to have some peace. “Belly of the Beast” featuring Jason Martin aggressively tells everyone to manifest their destinies & making them into reality, but then the sample-driven “History” nods some of the albums that’ve inspired him.

“Genesis” finds him telling this woman that he can be her everything acting all innocent & her becoming his origin or beginning of something while “Perfect Alibi” makes his own a statement under suspicion of a crime he was in a different place around the time the offense was committed. “American Idol” featuring Symba goes for a soulful flare courtesy of Sndtrak explaining that they’re make to kill they own through circumstances they were given while “Crash” featuring Royce da 5’9” reminds us the million ways to die.

Ice Cube appears for the final single “For the Love”sampling “Quiet Storm” by the late Prodigy feeling the rain almost as hard as they did when they fell in love while DJ Battlecat provides a g-funk groove to “Shut Yo Mouth” featuring Compton AV clapping back at the people who’ve been doubting them. “Higher” featuring B-Real & Redman unites the trio for a funky weed smoker’s ballad clocking at 2 & a half minutes while until will.i.am flips “Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)” by N*E*R*D throughout “Success” breaking down what that means to X.

Likwit Crew founder King T preludes his upcoming final album with his own solo joint “Notified” proving that he’s still got it 4 decades later with Beat Butchataking it into rap rock territory while DJ Khalil turns the funk up once more during “What U Like” featuring Guapdad 4000 talks about having fortunes on both of their sides. “End of the Day” featuring Domo Genesis& Tre Capital encourages everyone to do whatever it takes for them when it’s all said & done while the title track finishes by asking if you’re ready for the throne or something greater.

Kingmaker reads as more of a sign that he wanted to share his knowledge of the good, the bad, the ugly, the ups & downs he’s faced throughout his life & career that he attributes to making him successful rather than getting called royalty or sitting on the throne & being a part of some kind of hierarchy, which I ultimately feel improves on everything that made Napalm feel so mature during my sophomore year in high school over a decade ago. It may be the best he’s sounded production-wise in over 2 decades & yet, he hasn’t lost a step with the pen & the guests hold their own weight.

Score: 4/5

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