Trizz – “Cavi En Cursive” review

This is the 6th full-length LP from Los Angeles, California emcee Trizz. Picked up a microphone at the age of 9, it wasn’t until his late teens where he properly introduced himself to a wider audience in the form of his debut mixtape Suicide with No Note followed by New West & The Right to Bear Arms before being taken under the wing of Sacramento horrorcore veteran Brotha Lynch Hung by signing to Madesicc Muzicc for a brief period of time. He would later go on to drop 5 more tapes, 5 full-lengths, 5 EPs, 5 collab projects with Chuuwee, 1 with Flashy B, another with Sahtyre & another with Ouija Macc all within the last decade. Much like the critically acclaimed Baseline Cavi, he & former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 are sticking together for Cavi En Cursive.

“Calligraphy” starts up the Baseline Cavi sequel on some jazzy boom bap shit talking about seeing the road clear as day before even mapping it whereas “Baseline” featuring T.F takes the eerier route instrumentally reminding everyone that both of them be running shit in the west coast. “Givin’ It Up” goes full-blown g-funk to talk about how he feels like soaking it all in or livin’ it up, but then “Alpine” hooks the kicks & snares up again to portray the gangsta lifestyle.

Pomona Drey & Traffic join Trizz for the funky, boom bap hybrid “Curb Service” serving music to the fiends like crack addicts leading into the smooth “Figure 8z” talking about cruisin’ down Baseline bangin’ his own music in the whip. “Type Shit” featuring 2-11 emphasizes a darker atmosphere further keeping the kicks & snares in tact talking about the shit they be on just before “Broken En 2” samples “Walk on By” by the late Isaac Hayes assuring he’s still getting it even though he ain’t rich.

“Arrogant” switches gears into trap territory with some g-funk undertones so he can talk about wearing his arrogance with pride starts the 2nd leg of Cavi En Cursive while “Moonlight” jumps over drumless jazz loop expressing how good it feels to be high in the sky. “Cream” featuring Blu returns to the boom bap once again to be all about the bread like the almighty Wu-Tang Clan while “O & a Half” featuring Flee Lord breaks down the lives they live on top of a mellow beat.

Brotha Lynch Hung reconnects with his protégé for “Truth Sells” brings the kicks & snares back as both of them talk about their imperfections having to study & learn the game while the syrupy “Fighting Temptations” details the depression that he goes through time to time. “Free Fall” nears the end of the LP with another jazzy boom bap instrumental looking to mediate since he be overthinking & “Die for Something” featuring T.F soulfully closes Cavi En Cursive trying to get money & profiting.

It’s already to the point now where I can say that Baseline Cavi has already cemented itself as my favorite album that Trizz has put out & the sequel here is almost as great from top to bottom. Even if it has a bit more features than the predecessor did couple years back, 7’s production has a heavier west coast vibe in the midst of demonstrating his range from boom bap & trap to drumless & jazz rap excellently suiting Trizz’ west coast gangsta lyricism no differently than last time.

Score: 4.5/5

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K.A.A.N. – “The Nightly News” review

Maryland emcee/producer K.A.A.N. back with his 10th EP. Getting his start in 2014, he would make a name for himself in the underground with an ever-growing discography like the Dem Jointz-produced Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred, the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due, Mission Hillz or more recently The Death of a Rapper with former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 on hip hop’s 50th birthday over the summer & was more conceptual than some of K.A.A.N.’s latest output. So keeping in mind that 7 was sticking around for The Nightly News, it was enough have me sold in checking out.

The title track eerily sets the tone of what’s to come by chaotically painting the disparity that local news stations generally bring to those who tune in whereas “The Results of What Unfolds” goes into boom bap territory talking about being unable to believe what K.A.A.N. had witnessed. “The Weather Forecast” shows off a speedier flow predicting lots of clouds over pianos, kicks & snares just before “The War Room” gives off a jazzier flare instrumental coming live from a command center”.

“The Less Fortunate” is a more somber cut to start the 2nd half of the EP describing those who’re poor & struggling to make ends meet leading into “The World Health Report” bringing a quirkier beat the fold so Knowledge Above All Nonsense can talk about symptoms of health declining. “The Free Labor” continues to push towards the end of The Nightly News by returning to the boom bap reminding us what built our country, but then “The Debt Ceiling” closes the EP talking about money making the world go round over more kicks & snares with elements of jazz music too.

K.A.A.N. got back on the conceptual tip near perfectly over the summer with 7 & they both recapture that same magic. The Nightly Newsobviously poking fun at evening news shows excellently & 7 carrying that versatile boom bap production from The Death of a Rapper on it’s way over to here. Will easily become one of the best EPs he’s ever made.

Score: 4.5/5

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K.A.A.N. – “The Death of a Rapper” review

K.A.A.N. is a 32 year old MC/producer from Maryland who’s already made himself well established in less than a decade by delivering standouts in his ever-growing discography like the Dem Jointz-produced Black Blood, the Ski Beatz-produced Requiem for a Dream Deferred & the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced All Praise is Due & more recently Mission Hillz. But to celebrate hip hop’s 50th birthday, former Strange Music in-house producer MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 is being enlisted behind the boards throughout K.A.A.N.’s 23rd album.

After the “Foreword from Soul Brother #1” intro, “The Spark” is truly what gets the album going with it’s organ-laced boom bap instrumental asking how one in this industry gets it all whereas “The Glow Up” goes into more sample-based territory talking about how they done see him blow up. “The Fame” gives off an eerier atmosphere with some kicks & snares worked in explaining that some live & would kill for clout prior to “The Life Imitating The Art” hooks up a crooning loop advising not to be scared of your reflection.

“The Politics” dives into wavy boom bap turf explaining that politicians & magicians are basically the same thing just before “The Image” hops on top of these strings, kicks & snares explaining the way to truly make a name for yourself in hip hop. “The Drugs” psychedelically confesses that he did too much & now he’s fucked up as a result leading into “The Self Hate” somberly airs out everything he dislikes about himself.

Beginning the final leg of the album, “The Cavities” discusses all the stale things in like that he likes to refer to as a cavity in a metaphoric sense with a syrupy, delicate beat while “The Fall Off”’s bluesy guitar passages fit with the subject matter of one artist’s demise in success. Eventually, the title track closes out the album manically gives us a glimpse into how our protagonist’s life unfortunately ends.

I’ve publicly stated numerous times that we were in for one of K.A.A.N.’s best albums to date & that’s exactly what we got here. 7’s cooks up production that provokes the emotions each individual joint offers the cohesively-told concept is so well thought out, really a tragic tale of how the industry can genuinely be sometimes.

Score: 4.5/5

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7 – “Ciicada” review

MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 is a 43 year old producer, songwriter, composer & engineer from Kansas City, Missouri who rose to prominence after becoming an in-house producer for Strange Music from 2006 to 2021. He’s also known for his collaborations with XV, Mac Lethal, Psychopathic Records, Majik Ninja Entertainment & more recently Mobstyle Music garnering comparisons to Mike E. Clark for the simple fact that both of them are able to literally produce anything. But coming fresh off entirely lacing Trizz’ critically acclaimed 5th album Baseline Cavi last fall, 7’s following up The 7th Symphony & Revelations to deliver his 3rd solo album over 2 decades in the making.

“Ultraviolet” by XV starts off the album with a twangy boom bap ballad talking about completing the cycle putting the wheels back in motion whereas “ART_DEALER” by Aaron Alexander & XV works in some more kicks & snares with an organ loop airing out that people think they know his based off the shit they write. “Kubriick” by Ubiquitous & XV is a classy boom bal follow-up talking about being geniuses leading into “a bit dramatic” by Stik Figa has a more stripped-back, psychedelic groove to it a acknowledging that this is more than promotional material.

Meanwhile, “Inflammation” by Jon Connor has some multiple well calculated beat switches throughout as the people’s rapper delivers that counterculture music just before “Ledger” by Trizz ominously yet cleverly comparing himself to Heath Ledger in his historic Dark Knight role. “Aquariium” by Curci & XV has a more summery boom bap quality to it talking about waking up & choosing success, but then “Safety” by Wrekonize dives into more soulful territory clearing the air by saying that’s what he’s been on lately for those who’ve recently have had him in mind.

“Astral Projection” by G Watts gives off a more shimmery boom bap edge calling himself a “Smooth Criminal in his Mike Jack shit” while the song “Lemon Tree” returns to a more sample-based sound so Mac Lethal can talk about wanting a mansion with the titular type of trees. The penultimate track “Be.” by ¡MAYDAY! has a more acoustic feeling to it figuring it out whatever it is that’s running from them & “Shells” being a masterfully instrumental closer to end the album.

I‘ve always felt like 7 deserves to be mentioned more in hip hop producer discussions considering his decorated discography of production credits & I happen to think Ciicada is a solid way of introducing himself to a wider audience. A couple spotty guest performances, but most of them bring their unique styles upfront as the Kansas City extraordinaire dabbles with all sorts of sounds behind the boards.

Score: 3.5/5

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