Stevie Stone – “No Blueprints” review

St. Louis, Missouri emcee Stevie Stone is back with his 8th studio LP. Garnering attention attention as one of the very last 2 artists to ever sign with Ruthless Records alongside Hopsin, both of their full-length debuts New Kid Comin’ & Gazing at the Moonlight received little to no promotion leading both artists to leave the crumbling label. Hopsin went on to form Funk Volume shortly after before closing shop in 2016 whereas Stevie signed to Strange Music in 2012. He eventually became one of the label’s flagship artists up until he left last spring to form his own label Ahdasee Records following his previous album Black Lion. It’s been over 3 years since Raising the Bar & had expectations of No Blueprints improving on its predecessor to become the best thing he’s done since leaving Strange & doing entrance music for the likes of former The Crash Pesocompleto Campeon, Evolve Champion, 2-time WWE United States Champion Austin Theory as well as 5-time WWE tag team champions The Street Profits and former 2-time WWE Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion, WWE World Tag Team Champion, 2-time IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, PWG World Champion, the inaugural ROH Pure Champion, former ROH World Tag Team Champion, 3-time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, 4-time NWA World Tag Team Champion, 2-time TNA World Champion, the inaugural 6-time TNA X Division Champion, 2-time TNA World Tag Team Champion & RPW British Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles.

“Big Steppa” opens with a dark trap instrumental suggesting to bundle up with him up in the function whereas “Booty Quake” moves forward with a decent strip club anthem produced by Wyshmaster. “In Too Deep” featuring Spaide R.I.P.P.E.R. finds the 2 teaming up for a trap/gangsta rap crossover talking about real ones being around them while “Like They Used To” featuring Swisher Sleep addresses the people who want to see them stop.

Ant Bomb makes the first of 3 appearances on “Rebels” talking about their rebellious tendencies leading into “Ferris Bueller” referencing former WWE United States Champion & NXT North American Champion Solo Sikoa. “2 the Sky” featuring Ant Bomb reunites for a cloudy weed smoker’s anthem prior to “Audience for 2” fusing trap & pop rap getting seductive lyrically.

“Merry Go” featuring Bacon the General & Spaide R.I.P.P.E.R. finds the trio talking about how they’d make bodies roll just before “When We Link” gets back on the pop rap/trap vibes. “Slow Down” featuring Rittz takes a more serious tone discussing losing their lives if they don’t pump the brakes while “Awake” takes a few minutes to get conscious. The title track ends Stevie’s return by passionately talking about there never being a plan.

All that I wanted out of No Blueprints was for it to be an improvement above Raising the Bar & that’s pretty much what I got, simultaneously making it the best of the 2 albums we’ve gotten from Stevie Stone since he started up Ahdasee Records. It represents where he’s at in his career currently from in-house producer MixedByBlitz’ production to the guests showcasing some of the artists he’s already signed besides Rittz.

Score: 3.5/5

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Stevie Stone – “Raising the Bar” review

This is the 7th full-length album from Missouri emcee Stevie Stone. Garnering attention attention as one of the very last 2 artists to ever sign with Ruthless Records alongside Hopsin, both of their full-length debuts New Kid Comin’ & Gazing at the Moonlight received little to no promotion leading both artists to leave the crumbling label. Hopsin went on to form Funk Volume shortly after before closing shop in 2016 whereas Stevie signed to Strange Music in 2012. He eventually became one of the label’s flagship artists up until he left last spring to form his own label Ahdasee Records following his previous album Black Lion. But to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of being fully independent, Stevie is back in full-effect for Raising the Bar.

“Hostile Stone” kicks off the album with a thunderous trap banger about putting his foot on these other rappers’ necks whereas “Raise the Bar” with Flawless Real Talk, JL, Locksmith, Spaide R.I.P.P.E.R. & Statik G finds the 6 on top of a Hellish beat flexing their lyrical prowesses. “Sincerly Smokin’” comes through with a cloudy weed-smoker’s theme, but then Daun P tags along for the sensual “Sex Flex Yes” which is probably my least favorite cut on the album. Meanwhile on “M.O.T.F. (Money on the Floor)”, we have Krizz Kaliko & Sage the Gemini joining Stevie for a decent party starter just before “Don’t Be Late” takes a more melodic route talking about how “this our song”.

“B.S.P. (Big Shit Poppin’)” returns into cloudy trap territory explaining that he makes this look easy, but then Daun P & Lyrikal TMG come into the picture for the gritty “Minding My Business” talking about how they don’t got time for fuckery. The penultimate track “East I-70” comes through by reflecting while driving down the titular highway & “Cold Revenge” ends the album with a piano ballad by dissing all the “friends” of his that betrayed him.

Being a fan of Stevie since my adolescence, I come away from Raising the Bar a little disappointed & torn by the final product. For this to be his 1st musical statement since leaving Strange Music, it’s overloaded with features & the production is merely passable. However, there’s no denying the husky lyricism that made him so prominent with the Snake & Bat during the previous decade.

Score: 2.5/5

Stevie Stone – “Black Lion” review

Stevie Stone is a 39 year old MC from Columbia, Missouri who first gained attention as one of the very last 2 artists to ever sign with Ruthless Records alongside Hopsin. Both of their full-length debuts New Kid Comin’ & Gazing at the Moonlight received little to no promotion, leading both artists to leave the crumbling label. Hopsin went on to form Funk Volume shortly after before closing shop in 2016 whereas Stevie signed to Strange Music in 2012. He eventually became one of the label’s biggest artists with albums like Rollin’ Stone, 2 Birds 1 Stone, Malta Bend & my personal favorite: Level Up. Then came the JL collab album Kontra-Band in 2018, which was really good too. But after Tech N9ne dropped his latest album ENTERFEAR this past spring, things over at Strange slowed down drastically due to the pandemic. However, Stevie is helping the Snake & Bat back in their groove by dropping Black Lion.

The album kicks off with “Set in Stone”, where Stevie talks about being unchangeable when it’s all said & done over an acoustic guitar. The next song “V.I.P.” serves as a club banger with a cavernous trap beat while the track “Type of Time” talks about being a threat over a MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 instrumental with a cool woodwind thrown in.“Underrated” vents about deserving more appreciation over a delicate instrumental while “The Worst for Me” details how this woman can’t leave him over a luxurious boom bap beat.

“Can’t Deny It” talks about a groupie wanting to chill with him over a smooth instrumental & while “Selfish” featuring Flawless Real Talk finds the 2 talking about why they’re so finicky over a vibrant beat with a woodwind sample. The track “No Permission” gives the listeners a proper clue of what his do’s & dont’s are over a druggy instrumental while the song “Teknique” featuring Tech N9ne gets sexual over an hyphy beat.

The track “Conquer” featuring Spaide R.I.P.P.E.R. is a decent mosh pit starter while the song “Jungle” featuring King Iso gets on the more braggadocious tip over a trap beat with a unique cricket loop throughout. “Dope Sick” talks about hard he be going over an intimidating instrumental from Wyshmaster while the track “Holiday” featuring Maez301 is an incredibly fun party anthem.

“Hennessy & Harmony” talks about being all in over a cloudy instrumental while the track “Vibe” featuring ¡MAYDAY! stoner’s tune backed by the reggae style production throughout South of 5th. “Some Days” speaks on having all these emotions bottled up over a piano-inflicted trap beat while the penultimate track “Still Standing” featuring Rittz finds the 2 talking about how far they’ve come over a melancholic instrumental. “Taste” ends the album opening up about how much fame has changed him over a chill beat.

Like I said earlier: Stevie Stone is one of the most prominent acts on Strange Music & this album is a fine example as to why even if it’s said to be his last under the local indie major. There are a couple of features that don’t really land with me, but you’re gonna get a good look at how much he’s changed throughout the years & the artist/person that he has become today.

Score: 4/5

Stevie Stone & JL – “Kontra-Band” review

With the release of Stevie Stone‘s 5th album Level Up & JL‘s Strange Music debut DIBKIS last summer, the 2 are now coming together for a full-length collab album. Things start off with “Groomed by the Block”, where the duo talk about their come up over an eerie instrumental. However, the PHresher verse at the tail-end was pretty generic to me. The next song “Lessons” talks about learning from all their losses in life over a laidback trap beat while the track “Trappin’ On the Hill” reflects on their drug dealing days over a gritty instrumental. The song “Too High Today” is a weed anthem with a gloomy trap beat from Seven & the track “She’s So Fly” is a decent love tune with a reggae-inspired instrumental.

The song “I Was Ready” sees the 2 going back & forth about being prepared for the feds over a piano instrumental while the track “Envy” is a message to their haters over some a cloudy backdrop with some rattling hi-hats. The song “Not One of Them” with Tech N9ne sees the 3 talking about hoes over a gloomy beat & the track “Boss Sauce” gets braggadocious over some monstrous bass. The song “Miles Davis” with Joey Cool sees the 3 ambitiously talking about success & the MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 instrumental is ok too, but the hook is too repetitive for me.

The track “Pluto” talks about realizing someone wasn’t who they thought they were over a spacey beat from Suli4Q & while the song “Cautious” is an aggressive & rapidly delivered message to the haters, the Flawless Real Talk verse is just average. The track “Bad Habits” with Krizz Kaliko talks about how everything will be ok in the end over some bass with a piano in the background & the Navé Monjo hook isn’t too bad either. The standard edition closer “Only a Man” is a reflection of where the duo are at now with a beautiful Adrian Truth hook & Suli4Q instrumental while the pre-order track “What You Gon’ Do” gets braggadocious over an haunting instrumental.

While I wasn’t expecting this, I did enjoy the album at the end of the day. Some of the features could’ve been better but the production mostly bangs, the song topics are delivered passionately & there’s quite a bit of chemistry between Stevie Stone’s huskiness & JL’s charismatic yet sharp lyricism. If they ever decide to make a follow-up in the future, then I’d be all for it

Score: 3.5/5