Dirty White – “Melodies of Redemption” review

Mount Clemens, Michigan emcee/DJ Dirty White teaming up with Majik Ninja Entertainment in-house producer Stir Crazy for his 3rd full-length studio LP. Returning after an 11-year absence in the summer of 2020 off the strength of his debut album Authenticated, he would later prelude the sophomore effort The Rebuilding of a Broken Soul a year & ago by putting out a debut EP Dirty White’s the Name! ahead of The Rebuilding of a Broken Soul itself seeing the light of day this past spring. Over 6 months later, Dirty White’s continuing to put in work starting the final quarter of 2024 by at least unleashing the Melodies of Redemption.

The “Evolution” intro tells his story from writing his first rhymes & performing a local talent show in 1992 to him walking away from it all for over a decade & his eventual return inspired by a conversation with the King of Rock himself forming his backing band the High Life Social Club consisting of drummer Jamie Brady alongside turntablists DJ Nano2hype & DJ Bet whereas the rock/boom bap hybrid “I Feel Alive (MFKA)” talking about doing whatever it takes to survive. “Ay Yo” stays on the rap rock tip clarifying he does this to make life better just before the bluesy “True Colors” seeing those for who they really are.

After the spoken word “Memories of the Mitten” interlude, “Summertime in Michigan” profoundly reminisce is on spending hottest & brightest of the 4 temperate seasons in his home state leading into “Night Terrors” giving off somewhat of a metal vibe instrumentally to talk about every memory of his coming alive whenever he closes his eyes trying to sleep. “Elevated” comes through with a passionate ballad calling to take him higher easing his pain with every day that passes by & after the “Albuquerque Clean” skit, “All Day” goes rap rock again feeling like he’s been resurrected.

“Dirty Laundry” starts the last leg of the LP throwing it back with an old school beat venting that he’s sick of people throwing stones if they live in glasses houses, having their music criticized when they’re listening to artists who’re less more talented than he is & the constant complaining while the final song “Weathered” has this country rap flare talking about living free & never tethered. The “Dear Anita” properly sends things off with an outro remembering his sister, who’s passing in 2020 made him a better artist.

Dirty White’s been referring to Melodies of Redemption as the Mona Lisa of his discography & if you really digest it, it’s abundantly clear he spent the last 10 months giving it everything he has. His real, authentically emotional, soulful, uplifting, educational, inspiring, sobering & relatable performances matched with Stir Crazy’s electric production fusing hip hop & boom bap with other genres such as blues, rock, reggae, country & metal music makes for the wildest ride with the moral of the story being to not give up & keep pushing towards their dreams.

Score: 4/5

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Wic Kids – Self-Titled review

The Wic Kids are a horrorcore supergroup consisting of emcees Donnie Menace, Grewsum, ILLtemper & King Gordy as well as producer Stir Crazy. All of whom have crossed paths with one another at some point since everyone’s pretty much established themselves in their own rights whether it be Donnie quickly becoming a Lyrikal Snuff Productionz mainstay, Grewsum being one of the most popular members of the Mission: Infect collective, Gordy & Illtemper forming the duo Even Heathens few years ago or Stir Crazy’s role as part of Majik Ninja Entertainment’s in-house production team. Now that they’ve officially joined forces, the Wic Kids are introducing themselves through an eponymous debut EP.

“Letum Know” starts the EP on some boom bap shit talking about living under the cold streets of your town rolling deep without any limitations whereas “Lightless” takes the symphonic trap route instrumentally discussing evil being everywhere around them. “Toxic” has this acoustic boom bap flare to the beat delving into toxic relationships while “Fried Wires” keeps the kicks & snares in tact explaining they’re wired differently. “DGAF” mixes boom bap with rock talking about giving 0 fucks & “Inhumane” ends the EP aggressively warning to stay clear of them.

Illtemper has been teasing this EP since March & if this is only the beginning for the Wic Kids, then it’s a more than welcoming debut for the supergroup. Stir Crazy’s production is mostly boom bap centered throwing a hint of trap in the mix & all 4 MCs each have their own different takes on the wicked shit like Donnie’s cutthroat wordplay or King of Van Dyke & Harper a.k.a. Blaxl Rose reaffirming his Last American Rock Star status, but hearing them together makes the lyricism much more devastating.

Score: 4/5

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Twiztid – “Echoes from Dimension X” review

Twiztid is a hip hop/rock duo from Detroit, Michigan consisting of Jamie Madrox & Monoxide. Both of whom originally started out as part of the House of Krazees alongside childhood friend The R.O.C. in 1992 before their initial disbandment 5 years later. Almost immediately after, the Insane Clown Posse took Jamie & Mono under their wings by signing them to Psychopathic Records as the demented duo they’re known as today. They would become the label’s 2nd biggest act being their mentors off projects like Mostasteless, Freek Show, Mirror Mirror, The Green Book, W.I.C.K.E.D. (Wish I Could Kill Every Day & Abominationz. Shortly after the latter was released, Twiztid left Psychopathic to form Majik Ninja Entertainment in 2014. Since then they’ve released 7 albums & 7 EPs on their own label, my favorites of which being /ˌrevəˈlāSH⁽ᵊ⁾n/ & even their last full-length Glyph that they dropped over the fall. But as Jamie & Mono hit the road with Static X for their Rise of the Machine Tour, the Astronomicon founders are celebrating by surprise dropping their 15th EP fully produced by Stir Crazy.

“I’m Dead Now” is fascinatingly morbid way to set things off as Twiztid hops on top of a piano/boom bap instrumental vividly portraying themselves as if they were actually deceased while the song “Chops & Sweeps the Leg” delves deeper into a more uncanny vibe sonically as the Multiple Man & the Monoxide Child talk about taking the advice from the millions & millions who’ve told them not to take shit for granted ever again with. The penultimate track “A Demon” has this raw, grungy guitar lead throughout to discuss enough being enough & truthfully feeling stuck in this Hell they’re trying to leave prior to “Slip/Trip” finishing the EP with a trap/rock crossover continuing to spit the wicked shit as a reminder to those who like to lie to themselves that they turned their back on juggalos.

Mirror Mirror has always been my favorite EP from the demented duo, but Echoes from Dimension X is already creepin’ up with Electric Lettuce as the best EPs that they’ve dropped since leaving PSY to start MNE. Stir Crazy’s production is interestingly detailed ranging from the opener kinda throwing it back to the boom bap Mostasteless days to preluding their upcoming album Welcome to Your Funeral with Zeuss by refining the predominantly rock-oriented direction Unlikely Prescription took during it’s 2nd half in the form of blending the rap rock qualities of both Mutant & Generation Nightmare with their horrorcore roots. At this rate, Planet Z’s bound to give us a wicked shit rap rock classic & the best rock album Twiztid has ever done.

Score: 4/5

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Jaysin Logik – “Soundcheck” review

Jaysin Logik is a 39 year old MC from Milwaukee, Wisconsin came onto my radar a couple years ago when The DRP signed him to his rising independent hip hop label Force 5 Records. I’ve only heard Jaysin on features up to this point, but now we’re finally getting a debut album from him & he’s tapping in Majik Ninja Entertainment in-house producer Stir Crazy to hop behind the boards for a good bulk of it.

After the intro, the first song “That’s My Story” talks about how you can’t tell him shit because he’s been through it over a high-pitched soul sample while the track “Stop Trying to Wake Me” with The DRP finds the 2 talking about how you can find them in between reality & a dream over a cinematic boom bap beat. The song “Anger Management” talks about being as sporadic as an addict over a lachrymose instrumental & after the “Poetic Justice” interlude, “The Toast” with Skribbal & Prolifik finds the trio getting celebratory over a boom bap beat with some hypnotic background vocals.

The song “Easy” gets in his shit-talking bag over a heavy, old school instrumental while the track “Kickin’ Rocks” is a full-fledged country rap ballad about the old days & following the dirt road right to your heart. The penultimate track “Talking About You” gets romantic over a rhythmic yet charming instrumental & then the closer “Never Walk Away” is his profession of love for hip hop culture over chipmunked-vocal sample.

Man I was waiting for this album all month & it didn’t disappoint me whatsoever. Stir Crazy cooks up some of his best production yet whereas Jaysin Logik reveals himself as one of the most skilled lyricists that Force 5 Records currently has to offer.

Score: 4/5