Tag: The God Degree Records

BLAX – “Omnipotent Methodology” review

Milwaukee, Wisconsin emcee/producer BLAX returning for his 4th studio LP. Breaking out over a decade ago off his debut mixtape BLAX x Life x Files followed by the debut EP Archangels & the debut album Be Well, he temporarily changed his moniker to Armstrong Ransome for his sophomore effort Dedicated & the 2nd EP Found before returning to the BLAX moniker on the next couple EPs Angeline &Wembenyama. His last album BLAXPLOITATION a couple years ago took hip hop’s classic sound & threw some modern elements in it, hitting us with Omnipotent Methodology.

“Soul(4)caster” begins with a drumless, lo-fi instrumental talking about shooting high above the clouds whereas “Brass Railz Cabaret” goes for a jazzier vibe feeling like he’s on fire when he’s never claimed to be the hottest previously. “Oneirology” goes for a cloudier boom bap talking about the study of dreaming while “PoetGvngDevoshun(all)” takes a more soulful approach to the beat suggesting those who ain’t talking the same slang isn’t repping the same thing he is.

Continuing with the 2nd quarter, “The Ominous Mobb” combines elements of jazz & boom bap reminding the world what kind of crew people are trying to fuck with up at their spot leading into “Ya Hip Hop Weak” getting a bit more aggressive so he can lyrically rip apart everyone who be churning out bullshit regularly. “24hrs7days” experiments with trap a bit talking about have to get the money every single day of the week just before “Brew City Cab Collective” embraces a funkier tone instrumentally for some slick boasting.

“Agencement Manifesto” starts the other half of Omnipotent Methodology with another drumless beat expressing his belief that there’s no such thing as overnight success while “Young Little Ghetto Boy” does the trap style better than “24hrs7days” did showing a more conscious side to his pen. “Take a Picture” vividly portrays what it was like for his mother raising him in the ghetto over this bluesy instrumental while “Pop, Toast!” featuring Baby Blak talks about envisioning themselves catching Ws like pros shifting towards funkier territory.

To get the full-length’s last leg going, “3rd Eye Open” returns to the boom bap with a luxurious twist speaking of achieving a higher state of consciousness while “Alive Wyre!” swaps out the pianos in favor of a soul sample opting to talk his shit on this one. “Divinity Directions” incorporates some jazzier undertones touching base regarding him staying faithful to God while “Beautiful+Healthy” makes for a soulful conclusion talking about prioritizing him stacking up his money.

Putting it down for the Milwaukee underground for 2 decades already, BLAX makes another career highlight out of Omnipotent Methodology rivaling it’s predecessor in becoming amongst the greatest entries in The God Degree Records founder’s discography. The production’s mostly inspired by jazz music aside from a few detours exploring boom bap or chipmunk soul & trap, representing the culmination of the conscious lyricist’s independent grind since the 2000s.

Score: 4/5

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BLAX – “BLAXPLOITATION” review

This is the 3rd full-length studio LP from Milwaukee, Wisconsin emcee/producer BLAX. Breaking out in 2012 off his debut mixtape BLAX x Life x Files followed by the debut EP Archangels & the debut album Be Well, he temporarily changed his moniker to Armstrong Ransome for his sophomore effort Dedicated & the 2nd EP Found before returning to the BLAX moniker on the next couple EPs Angeline & Wembenyama. Fast-forward only 5 months after the latter, BLAXPLOITATION here was brought to my attention & I gave it a shot.

“Dark Fronto” is this self-produced psychedelic boom bap opener telling his babygirl to come over pronto with the titular tobacco leaves & taking it as far as she wants to while “Blessed” takes the trap route instrumentally expressing his gratitude of being where he’s at currently in life refusing to rest. “Ballerina” kinda goes for a lo-fi vibe to the beat making all these muhfuckas out here dancing whereas the title track soulfully talking about his soul being made of gold.

The reversed sample throughout “Lil Boosie (Set It Off)” was a dope touch referencing a highlight off his 3rd album albeit major label debut Badazz leading into “Teenager” working in kicks, snares & luxurious pianos to talk about all of us being lost looking for a savior since everyone’s sinners in this land with blood on our hands. “Interpretation of Dreams” was a great choice of a single creating a captivating blend that highlights BLAX’s unique talent by combining clever samples with introspective storytelling.

“On My Soul” pushes further towards the final leg of BLAXPLOITATION by heading for a jazzier direction to the beach talking about freeing his soul while “Magician” maintains a mellow sound generally talking about living large & bold except it sounds unfinished, especially since he could’ve laid another verse instead of letting the instrumental ride out during the 2nd half. “Intelligent Beings” finishes the album quirkily asking what in the world is the world

Delivering a rich blend of beats that elevate its timeless appeal with its engaging storytelling and captivating hooks, BLAXPLOITATION achieves its promise of continuous replay value as a standout addition to hip hop & to The God Degree Records founder’s discography period. It captures the essence of classic hip hop while incorporating modern elements, ensuring it resonates with both longtime fans & new listeners alike.

Score: 4/5

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