ShittyBoyz – “4-Peat” review

The ShittyBoyz are a hip hop trio from Detroit, Michigan consisting of Babytron, Stanwill & TR Dee. Breaking out in 2019 off their debut mixtape 3-Peat after Lando Bando signed them to The Hip Hop Lab Records, the 21-year olds would begin to grow in popularity by opening for Danny Brown at his 6th Annual Bruiser Thanksgiving show as well as their No Jumper interview early last year. They dropped their full-length debut New Year, Same Scams pretty much right after that but as the 1 year anniversary of the album came & went over the weekend, the trio are reuniting for their 2nd mixtape.

The title track that starts things off talks about being the coldest group in Michigan over an electronic dance-flavored beat from Helluva whereas the next song “Boss Fight” references the current 2-time WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns alongside soon-to-be inducted WWE Hall of Famer, former SMW Tag Team Champion, 3-time WWE world champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 12-time WWE tag team champion & WWE Hardcore Champion Kane over some cinematic string-sections laced in the instrumental.

“War Zone” talks about the Dog $hit Militia putting bounties out over a much darker beat while the song “Ryan García” talks about multiplying bitches over a classy instrumental. The track “3-Man Weave” finds the trio going back & forth using the same rhyme schemes for 2-minutes over a glossy beat from Jakesand while the song “Terry Crews” talks about being cocky over what sounds like an animé sample.

The song “Jeez Relax!” talks about their newfound lifestyles over an opulent beat while the song “Rat Trap” claps back at those who try to stop their shine over some foreboding bells. The track “Scam GPS” of course returns to their scamming roots over a leaden beat while the song “10:20 at the Lab” talks about being gifted now over a flute-tinged instrumental.

“Pick & Roll” finds the trio pondering about a number of different things over some snares firing off like rounds while the song “Jack Frost” talks about how there isn’t many like them over a Danny G instrumental with some icy synth melodies. The tape then rounds out with “Metta World Peace”, where the trio get materialistic over a boisterous beat.

Like the ShittyBoyz said at the very beginning of the tape: “We’re the coldest group in the state”. Their production continues to get better & the way they bounce off one another in their verses is still as unique as it was when they first broke out a couple years back.

Score: 3.5/5

Lando Bando – “New Era” review

Lando Bando is a 25 year old record executive from Detroit, Michigan notable for founding The Hip Hop Lab Records & signing/managing some the biggest group in Detroit trap today the ShittyBoyz both as a trio & individually as solo acts. He also has a few solo LPs under his belt already with Don’t Let Your Bitch Hear This alongside The Hip Hop Lab & more recently I Knew This Would Happen merely 9 months ago, kicking off a New Era to end what has been an unkind 2020 to many of us.

The intro by Babytron & Icewear Vezzo pairs the 2 over a Detroit trap instrumental with some bells telling lames with no job to get a life whereas “Odd Ball” by Rio da Yung O.G. talks about not needing to show his money to prove it since he’s at a certain level of notoriety. “NBA Jam” by Babytron & GT finds both of them flexing the W streak they’ve been on lately while “Movie” by Stanwill & Talibando blends Detroit trap & jazz talking about leveling up in life.

Glockboyz Teejaee swaps out the jazzier elements in favor of Mobb music during “Him Not Them” boasting that he still be on the block instead of frontin’ over it just before “Go Inside” by Rack flips a chipmunk soul sample with some 808s thanking God for dodgin’ incarceration. “Glitch” by Babytron & Big Money Rich produced by Danny G delves into the world of crime for a few minutes leading into “Raw” by 6040 talking about how different that crew is compared to yours.

The title track by ShittyBoyz, the late Blade Icewood’s son Lil Blade & Cam Dinero unites the quintet for an 150 second collaboration representing the current generation of Detroit hip hop & after “Rocket Type” by Prince Jefe mixes some bells & rubbery bass rapping from a gangster’s perspective, “Wrong Type” by 6040 Kev Kash finds himself feeling like something’s off if he got too much time

It makes sense for the ShittyBoyz getting their own song with “RJ Always Trippin’” referencing WWE Hall of Famer, 6-time WWE world champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, WWE Hardcore Champion, IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, the inaugural 6-time TNA World Champion, TNA X Division Champion & 2-time TNA World Tag Team Champion Kurt Angle

“Serious All Caps” by Babytron references 14-time WWE world champion, WWE Hall of Famer, 5-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 3-time WWE tag team champion & current WWE COO Triple H until the outro by Prince Jefe & TillyHome ends the beginning of this new chapter with an average collaboration where I personally find Jefe’s verse to be more than Tilly’s.

In case you may not be familiar with Lando’s discography, the 4 albums he has so far including this newest one are basically their own collections of Detroit trap curations & when you take in consideration of The Hip Hop Lab’s rise in popularity this past year or 2, the most recent batch we have surpasses all 3 of it’s predecessors because it very much feels like his label will achieve wider success this decade.

Score: 3.5/5

TR Dee – “Trapped in My Bag” review

TR Dee is a rapper from Ypsilanti, Michigan notable for being 1/3 of the ShittyBoyz alongside Babytron & Stanwill. Signing to Detroit music executive Lando Bando’s own The Hip Hop Lab Records as a group & as solo artists, the time for him to become the 3rd & final member of the trio that co-founded the Dog $hit Militia to branch out on his own has arrived with him releasing a debut mixtape a little over a couple months since Stanwill became 2nd at bat with his highly acclaimed debut EP $camwill.

The title track starts with some 808s & bells talking about nobody else from the city being able to fuck with him whereas “On a Boat” hooks up a more uptempo Detroit trap instrumental to admit he hasn’t been the same since Kobe Bryant’s death. “Wakanda” featuring Kasher Quon talks about their only fear being going broke while “Groove” suggests glasses for those who ain’t seeing the Ws they’re catching.

“Me vs. Me” goes for a cavernous Detroit sound talking about himself being the only competition while my 2nd favorite song “Big Show” by the ShittyBoyz produced by Danny G references current AEW performer & commentator as well as former 7-time WWE world champion, 11-time WWE Tag Team Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion & 3-time WWE Hardcore Champion Paul Wight.

Danny G sticks around for another standout track “Run To” promising that he’ll ball until he can’t anymore while the funereal “It’s Not Easy” talks about living today up because he might not see tomorrow over more 808s & bells. “Malice at the Palice” refers to the most infamous NBA brawl of all-time but once the 2 & a half minute “Party Pooper” bodies a Stanwill instrumental pulling from electro, “Billie Jean” ends by sampling the hit Michael Jackson single of the same name.

Similarly to Bin Reaper last Halloween season & $camwill a few months earlier, Trapped in My Bag counts down the 4th quarter of what’s been an unbearable year for many others by proving that TR Dee has as much of a promising solo career as Stanwill despite Babytron becoming the most popular ShittyBoy of the 3. In terms of the production, we’re still getting some creatively used samples brought into the fold & the Ypsilanti native holds his own weight to warm up for Sleeve Nash this Halloween.

Score: 4/5