X-Raided – “A Prophecy in Purgatory” review

Sacramento, California veteran X-Raided starting October with his 19th album. Exploding onto the scene in 1992 off the strength of his full-length debut Psycho Active, he was shortly after sentenced to 31 years in prison on murder charges, only to be granted parole in the fall of 2018 & continued to build his discography by dropping a little over a dozen more albums whilst incarcerated. The Nefarious Loc surprisingly signed to Strange Music in 2022 & his debut for the label A Prayer in Hell was a true blue return to form, picking up where A Sin in Heaven left off for A Prophecy in Purgatory.

The title track works in some synthesizers from Matt Phoenix to talk about being barred from the pearly gates for committing a sin up there & after the “3 Days in Hades” skit, “Ecclesiastes” takes on a more orchestral vibe instrumentally calling for retaliation since God’s distracted. “Harrowing of Hell” talks about people he used to fuck with considering him dead over a g-funk beat while “HeLA Cells” featuring Kurupt maintains that same vibe referring to themselves as the blueprint.

“Queen of Hearts” puts a much deeper meaning to the concept of The Nefarious being superior to all these wack rappers out just before “Outside (3 Kings)” featuring Strange alumni Brotha Lynch Hung & C-Bobunites the trio for an increasing tribute to their hometown. “What’s My Name?” featuring Luni Coleone & Marvaless suggest to be respectful when speaking of them leading into “Bacc Outside” featuring Big Meek, Liq & T-Nutty brings the quartet together for a decent hardcore hip hop track.

Bleezo & King Infent both appear for the Wyshmaster-produced “Def Defying” to moderately get in their gangsta rap bag is while “Damnation” featuring Tech N9ne after the “Crucifixion” skit has to be another favorite collaboration of mine talking about death coming for us all. “Acidic Disposition” addresses the sickness of America deteriorating within the last 9 months while “Soldier” featuring C-Bo links back up over a piano trap instrumental talking about growing up during the Reaganomics era.

“Youthanized” incorporates some synthesizers to explain that he never asked to see this war his mother forced him in while “Thug Psalms” talks about speaking for the ghetto since he comes from the ghetto. “Measure of Wealth” thanks God in Heaven for his sons & “A Song for Grandparents” talks about being a grandfather a lot like WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg did last winter.

“Hail Mary” starts the final moments of A Prophecy in Purgatory with a piano heavy stoner’s anthem & not only would I consider “Still Outside” featuring Mozzy to be perfect choice of an outro, but an outro that I found myself enjoying more than “Bacc Outside” earlier at the halfway point of the album itself as somebody who enjoys Psycho Active & X’s material since signing to Strange and a fan of Mozzy since the soundtrack to The Walt Disney Company subsidiary Marvel Entertainment superhero film Black Panther.

Putting aside the fact that I enjoyed A Sin in Heaven only slightly less than A Prayer in Hell, the most personal & powerful opus that X-Raided has ever created fulfills a prophecy by landing right behind the latter for the best of the 3 full-lengths since signing to Strange Music. The production mostly handled by in-house producer & It Goes Up Entertainment subsidiary Project Be Well Inc. recording artist Matt Phoenix is amongst his greatest soundtracking a representation of the years The Nefarious Loc spent trapped between who he was & who he would become.

Score: 4.5/5

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X-Raided – “A Sin in Heaven” review

Here we have the 18th full-length studio LP albeit Strange Music sophomore effort from Sacramento, California veteran X-Raided. Exploding onto the scene in 1992 off the strength of his full-length debut Psycho Active, he was shortly after sentenced to 31 years in prison on murder charges, only to be granted parole in the fall of 2018 & continued to build his discography by dropping a little over a dozen more albums whilst incarcerated. The Nefarious Loc surprisingly signed to Strange in 2022 & his previous offering A Prayer in Hell was a true blue return to form, so A Sin in Heaven had me expecting no differently.

“2400” is a trap opener airing out everyone for getting here late & flexing that he got here early whereas the rapid-fire “Sacrilegious” discusses not understanding the dark if you ain’t ever been in the light. “Can’t Hold Us Down” has a gospel trap vibe to the beat looking to ball in the midst of them tryna keep his people broke, but then “California State” featuring Locksmith is a cloudy tribute to the state out in the west coast that raised them.

Meanwhile on “Boy Meets World”, we have X over a much more bouncier beat from Mario Casalini talking about wanting to become a banger as he was growing up just before the groovier “P.T.S.D. (Passing The Story Down)” talks about his story being passed on to his children. “A Favor for a Favor” featuring Nox finds the 2 coming together so they can tell a hustler’s story but after the “Waste Management” interlude, “A Cold Day in Hell” featuring C-Mob & Joey Cool refuses to choose hoes over his bros supposing that’s the way life goes.

“Olly Olly Oxen Free” featuring Bleezo, Tech N9ne & T-Nutty has these nervous undertones throughout stepping on these muhfuckas in a real way acknowledging that only the top MCs be fuckin’ with them while “The Sunken Place” produced by Wyshmaster solemnly lives in a drunken state. “Anymore” strips the drums completely hopping over pianos asking if it’s too late to admit he’s broken & “Pray” hooks the trap vibes back up talking praying when all else fails.

Moving on from there, “Conception (Aneraé’s Song)” produced by Matt Phoenix atmospherically looks to break all generational curses in his family tree while the trap-driven “Invigorated” featuring Ellis Prescott as well as Macntaj & Trizz talks about the feeling of being revitalized. “It’s Up” featuring KXNG CROOKED & Ras Kass sees the trio coming together for a 3 & a half minute west coast barfest while “Juggernaut” goes drill refusing to ever stop now that he’s home.

“Paranoia” featuring Tech N9ne blends a guitar & hi-hats allowing them to demonstrate speedier flows revolving around the theme of being paranoid referencing WWE Hall of Famer Drew Carey & after the “All or Nothing” interlude, the psychedelic rock/trap hybrid “No Conversations” tells everyone to hold their breaths as he balls. “Baby Mama Music” wittingly expresses his gratitude to be free while “Water” featuring Ellis Prescott, Jerome Dillard, Laza & Macntaj takes a delicately melodic approach.

Pushing further towards the end of A Sin in Heaven, the penultimate track “Elevating” featuring Don P is this gospel/trap hybrid finding both of them talking about constantly evolving from an artistic standpoint while MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 laces the closer “Gladiator” featuring C-Mob & King Iso finding all 3 of them coming together passionately referring to themselves as being trained to fight with weapons against others.

Only the 2nd release from the Strange Music camp this year following Tech’s first Collabos album in a long time C.O.S.M. (Class of Strange Music) after signing a new distribution deal with both RBC Records founder Brian Shafton’s new label Compound Interest Entertainment alongside Virgin Music even last summer & it’s a worthy successor to what has already become X’s strongest body of work in recent memory. He takes things full circle experiencing joys in life now that he has crafted a life he could only have imagined just a few years ago.

Score: 3.5/5

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X-Raided – “A Prayer in Hell” review

X-Raided is a 48 year old veteran from Sacramento, California exploding onto the scene in 1992 off the strength of his full-length debut Psycho Active. He was shortly after sentenced to 31 years in prison on murder charges, only to be granted parole in the fall of 2018 & continued to build his discography by dropping 13 more albums whilst incarcerated. Following his last 2 since being a free man California Dreamin’ & There Will Be a Storm however, the Nefarious Loc surprisingly signed to Strange Music last spring & his making his 17th full-length his official debut through the Kansas City independent powerhouse.

The title track is a chilling opener produced by MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 praying for everything that’s holy to give him strength from slaying this child that only feels disdain whereas “Return of the Living Dead” goes into trap territory talking about having a heart full of pain & dread. “Life Sentences” gives off a more shimmering flare to it telling y’all what his life like just before “To Whom It May Concern” talks about ending it all over a morbid instrumental.

Tech N9ne comes into the picture for “Stratus Fear” to hop on a booming trap beat from Wyshmaster claiming that they fear the ascension of the lyricists leading into “Any Challenger” featuring Ras Kass hop on top of some strings courtesy of Robert Rebeck so both of them can talk about taking on anybody. “Legendary” featuring King Iso on the other hand fuses these horns & hi-hats making it known what the mission is, but then “Knoccin’” has some of the weaker feature performances from Bleezo & Playboi Prada despite the heinous instrumental & lyrics comparing themselves to Michael Myers on Halloween.

“No1 is Safe” was a cold choice for a lead single talking about carry the Heat like Mourning with a fittingly depressing atmosphere to the beat while “Celebration” featuring A-Wax dives into soulful turf as both MCs find themselves in a more commemorative mood. “Blaxploitation” hooks the strings back up comparing his music to the soundtrack of the titular genre of films while “Villains in the Field” has another mundane feature performance except this time it’s from Yowda even though I like the piano instrumental & the concept of who he’s with these days.

Continuing from there, “Parasitic” begins the final leg of the album gives off a more traditional west coast sound talking about not giving a fuck about anyone or anything while “The Bridge” featuring Joey Cool returns to the boom bap looking back on childhood memories. The penultimate track & 2nd single “Kal-El” gives off an eerier trap feel declaring he cannot be brought down no matter how hard you try & “Many Apologies” closes out the album some pianos talking about embracing the dichotomy.

As someone who considers Psycho Active to be a west coast classic & a Strange Music fan since high school, my anticipation was very high for these 2 parties to crossover & I can argue that it’s X’s 2nd best album right behind his debut. The production is incredibly consistent as are a good majority of the features & the tale of his dysmorphic relationship with time itself is profoundly well-told.

Score: 4/5

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