The one thing I noticed while listening to this record was how rare it is to get hip hop featuring neo soul/R&B vocals for samples anymore. Back in the day, it was on every artist’s album, but now you barely hear it! But that aside, let’s get into it!
This is the 2024 release by rapper Shaw Calhoune featuring 12 songs with a 29-minute run time.
Now, it’s clear from the beginning track that this album runs like a street thriller movie with cinematic back-and-forth conversations, arguments between characters, even what sounds like a phone call between two people. This album features, in between the songs themselves, a storied narrative that tells a bigger story if you listen closely and provides the listener with a conceptual experience you definitely don’t get these days in the hip-hop scene.
As far as the production goes, you get a mix of various influences such as:
-Soul
-East Coast Hip Hop
– R&B
– Funk, and more. This album feels like one of those stand-out records from the late 90s or 2000s in quality. Honestly, the one album that came to my head was Snoop Dogg’s (R&G) album in how it’s rich in sounds, samples, and atmosphere.
I love (as stated at the start) many of the sung choruses because they just represent a lost time when that was the norm. Case in point, Snoop Dogg (R&G) with songs like ‘Sign’ or ‘Perfect,’ and now with this one, we get to hear inspiration and reminisce to a time that once was, and I fucking love it.
Something that also impressed me was the level of depth and detail in the lyricism of Shaw. He rhymes like a man with 30-40 years of experience in the game. His wordplay is precise, his flow is exceptional, and his penmanship is next level. Across each track, you can hear his confidence and passionate energy. He knows he’s the man, and he’s here to let you all know it!
If I had to pick a personal favourite track of mine off this album, it would have to be ‘Hazard To The City’. I love how he utilises that glossy/smooth production, and that chorus towards the end of the song is so heartwarming it’s something you could listen to for hours and never get sick of!
Across this project, he does rhyme alongside names such as:
-DJ Skruff
-JST PRAH
– Pink I
-Barry Marz
-Goldie The Natural
-Ty Law
-Cynical Minded
-Sandy Me’Chelle
And not only does he maintain his own on these tracks but also helps synchronise alongside them and make for compelling feature tracks that don’t take away from the album as a whole but rather elevate it to a new level thanks to them!
Overall, a very well-written, well-produced album with quality features and concepts alike.
Shoutout to the production credits!
-Chillon Daviz
-Third Eye
-Magnus Andretti
-Brooks Xy
-Ajk
-Ahj Adam’s
-no pulp
-Benji Socrates
https://open.spotify.com/album/2ZOI3kThFRwdNx0LpsW46m?si=c2pDGIJjTV6oJ_5bn128KA
(Donation link)
https://www.paypal.me/Corbz94?locale.x=en_AU
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