Man, what a treat, yeah? I mean, sure, old-timers release music all the time, but for most, it seems, whether it’s age or change in priorities, most of them are ass (unfortunately), but when you get the rare case like these guys coming together to provide you with that nostalgic feeling you’ve been craving from the golden days, then how can it be anything but a good day!
So, this is a collaboration effort between two legends. The first being the New Jersey-based trio ‘Lords Of The Underground’ with
DoltAll/Mr Funke and DJ Lord Jazz, and they’ve been killing the game for over 30 years! That’s my whole fucking lifespan. Accompanying these men on the production are equally legendary and respected SNOWGOONS whose name speaks for themselves as they’ve been working with just about everyone in the game, period.
But together, they come together for the sake of the vitality of the rap game, and boy do they deliver a SHOCK.
Let’s start with the production. Because this monster trio has spent almost 30 years working, grinding, sharpening, and cultivating their sounds until they reached the point of pure perfection, and that’s exactly what they are now! Especially across this project, they have made some of the most infectious and head-booming tunes you’ll hear all year. Not only are they methodically produced, but each song features a new and distinctive heartbeat and rhythm compared to the one that came before and after.
They’ve been able to craft a pulse for each song that beats in a different tone than the rest, from a larger-than-life atmosphere to glamorous and angelic notes and melodies to muddy and raw beat loops; they have everything in their bag of tricks, and each ‘trick’ has been worked on for almost 3 decades to the point where they couldn’t fall if they tried.
So, before listening to this, make sure you get ready for one of the most well-done and memorable scores of the year because I guarantee you it’s that good!
Now, onto the 30-year veterans. At this point in their careers and as they pointed out themselves on this album, ‘I’ve been together with them more than my own brothers,’ that kind of chemistry and synchronicity is something you can’t buy or fluke, and they have come to prove to the new generation what real talent and MC skills are, and boy is it an experience to witness.
Each man brings their own unique trademark flavour, filled with exquisite pen work, smooth as butter flow, and lyricism so sharp it could cut your head off if you aren’t prepared for the bars.
They’ve come not to play games but to school the present-day landmark and teach how things should be done.
What’s mind-blowing to me is that in their efforts to ‘teach,’ they invited the biggest and baddest bullies of any era with ‘Onyx’ at the end! Let me tell you now, I don’t give a fuck what generation you rep in this game; no one, AND I MEAN NO ONE, is dumb enough to fuck with Onyx, and they know that! They are invited not only for their dope bars and legendary status but also for their black sheep aura that they’ve carried through their own 30-year career, and I couldn’t think of a better collaboration if I tried.
So, if you’re looking for a classic era type album by classic artists but actually done well? Then you can’t go wrong with THIS. This is the new standard to go by!
https://open.spotify.com/album/43FJMfqppHEKvy7eta260d?si=dWshEav-SguwZ9VDh439qw
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 