(Gift and Curse)

You know, while there are plenty of advantages to working solo, like doing my own pace and answering only to me, there are a few disadvantages, such as being only one man and not being able to pick up on all the releases dropped, and so plenty are sure to go through the cracks, but that’s what these revision reviews are for! So let’s get into it!

So, this is the October 2024 release by MC JRoberts, and across these nine tracks, he brings with him MC’s such as: 

-AYOO BIGZ

-RJ Payne

-Che Noir 

And producer/cuts from the likes of: 

-Body Bag Ben

-Machacha 

-DJ Goadman 

And let me tell you what, for a 24-minute record, this thing goes wild. First of all, the production, which is mostly handled by Body Bag, feels like a homage to the traditional style of ‘Boom Bap’. There’s no fancy stuff added or over-the-top muddy inclusions or extreme instrumental choices; just solid, old-school, in-your-face, tough beats that are sure to leave you winded after each of these sonic punches to the ears! 

He (and the rest of the team) does a fantastic job at creating that no-nonsense, raw atmosphere in its most bare and skeletal form, and I feel so often in this generation we expect to always hear the most chaotic, wild, and exciting sounds and ideas (which I fucking love), but at the same time, we are losing appreciation for the ones who have perfected the basics and utilising those foundations to create a solid, enjoyable, and rock-hard LP!

As far as the rapping goes on this, just as well as the music side of things, we have equally dope and riveting mic work by all involved! Especially JRoberts, who really puts his heart and soul out there in trying to create the most structured bars, most consistent verses, and fluent flow imaginable.

He’s rapping his ass off on this project, pairing with the likes of Mickey Diamond, RJ Payne, AYOO BIGZ, and Che Noir— definitely not easy tasks to do! They are at the forefront of the game right now and will swallow anyone up who isn’t meeting their expectations, and he absolutely nails the quality and integrity of his raps to match theirs! 

He has such a passion for the game, you can hear it in his cadence, enthusiasm, and energy on the beats, and the way he sounds excited to be here and prove to everyone why he’s one of the dopest out, and that’s why I love this record!

Overall, definitely a gem of last year, and I just wish I got to it sooner! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3fVYKTvrOubw4m71wifQqF?si=TuhXeKSjRQaWLCmQTSfOnQ