(NYU)

After winning ‘Single of the First Quarter’ for his fantastic tribute to ‘A Tribe Called Quest’, I had him on my radar immediately. So, of course, when I got wind of his new album, I had to cover it! So let’s talk about it!

So, this is the latest album by O The Great! Featuring the likes of: 

-Tru Mentillz

-Masta Conga

-Castle Money Beats

-Tone Spliff

-The Prxpect

-Ashtronomicz 

-Ralphie Reese

-Jamil Honesty

– Isaac No Beat

On the beat and 

-Daniel Son

-Sunez Allah

-Pro Dillinger

-Twistello 

-Ruste Juxx

-Supreme Cerebral 

-Eloh Kush

-Ralphie Reese on the mic!

And man, although I’m not usually a fan of albums with more than one producer, the way each man captures the vibe and atmosphere of the record, that raw, rough, and rugged exterior with those theatrical sound executions and muddy textures comes together to create one of the most unique and original listening experiences of the year!

The thing I immediately noticed across this album was how grand and immersive the instrumentation was done. Whether you’re talking the elegance of the subtle yet shimmering piano keys or the dreamy and elongated horns or the orchestral use of those low/high note combinations that you can hear in the background on the song ‘Live From The Mecca’, every song on this album uses instruments in the highest quality and deliverance possible. 

Of course, every album uses sounds (that’s a given) unless you’re planning to go a cappella, but there’s definitely an ocean of difference when you hear an artist who actually pays attention to detail, works on making every single sound pop, and mastered to such a point that it sounds cinematic in its final outcome, and this is what these producers have committed to do for this record, and I can’t respect it enough!

One thing I also love about the production is the subtle use of old 90’s rap snippets. I won’t spoil what they are, but if you’re a real hip-hop head, you’ll be buzzed to hear them too!

As pointed out above, not only does this album showcase a roster of producers but also MC’s! Some of the finest in the industry right now. Meaning O had his work cut out for him to not only match but thrive in the presence of such beats, and I can report back to say he stands firm and demonstrates just why he’s one of the powerhouse rappers himself!

Across this record, you can hear his deep and dope studio cadence as he absolutely destroys each beat he’s on. His beat-for-beat flow is uncanny, and he has the skill to manipulate a beat to work for him and not the other way around. I love his witty and dominating presence with his rhythm and his striking lyricism that’s equal parts intellectual and street smart! No one can throw down bars quite like him!

I’d say his passion and enthusiasm are two underrated traits about O that get overlooked. Of course, he’s a surreal artist, but he’s demonstrated time and time again that he has a real love for the art of rap. When he’s crafting his verses, he’s being methodical about it, he’s taking his time and thinking about what word fits best where, and you can feel that concentration in his voice and in his energy he threads into each and every beat on this album. 

Whether it’s his brilliant efforts rapping alongside underground legends, or his ear and taste for superior producers, or his creativity and construction of phenomenal ideas and concepts, one thing is for certain, we are seeing O in his prime zone, and while he’s in this state, I don’t know anyone that can match.

I can’t praise this album enough. Across these 13 tracks, you get everything you could want for a rap album.

Dope verses, ridiculous features, outstanding production, and enough soul and heart to fill up 10x artists’ discographies and then some. This is NOT the album to sleep on!

https://open.spotify.com/album/0q5DbTra7JCSlSuN9giWQn?si=Omu7_VmNSxSllWxow6afkw