(BRAP 2)

There’s just a handful of artists out there that get me next-level excited whenever they announce a drop, and this is one of those people. This man continues to have one of the most influential and legendary discographies in all of Hip Hop, and he’s not done yet! From his CCE album with Al Divino earlier and now to this, this man doesn’t understand the meaning of the word ‘quit,’ and the industry is all the better for it!

So, this is the latest full-length LP and sequel record by MC Estee Nack and Producer VDon, who collaborated back in 2023 with ‘BRAP1’ and now have set their sights together for the next stage! This album features the likes of 

-AL DOE

-Al DIVINO

-BORIROCK

-SHAYKH HANIF

-TY DA DALE 

What always stands out to me with VDon’s production is his utilisation of sounds. He’s one of the few beatmakers who fuse influences such as 

-Classical

-Jazz

-Electric Guitar

-Boom Bap

-Lo Fi/Ambient

And take these different genres and perfectly combine them into creating this one-of-a-kind product that somehow balances everything into one without any specific influence overtaking the other! 

For example, on the song ‘LAKOTA DREAM CATCHER,’ we have beautifully orchestrated piano keys and classical overtones while also maintaining that gritty and muddy boom bap feel, utilising those vocal snippet loops and skeletal drum patterns!

Or even the track ‘HIGHTECHNOLOGY,’ which has the most ambient and Lo Fi aura of all the tracks. With those spacey notes fading in and out, plus a few consistently going off in the background! With that old-school drum beat to go with it! This is one of those tracks that you’d listen to while on the substances, just trying to fade off and let your brain wonder! 

One of my favourite production cuts on the album is ‘OFFTHEPLANE’ because of its heavy jazz influence! You’ve got those gorgeous and melodic notes going off in different variations and tones. Along with a subtle bass line and a minimalistic drum loop, and you have one of the smoothest songs on the record!

My point is, VDon. Ain’t just a regular producer. He’s the man who can take the impossible and make it possible. Give him any fusion of genres and not only will he mix it perfectly but he’ll do it with cinematic quality like you’ve never heard before! Absolutely phenomenal work by the man! 

Of course, the other half of this record is Estee. The man who has captivated and moulded the underground along with Divino set the boundaries for what to expect in this rap shit and he’s back to do it again.

I’d say this is one of his more melodic albums in a while, there’s quite a few cuts where he’s trying his hand at vocal chorus’s or more singing style ad libs across his tracks! 

On top of that, he’s back with more charisma and personality than ever! Which is shocking to admit as every new release he seems to out do himself in that department but he just has such endless reserves of energy and magnetism that it feels like he can keep evolving forever and never get stale!

His trademark rhyming schemes is something you can’t question at this point! Absolutely incredible pen game, legendary lyricism and rhythm. On this one he sounds like he’s flexing on the game and he has every right to do so! When you’ve single handedly dominated the game the way he has, you’d be confident too!

I love his smooth and fun vibes on tracks like ‘CARVEL’ where he just sounds in his element. The first single off the new album and there’s just an anthem quality to this track with his laid back delivery and witty one liners and puns! He’s having the time of his life and it makes for the best music!

There’s cuts that I mentioned above ‘HIGHTECHNOLOGY’ where he’s joined with his usual brothers on the beat! All these men combined can’t miss. We have Al Divino on his cut throat chaotic shit, Bori and Shaykh on their wavey shit and Estee on his kingpin shit! 

Each man is in their element on this cypher type track and it’s absolutely incredible! 

Also have to mention ‘ELEGANT DELIQUENT’ because Al and Estee’s chemistry across that Jazz heavy beat reminds me of their notorious 2018-2021 run with albums like 

-AKIRAONACID

-HAMMERABI

-TRIPLE BLACK DIAMOND II

You can just hear that legendary duo work between the two of them, not that they’ve missed yet (they literally released a duo album earlier this year) but something about the combination of this instrumental and their verses took me back to memory lane with those classic records as inspiration!

Was there any chance of this album being anything but a modern day classic? Absolutely not. Again certain artists can release without ever worrying the listener about its quality. Both Estee and VDon are two of these types of artists. Both men are legends in their own right and when they

come together there’s no stopping them! 

Make sure either in physical or digital that you support the record and show love to the underground scene! 

https://serioussoundz.com/product/vdon-x-estee-nack-brap-ii/