(Ring Psychology)

If you had to write down who were the top five best to ever execute the role of ‘Ring Psychology’, who would you pick? For me, it would be 

– Rowdy Piper

– Terry Funk

– The Undertaker

– Bret Hart

– Eddie Guerrero 

These five, in their own eras and companies, have made a name for themselves by how they conduct themselves during the matches, how they act, speak, and perform. In my opinion, these are the five that did it best. 

BUT 

When we sit down and talk about the top five best underground MC’s and their psychologies, who would the answers be then? And would it be fair to say that keeping Action Figure off that list would be criminal? After this new album, I feel it would be! Let’s talk about it!

So, brand new Action Figure 973. This time accompanied by Producer The Custodian Of Records, and together they drop seven tracks, 15 minutes, no features! 

Starting off, I love the idea of that opening sequence of ‘10 BELL SALUTE’ with those sharp classical notes over that traditional hip-hop beat, feels like a shot to the system to kick things off! The beat is brash, in your face, and gritty!

From there, the album only gets better with tracks like ‘ODE TO O-SOLO’ which follows a similarly classic sound set with those intricate violin strings, steep high-pitched keys on loop, mesmerising drums, and a very light, subtle yet fascinating old-school vocal harmony! It all comes together very nicely!

I love how the song ‘EXECUTION’ takes a more methodical and smooth tone and approach! This has a more 90s R&B flavour! With those rich and groovy notes on loop, light drums, and if you pay attention really well, you can hear a faint vocal harmony that’s there in the back of your headphones and it’s delicate but sweet!

Also, there are even tracks like ‘95 RAVEN’ which have probably the most hypnotic beats on the whole tape! It has this almost meditative rhythm with those looped vocal harmonies in different octaves that take charge of those light bass strings! I also love the outro Raven samples, which must have been from his three-year feud with Tommy when he never beat Raven once! 

Regardless of the track you choose, this one instrumentally is a treat for fans! It doesn’t have a lot going on at once, but for what they decide to utilise, they make the best out of it and put emphasis on the ‘less is more’ aspect, and I can respect anyone that does that!

Now onto Action Figure. Since he’s predominantly talking wrestling bars, his energy is always high as he’s rapping about things he’s actually passionate about, that’s why I fuck with him so heavily! Someone from his image to his MC name to his concept albums who is this heavy into wrestling is someone I have to pay attention to, and he hasn’t disappointed me yet! 

Across this project, he brings his trademark aura and personality onto the tracks as he continues to find that perfect sweet spot between pop culture and technical MC! He’s talking wrestling while dropping some of the sharpest and deadly puns and one-liners you’ve heard in your life! 

When he goes on the verses like bron breaker, he can’t be stopped. Your only hope is to get snapped in half or suicide dive in the opposite direction and hope he misses you! Because whether you like it or not, his presence is omnipresent, and you can’t escape him like The Fiend!

Although only 15 minutes, Action’s authentic and organic persona makes this feel double that as he doesn’t bother with features and uses his talent to make sure the project is profound, fun, high quality, and a dream drop for wrestling fans alike! 

I love his chemistry with The Custodian, and the two of them helped add another W to the discography of the ever-growing Action Figure!

OH WHAT A RUSH! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3t0OvJQhQSzDFTipiZyRJO?si=dzGCQqnMTmy8me6v_p8eqA