We are so fucking back! After the impressive showing (that I knew would be dope) of their last EP, I had to dig into this one. Once again, I already know this one will be incredible, and let’s see if I’m right again!
6th of June EP by the dynamic duo, MC ZELL and Producer DEV ROGERS, and this time around, there are no features, just seven tracks and ten minutes of magic that only these two can manage.
Let’s talk about the rapping today first. Once again, ZELL provides us with his brash, no-nonsense approach to the MC shit, and it’s so infectious to hear.
Sure, there are a sea of rappers who sound tough and act violent (whether they are or not, I’m not sure), but sometimes it feels too over-dramatic to be taken seriously, but this man feels like the Treach of his generation, a man you know not to fuck with but doesn’t have to scream and act wild to prove it!
Across this project, he sounds more smooth and sharp with his lyricism. He seems focused less on his vivid imagery and more on channeling his intensity into his verses to come across equal parts crisp and devastating when he needs them to be!
I love how even with no features, he can use his natural powerful charisma to dominate the record and apply his will across this project and come out on top! He went from someone I’ve never heard of until now; he’s on the top of my list of anticipated MC’s I HAVE to check out from now on!
Now we get to talk about production! Across this one, it feels a lot more grounded and minimal in comparison, but despite that, the same masterful techniques and experiences as on the other one bring to the table here!
For example, the track ‘#21 QUARTER WATER (LIL MACKY)’, we have a more minimal and laid-back attempt at the underground vibe with these plucked strings, lush vocal harmonies, and some bass so groovy your body will move on its own!
It’s simple yet engaging in the best ways possible!
We also have tracks like ‘#13 BILLIE HOLIDAY (BLACK GIRL LOST)’, and this is the kind of track I FUCKING LOVE!
I’m taking that smooth, jazz and soul Herbie Hancock meets Norah Jones type shit and bro, I ain’t lying when I say I had to replay this specific track 5x because I kept fading out and letting the beat take over me without writing about it!
This track has the most gorgeous vocal harmonies, that’s the definition of angelic, as well as these light and smooth piano keys and soft jazz bass! It’s the perfect underground hip-hop song to me and right up my alley!
Another thing I love is the fact each song is numbered with a # symbolising what orchestras do and how their music sheets and songs read! This proves to me without a shadow of a doubt that DEV is operating on a mindset that’s heads over everyone in the game right now! That he’s thinking in an overall music category, not just thinking of ‘Hip Hop’, and that makes me beyond happy!
This is just as good as the other one (if not better), the crazy solid potential of these two is untapped potential that I GUARANTEE will bear fruit in the next few years and will be on EVERYONE’S mind, believe you that!!
https://open.spotify.com/album/6N5V4zzOo7Be3XwUk4PTW3?si=YXLozilYSSSDZ45WZ5e9rg
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 