I swear, this is a duo I’ll never get sick of! They have a specific chemistry that very few have! Another duo I’d put on their level is the very underrated act of
-Sabio Dub and MISKEEN HALEEM! Similar magical power when together, and these two here with already three magical projects I’ve reviewed to date, this has me more excited than the trio before! So let’s talk about it!
A 4th of July album between the team of MC ZELL and Producer DEV ROGERS, and they are back with another KILLER edition to their already killer 2025 catalog! Seven tracks with 13 minutes of cutthroat energy tough enough to give SpongeBob the downs! This shit is RAW!
You can’t speak of RAW ENERGY and not bring up ZELL. He is a beast in human form, a real-life Inosuke (if you know, you know). Across these now four albums I’ve covered, he brings that surreal, animalistic drive to the microphone with absolute carnage and relentlessness to the fold!
He ain’t one to sugarcoat. What he says is what he means, and on this project, he’s out for more blood than ever before. From the first few seconds of the record starting, he begins his MC fury with his trademark ruthless rhythm, powerhouse flow, and merciless execution of pen game and lyricism to the point of a lyrical massacre where no one can hope to survive!
His raw performances and no-holds-barred approach to the game is something I’ve become obsessed with as of late. It’s like drinking a new energy drink that gives you more of a caffeine rush than the others! You’ll start craving that specific drink and start to grow tiresome of the ones you had before.
Once you’ve experienced this man and his intensity, the rest of the game will feel tame and boring in comparison!
Now, of course, part of the magic of ZELL is his presence alongside his brother and producer, DEV RODGERS, who once again is not content with just an average listening experience but is adamant on creating a hip-hop score so riveting and engaging that once again it feels less like an album and more like a movie soundtrack to be consumed in sonic form!
Once again, he comes in with those surreal instrumental moments of raw, unfiltered, and emotionally charged beats!
Compared to the other three I covered, this one feels a lot more boom bap inspired and muddy than the rest! This record is the thugged-out, jail bird older brother of the last three records. The one that may not be as artistically creative but will knock your fucking head off for looking at him wrong!
This album is brutal, cunning, and destructive at every turn! It’s a swift reminder that just because DEV has a creative streak like no other, he can’t switch it up in a minute and let his gutter side out and create some of the toughest beats you’ve ever heard, period!
Another dope record by the duo! Never a miss step between them and another collection to what’s shaping up to be a killer 2025 record list!
https://open.spotify.com/album/2rIsj5x3L1zXaSuDKtTeEJ?si=tx9zBni8T1u8BKqTGnBvtA
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 