As far as interesting discographies go, I’d say you’d be far-fetched to find another as interesting as this man’s. From the moment I discovered him, he’s always provided something new and exciting to the table, like a brand-new meal to feast on, and this record is no exception. Let’s get into it!
This is the brand-new record by MC Teek Hall and producer Sumo Corelone, and together they drop a fresh batch of seven tracks that are sure to turn heads for all the right reasons!
Now, as bizarre as this might sound as a critic. But based on the first track, this album sounds like a sequel of sorts to the ‘RTJ 4’ album. Why? Well, first of all, those alarm sounds remind me of the final leg of the outro track of RTJ 4, ‘A Few Words for the Firing Squad’, and then on top of that, you have the same voice who came through on that last leg also!
A lot of similarities that reminded me of that album, and not to mention, I feel Teek was rapping similarly to Killer Mike as well! Maybe he was paying homage to him on this record, or maybe I’m just hearing him differently this time around, but I definitely hear Killer Mike influence!
Going from there, I feel there’s a more robust and minimal nature to these tracks that contains bucket loads of aura and magnetic energy that only Teek and Sumo can create! Let’s take track 2 for example, where we have those funky guitar strings with those groovy, free-form drum patterns that give off a strong 70’s funk vibe (which isn’t entirely new to someone like Teek), who has been known to experiment with a vast array of different sound schemes, but this one was too groovy to deny!
Another track that stood out to me was track 6. I loved it because firstly, that intro, with that deep voice going ‘I AM THE LORD OF DARKNESS’ only to be proceeded with this almost trio hop-inspired beat that sounds glitchy and electronic in nature, and I loved every second of it!
It’s like a voice loop that’s been modified into a more techno beat, but it somehow works well with that consistent demonic voice running through the track!
Although this is my first time experiencing the production of Sumo after this record, he will definitely be on my radar permanently, and his chemistry with Teek is undeniably goated!
Now, onto the man himself. As I said above, this man is known for his experimental ways, always the first to try something different and new, and on this record, we get just that.
Straying a bit further away from his usual wrestling-flooded raps (with only a few references here and there), we get a more serious, hands-on, and introspective version of the man who I once only knew as the ‘wrestling geek of hip hop’ as he dives into an array of subject matters from life, the underworld, and everything in between.
Using his broad abilities, he once again showcases his immense talents for vivid imagery, bringing anything he talks about to life with his verbal skills! His flow, which feels a lot more structured and old-school in comparison to his last release, which I felt to be more ‘free form’ in execution, while this one feels rigid and uniform (in a good way).
His pen game is once again magnificent as he pushes himself further from his comfortable topics and dives into a whole contrast of themes and experiences to give the listener a truly in-depth adventure into his mind and vision at any given song and time.
I feel him doing projects like these, especially with no features, helps prove himself against the other names in the game and helps push his quality control, his consistency, his sharpening of his own techniques, and to further evolve his own approach to hip hop and innovation as a whole, and I feel this album hits two birds with one stone!
Another killer album in the bag for Teek. Chemistry is incredible, verses phenomenal, and once again proves why he’s Hip Hop’s ZSJ!
https://open.spotify.com/album/4mChB4NZfrZdgMBuBGDWij?si=WFg5j3tKRHic48boSAEFSg
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