Sometimes, you listen to an artist and think to yourself, “ There is undoubtedly going to be a bigger picture, a larger impact not yet discovered or achieved, and you sit there patiently waiting for that said ascension to come.”
THIS IS THAT DAY. After many reviews, keeping a close eye, I find that this man has found his magnum opus, the perfect project for him to utilise his full capacity, and nothing has got me more excited! Let’s fucking go!
This is the brand-new album by MC’s Here$ Johnny & Rock One with WILDERNESS and Chief Rocks on the production, and across this 15-track album, this is (as far as I’m concerned) the PERFECT levels of intensity and cinematics for Johnny to go off on!
I’ve always felt that he’s sort of been the audio equivalent of a ‘rebel without a cause’, a man making dope music with intense energy and performance but never really channeling it anyway, specifically! Just a bundle of chaos going aimlessly track to track.
But THIS is where we see his skills and ability taken to new heights, and his aggressive approach pay off 10x fold, and I can’t get enough of it!
Across this tape, we hear him and Rocks One combine their skills and deliver some of the most compelling back-and-forth verses we’ve heard in a minute! For real, this sounds like some Red and Meth type shit (but infinitely more ruthless). These two men have the same ‘don’t give a fuck’ attitude and outspoken behaviour, and when they spit their bars, no one is safe.
Like the start of the tape where Johnny cusses out everyone and all the government officials around the world! That’s a statement of war and rebellion, and who better to take that shot than them?
I found their back-and-forth so fucking infectious. It’s like listening to a verbal riot! They use their unique MC skills to create a Hip Hop Mulisha that’s every bit as powerful and restless as you could ever hope for!
These two have such phenomenal chemistry and synchronicity that they feel like brothers sharing the same mind, and even if you’re not politically motivated or concerned, you’d be lying to yourself if you listen to this tape and feel nothing!
Of course, Here$ Johnny is dope enough as a solo MC, but to see him go off as part of a solid duo amplifies all his strengths and potential to incredible success and makes him stand out as a threat in the underground, one with possibly endless untapped opportunities that could take him higher than any glass ceiling! Super impressed with his work and Rocks!
As far as the production is concerned. Both WILDERNESS and Chief Rocks do a fantastic job at creating that destructive, violent, and dangerous atmosphere for the MC’s convictions to pair against!
I’m talking super dark and atmospheric, sharp production, surreal instrumentation, and an overall uneasy military cue vibe that never lets you feel safe throughout the whole listen!
This whole record sounds like an army marching through your town, those larger-than-life sounds, those grand horns! The use of the heavy bass, methodical drums, and strings.
You’ve got army snippets such as on the track ‘SEEN: Interlude’ where we hear an army general talking to another ranked officer about commands and obedience!
It’s just such a powerful addition to the record, that reinforces the whole ‘military’ concept as if you’re standing there on the edge of your city watching the soldiers marching through with nothing but uncertainty and fear as your companions.
It’s impossible for me to choose a favourite track because this album feels like a fluent score meant to be consumed and composed as one listen, not picked apart and broken. Sort of like a special, extremist hypno tape! Meant to break down, manipulate, and re make the mind of the listener! The modern-day MK ULTRA variant!
You honestly couldn’t find a better group of artists to create such a surreal project as these men. For what it is, it’s absolutely perfect. From the intense performances to the outrageous production. If you have any thoughts of sleeping on this, slap yourself and choose the CORRECT path! Listen below!
https://youtu.be/T97lx20LvTc?si=imznfUjUp_zm0ZPo
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