Since I first discovered this duo and specifically the producer, I’ve grown a strong business relationship with the two of them! Two incredibly talented artists who seem to bring the best out of each other when alone. After a big handful of drops over the two years, I’m proud to introduce this brand-new EP that is bound to make you mean-mug the entire planet Earth!
This is the brand-new EP by the infamous duo of MC ZELL & Producer Dev Rogers. With six tracks and 12 minutes of content that continues their undefeated reign of legal contraband that feels wrong to own but ever so blissful to consume!
What’s been the main constant throughout all these tapes is the stiff contrast in sounds between the beats and rapper! The production has a frequent tendency to be delicate, soulful, and gorgeous in execution, and the performances are always heavy, raw, in your face, and loud! It’s in this stark contrast that makes such a fantastic listening experience! The real-life equivalent of ‘Sweet and Salty’ but for the earbuds.
Zell continues to simultaneously become louder and more aggressive while preaching a heavier game and making more heartfelt verses that force the listener to take a second and breathe in the words spoken!
He’s a man that doesn’t care about being anything but himself! A man who seems like a lone wolf (besides next to Dev), a man I don’t have much experience with other MC’s and so that just strengthens my resolve that he’s a solo man on a mission only interested in enlightening the masses and sounding intense as fuck while he does it!
From vicious delivery to sharp lyricism. A powerful penmanship with a performance that sounds like he’s one second away from fainting in the studio! I don’t really know how it’s possible, but with every new drop, he’s sounding more rough and unhinged! The more I hear him rap, the more I can’t help but associate him with similarities to Malcolm X! An unforgiving soul whose soul purpose is to PREACH! By any means necessary, and he’s literally doing that on this one.
Once again, no features, no interactions with anyone else but him, and I feel rappers who are more comfortable with being alone on tracks have a deeper sense of mental awareness and a stronger sense of purpose and reason! And he’s definitely the poster child for this mentality!
Of course, what would Zell be without Dev by his side? They are the cultural dynamite duo that will one day get the flowers they deserve, and the world will know just how solid they were, and with Dev’s daily advancement, this just seems like another day in the life of a super producer in the making!
As I mentioned above, this whole EP has a fluently gorgeous production that somehow blends perfectly with the vocals of Zell!
Some of my favourite instrumentals? We have tracks like
-WAR LOSER I loved this one due to its heavy piano use! That rhythm in the background made my mind relax throughout the duration. This song also has aspects such as hypnotic drums and swaying strings that give this track an extra layer of texture!
There’s tracks like -3.5 GRAMS OF GIRL, another piano-heavy track! This one felt more lively and fast-paced that I LOVED! There’s more thudding drums and shimmering keys!
There are some subtle beats as well as some super light vocal harmonies that are found at the very back of the track that I found a lovely addition! Especially how towards the end of the track the vocals become more profound and louder! Not to mention the last 10 seconds of the track has this tasteful jazz undertone!
Or the track -LEAD BABIES which might be the most ‘Boom Bap’ inspired out of all them. It’s got that trademark formula from those ridiculously deep drums, thick bass and of course PIANO KEYS! A rather minimal track but because Dev is behind the beats it becomes a masterpiece!
Once again, this duo can’t miss! Banger after banger x7 at this point? I’ve lost count. Either way they haven’t taken an L yet and I doubt either know what that is! Once again if you ain’t on their run then fuck your feelings, they don’t matter! LEGAL CONTRABAND
https://open.spotify.com/album/058VTPqXrmapgPxNvafz7h?si=e3FpFJErR7CsOyH0rL_aCg
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