(CrewLV Ent Presents: Uninvited Guest)

I find it quite ironic that my first review of the new year happens to be a collective record! I’ve gone on record multiple times to admit I’m not the biggest fan of this style album as generally the mass who make these just substitute quality with a fuck ton of random features and bland beats that make the whole album sound boring.

BUT I’m happy to admit that this record breaks free of that common consensus and creates a record that is not only memorable but original in creation, let’s talk about it!

This is the brand new album by ‘Crew LV’ which consists of 

Producers -Sky Vintage & Killa Mac

MC’s Leo Da Gawd (From Southside Jamaica Queens)

Free3ky Quis (From Stapleton)

And Nobody From Nowhere (From Staten Island) and together they come through with a solid collection of 15 tracks with over an hour of content to get through and yet it doesn’t feel half as what it is due to it’s entertaining nature!

Interestingly, there’s a wonderful contrast between the production and the performances. In one end we have the production which is the definition of smooth! It’s atmospheric, soulful and full of ambiance that relaxes the body and mind! The kind of production you’d listen to while walking on a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky! 

A few stand out tracks are as follows. -Keyzer Soze which has one of the most gorgeous instrumentals on the whole record! A combination of this flute sound loop, this humming sample that runs consistently throughout the record! We have a snippet of plucked strings that have a more infrequent rhythm but still equally infectious as well as some super subtle drum selection that all comes together to create an angelic sound that I could listen to for hours!

We have the track -Eloquent which has one of the more funky rhythms on this album! Sounding like some late 70’s/ early 80’s soul samples with those slick guitar strings, funk inspired drum beats and some light in the background chords that help provide a skeleton to an already powerful structure! 

This song also has a super refreshing chorus progression that adds to the overall vibe of the song! 

Even if we look at the track -Out The Way which has a more underground boom Bap flavour compared to the rest! You have that classical voice sample loop that runs through the whole song! Ontop of that you have those sticky piano keys, subtle bass and minimal drums that all come together for a gritty and raw instrumental that’s as ruthless as it is bare boned!

The contrast I talked about above is the other side of the coin is the rapping. Because as smooth and beautiful as the beats are, we have such intense and savage verses that it feels like a verbal invasion ontop of those gorgeous beats! These men come storming the instrumentals like prime era Onyx causing leaving nothing in their way but damage and violence!

Across this tape we hear the trio of MC’s releasing a vocal assault of charismatic bars, in your face performances and an overall dominating pack mentality that forces you to focus on their sharp and unapologetic pen game that lights up each and every track mercilessly! A thing I loved about these guys was the fact each MC had their own unique and individual character and skill that was seperate to them!

It wasn’t like you were hearing 3 of the same voices and flows but instead 3 different vibes and cadences that brought their own ability to the forefront but also had impeccable chemistry and shared one vision of how the record should sound! 

I loved how fucking fluent they were on this project! Never an awkward or uncomfortable conversion between each man switching up verse to verse, just straight smooth pacing the sonic baton to the next guy as they maintain the heat that the one before them captured and elevated it 10x fold before passing it to the next!

This level of synchronicity (while maintaining different rhythms and styles) ain’t easy to do. It’s so easy for a group project to get lost in the process of it all but I’m glad to announce that everyone working on this album came together to create absolute and unforgettable MAGIC!

What a first album of the new year! An incredible effort by the producers and MC’s alike! If you ain’t heard this one yet then you better do it NOW!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5cklZEN9fJWkVOxsTHTavM?si=oSGY0ZlFQpGbyq3oTf74iw

(The Sentry’s Lullaby)

Oh shit, what a surprise drop! Two of the hottest artists in the underground at the moment coming together for a full-length? Nah, that’s too good to be true, and yet here we are! We gotta get into this ASAP! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new project between MC AU and Producer Lo Katana! And together they drop a solid 8-track offering featuring the likes of 

-BlackMugen

-067Red

-Ant Kelly

-Lo Katana

And I feel like I gotta discuss Lo first. I’ve made the statement in his other joints that this man is gonna be someone to look out for in the coming year as he’s been growing at a ridiculous rate, and this album confirms my theory of his advancement in such a rate that he’s going to be THE powerhouse producer in the next few years! He’s been dropping underrated gems all year, and this is the way he decides to end 2025? Absolutely phenomenal!

This production reads like a Jazz X Soul infused fever dream! Listening to this album sounds like you were teleported to the drama of the 70s and 80s, with the instrumentals mirroring the theatrical soundtrack of the chaos of that time period in the most gorgeous way possible.

This album somehow sounds like the combination of 

-Lethal Weapon

-Old School pay-for-sexting advertisements

-Infomercials

-Jazz Clubs

-Art Rap and more, all combined. This production feels like an album and more like a revealing score of past indulgences that rushes through your soul the minute you press play.

My favourite aspect of these 8 tracks is the heavy Jazz elements. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for Jazz-infused Hip Hop, and this album does it on a whole different level! From those grand horns and manipulated piano keys that sound plucked in this distorted, elegant fashion that I absolutely fell in love with!

Combine that with those minimally layered & skeletal track executions, and you have a recipe for greatness that I can’t get enough of! 

I knew prior to even listening to this that this would be an unbelievable project, but I didn’t expect it to be THIS GOOD! Maybe it’s just me being easily impressed, but I swear it’s scary the amount of progress and quality of this new generation of cats in the underground. There are so many just like Lo who I’ve heard rise and elevate to new heights that I swear were unheard even 5 years ago! He’s going to show you next year just how good he can get, MARK MY WORDS!

You know who else is part of that scary, fast growth generation? AU! I’ve been keeping track of him for, I’d say, 4 months? Maybe more? And even in that short amount of time, he’s impressed me more and more with each new single, EP, and album.

Initially, what impressed me about him was his creative and versatile mind! The fact that each single or record he dropped sounded different from the rest and he was confident enough to explore an array of sounds, genres, and influences! 

As I’ve continued to follow his progress, I’ve noticed his quality control not only being steady but improving with each new drop! He’s starting to drop an underrated record with each new album as he is honing his skills, testing the limits of his originality, building up a larger-than-life atmosphere, and building friendships with men who have been able to match his enthusiasm and energy on previous singles and EP’s/albums and now onto this one!

Across this tape, we hear his performances get stronger and more crisp. He’s sounding like a million-dollar rapper on this project as he flaunts his incredible verse complexities, his incredible vocabulary, his smooth and brash flow, as well as his adaptability with any production he’s on (especially a score as renowned as this one). He can create natural synchronicity with anyone or any beat!

He has a certain confidence about him that I’ve felt growing ever so slightly over his releases, he’s always sounded dope to me but I could sense that untapped potential way back then and to see it unfold the way it has and explode into an MC that I firmly believe can stand toe to toe with anyone? Is an incredible feat! 

Such is the case when he raps alongside Ant Kelly and 067Red! Two unbelievable MC’s who brought their best foot forward and yet AU was able to match them effectively and effortlessly! Not to mention the producer himself had a verse! He’s an all rounder! 

This record might be AU’s ‘Magnum Opus’ so far. I felt this was undeniable considering who he partnered with on production but this shit is next level! I was having a profound astral experience while sober! If this is a sign of things to come then these two (along with a handful of others) are gonna make the underground one of the, scratch that THE PLACE TO BE for modern day classics going forward and maintaining it’s iconic history and culture! Listen now below! 

https://au205.bandcamp.com/album/the-sentrys-lullaby

(Luchador Body Odor)

Man, this has to be the most ridiculous title to an album I’ve seen all year! Trust it to come from this duo! Alone, they’ve made their own unique lanes, but together? They’ve made history. With the finale edition of their series as a pair, they leave 2025 swinging, hitting anything and everything in their way! A true BRAWLER, let’s go!

This is the finale edition and brand-new album by MC Action Figure 973 and Producer Wulverine, and together they drop their final batch of nine songs featuring the likes of: 

-Lukey Cage

-Apito Goiez

-Ali De Leon

-Lo From The Lead

-Tree Mason

Aside from Cage, this is a whole list of features I’ve personally never heard of! But in saying that, they absolutely SLAP!

Without the rest of the world knowing, Action has been treating 2025 like his own personal ‘Continental Classic Tournament’ with a specific few in his sights to beat down and gain points from. He’s left the year undefeated! He made it all the way to Worlds End and slaughtered the champion!

He’s got his verbal rainmakers and lyrical one-winged angels to take out all his opponents clear and decisively!

Despite his slight heel turn earlier in the year as he stood toe to toe with Superman! He’s been a culture Babyface, gaining cheers and sold-out physicals every time he drops! 

He has the rhythm and swagger of an established legend as he walks around like he owns the place! 

AEW? WWE? NJPW? ECW? Nah, this is LUCHA UNDERGROUND, and I ain’t talking Mexico! I’m talking Action taking the W nine hundred and seventy three ways over with a record-long title reign that isn’t going anytime soon!

He’s honestly one of the most fluent we’ve ever seen! The Independent Scene’s Sin Cara gliding through the game, never missing a beat or a foot out of place! The type of cat to be the secret mentor of Okada and your favourite rapper’s favourite rapper! 

Over this year, he’s proven himself time and time again as one of the most consistent, powerful, and entertaining characters we’ve seen in this hip-hop shit with rhyming promos that could put MJF to shame! 

On this journey, he’s not alone! As he’s accompanied by his own personal Paul Heyman or Don Callis! The definition of an ultimate opportunist in the form of Wolverine! Whoever this man works alongside creates modern-day classics, and this record is no exception!

With these nine tracks, we hear the sonic equivalent of one of the greatest managers in our modern-day history. A man who, using only his music, can tell a greater story than any of your favourites and ten times as vivid!

The type of music that pulls at the heartstrings, makes you feel a certain way, and rivets the audience to an uproar, cheer, or boo! Depending on the context of his production!

He can either make you nostalgic as he incorporates his ‘comic book aspect’ albums! Or bring out the ‘gangster’ in us all with a throwback to ‘The Sopranos’.

Or, as we see here, take us on a wild, colourful journey in the form of a sonic wrestling PPV that features a who’s who of independent wrestlers that could outshine any of the mainstream names any day of the week with Action leading the pack!

You shouldn’t look at this as an album! But as the latest audio WK! Featuring Action as the in-ring draw (the Okada if you will) and Wolverine as the pivotal figure behind the scenes making it all run smoothly (the Tanahashi), together they make an unstoppable duo whose presence won’t be forgotten long after the event is done!

What a fantastic way to end the year! Shoutout to the features involved, to the production, and to Action, who proves once again why he is ‘THE BEST THERE IS, THE BEST THERE WAS (and maybe) THE BEST THERE EVER WILL BE’.

OH WHAT A FUCKING RUSH!

https://actionfigure973.bandcamp.com/album/luchador-body-odor

(SOUNDSCAPE CINEMA)

I’ve been telling you all! Haven’t I been telling you? That this man has an infinite glass ceiling. There’s never a point too high for him to cap at, and this album proves it! I can’t say I’m too surprised as I have been covering his progression from the start of the year, but even so, this is levels beyond what the game! Let’s get into it!

This is the brand new (and last offering of the year) by MC FLYG and Producer Bojar, and together they drop a solid 18 tracks featuring the likes of 

-King Adroit

-Emcee Millz 

-Drew Prince

-Lo Katana

-THE REBEL SKY

-God Gotti

-MISKEEN HALEEM aka K. UNLIMITED

-Ant Kelly

-AU

And this thing is the DEFINITION of cinematic. I’ve heard him on some pretty impressive stuff before from the likes of -Lo Katana & -Drega33, but honestly, this thing is ridiculous on a different plane! 

Across this album, we have every kind of instrumentation you could want, done in the most masterful way possible! Such as

-Rock

-Soul

-Funk

-P-Funk

-Classical

-Hip Hop and more. I can’t stress this enough; this whole score feels like a movie in audio form. He’s been increasing his production value throughout the year, but this is a different beast entirely; this somehow feels like his ‘magnum opus,’ after I would have sworn his last few drops had been that also! 

Each melody, vocal loop, minimal layers, plucked strings, methodical drums, synth progression— it all comes together in the most heartwarming and angelic execution you could ever ask for! This is beyond ‘good music’; this is next-generation shit.

I feel like FLYG has a unique skill where he can extract the very best of any producer he works with because I don’t understand how this man can keep releasing banger after banger with some of the most beautiful instrumentation I’ve ever heard? It doesn’t make sense. 

This level of skill and advancement is not normal. He’s on a rate that I can’t see anyone else touching, and he’s becoming a killer with it, infusing the natural charisma and eccentricity of his own abilities into the producers, who in turn shine brighter in his presence! 

I advise the listener NOT to pick and choose the songs from this album. Sure, I have no doubt any song by itself would be fire, but this score is meant to be played as a whole. This man, Bojar, took time and effort to create an atmospheric, steady record that flows like a river from start to finish, and in that respect, I can’t really pick a favourite song as I’m counting the whole soundtrack as the perfect experience in and of itself! A truly magical sonic offering!

Speaking of ‘Magical Offerings’, we have FLYG himself. Truly going out of his way on this one to not only outdo himself but RE-INVENT the wheel of lyricism and wordplay. I’m not joking; this is some verbal Einstein shit. 

Across this massive 54-minute album, we hear (what I would consider) the perfect fusion between creative and lyrical. As he’s been hinting at with singles like ‘MASTERFUL’, he’s open and prone to go a more creative direction with his art, and I feel the payoff is on this record, where honestly, I feel he pulls off what many mainstream cats failed to do!

For example, the mainstream flops such as Kid Cudi’s -Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven’ or Lil Wayne’s -Rebirth record from almost 2 decades ago now. They both tried to FORCE the synchronicity between multiple influences and hip hop and failed miserably.

But on this one, FLYG uses his genius musical mind to sidestep those flaws and naturally curate the variety of influences into one harmonious record where his vocals lay smoothly on top in a gorgeous connection of bars and beats.

Speaking of Bars HOLY SHIT. That’s all that came to mind when I was listening to this record, he goes beyond what is required in the usual ‘one liner’ rapping lane. He’s not only created his own lane but his own standard to match and it’s one I can’t imagine anyone else in the field being able to match!

So many times I was listening to the complexity and layering of the verses and bars I found myself tracking way behind by 3-6 bars at a time trying to process a bar that took me at least 20 seconds to understand and unpack before I finally got it!

I don’t remember the last time I felt this way over lyricism. The only answer I can come up with was prime Eminem? Or at least 2010’s Eminem and his super wordy bars and verses that had you pausing the song just to dissect what he just said and I feel that is done to absolute perfection on this album!

We are talking exquisite flow, Aesop rock level complexity and vocabulary. Heavy set charisma paired with a smooth yet powerful performance to draw everything together!

I’m trying to write this but honestly this album has me lost for words. As someone who has followed his career and arguably all his 2025 releases (if not most) and seeing his progress, seeing him pair with a variety of different producers AND features.

Seeing him lock in with his unique rapping ability and seeing how far it’s gotten him is just so fucking incredible to witness and this album is the cherry ontop of the cake.

You couldn’t ask for a better final album of the year, hell you couldn’t ask for a better discography throughout the whole year! He’s proven himself time and time and TIME again that he’s not one to mess with or underestimate or sleep on. He’s the real deal and if this is his potential after one year I can’t wait to be blown away for next year!

Don’t fucking sleep on this one! Check it out now below!! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0VfWSeGgMSywDKXTnbcFcO?si=hb4pl8jgSUuHuO7VoIeUQA

(The Artfather)

It’s that time again to discover a new artist. This time, it’s a man who rocks a pretty dope MC name, a dope album cover, and title! He seems to be knocking all the necessary elements out of the park, and with that in mind, let’s get into this highly anticipated drop! 

This is the latest December release by MC Lil Divinci! This album consists of ten tracks, 16 minutes’ worth of content, and I gotta say, despite being excited about the various elements I mentioned above, I wasn’t sure what to expect sonically. After I finished, I can say this was better than I could have thought!

Starting with the production. This reminds me of classic Italian/Mafia ambiance infused with underground Hip Hop! It’s a beautiful combination that sounds equal parts cinematic and the other half soulful and atmospheric! To find a balance using those two elements can’t be easy, but yet Lil Divinci nails it!

This whole album consists of short bursts of masterfully executed instrumentals that each consist of glistening instrumentation and groovy production!

You’ve got tracks like -King Talk, which has these beautiful Jazz Horns that softly go off in the background on an infectious loop! You’ve got these funky Jazz-inspired drum patterns as well as some plucked bass strings to wrap the whole track together!

We have tracks such as -Street Codes, which provides a more infectious track! You’ve got some chord progression that has a synth effect to it as well as some more looped Jazz horns and light/subtle drums that help make a track to groove to! Another example of masterful production!

Or we can even look at the track -A Player’s Game, which might be my favourite track on the whole album! Due to its predominantly Jazz influence, with those horns in two different layers as well as those scattered piano keys and a very interesting vocal snippet thrown throughout!

Accompanying this phenomenal production is Lil Divinci himself, who utilised every second to create engaging and interesting verses that feel theatrical in nature. It feels less like he’s spitting bars and more like he’s telling us mini stories about his life and situations as a whole! 

As I mentioned above, each track is rather short in composition, but that just leaves more room for Divinci to create his art and make sure he explodes on the short time he has between track to track!

He has a beautifully subtle vocal performance; the way his sharpness and top-tier vocabulary run through the beat like a piece of grass flying through the wind never disrupting the instrumental he’s rapping on but rather lifting and holding the music to a higher standard with his incredible cadence and calming eccentricity!

You know, when you compare most mafia films and tv we were all presented with the ‘Tony Montana/Soprano’ types— the yelling, angry, and intense types.

But on this record, infusing the mafia image, he’s showcasing a more light and calm presentation similar to the Godfather himself, Vito Corleone, as he lets his power known but in a patient and confident manner rather than aggressively, and I appreciate that!

I also love how he rocks the record solo; he doesn’t need any feature to make the album entertaining and enjoyable as he knows he has enough conviction and charisma to hold the boat all on his own, and this album proves that!

If you haven’t heard this one yet, then I highly recommend it! It’s elegant, infectious, and impressive in the execution of both the instrumentals and vocals! Go check it out below now! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4vwpmh8JiQMwpMtlLKAeDA?si=lGxTuhC_TSyQNCRmvJWfrA

(ALL THAT GLITTERS)

Man, I can’t lie. My first thoughts on this track were how this reminded me of some ‘Gang Starr’ type shit. That beat reminded me of a prime Preemo instrumental, and the lyricism made me think of Guru and how he’d structure verses. I gotta say that’s one solid first impression! With that in mind, let’s get into it!

This is the brand new single by MC MAURICE and Producer Koba Dera, and together they are responsible for this one-of-a-kind track that I feel is exactly the lane the underground should be taking to close off the year and begin fresh the new one!

Across this tape, we have an instrumental that is as smooth as it is atmospheric! It has this beautifully methodical pacing to it that feels reminiscent of two different eras: ‘the early 2010s poetry rap era’ -Illogic/Milo etc. and the golden 90’s -Gang Starr/Nas etc. 

It’s in between these two genres of rap that I place this instrumental that has so many great qualities that will undoubtedly make this a memorable track for months to come! 

Firstly, we have those delicate piano keys that loop around the track in a gorgeous layout! Those keys kind of remind me of late-career Herbie Hancock style execution, soothing and refreshing! On top of all that, we have some subtle yet hard-hitting bass as well as light some strings in the background that help bring this song all together!

Koba is someone I’ve had my eye on for a while, and with every new offering we get of him, he’s somehow stronger and better, on one of the most impressive improvement rates I’ve seen in the underground!

Accompanying him, we have MAURICE (formerly known as Moe Hendrix) who utilises this fantastic beat to his advantage to create verses that not only sound and feel sharp and incredible but actually touch your heart with his level of vivid detail and in-depth storytelling.

He has such a relaxed, introspective performance that I fell in love with immediately. The moment he starts spitting, he’s already letting out personal facts such as the line – ‘since the pissy mattresses and high school foolery/got a taste for alcohol, white lines soothing me/used all my life lines/pride is a stupid thing to have.’

This is the first few fucking bars he put on the beat! That should tell you everything about the lyricist in front of you. He’s a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and lets all his thoughts and feelings on the mic, utilising his vulnerability to his advantage to create polarising moments with his words!

His smooth and gentle manner combined with his impressive vocabulary makes for an unmatched skillset that only he possesses. He doesn’t waste a single second across that beat, putting everything on paper and revelling himself for the audience’s satisfaction!

You can tell he’s the kind of MC that utilises the art of ‘patience’, letting his words and bars breathe. Smartly crafted verses rather than throwing words together for ‘song sake’ but actually invoke meaning and spirit within his rhythm and lyrical structure, and that’s exactly why I compare him to Guru! 

He has the same knowledge meets hip hop appeal to him that I can’t get enough of! Pair that with an instrumental of this caliber, and you have a recipe for success!

One of the strongest singles I’ve heard all year! If this is a sign of things to come, I can’t imagine how good the album will be! 

(God Bless Gordon Ave)

As the end of the year is creeping in closer, I love seeing how different artists are preparing their finale offering. Some are putting their best foot forward, others (such as JazzyLionMan) are turning their efforts into one of the biggest collaborative efforts of the whole year! And for these two? A pair of artists who have used their own lanes to cultivate and build the culture stronger and better than it was before, and I guarantee you with this record, they are attempting to strengthen the game once more! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new collaboration project between MC Young Reese Dude & Producer SPGBamm, and together they drop a solid 8-track and 22 minutes of hip-hop that’s bound to stick in your mind long after it’s finished! An album with immense replay value!

If we decide to dissect the production first, it seems SPGB is deciding to take a turn into a more ‘hypnotic’ and ‘mesmerising’ section of the boom

Bap production. He’s utilising those minimal layers and adding his own spin and twist on them to make them stand out and leave the audience craving more! 

For example, we have tracks like -LOSE MY SOUL, which has this looped chord progression that repeats in a pattern that forces you to bump your head and neck while listening!

You’ve got some incredible plucked strings as well as some light, methodical drums that all come together for a thrilling performance that’s equal parts skeletal and dramatic!

The same can be said for the track -IS WHAT IT IS. This reminds me of a modern-day Preemo track. One of the beats I’d expect to be on the Ransom album! 

It’s got these super soft guitar strings on a sensitive loop that also contains these synth-style fast-paced piano keys on the chords, and of course, more subtle drums that lurk and creep all over the track! 

Hell, we can even talk about -MACHINE GUN FUNK, which may be a nod to Biggie but has its own personality and flavour of its own nature! Across this track, we have some nice, thick bass strings in a pattern!

You’ve got some very light vocal harmonies as well as some more apparent and heavy drum rhythms that take a more forefront approach on this one instrumental!

SPGM is a man who has impressed me time and time again, and across this tape he blows me away with his ‘less is more’ style, which absolutely works for the MC in question here!

Of course, speaking of the MC, we have Young Reese.

This is another man that has continued to impress me over the years I’ve known him! Always one to try different avenues and concepts to his albums to always keep his performances fresh and exciting, as well as avoiding the pressure of going ‘stale’ or subpar by frequently staying ahead of the ‘stylistic curb’ so to speak and understanding what the culture wants/would benefit from at any given moment in time!

Across this album (similar to the production), he takes a more serious and patient approach with his bars. He’s not out here trying to play a young man’s game; he’s matured. He understands the importance (and value) of utilising your experience and growth to your advantage in the way you craft bars, the way you incorporate complex structures with your words, your increased storytelling abilities, and how in-depth and vivid you can make them!

All this comes with time and patience, and he’s mastered both! I love his more concentrated pacing across this tape. His lyricism is just as strong as it always is, but now every word can be felt like a brick of gold! He’s no longer wasting a breath on anything that isn’t important or relevant to the album or song he’s on!

He’s got a new vicar, he’s sharpened his vocabulary, increased his verbal assaults, and is now confident in making each verse of his have the emotional, mental, and spiritual depth that maybe even at the start of this year he wouldn’t have been able to!

Man, what a fucking impressive finale for both men. They’ve done more than enough of their fair share to the culture, and this last work is going to be one that in 10-20 years’ time will be remembered as pure art! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/64bjXb8qsS4BFXihQPTbQJ?si=SmdXAcS3Q-OWcwvn6Pa3tQ

(3GGNOG)

While some artists are choosing to compact their final efforts for the year, we have this producer who has decided to go for broke and release his BIGGEST and most BLOATED release to date to close 2025 off. With a who’s who of underground names to accompany him, this has the potential to be the most impressive collection record of the year! Let’s talk about it!

This is the new & final record by Producer Jazzy Lion Man, a man I first discovered over his ‘Jazzy Fatu’ tape, and he’s been on my radar since. On this album, we have a monstrous roster such as: 

– Heartbreak Julio

– JOHNNYTRA$H

– Charley Roy

– twogeebs 

– Jonny Empire

– GOMMi J

– King Androit

– war will kill

– AU

– Here$ Johnny

– DB Consigliere 

– Ant Kelly

– Lo Katana

– FLYG

– Faces

– Gustavo Louis

– CJ The Profit Granada

– Jules Clay

– THE REBEL SKY

– Sleep Sinatra

– SOO DO KOO

– It’sJustdra 

– Skip The Kid

– YFI

– Dominican Kev

With such a ridiculous amount of talent on a single project, it is almost unfathomable to explain. I normally hate tapes like this (albums that are overly saturated with names and too many artists), BUT the exception always comes when an artist has the power and skill to take the various names and personalities and move them in such a way that each song feels crisp and structured rather than messy and awkward.

This reminds me of a WSG tape! When he incorporates a whole army of names per tape to promote or utilise their specific skills, that’s exactly what happened here!

Shoutout to Jazzy, for his ridiculous proficiency. He’s still able to use his genius to know which artist suits which beat, which verses should be paired with who, and that’s a gift in and of itself! That’s some RZA/Dr. Dre level mentality. 

I have to shoutout Heartbreak Julio on this tape. From his dope intro verse to his various across-the-board, he’s really surprised me in his progress and evolution in his skills! He’s always a dope spitter!

Shoutout to twogeebs! On that track alongside Heartbreak on track 5, he brought a dope charisma and deadliness to the track! There’s that MONSTER cypher-style track ‘Eggnog Heist’ which literally has 10 people on it! That is absolutely insane, and yet it somehow works! So many of those artists I’ve covered over the year, and they all shine in their own verses!

Specifically, Ant/AU/Here$ & FLYG made the track phenomenal! Again, all names not new to each other, and all have their own characteristic that makes them special!

It was great to say Gustavo appeared on the record! A man I’m definitely no stranger to, and as usual, he brings his intense, raw NARCO energy! Of course, he has the song with the elaborate skit for the intro!

I must say the biggest surprises were seeing both Sleep Sinatra and SOO DO KOO! Both men I’ve covered in the past, and both are dope artists in their own right, so to see them pair with Jazzy was amazing!

Also, it’s wild to me how they decided to end the album on not only an instrumental but one with 3 fucking producers! That’s a statement right there. Only a man like Jazzy could have thought to do that! Ballsy and innovative!

As I complimented before, it’s amazing to me the mind Jazzy has (especially when he incorporates feature producers as well as MC’s) for this final grand project, and him knowing who to put where for which track, for which vibe, and atmosphere, he’s calculating it all and in doing so has pulled off the impossible project!

As this album is just shy of an hour you have a whole platter of different sounds, variety, inspiration, genres to stuff your face with!

If you want hardcore, gritty boom Bap check tracks -2/5/6 if your looking for a track with heavy Jazz influence you have tracks -1/15

If your after a more upbeat, groovy experience that’s when tracks like -13/17/14

There’s so many different aspects that you can explore! This is the biggest sonic adventure you could find this year with enough characters to discover that you could listen to this album 10x over and uncover something new everytime!

It’s hard for me to pin point a favourite beat for me, I tend to gravitate towards more Jazz heavy beats so the 2 I mentioned are up there but this is such a cohesive project that it’s impossible for me to listen to this in any other aspect but as a whole album!

It’s beautifully executed, synced perfectly with the production and the MC’s and feels like a proper grand finale for 2025!

If you haven’t heard this one yet then you are truly missing out! Make sure you click on the link below and hear the explosive underground representatives that make -3GGNOG! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5uYzbtXwQc2MooJ7WgnehK?si=3kjCE0iqTS6sERg6HvsCSg

(Psychological Cheat Sheet 6)

Man, what an opportunistic time to get to realise this one! I still remember when I did the review for the 5th one earlier in the year and how much of an impact it had and the strength of this duo, but now they are back and the question is ‘how do they fare this time around?’ Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new record by MC Vic Spencer & August Fanon and together they drop a fresh 14 tracks and 39 minutes of content that is sure to explode the culture one last time before the new year!

If we are talking about the rapping aspect of this album, we hear Vic pull off one of his more focused and methodically charged works we’ve heard him on in a minute! 

He’s always been the type of rapper to make every word feel heavy and important. Never an author to waste a single breath on a track, and we hear him on this one utilise patience, take his time with the enunciation and pronouncing of each sentence and bar to make sure it’s felt in full force and sinks into the instrumental as smoothly as it can!

He comes packed with his trademark raw charisma, his technically proficient rhythm and surreal flow and pen game that has him compelling the audience with his self-reflecting verses and in-depth imagery that is so potent and powerful that you feel like you’re listening to a collection of mini novels taking place over a series of luscious and beautiful productions!

I know I said this above, but I love artists of any genre (but especially hip hop) who emphasise ‘patience’ and take their time doing the rapping. Take an artist like Billy Woods for example, a man who’s critically acclaimed for his storytelling and verbal demeanour, and I feel the same qualifies for Vic!

He has that same rich sense of timing and complex lyricism that forces you to hang on every word he says and writes down, and that’s (above all) makes me love him as an MC

Now onto the second half of the equation, August Fanon. The man who I recently covered for his work on the new Kendall Spencer record, and just as frequently as he is a collaborator with him, he’s also the same with Vic. The bond these two share is rare, and you can hear it in the production on this very album!

Across these 14 tracks, we hear August go back to his more mellow, relaxed, and yet more atmospheric takes that feel equal parts minimal and grand in stature (a balance that isn’t easy to pull off, but once that a legend like him pulls off exquisitely!).

Very similar composition as the Kendall Spencer take, we hear a score that works best when listening in order. Sure, picking specific songs would naturally sound good individually, but it doesn’t give you that ultimate feeling of overpowering sense of artistic expression without it being listened to as a whole!

These are the kind of instrumentals that pair perfectly with the nature of Vince’s rapping preference and style, and in turn, make this whole record a phenomenally blissful listen!

That dreamy, soulful, almost ambient-like texture fused with the best and most potent elements of underground hip hop, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for success. Combine this with the originality and vivid lyrical performance of Vic, and you’ve got yourself not only a fantastic album but a brilliant further sequel on an ever-growing list of a series that’s underrated but has all the right elements to be considered among one of the best series in the game, period!

Make sure you give it a listen below. If this is your first time hearing this series, make sure to back to the others and experience the magic! If you are aware and have been keeping track, this one is bound to impress you just as much (if not more) than the others did! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6g8eP6xKinNVB2cbQDFtBH?si=ATgvAWmkS_ywNG3lWkuYWg

(CROWN ME KING)

It’s been a long minute since I last covered this man. A man whose identity (inside and out of music) is exactly the same. You don’t get that many people like that anymore, and his music reflects that!

Some of the most high-energy, big-performance feel comes from his records, and with the hype and roster on this one, I’m expecting nothing less than the same hardcore tunes I’ve come to expect from the man himself, and in his own words.

CROWN ME KING!

This is the brand-new and final record of 2025 for Producer/MC Nam Nitty! Accompanying him is the gargantuan list of names such as:

-PILLZBURY 

-BUB ROCK

-KING NOVA

-PETER LEO

-THE BAD SEED

-BULLY BLOCK

-RAH SUN

-VOICE WATKINS

-PRETTY P

-ENZO GLOBE

-J SOS

-NEEZ NO GOOD

-BARZ 4DAYZ

-JOHN JIGG$

-REEK THE VILLAIN

-KAESON SKRILLA

-MAXX BOND

-SPLASH631

That list is already half the review, and I ain’t even said anything yet! That’s fucking wild.

See, what’s interesting to me is that Nam is one of those names who consistently has a party worth of names attached to his records, and I bring this up because I’ll often praise artists who are able to carry an LP or EP on just solo merits alone. 

Although I stand firm on that stance, the thing to note about Nam is the fact that he’s reminiscent of a Lil Jon type. We all know and remember that Lil Jon had no problem during his early ‘Eastside Boyz’ record days to take over the record with his relentless energy alone! He made himself a household name before he ever branched out to the names glory feature name he’s now associated with.

Nam is that same kind of cat, although he could very easily rock an album just him, his raw beats, and his unrivalled intensity, but he chooses to use his skills as a hype man to encourage and incorporate like-minded and similar energy individuals to accompany him on his albums to put it bluntly, 

‘TEAR THE FUCKING HOUSE DOWN’

And that’s exactly what happens on these songs! Nam and the gang jump on and wreck shop with their various charisma and cadences, with their own unique and individual takes on verses, bars, flow, lyricisms, rhythms. They are all different but all high-octane energy as to maintain the large sonic flame of the record and never let it die down!

They all take turns demolishing the instrumentals, verse after verse, savage dissection of the beat after further musical slaughter until there’s nothing left of the beat to save!

As is commonplace with Nam, he hires underground MC Hitmen! Brutal figures who couldn’t give a fuck about radio hits or Grammys or any awards or recognitions. Their careers are focused on dismantling instrumentals, wrecking a beat and coming full force with an MC pack mentality so formidable and forceful that you’d be scared to attempt a feature amongst the family that Nam recruits! A true lyrical massacre! 

When we discuss the production, if you’re expecting Nam to have that intense level of lyricism firing on all cylinders and not have production rough enough to match? Get the fuck outta here! If the MC’s are savages it’s only because they are enraged by the hypnotic production that Nam created!

Across this tape we hear his trademark rugged, rude, raw and reckless expression of sounds and boom bap influences of the highest calibre! If you’re new to his music and want a visual of what to expect

Imagine if Onyx, M.O.P and DMX had a sonic baby that was born a cocaine addict like Royce Da 5’9 and that’s what this album is! Every beat is out to kill, absolutely murderous tunes that will force the listener to mean-mug the world and look at every business as a quick cash investment (if you know you know)

I mentioned Lil Jon above and in production the same formula applies! A sort of gutter/street equivalent of dance songs for the hood! Songs that only the realest of the real can groove to! That’s what this sounds like, songs with heavy drums, disgustingly plucked bass strings, haunting piano keys and all done in the most sadistic & masterful ways possible! 

The day Nam releases a subtle album is the day hell freezes over! I finished my shift half an hour ago and I’m still sitting here bumping my head and mean mugging my lunch area table and probably scaring everyone who walks in to clock in because this album is too fucking ridiculous!!

I gotta say I did love the track -PRODUCT OF REAGANANOMICS due to the obvious nod to The Notorious BIG and his song (Everyday Struggle) an inspiration they did beautifully! 

Yes, at this point CROWN HIM KING! When it comes to this lane of production and verses no one can touch him. He doesn’t go HAM he goes fucking NAM! He’s got some of the realest music out and if you don’t believe me, click the link below, fuck around and find out! 

https://secretsosietyentertainment.bandcamp.com/album/crown-me-king