(FOUR FINGER RING III)

Man, what a trilogy this has become. I still remember hearing the first one, which led to an on-screen interview for me and Brutus’s ‘The Verdict’ podcast episode talking to the man exclusively as he defended his album over the Rome Streetz record ‘KISS THE RING’, and little did I know at that time that it would lead into the strong relationship I would have with not only him but his whole 6th Man team!

So, in saying that, let’s get into the long-awaited third instalment of one of the best trilogies in hip-hop history! LET’S GO!

This is the brand-new record by Rap legend The Bad Seed, 6th Man kingpin! With this record, he’s coming with a whole squad of producers such as: 

– Team Demo

– Murda Megz

– Jah Freedom

– Nam Nitty

– Silverback Lauren

– CJ Dove

– Van Gunz & Poe Mack

– Shade Cobain

– s-tewe

– Freakshow

– Doza The Drum Dealer

And features MC’s of:

– PH

– MIMS

If that ain’t a strong list of beat makers, then you’re fucking trippin! This is more than an HOUR of content. Over an hour of ridiculous beats and even harder flows to match by the living legend himself!

You know, when you have so many producers on a project, there’s always a worry that it’s going to sound messy and out of sync (due to having too many heads in the kitchen), but thankfully, this project went against that stereotype and inherited the best aspects of each man involved and fleshed out their strongest qualities to create 23 tracks of pure fire!

Across the different sounds and inspirations, this album maintains Seed’s usual no-nonsense, heavy-handed, raw, and gritty tone that is a homage paid to the 90s where he started his career from! With every record, he’s always found a way to pay some form of respect to the OG era, and this record is no different.

Whether we are talking tracks like ‘Words2Mama’ which brings back the powerhouse production by Nam Nitty! In this track we have those heavy strings, hypnotic drum patterns and those subtle keys going off in the background! This is as raw as it gets and unforgiving as it comes! (Plus love the return to that undeniable chemistry of Nam and Seed!)

One of the leading singles off the album (Old Head) with the Silverback himself, Lauren, and on this track we have those funky and groovy horns with those light G-Funk chords in the background causing a badass, minimal instrumental that hits all the right places!

This is definitely one of those tracks I can hear a Biggie Smalls influence from! Gives me ‘Kick In The Door’ type feel to it! Always making sure to pay back to his roots!

You’d be absolutely retarded if you don’t recognise the long-lasting synchronicity between Seed and Murda Megz. The woman who has a small handful of tracks on this project and all of them go OFF! Probably my favourite track being ‘Stick and Fried’, she has to be the most improved producer I’ve heard in the last few years getting better with each and every drop and her cuts on this record are definitely no exception!

I love the choir, gospel feel this record showcased, giving that track a heavy cinematic feel to it! 

Another name I was happy to see (even if only once) is Shade Cobain! He’s also become one of my favourite producers of the year and hasn’t missed yet. On this record he produces the track ‘J’ouvert’ which I remember reviewing as a single and I found it one of the most interesting and out-there instrumentals I’ve ever heard Seed spit on! It was unique, brash and in your face just in a way I wasn’t expecting! 

A name I wasn’t expecting on this project for a pleasant surprise was ‘Doza The Drum Dealer’ he’s a name I’ve only discovered a few months ago but one that impressed me 10x fold! This man has such a colorful and flavourful style to his production that makes all his music infectious! But his chemistry with Seed ended up being amazing! 

With his track ‘R2’ which has this heavy, orchestral type beat that is every bit as grand and powerful as I expected him to be! Those choir samples with those heavy drum patterns and infectious bass lines! Such a simply layers track but one that has enough depth and aura that can match any other track on this record!

Point being, even with this many producers on hand every one of them hits HARD! Not a single stale beat to find, absolute chemistry and runs as fluent as I could ever expect them to be together, respect and shoutout to all beat makers involved!

Now, onto Seed himself. One thing I love about this record was the pre release promoting he was doing for it! All the Michael Jordan, 3 Peat posts and photos really had me hype! He carries that same vibes into the album with tons of references on tracks like ‘JORDAN IN A KNICK JERSEY’ or how early on in the album he had basketball references in sound samples and even Seed himself using adlibs talking and making his own custom fan screaming sounds! 

He understands the gravity of a third installation and not making a sequel just for the sake of it, he’s doing it because it’s important to him and the songs and verses need to be heard! And he adds so much details, lyricism and themes that it’s hard to include it all in one review.

You’ve got that track ‘Me And My Brother’ which if you know anything about Seed or 6th man can understand the importance and emotion depth of this track, regarding his long lost brother PH and not only that but having him at the end in a posthumous verse really hit me hard so I can’t imagine how it made Seed and team felt! Can’t of been easy to record!

You’ve got that track ‘Old Head’ which is quite self explanatory, talking about his age and the current landscape of hip hop and how he’s still running circles around everyone in the game right now! 

You’ve got the track ‘I MISS CRACKHEADS’ which I found to be a pretty funny premise, and when I heard it was just him talking about a variety of Crackheads he remembers in his time and sounded more of just a nostalgia track more then anything! 

That’s another thing, with an over an hour of content there’s so much lyrical diversity by Seed that goes beyond his ‘fuck your life’ gritty attitude on the beat that we’ve come to fall for over the years! 

For every track, there’s a new topic and a new opportunity for Seed to showcase his ability that he’s been sharping and evolving over the decades! More then an hour to out rap all the young guys in the game and prove once again why it’s the older generation that is taking over (and has been taking over for years now)

To say this is the perfect addition to a trilogy is an understatement. From the epic and diverse production to the MC Masterclass by Seed and company! It’s an album that’s more art than music! 

https://thebadseed6.bandcamp.com/album/four-finger-ring-iii

(Psychotic Features)

Damn, if that’s not the greatest opening track to a record, then I don’t know what is. A shot at Hollywood while repping his underground pride! Badass as fuck, but as history has proven, this man doesn’t ever mellow out; he only grows stronger and angrier, and this is probably the magnum opus to his aggression! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new record by MC AYOO BIGZ! Accompanied by producer iTrak, and together they dropped ten new tracks that (as the album name implies) are focused on dope features, which in this case is the list of: 

-JD Era

-Royal Flush

-Dj Cliff

-KNG Bondalero

-Daniel Son

-Che Uno

-Slik Jack

-Sayzee

-MONEY MOGLY

-Benny Watts

-Snotty

-Tona 

An absolutely ridiculous roster to bring with you, especially when that main artist is AYOO! Each man has the recipe to create a perfect match and a shot of adrenaline to the listener! And creates such a savage environment that it’s impossible to contain!

If we start off with the production, we have iTrak, who I feel has understood the assignment and the best soundscape for this ridiculous team of MC’s to go OFF on. He studied the room and created these beats that, on one hand, feel like a homage paid to the 90s era of hip hop and also create an atmosphere of heavy, raw, and gritty modern-day boom bap that is impossible to ignore!

This whole project feels like a fluent score of sounds that has no weak act to pinpoint! Just banger after banger that represents the anger, frustration, conviction, and mindset of AYOO and all his associates across this project! 

A few key tracks that stood out to me as favourites were as follows:

-Pookie’s Revenge: Before I even heard the track itself, I could just based on the two men involved this would have fucking incredible chemistry, and to no surprise, I was right! Snotty brings infinite layers of gritty charisma that elevate this track to new levels! Especially when paired with a beast like AYOO, this track had no business being anything but amazing, and it was!

The beat itself has a fantastic, simplistic tone to it, with those sharp, looping piano keys accompanied by those synth chords and tapping sounds all coming together over some hypnotic drums that make for a boss track that I found myself replaying more than the others!

The other track I loved was – Ultra Terrestrials! Out of all the features on here, I’d have to say MONEY’s and Shottie’s verses had me most intrigued because of their trademark charisma and personality they present across all their tracks and they don’t disappoint on this one!

Bar after bar, puns, one-liners, phrases bangers after bangers, they really gave a ‘AOTY’ quality verse on this song and it was beautiful!

This beat also has a smooth and sweet feel to it with those plucked strings, intricate drums, and those light, subtle keys in the background! It’s groovy and stands out from the pack for all the right reasons!

That’s another thing I appreciate about iTraks production. Although it’s all fluent and complements each other, there’s still a nice variety of influences and styles to please every kind of hip-hop fan, and he handles every track masterfully and with incredible technique!

If this is your first time experiencing AYOO’s music, then you are in for a ride you won’t ever experience again or since. This man brings with him a special type of energy and passion that you can’t find by any other artist.

He brings the violence and chaos from the streets into the studio with him, and although he’s released a few projects over the years, this one is his most upfront and raw yet!

Across the 29 minutes of content on this record, and despite working with the current runners of our generation, he holds his own and stands his own two rapping alongside them as equals! Matching verse for verse and easily maintaining superior raw power over the rest! 

Listening to an AYOO BIGZ record is like listening to a train collision. Or an earthquake tearing up a city. There’s no give or reluctance in his voice, it’s just pure unadulterated verbal strength that will blow any competitor away.

It’s smart to me that so much of the industry has decided to pair with him instead of against him and that’s because he seems like the kind of guy who could rip a guy in half without even breaking a sweat!

As usual, his verbal killer instincts remain intact. His dominating flow is present, his sharp wordplay and lyricism come out in spades and his natural swagger and aura take over every track that he’s on!

If you ain’t listening to this record then you’re not for the culture it’s as simple as that. No excuses, go stream the album!

https://open.spotify.com/album/55uv4cxvL0BUXZe0fSA8Nt?si=Pedv9fCmQPe9QuscynEyHg

(Flies In The Face Of God)

I’m pretty sure when it comes to these twins, I’m the opposite of Bruce Wayne. No matter how much prep time I could have, I could never be prepared for the music that’s coming. These guys evolved a few projects ago and now are making enlightened art that you should be hanging in museums! Let’s fucking talk about it!

This is the brand-new record by everyone’s favourite duo. MC Red Amandala and Producer AbbotJackson. Together they have a new batch of seven tracks running 14 minutes of pure, elegant bliss that I can’t stress enough you won’t find anywhere else!

From the opening track, those artistic touches that I’ve been hyping up hit you right in the face immediately. The song opens up with those ambience and texture of a summer’s day, those plucked strings, light subtle chords in the background, discrete bass, and then further evolves into some soul-inspired drum claps that all come together for a song that I would listen to while smoking a fat one and walking through my local woodlands— absolutely unreal.

From there, the album only gets bigger and more cinematic. Track two showcases that with the song ‘God Is Mysterious’ with those heavy-handed chords hitting you right in your face as the song starts! This time with some beautifully executed flute sounds and more background chords that sound like organs and some very subtle strings!

As the song progresses, we hear Abbot adding some light vocal harmonies that put this track that much more over the top to the angelic side!

If it’s even possible to choose a favourite track on this album, I’d have to choose ‘More Smiles’. The jazz feel of this track (my favourite hip-hop genre fusion) is beyond exceptional. It has those gorgeous horns as well as more light chords that come together for this incredibly paced song that takes all the stress away from your body!

This record is beyond satisfying, and I can’t stress enough, Abbot is one of the best producers to go right now! I said it when I first heard both of them, and my opinion has only further strengthened from this record and all the rest before this. 

Now onto Red Amandala, the perfect right-hand man for the sounds of Abbot. These two have some of the best chemistries I’ve heard, period, and they further illustrate their performances across this record!

On this one, we hear Red adding more to his illustrious flow with a stronger pen game, more vivid stories, and ever-stronger charisma that vibes perfectly with the instrumentals! 

I love his natural swagger and aura on these songs. He sounds so at home and seems like a man who will keep to what he knows best and let his best qualities speak for him, and I LOVE THAT!

Whether he’s rapping on an Al project or Abbot’s, he’s got so much eccentric energy that he carries every project that he’s on. Strong and smooth flow, verbal excellence that is fun, crisp, and introspective! (As he’s been demonstrating for the past few records now.)

Another trend I notice across the albums by this duo is the lack of features! I absolutely LOVE that! Red is proving he doesn’t need anybody to help him and his dynamic presence across the tracks! He’s on the mind of some of the biggest underground rappers in the world right now, so it only makes sense he’s not worried about random features to water down what he can bring to the table!

If you haven’t been paying attention to the collection of music these guys have been dropping, then you’ve been missing out on some of the most beautiful and artistic pieces of gold we’ve gotten yet! Trust me on this one!

https://open.spotify.com/album/57SzY2TNdvtpCLjNSkKLlW?si=qWK—pHQSeS4LKdqKXuFg

(The New Frontier)

I think quietly this man has come out the back end of 2025 with some of the strongest discographies in the underground. After covering his last record, I was curious to see what he’d do next, and now we know! Another banging record with a single producer this time, and both shone brighter than I thought possible! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new record by MC B1 The Architect and Producer Danobravo, and together they dropped a fresh 11 tracks with the likes of 

-Age

-Shark on the features (loving the single-word names here) made me feel a certain way! 

Now, I feel like if we’re talking about the production side of things, this one feels a lot more atmospheric and surreal in experience as it plays almost like an indie film with tons of colour and unique vibes that the previous one didn’t have (which I felt was more aggressive and rough in comparison).

Danobravo does a fantastic job at capturing the momentum and moments that matter in the record, from the isolated instrumentation to the specific layers and focusing on engaging and emphasis on specific elements that turn this record into a grand pursuit of sounds and emotions.

If I had to choose a favourite track of the list, it would have to be ‘Hard Times’. I just love the emotionally driven and powerful message the music (and lyrics) provide across that track. 

From those plucked strings, hypnotic drum patterns, scattered keys that all come together for a beautifully executed instrumental!

What was the cherry on top of the cake for me was that wrestling promo towards the end speaking about ‘hard times’ and tied in the impact of the song 10x fold! Absolutely loved it.

Dano did his job and then some. He helped bring the music to life, and I couldn’t think of anyone else better to pair with B1 to create the masterpiece that he did! 

Now, onto B1. It honestly feels like from his last album to one that he’s evolved as a species. Because he seems to have elevated everything that made him appealing over the last few months and amped everything up to ridiculous highs!

Across this album, he sounds like an absolute powerhouse. A hip-hop preacher that is trying to spread his message to the world one word at a time!

I love how fucking fluent he is across this one, there’s never a song to point out where anything was less than exceptional. Perfectly smooth flow, incredibly punctual wordplay, verbal excellence and a pen game so strong it reads like mini novels track to track!

As mentioned above, only two features. Which means he spends nine of the tracks by himself running the record and taking out any doubt that he IS that guy, he’s the one who can make a record entertaining and thrive without the help from others!

In saying that, the few tracks with people on it are incredibly smooth, well synchronised and a fun track to vibe to! He may not have a lot on there, but the few he does go hard! Well picked

To say this is a brilliant album I find that an understatement, the sounds are bold. The verses are sharp and the features well done! This is easily placed on the ‘AOTY’ list!

https://open.spotify.com/album/1vHuFXffUrQI8xuGCAr0vR?si=YkIXVkZVS3ec9vHB4UJaoA

(En Dents D’Scie)

Although I may not understand what the title says, I can safely say that this is some of the most badass artwork I’ve seen all year. Reminds me of some horror anime artwork! Very sick!

So, this is the brand-new single by MC Ric Da Shadow, MC who released one of the most entertaining albums not that long ago! Alongside him, we have Ana Logiik on the production, and together they drop a fresh two-minute track that sounds exactly as the artwork looks!

GHOULISH!

Now, as I should have come to expect (based on the artwork), this track is absolutely menacing. It’s got these heavy-handed keys that sound straight out of Davy Jones’s locker with haunting efficiency and tied together with an incredibly raw and powerful hip-hop pattern with drums and all to act as a kind of ‘skeleton’ to the track that gives it that extra layer of intensity. 

From the opening few seconds with that harrowing verbal intro attached, it makes for the perfect interlude for the raps that were soon to follow!

As we got into the heart of the track (and although it was in french a language I couldn’t understand), all the right layers and boxes were checked for this to be a banging verse!

It was relentless in execution, the flow was wicked, and the cadence and charisma glistened with murderous tendencies! Absolutely unreal.

You can hear the structural conviction in his voice, the weight of his words through every breath, and the passion in his heart. He and the producer definitely have incredible chemistry as they both come together as one on this incredible showing!

Another killer single for the man. With brilliant production to match! Definitely one to look out for!

https://dashadowmc.bandcamp.com/track/en-dents-dscie

(Spaceship Dreams)

Come to think about it, I don’t know if I’ve ever reviewed a whole project by this man? My memory is shitty, but if I remember correctly, it’s only been singles! And they have been some of the dopest singles in the underground period! All different flavours and textures, and this track is no exception! 

Rocking with a brand-new producer (to me at least), we see Nero try his hand at a more ‘atmospheric tune’. Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new single by MC Nero, this time produced by 6th Floor, and this track is not even two minutes long yet has enough personality of a lot of cunts full lengths! I’ll explain why.

Firstly, if we discuss the production value, the beat sounds like you’re literally in a spaceship looking down on Earth as this beat plays. It has these sharp sci-fi chords that go off in a semi-loop, as well as these repetitive claps and some funky bass that makes for a pretty minimal yet captivating track!

This is the kind of beat you’d listen to while smoking a fat joint and let the world and your vivid imagination pass you by. It’s the definition of epic! Definitely dig it!

On top of that, we have Nero, the man who’s always full of surprises on the mic. He’s the kind of MC that, regardless of the theme, style, or genre of beat, he can rock with it and make it his own! On this track, he sounds as if he’s the overlord of space and rapping like all the instrumentation is controlled by him and he’s giving Earth an exclusive show!

As usual, he comes packed with his natural charisma, his incredible flow & timing. The way he can bend a beat to his will and act accordingly. The way he uses his impressive vocabulary and lyricism to his advantage and spit dope bars regardless of how long or short the verses are, he spits straight fire!

I also love how he never needs anyone with him to take centre stage. He knows he’s enough of a dominant presence across the beat that he doesn’t need anyone else to help him, and this track further proves that theory right!

Once again, another DOPE single by Nero and a very interesting and original beat by 6th Floor! Dope chemistry together!

https://open.spotify.com/album/70gh3SHUem2YcqL9i5jZ0Y?si=q1fH8LAVRf2Slzm7si-BTA

(I Spit On Your Grave)

Talk about someone who definitely doesn’t get the credit he deserves. This man has had a steady year with the who’s who of names to accompany him! Now he’s back with possibly one of his darkest releases yet! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new project by MC Sayzee! This album features production from

-Himself

-Sonny Carson

-Nar

-Sibbs Roc

-The Russian Futurists

-The OddFather

And with guest sputters such as 

-Daniel Son

-Richie Sosa

These two amplify the record in a way very few can and help expand this eight-track project to its fullest potential! 

Starting off with the production. As I mentioned above, this could be his more sinister and violent sounds he’s put to the studio. Not even necessary the music itself as much as it is the vibes, themes, and concepts he’s bringing to the table. 

This really does feel like a Halloween-approach record with darker methods, music that’s a lot more minimal and raw in approach with suits Say to a Tee.

Whether we are talking about the track ‘Cannons’, the opening track. You’ve got those swaying synth chords with that minor tragic jazz influence with those end horns and those heavy drum patterns that make this a bizarre combo of sounds that’s that acts as the perfect introduction!

From there, we have tracks like ‘With’, which has a lot of a laid-back presence with those light Spanish acoustic guitars and super subtle drums that make this feel like a reflection track to make you think about life while Sayzee and Daniel Son go off and flex some of the coldest bars they’ve ever spit! 

To go from crazy experimental to laid back and casual speaks to the free form he’s wanting on this record. Where there’s no safety corner for the listener, expect anything and everything!

Further proof of this is track ‘Coffin Dive’, which appears towards the end of the record and has a strong thriller/horror movie feel to it that I was addicted to!

You’ve got those methodically paced guitar strings with those hypnotic drums that combine to make a skeletal yet infectious instrumental that you could stew in for hours!

On this track, we have Richie, who uses his own serving of charisma and devastating ability that is every part horrifying as the beat! 

 All these beats to say that he ain’t playing it safe on this one. He doesn’t care about traditional structure or behaviours. He wants to execute his record HIS WAY and provide the audience with the most uncertainty as possible, and I mean when you clicked on the record ‘I Spit On Your Grave’, did you expect a relaxing message?

Now onto Sayzee. Somehow, he keeps getting better and better with every new release. Across this record, he shows us a more aggressive and psychotic side that we haven’t seen yet. He sounds like a man who has been dying to showcase his more brutal alter ego but never really had the chance to.

If anything, I would have expected this side to come out on his ‘Two Way Mirror’ record, as that was (I’d assume) his most aggressive up until that point! 

But regardless, on this album, he’s spitting on everyone’s grave, Scott Hall, your grandma’s, fuck you, and yours, he’s getting his! A true American psycho, he’s spitting BARS left, right, and centre, trying to hit everyone.

His verses are as cold and harsh as ever, his flow is intense and in your face, as if he’s Jason, ready to hold that machete to your face! His aura is dark and brooding with the feel of one small sense would cause him to beat your skull in, and his pen game is as vicious and as deadly as it’s ever been!

It’s not that he’s just a skilled MC’s but it’s everything from his impressive vocabulary, his way with how he says the words. The structural situations he sets up during the verses, and the aura (dark or otherwise) that he shows on the beats!

Of course, when he’s paired with features such as Daniel Son and Richie, his intensity grows as he sharpens his own skill to maintain on the level of those titans, and he does that fantastically! 

All in all, he hasn’t had a bad album this year yet, and he doesn’t start here! It’s cold, calculating, raw as hell, and infectious in every way possible!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5DI6Estm97g7p5ADYjvbmT?si=22tgnRuhSACgZbLyntuRMw

(Really Get It)

Nothing I appreciate more than a super chill and funky single to help give the culture that extra little push to shake things up, and this is exactly what this one is doing right now! 

By an artist I have yet to cover and a producer whose reputation precedes him, this is two minutes of some of the freshest hip hop you’ve heard to date! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new single by MC Troy Dunnit and producer Mike Shabb, and they are coming with that modern-day hip hop vibe that is equal parts refreshing and original in content and instrumental! 

Starting with that production. This feels like a mix of Boom Bap and 2010’s Wiz Khalifa era combined into one! 

So, this production starts off with this looped and snipped vocal harmony that carries onto the main track but is cut a lot more and only small increments are used! As the song progresses, we have these funky, wavy echoing chords in a groovy loop as well as what sounds like high-pitch synth/violin strings and very light jazz drums that go off every so subtly! 

All this comes together and kind of reminds me of current-day boom bap and ‘Kush and Orange Juice’ era Wiz in terms of vibe, feel, and atmosphere! Super dope mix of sounds!

To complement this sound further, we have Troy himself who, as he will say himself, ‘Dunnit’ on the beat with ease! This man is super fucking smooth, and from the opening lyrics, he’s telling me, you, the whole world, what he plans to do once he ‘Really gets it’.

He’s not shy in his ‘Treasure Chests, Fresh Air Ones, Walking closets as big as a hallway’ he goes on and on, and he’s speaking positivity into the world, and I’m sure he’ll get it one day!

Across these two minutes, we hear his intricate lyricism with his double entendres, puns, one-liners, and more. The way he flows feels like a bug flying through the wind without a care in the world! Absolutely insane.

On top of his smoothness, we also see his pen game and his complex vocabulary, and the way he can verbally dissect and massacre a beat with his wordplay, natural charisma, and attention to detail!

He doesn’t give himself time to breathe on this track, utilising the entire 2 minutes and 10 seconds to his advantage to showcase his skills and let the world know why he’s the one you should be looking out for, making a beat by a legendary producer feel like everyday clockwork to him! 

This is a track that you can’t afford to miss out on! It’s vibrant and executed perfectly! Go check it out yourself today! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/58hmkt75u2KHHopRTgOSXf?si=9jqgLG7cTkSr6g3DmDjOkw

(Who Laced My Blunt?! 2)

We are SO BACK for this release! It’s been a minute since the last one, and it seems a few new faces have come forward in the production of this new album, which makes it that ever more exciting! 

So let’s not waste any more time, let’s all pick up our laced blunts, pray to god it ain’t crack and burn that shit slow and steady as we get ready to tackle this new project!

Brand new album by MC Concept and fellow producers such as 

-Gigs

-Marvelous Beats

-Jazzy Lion Man

-Deven Nettles

-Gigs

-E.D. Nix

And with only seven tracks here, they really didn’t waste any time getting going with a variety of sounds you wouldn’t expect to be on the same album! 

Like, for example, the fact that ‘Humble Flex’ and ‘RAP MONEY’ are on the same album is insane. Two completely different vibes and sonic textures! The first being this melodic, hypnotic, and mesmerising atmosphere with those luscious keys and light plucked strings.

While the second has this heavy crunk, Lil Jon feel to it! Heavy, unapologetic, and sharp in every single way! (And that’s only two songs)

For the rest of the record, we have tracks like ‘Started Snappin’ which has a heavy soul/jazz feel to it, which is to be expected from Jazzy Lion Man. Back with that infectiously light instrumentals!

Even the way the record ends with ‘Calamari At Carmines’ which has more of those plucked strings and this time chipmunk-inspired choir vocals and intricate keys. It feels like a B-side from Kanye’s ‘The College Dropout’ it’s Swift, groovy, and memorable!

The point is, with the list of producers comes a variety of sounds that is sure to impress everyone at some point! Appealing to every kind of demographic, and that’s dope! 

Now onto Concept, ever the chameleon himself! Being able to switch up his verses to match the variety in the music. At some points, he’s slow-paced, humbled, and delicate. At others, he’s flexing, brash, and loud! 

He’s the king of that switch-up shit, being able to dominate any lane available and stick his flag in the dirt and claim it as his own!

He’s an absolute beast with his pen game, always being able to capture the audience’s attention and play out his lyricism and flow like a cinematic play ready to be presented from start to finish!

He does have a few features on here that he handpicked to make this record run ever so smoothly and elevate the record further! Each man would, of course, play crucial supporting roles and casts and turn this solo film into an Oscar-worthy performance with a score to match! 

This is honestly (in every way possible) better than the first. It’s more experimental, more complex, and complete. More colourful and with many more layers attached, it does feel like you’ve smoked the most ungodly joint of your life and are forced to go through the process of a story you won’t soon forget! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0IoGenPTyhPZKEbky0eeW3?si=NiTVt83vQsO1ZoE4CR-puQ

(EVIL TWIN)

This has been a record I’ve been waiting for about two weeks now. Ever since they released that lead single,  I’ve spent every leading week asking, enquiring, and checking for the record only for it to come out now.

Two amazing acts, combing their ways and paths to create the real ‘Evil Twin’. Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new album by MC’s SMELLO and Super Producer Vinyl Villain, and together they drop eight fresh tracks with the likes of 

-Kaleo Jacob’s

-Datkidbravo

-Chyna Baejing

-Nyeusi Loe

The usual cast of brothers and sisters come together for this new project, representing the 23Incredible series. 

As mentioned above, we have Vinyl taking care of the production, and after hearing his work on the single ‘ILLITERATEILLMIND’, I knew he was going to make a series of bangers, and that’s exactly what he does on here!

This is some of the most dark and eerie tracks I’ve heard him work on lately. The closest to this would have to be ‘LORD OF THE ZINGZ’ in terms of magnitude, heaviness, and overall surreal feel and darker atmosphere! 

He absolutely nailed the sounds and instrumentals across this record! From that opening track ‘KNOWLEDGEPOWER’ with those haunting and mysterious chords that transform into those grand/methodical chords as well as those subtle keys and heavy drums!

Or we can look at the track ‘BORNINABARN’ which has this heavy sci-fi, alien abduction vibe to it with those hypnotic chords, angelic what sounds like violin sounds as well as fascinating and mesmerising drum patterns that run in a type of loop to give the track a certain ‘skeleton’ for the rest of the instrumentation to latch on to! 

Not to mention DatKid going absolutely ballistic across the track! 

Another track that really surprised me was ‘GETALIFE’ due to its grand and orchestral nature! You have those jittery and fast-paced keys that run in a pattern that almost sounds like a swarm of bees flying towards you! 

This track also has these sharp as fuck drums and extra subtle light keys that have an infrequent placement in the track to provide that small feel of ‘randomness’ that is infectious!

Man, this whole album is a masterpiece mixture of various sounds and influences to create a predominantly disturbing and diabolical landscape for THEMELLOS to go off on and create a memorable sonic adventure that you won’t soon forget anytime soon!

Now, onto THEMELLOS. I’ve had a handful of experiences with them in the past and they’ve done nothing but impress me the more I dive into them! This project is no exception with the pair sounding more on point and focused than I remember hearing them across this year! 

With only a handful of minutes to utilise, there’s no time wasting to be had here, just pure unadulterated bars to match the ferocity of the production! I’m taking bar after bar, solid verse after solid verse and enough bravado to fill the air and then some!

I’d say these guys are severely overrated among most, which is a shame because whenever I hear them on a single or project, they are the ones who I find

surprised me the most!

Going back to what I felt on the ‘ILLITERATEILLMIND’ track, how it was just verbal slaughter from start to finish! That’s exactly what this album is. A celebration of real lyricism and wordplay that not enough follow suit with! 

I love how either on tracks solo or the ones with the few names provided, we see an astonishing level of detail, street poetry, and vivid imagery that only these guys can create!

It feels like I’m listening to an episode of Sopranos turned Hip Hop Project. It’s heavy-handed, striking, complex, hardcore, and artistically beautiful in every way possible! 

This project was every second worth the wait! From the fantastic features to the production itself. Bandcamp exclusive right now and for only $7, you really can’t go wrong! 

https://themellos7.bandcamp.com/album/evil-twin