(TWO ZINGS THAT STOLE CHRISTMAS)

Twas the night before the ZINGERS ruled the world one more time. It’s starting to feel a lot like that wavy shit, everywhere you go, and with Xmas around the corner, I ain’t talking Rudolf when I say the animals are coming loose! Let’s get to it!

This is the brand-new album (and sequel) by MC and FEED THE FAMILY member Borirock! His second Christmas album, improving on the first in every way possible!

Across this tape, we have production from

-LARON

-BONEWESO

-REDHANDS

-GRIMM DOZA

-FELONS

-TREMENDISS

And MC features from 

-BLUEHILLBILL

-AL DIVINO

-DUN DEALY

Now, right off the bat, this feels like the last Christmas album on steroids! The production feels stronger, more crisp, and absolutely devastating in execution. Fusing powerhouse sounds with that Xmas vibe to create a fusion we haven’t heard before in this niche subgenre of rap!

Imagine a film score director creating a hip-hop album but with a Christmas hint, and you’ve got this! Absolutely atmospheric beats, big instrumentation, and an overall mastery of elements and influences to take you out of your shell and force your brain to expand and explore the sonic adventure that these producers put you on! 

For example, you have songs like -UNCLE SAM MURDER SPREE, produced by BONEWESO, and once again, he doesn’t know how to miss.

From those long jazz horns to those delicate piano keys and methodical drums to come together for a beat you’d expect to hear on the -INFINITE WAVE project! Its very nature is angelic! 

Or the track -MASTERP, which takes a strong left into the more soulful area with that angelic vocal harmony on loop as well as that separate subtle vocal line in the background! 

This track also includes funky piano keys, plucked bass strings, and more groovy drums to make you feel like you just stepped back into the 70s! It’s absolutely gorgeous! In fact, every track by Bone kills!

I also love the final 30 seconds of the track about a sunglasses robbery! While this news snippet is going on, we hear the classic Christmas-themed music accompanying it!

Taking a more experimental route, we have the second-to-last track -BELICHICK as we are graced by the presence of the Splash god himself, Al! He started this track off accompanied by this ambient/experimental instrumental consisting of what sounds like a synth/flute sample loop across this methodical drum pattern and heavy bass, as well as some sci-fi-inspired chord progression that runs through the whole song! 

This is the perfect soundscape by LARON to utilise the essence of both AL & BORI! A duo we’ve heard plenty of times before as they both present a chemistry that is undeniably strong!

As far as the MC work goes. This feels like the same Bori we got in the ‘INFINITE WAVE & LORD OF THE ZINGZ’ era. To clarify, he hasn’t ever been lacking or boring in his performances. He’s constantly been top 3 MC’s for charisma, eccentricity, and wavy bars! 

But those two albums stand out to me specifically because of the uniquely heavy and focused performances I heard from him! He felt next level on those two tapes (as they came back-to-back), and on this record, he inherits the same locked-in, precise sharpness that could decapitate any beat in front of him!

Even when you look at the aspects such as Bone Weso on production, Dun Dealy on the closing track, a track with Al Divino! So many elements resembling INFINITE WAVE and his energy to match. 

Although this album doesn’t feature as much Christmas relevance as the first one, he makes up for it with extra intensity, ridiculous bar structures, and adlibs, as well as solid features and production to close off the year with an album that is sure to be remembered for years to come!

I’ll never not love the fact that Bori can go from 0-100 in less than a second. How he’s always on top of his game always adrenaline fueled and ready to go berserk on a track as he is here. He’s riding with his brothers across an end of the year surprise drop that highlights the very essence of Bori, FEED THE FAMILY and the associates he made over the years and this album feels like a proper explosive send of to a phenomenal 2025 and I know without a shadow of a doubt the culture will dig it!

So, get your hot chocolates ready, go sit besides the Christmas tree, watch the snow fall and most importantly go bump the new BORIROCK and company as that is truly the best present you can ask for this year! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4tBdc0CGzcUqfeOISvxEbB?si=e-kOE2DIQDmuzUw0rNyfgg

(SUPREME NOFACE)

It wasn’t that long ago that I first discovered this man, and since then I’ve witnessed his progression through the underground and the culture, and his rise and honesty. It makes me the happiest person to see an artist make a wave in such a competitive scene, and with that in mind, let’s talk about 

SUPREME NOFACE

This is the brand-new record by MC 067Red. With production by Scudd & REDHANDS as well as executive production by 1000WORD$ and featuring the likes of 

-Mondo Slade

-Codenine

-Figerson

-Knowitall

With such a devastating roster to accompany him, this project is definitely one for the ages! 

Across these 18 tracks and 31 minutes of material, we have a collection of some of the most angelic, gorgeous, and atmospheric instrumentals I’ve heard in a minute! This score is scattered with ambient takes, soulful energy, and the sonic equivalent of sitting by the ocean in a nice hot breeze on a bright summer’s day!

I felt myself instantly taken back by the masterful production across this tape and the feelings it gave!

I love how left field this album goes. Instead of going to the overused ‘boom bap, gritty’ sounds that are dark and violent in nature, we have a more refreshing, clean, and inviting instrumentals that relax your body and brain while you vibe to the record provided!

This is EXACTLY the type of tape we needed in the underground right now. Sure, we have certain names contributing to the more ‘lighter’ interpretations of the culture, such as 

-Sabio Dub

-Lo Katana 

-FLYG

-KnowItall

But it really is a movement that I feel needs more attention and practice, and in that respect, I love the fact we have producers such as Scudd, REDHANDS, and 1000Words coming in to provide that kind of push for the ones who are looking for something new!

This feels like what ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ and ‘De La Soul’ did for the culture back in the 80s when they went against the growing ‘gangsta rap’ sound and made their own alternative product that blew up! This is that time for the culture and I’m happy and blessed to bear witness to it!

As far as 067Red is concerned, he absolutely blew me away with his performances. Not that it would have been easy to live up to the hype of these beautiful beats, but he made it look easy. Across this tape, he showcases his contrast to the instrumentals with his raw and in-your-face performance that sounds like someone who just came up off the streets and started spitting in the booth!

He has the intensity of a hustler, while highlighting the ability of a true lyrical genius and verbal assassin! He has an interesting combination of a freelance ‘splash’ flow and a traditional rhythm that fused together to create his one-of-a-kind presence on this album.

I love the bundle of his street poetry, combined with his vivid storytelling and his ability to wave words in a way that cuts through the beat like a knife through butter and rocks a no-nonsense performance that I felt addictive and infectious!

I have to also shout out the features on this! I fuck with every single name here, but they all elevated themselves to new heights in this one! I was shocked to hear how well they pulled it off, from Mondo’s ‘preacher’ feel verse to Figersons’ intimidating and intricate dissection of bars; they both nailed it!

Codenine providing his masterclass in street slang and wavy aura across his verse to Knowitall flexing his extensive/complex vocabulary like an English professor using his PhD to show off in the audience’s faces!

Everyone on this tape felt the gravity of the production and acted accordingly! Definitely a massive highlight on this album!

From start to finish, this album was perfect. That lush production, those ridiculous features, and that performance by 067Red. It all came together better than I ever could have hoped, and I hope you all get to that link below and experience one of the best albums of the month and year! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/1vzS59nwwdZzVHjZ93uKka?si=p64nVjT4Tq6OtTu6VIEycA

(Rooted In The Essence)

I couldn’t be happier than this man has decided to drop one more album in 2025. There are few artists I’d put in the same category as this man as far as depth, lyricism, emotional connection, and creativity. In all honesty, this man is in a lane of his own, and each new drop feels like a renaissance of art itself. Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new album by MC Kendall Spencer and producer August Fanon. A duo that has made some of the most powerful music I’ve ever heard. Together, they drop a fresh nine tracks featuring 

– Yonnas

– Kendall’s wife (in track 8)

And I want to re literate that whenever these two come together for an album, it goes beyond your traditional ‘Hip Hop’ music. It becomes a journey laced with introspection, heartfelt stories, and the unburdening of the soul to such an extent that you leave pondering the immense mental and emotional impact you’ve just experienced.

Such is the case with MC Kendall. I’ve never heard a normal record from the man; instead, a string of heavy-handed, brutally honest, and sincere verses of pain, struggle, overcoming the odds, and finding light at the end of the darkness in such a way that you feel like you’ve taken the harsh journey in life alongside him! 

Every time he even breathes on the record, it feels like a bar of gold in comparison to other rappers. It’s because he has substance in his step, real-life experiences, and lessons learnt to share with the audience. In the same way preachers don’t get up on that pedestal and just talk bullshit, neither does Kendall.

He’s a man who’s about to blow your mind with the life he’s lived and the conviction & integrity he’s forged along the way. That’s why his bars and pen game have such impact to them because he’s actually talking about something important to hear and not just rapping bullshit! 

He’s a true ‘MC’ (Master of Ceremony), a man whose ability to make you feel in your bones every word he has to say as if you’re transporting yourself is something second to none. Plus, it seems August is one that can bring his best qualities out the most! 

Speaking of the man. Let’s talk about August in December (see what I did there?) he’s a man who I’ve praised many times for his mastery of the production, the way he’s able to utilise any sound brought to him and make it an atmospheric gold mine, and as I stated above, I feel no clearer is this sonic dominance more clear than when pairing up with the likes of Kendall! 

Across this album, we hear a more traditional and, dare I say, minimal approach to the instrumentals (at least compared to the showings I’ve heard from him across this year and others), an attempt to most probably match the gravitas of the subject matter and maintain the tone and vibe of the record itself.

See, I feel this is one of those examples of an album I don’t have ‘favourites’ on. Because I feel the right way to hear this project is in order and played continuously from start to finish. It’s not about ‘hit singles’ or ‘club tracks’; it’s about telling a cohesive story, and the relationship between the lyricism and the production is key in exploring that narrative completely.

So, with that in mind, I was listening to this record as a whole rather than individual pieces, and I was taken back by the surreal energy and the big, bold flavours embraced across the few layers at any time each song had made me feel! 

If nothing else, August is hip hop’s greatest chameleon. He can shift his expertise and taste depending on who he finds himself around and create instant synchronicity, and this time is no different! 

So, with all that in mind, I ask you all (as I always have) to please give this man and his music a shot. I guarantee you that you haven’t heard anything like it and that it’s going to leave a lasting impression on you, whether you like it or not! 

https://kendallspencermusic.bandcamp.com/album/rooted-in-the-essence

(Skums & Roses)

This is another example of an artist who’s been killing it over 2025. With a steady flow of releases that have gained steady attention and interest over the months, working with a whole team of various producers who have helped establish his signature sound and made him the artist he is today! So for what I assume to be one final time of the year, let’s go!

This is the brand-new release by MC Reek Osama and this time with Producer SkumBag Diggs with 11 tracks, 29 minutes, and the likes. 

-BLUEHILLBILL

-Figerson

-Starz Coleman

-Hank Dope

A collection of A+ Tier underground names who in their own lanes have killed it this year as well! But across this field, lend to the atmosphere of the record! 

On this one. We hear SkumBag create a solid score filled with some of the most cinematic interactions of Boom Bap that you’ve ever heard! This speaks right away with that opening track -Prada Balaclava, where we hear those luscious & delicate piano keys looped alongside those sharp & subtle chord layers and thudding drum with that ridiculous bass that makes for a powerhouse of an intro track!

As the album goes on, the sounds only get more interesting and theatrical! Taking the very next song for example, we have a take to the more muddier version of the album. You’ve got those distorted chord progressions alongside light piano keys and such heavy bass that it overwhelms the senses! 

Not to mention the feature by BlueHill, someone who has proven his ability to adapt to any production, especially the more raw material (such as these ones).

I find for me the track -Lost My Sanity has to be my standout beat! It has this stadium, mainstream feel to it (like something you’d hear 50 Cent or Jay-Z on) but with a combination of the trademark underground Hip Hop sound to create a blend of both worlds that I found myself gravitating to over the repeats!

To say the least, SkumBag created such a strong showing for Reek and all the affiliated involved! 

Speaking of Reek, and his showing, he once again puts on a masterclass of MC work in his trademark gruesome, raw, and unhinged take on the underground’s sound that has kept him at the forefront of the culture for the whole year!

What makes him such a dangerous threat is the fact that he can combine his ruthless and cold-blooded performance alongside his genuine skill as a wordsmith and storyteller!

Not many are as good at telling stories or painting vivid imagery as he is! He’s able to dive deep into the filth and violence of life and create art from it. As if he’s the spokesman for the depths of depravity the world has to offer and was born from it! 

His bars feel less like bars and more like haunting warnings of deadly foreshadowing! As if he knows something we don’t and is providing an endless stream of threats and warnings to the world! 

The company he brought with him is just as strong as he is with the eccentric personalities and performances! The type who can blend any instrumental and are some of the most original lyricists and musicians we’ve heard in 2025. Men I’ve covered all year, men who haven’t disappointed me yet! 

Needless to say, this was another amazing record by Reek. I don’t think I’ve come across a mediocre record yet, and as expected, he ended 2025 with a bang! 

Shoutout to everyone involved and SkumBag on the production! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/1CpLpCNX0QpLZ7HZUZQJbv?si=sXX6SMd7QyqWrDoEroxTtQ

(A FRIEND OF A FRIEND)

Coming close to the end of the year, artists are gathering up their last bodies of work, singles, EPs, albums, the lot! Getting ready to wrap up 2025 in a bang, and for this artist, it seems we are getting another single teasing us with the potential future release of a bigger body of work before the new year. 

With that in mind, let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new single by MC FLYG and producer DOMINICAN KEV that runs 3 minutes and 47 seconds (a longer track than we are used to from FLYG), but from experience on tracks he does, it’s always worth the extra time put in!

Starting with the MC work first, which starts off with quite a bold statement: I promise you this is different, you ain’t never heard anything like this before. With that as the opening promise, expectations were set high! 

Right off the bat, I have to point out he’s added a unique take on his voice. It has a softer, borderlined echoing/whisper tone to it. I know he experimented with a different take on that other single that I discussed, but of course, this is for a certain reason, and actually, it’s quite original when you think of it.

When MC’s are thinking of how they can switch up their styles or make a more fresh statement, and how many of them thought to edit the actual voice part? Could be a revolutionary idea.

But regardless, I have to say once again I feel this song (among the others) is a sign of his further improvement, progression, and advancement within his career. His longer verse on this song feels like it contains even more emphasis on one-liners, more complex structures, and set-ups for lines that start with one bar and the conclusion of the set-up ending 2-3 bars down the line! 

His flow remains on the more trademark methodical approach. We’ve heard him across the year switch it up and try different speeds and tone shifts (I’d point out his EP with Ant as the best example), but how we hear him on this song is what I’d describe as his ‘go-to’ sound, and he’s excellent inside of it!

With a bigger push for lyricism, more daring and thought-provoking set-ups, and a pen game, he’s showcasing why he should be the one to keep an eye on moving forward into 2026 (if he wasn’t already the focus of your attention across this year).

Now, as far as the beat is concerned, the first thing that came to mind was ‘mafia soundtrack’ (maybe it’s due to the fact I’ve been binging Sopranos lately), but the way this beat is executed, it makes me think of a tense scene in the movie right before one of the main characters is about to kill someone or vice versa when the main is in trouble with a risk to his life! 

You’ve got those tense swaying chords with a second layer of chords that give off a strong electronic keyboard vibe that’s been distorted in some small sense!

There’s also some heavy bass as well that gives this track a skeleton of sorts and a body structure to bring everything together!

I couldn’t help but feel encapsulated by this instrumental. I had to keep my mind focused on the review because my imagination kept getting the better of me as I started to relive all the mafia films I’ve watched and how this score could fit perfectly into any one of the iconic scenes over the years! Truly cinematic! (Not to mention the fact FLYG has a lot of mafia-related bars across this track) to further push my narrative!

Another masterful performance by FLYG. It seems he hasn’t met a producer he can’t make magic with. DOMINICAN KEV brings a level of theatrical flavour to the track that you don’t hear every day, and their chemistry was solid.

Go check the latest offering below!

https://open.spotify.com/album/6RQVLVMJYkVBlYpyL4o3Tk?si=Yibdktu1SwyzcQ-Tq_Xrvw

(Fold Or Bleed)

It’s always an exciting day when we get a new JJackpot drop! One of my personal ‘Monster Trio’

members for the best of the new generation, and after dropping an incredible album ‘King’s Casino’, he’s been one of my most anticipated artists, and now he’s back with powerhouse producer Koba Dera, and together they drop a solid 2 minutes and 59 seconds of pure heat and energy that is unrivalled! Let’s fucking go!

Starting with that production, we have Kobra inheriting a strong, methodical approach that feels minimal but is harder than a sledgehammer! We’ve got some hypnotic drums that force you to mean-mug the world for the duration of the track!

On top of that, we have what sounds like elegant keyboard keys on a beautiful rhythmic progression that enhances the track 10x fold. 

The way these instruments are layered together, it all forms in an atmospheric unison of big, bold sounds, sharp execution, and enough raw material to make the hardest of hip-hop heads appreciate the music itself!

Talk about material to make the hardest hip-hop heads appreciate, we have the man of the hour, JJACKPOT, and honestly, I don’t know how he keeps it up track after track, even an album (and an upcoming album). He can’t miss!

What stands out most to me about this man is his rhyming/flow nature. Every single word, bar, breath he places onto a beat feels smooth; it feels like a gear perfectly placed in motion. 

It’s comparable to a velvety feeling, the enjoyment of touching such exquisite fabrics, knowing it’s high quality. He has the same gifted MC strains as the likes of 

-Slick Rick

-Rakim

-The Notorious B.I.G

-Big L

The type of gear where your verses cut like butter on top of an instrumental without a hair out of place. He’s so fucking continuous & serene when he spits that it feels like a homage to the greats I just mentioned who were able to do the same!

On top of that, his passion for the music, his precision, determination, his vivid street poetry, and his sharpness across the board, paired with intense charisma, and you have a man that will continue to turn heads, and the reason why he’s one of three men I consider the golden trio.

This new album is going to be a GAME CHANGER, and with the few samples we’ve gotten so far, this could be an instant classic. This duo tore the house down with impeccable performances and dope, old-school production with a chemistry so strong it has to be heard to be believed! Listen down below! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/6H2aOLS70EQBgeET5NJ5sw?si=qLjYm2KZTyayrjIaf2HdjQ

(Malpractice)

So for those paying attention, we had the amazing end of P-Ro’s monthly efforts in his ‘12 For 12’ record. After that dropped, the majority of us had only one thing left to think about. How would fellow monthly competitor G-Fam Black end his run? Now we have the answer! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new (and presumably) final album of 2025 for MC giant G-Fam Black @ Producer PHD Beats. They dropped seven tracks, 16 minutes, and feature the likes of 

-Sankofa

-Tali Rodriguez

-P-Pro (all in the final track)

The one thing I found interesting about this drop is the contrast in themes compared to G-Fam and P-Ro in their last albums.

While P-Ro did a smart and complex road down memory lane with every track representing a discussion of his last albums, we have G who has only the intention of creating an even more powerful and escalated form of boom bap!

That’s the thing about G-Fam. Every album feels like an escalation! Which is ridiculous considering how intense he already is naturally and the fact he’s only gotten heavier, dirtier, and more vicious over almost 12 months? That’s a scary progression, but it’s something he’s done effortlessly throughout the year!

On this record, it’s as if he’s revealing himself as the world’s deadliest serial killer. Every bar, verse, concept, and adlib all points to death.

There’s even the chorus on ‘Burn Down The Clinic’ where he goes ‘Kill them all’ if that doesn’t make a mission statement, then I don’t know what will! 

He’s as expected as cutthroat and savage as ever on these beats! He’s devastating, a walking, breathing virus that gets caught in everyone’s throat before the songs are over! There’s no antidote for his straight-up verbal venom. Effects include

-Mean Mugging the world

-Violently moving your neck and head bopping to the dope shit

-Playing this album on repeat against your will 

Fuck COVID-19, this is GFAM25, and I guarantee you it will have a 100% effect rate, and no one is safe! Still can’t believe how grim and diabolical he is on these tracks! 

As far as the beats are concerned, if G-Fam’s antics and performances were heavy, it’s only due to the massive emphasis on cold-hearted production that PHD beats provided for him to work with, and I can’t state this enough: THESE SONGS GO HARD AS FUCK!

You’d think ‘only 16 minutes, what could you possibly achieve in less than 20?’ Well, in this case, a whole fucking lot because we get a glimpse into a dark, murderous atmosphere that is only pairable with the no-holds-barred approach of G-Fam, and the two of them make a dangerous and deadly 

There are so many cuts on here that feel like the sonic equivalent of ripping flesh, kick in the chest, abrasive levels of rawness and grit! For example, the track 

-Cadaver Communion! You’ve got those glossy piano keys, those wavering chords in the background. Those ridiculous drums as well as the heavy bass! 

While not using anything too complicated, he’s able to use a few layers to murder the scene provided! Absolutely nuts!

Or even the track -Black Market Organs, which sounds like a beat you’d hear on the early Griselda tapes! You’ve got those looping piano chords and heavy drums! As well as some shrieking chords in the background to give the song a bit of volume!

This is one of the more skeletal offerings on the record but one that gives goosebumps and makes you feel it across the whole song! 

Since this is only 7 tracks, I don’t want to spoil the rest but just take my word that the production on this project hits hard as fuck! It’s the perfect chemistry for the intensity of G-Fam Black and for his last effort of the year, they exit with the biggest explosion possible! Shoutout to everyone involved! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5eugPYYvBGsFyWDYS69NwY?si=ypILIht6T-Cq8AYsMqX0YQ

(More Violince)

An opinion I feel so strongly about, I had to share it with the man himself. In my mind, DOZA has to be one of the most unique and exciting new artists I’ve discovered in a minute. Anytime he’s on a project or as a feature act, he’s one to watch, and then you add in the fact he’s made a full-length alongside Machacha? That’s a formula that’s a no-brainer for me. Let’s get into why!

Brand-new collaboration project. MC DOZA, THE DRUM DEALER & Producer, Machacha. Together, they drop a solid 10 tracks with the likes of: 

-Aïda 

-Casket D

-Sam R I

-Mar

-Kaeson Skrilla

And across this tape (as I fully expected to be the case), we have DOZA unleashing a lyrical barrage of overwhelming personality, original eccentricity, and an aura so rare you can tell he’s on the track a mile away!

For example, his flow is an interesting combination of free-lance and structured! He’s somehow found the balance for both to make his bars unpredictable and yet precise and tight in execution!

His bars are filled with high energy, lively pronouncements of his words, a heavy lace of passion and conviction that makes him sound like a verbal menace across the tracks!

He makes every song he’s on feel like an experience to go through! Due to his over-the-top performances, his fun and crisp rhythms, his fresh pen game, and his never-ending spirit that feels like it increases with every track that passes, like a build-up sound that goes up with every octave passed! 

Imagine that with a human being unleashing all his creativity into a gradual progression that makes this (and any other song he’s on) feel rare and special!

I’d compare it to the WSG effect! How no song is ever tame or quiet. How each track is full of a variety of sounds, snippets, adlibs, samples— you name it!

Imagine that same formula except on a different scale! A more personalised version of that aura! He’s like a genius wordsmith gone wrong or turned to the dark side, and now he’s unleashing all his honed skills and abilities onto the beats to create a controlled chaos that makes anything else I listen to afterwards plain or boring in comparison!

The features he brought out for this record were definitely impressive and stand out! They weren’t just there for feature’s sake and actually elevated the specific songs they were part of! I have to give a shoutout to my main man ‘Casket. D’ for his incredible verse, as I feel he had the MVP feature track on the album!

Speaking of the album, we can’t forget about the beatmaker himself, Machacha. A man who I am convinced doesn’t sleep! A man who probably sleeps in his studio with his rate of consistency with, I’d guess, among 20+ hit records this year alone, and he obviously hasn’t finished!

Across this tape, we hear Machacha take on sounds even I haven’t heard him tackle before! It really feels like he’s doing his best to match the wild and untamed energy of DOZA with his own take on unique sounds and atmospheres that are a few stages darker and experimental than even someone as well-versed as he is used to!

For example, take that intro track into consideration. To me, it sounds like a menacing, thrilling take on a swarm of bees! You’ve got that swarming sound, relentless in the headphones! On top of that, we have those thudding, heavy dragging drums and those haunting keys that were so long and plucked that it leaves an eerie effect! 

What about the song -Popular with that hypnotic wave of instrumentation. This kind of reminds me vaguely of the Busta single ‘Woo-Hah’. It’s got these droning and repetitive motions that make you feel like you just smoked a fat joint!

Those slow, surreal drums as well as those vocal harmonies that all come together to make a modern-day stoner track feel!

Even the incredible features help lend themselves to the vibe and aura of the track! The two of them KILL IT! 

Every beat on here feels more refined as well as more explosive! This honesty feels like he’s throwing caution away and on the final month of the year revealing a new sonic face that’s even foreign to him and letting whatever happen, happen!

Trust me, I’ve heard him utilise and sample every single kind of genre & influence known to man and even so. A style consisting of pure brash ideas, uncompromising instrumentation and uncontrolled creativity and I have to say it suits Machacha quite well this more non traditional style and I hope to see more of it in the future!

A frantic pairing that no one could have predicted but now one I can’t imagine without! Somehow this might be my favourite Machacha production of the year and any occasion with DOZA is life altering! Check below now!

https://dozathedrumdealer.bandcamp.com/album/more-violince

(Omerta 3)

This is a moment in my career that I’m super happy about! Why? Because the last time I covered this MC was way back when I was still writing for the legendary ‘Raw Side Hip Hop’, and so this will be my first time covering him under the ‘Serpent Tongue’ title. And with that being said, let’s get into it!

This is the brand-new record by MC E Murda and produced by Bryan Blox, and together they drop a solid nine tracks, 25 minutes of PURE HEAT that is meant to rival the best of the best in 2025! 

I feel we should talk about the production first. As I remembered from the first project I covered from him, this is a gritty, boom-bap-filled roller coaster that’s filled with trauma lyrics, vivid memories, and situations of pain and overcoming! This score pairs perfectly with those narratives and creates a sound bed for the most extravagant pieces of underground hip hop you’ll be expected to hear! 

To name one song as my favourite would be impossible, so I’m going to name the small handful that really stood out to me! Firstly, I want to discuss -Life Of Sin. This track has so many qualities I love.

Starting with that harmonic vocal loop that subtly glides through the instrumental in the most beautiful and profound way possible! On top of that, we have these light piano keys as delicate as I’ve ever heard of, as well as some ridiculously powerful bass and drums that will damn near blow your face off if you ain’t careful. I’m talking that mean mug the world type shit! 

Also, not to mention that amazing feature verse by the one and only Flee Lord!

We also have the track -Air Drake. A track that features the only feature ETO, who, as you’d expect, dominates the verse! But apart from that, we have this absolutely ridiculous instrumental that feels like murderous intent come to life! 

The amount of layers of cold-blooded, sonic ruthlessness is impossible to ignore. You’ve got those heavy, plucked strings, those heavy bass, and one of the most downright gritty tracks of the whole album! Absolutely could listen to this track for hours due to his relentless energy! 

Actually, I want to talk about that intro! It has a true mafia feel to it, and the rules of not snitching and the consequences of such. It’s the perfect way to start the record. 

See everything from the way it starts to ends, the placement of the features to the beats themselves. It’s all placed with such technical precision that it matches some of the best production of the year!

Now, onto the MC of the equation. E Murda, this man was a beast when I first heard him, and he’s even more deadly now! What makes him stand out for me is his next-level ability to portray himself in situations, the way his depth of words reaches. 

The way his words have a unique combination of sharp, deadly, and smooth! The kind of guy that can sell water to fish, just before he finds a way to drown said fish in that same sold liquid! He’s a talented MC with a strong personality, tough street poetry, and a charisma so eccentric that you can’t help but pay attention to! 

Across this 25 minutes, he didn’t waste any time. No filler or awkward moments. Just pure bars with enough savagery and precision that it’s sure to scare off any pretenders in the game right now! He’s the real deal, and he’s making everyone remember that!

From the first album I covered of his, he’s only leveled up all his attributes. His lyricism, his performances, his techniques, cadences— absolutely everything is upgraded, and you can hear it! He’s coming in with a lot of confidence and vigorous willpower to make sure every single breath he spits on the track has purpose and is felt through the bones of the listener!

I absolutely loved this record. I loved the undeniable chemistry between E and Bryan! I loved the legendary features and the overall atmosphere of the album. Make sure you check it out below!

https://open.spotify.com/album/4wdjFEI8pQ3BhGL6uGh1Nq?si=m30TmbhOTpqjEes9gyVbhw

(Keep You Waiting)

Talk about ‘Keeping us waiting’, this is bound to be a project for the ages. Two men at the top of their respective fields dominating the 2025 year and now combined for a powerhouse fusion that ends the year with a BANG! Or more specifically with a ZINGER! 

This is the brand-new record by FEED THE FAMILY General Top Hooter and iconic, workhorse producer Machacha, and together they drop an iconic 10-track, 22-minute sonic drive that will leave your mind blown by the end of it! This project features the likes of 

-BeenOfficialLord

-Dun Dealy

And let me tell you now, Top has been one of those names that since I discovered him (which was his ‘Hooter Hyena’ tape), he’s done nothing but evolve, level up, and improve on every single aspect of his career to where he has become a monster in the field.

What makes him stand out? To me, it’s his powerful interpretation of street poetry and the gravitas in his voice that makes his stories feel that much more dangerous and, most importantly, vivid!

Another aspect of his MC characteristics that’s impressive is he can work across any kind of production and make it work! For example, he’s a king in his wavy, boom-bap, gritty underground sound (alongside the FEED THE FAMILY Crew).

We heard him earlier this year on ‘Handing Out Samples’, working with deeper and more cerebral sounds and darker tones. Then we even heard him feature on one of the most incredible singles of the year on the new Apollo Brown X Ty Farris tape, where we heard him go off on a big, mainstream-sounding stadium vibe beat! 

There isn’t a sound, influence, or instrumental he can’t work with, and across this tape, we hear him utilise that exact quality to his advantage. We hear his impressive lyricism, his cold and calculated flow, and demeanour sync perfectly with Machacha’s atmosphere to create a stunning array of verses that’s sharp, surreal, and powerful!

He has the kind of energy that can rock a whole record by himself if he has to! It’s always a treat to hear him alongside his brothers in arms, but his undeniable charisma, conviction, and skillset make him a man that needs no help to get over! As he says on the track – Resident Evil ‘I’m the Apex predator, top of the food chain’ all that is true!

Now, as you all know, the other part of this equation is none other than Machacha. This man has easily been the most overworking producer this year. The amount of bangers he’s dropped is well over 20! (In fact, I have another review needed with him and DOZA later!) A testament to his work ethic, and now he’s decided he needs to be a part of the legacy alongside Top, and I loved what he did with the sounds.

Across this tape, we hear a combination of the roughest, muddiest boom-bap tracks you’ve ever heard and melodic, methodically crafted songs that make a heartfelt attempt at connection, the emotional/mental side to Top and his stories!

For example, we have tracks like ‘Spin Towers’ which is just downright wavy energy. You’ve got that almost Asian influence with those old-school plucked strings and elegant piano keys with those heavy bass and drums! One of those methodically inspired beats that the FEED family thrive off! 

Not to mention the killer feature by BEENOFFICIALLORD! He’s never one to be lacking, and he doesn’t start now!

We have tracks like ‘H2H’ which showcases the other side of the balance I was talking about. This is an example of the more mellow, delicate, and beautifully executed piece of music with those violin strings, light drums, and some of the most beautiful piano pieces I’ve heard in rap this whole year!

On this track, we hear Top shed his soul a little bit and what he feels and thinks on the daily! Definitely a thought-provoking track!

Then we have tracks like ‘While It Lasted’ which honestly feels like a finale vibe song, the kind of track that you’d expect to be towards the end (as it is) it has a feel of conclusion to it and it’s another beautiful listen!

You’ve got those plucked strings, further strings in the background in a different rhythm and a vocal humming loop that’s ever so angelic. Not to mention the brother in arms Dun Dealy closing the track off!

Even if you haven’t been witness to the year of either of these men THIS is the one to watch out for! It’s the perfect collaboration of MC & Producers and a strong closing for 2025! Check it out below! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5rjEpzPlSmACJA5vudYaJM?si=dEi06hRQQiGSqho8c02ElA