(The Culture Corner Presents: All The Pieces Matter)

This album has a special place for me. It was May in 2024. I got the invite to be admin of the Facebook group ‘The Culture Corner’. It wasn’t something I was expecting to happen. I just decided one day to post random VS battles between various albums, artists, groups, etc., and apparently, the establishment liked what I was doing and offered me the role.

Since then, I’ve tried to keep things interesting with tournaments, discussions, and VS when I think it would be an interesting topic. And to see now they have a full-length of all the artists who fuck with the group combined. It’s an experience I know is going to land big! So without further delay, let’s talk about it!

This is the HUGE collaboration album that includes MC’s such as 

-Sha-Elemental

-Ren Thomas

-Honey Dinero

-Crotona P

-The Bad Seed

-Mike Martinez

-Barbaric & Alvarez 

-Micky Bourbon

-Ocho Phono

-Paranoah

-Dirt Rustle

-Jus P

-Blind Vizionary

-Moose Harris

-Speak The Rebel

-Mr Ripley

-Poe Mack

-Len-Dor

(That is an inane list of names, but wait there’s more!)

Production from

-Ghost Of The Machine

-Mike Martinez

-Tone Spliff

-8bza

-Brutal Casaer

-The Mainstream Assassin 

-BoFaatBeatz

-Hanzo Bladez

-Promotheus

With such a cast of names and figures, they really went all out for this one, and it fucking shows! From the moment this album kicks off, it’s straight, underground brilliance with no signs of slowing down!

You gotta understand this massive album is almost an hour long. Under most circumstances (at least in the modern day), I’d be sceptical about holding the attention of the listener for such a long time, but this album has a purpose and a reason for its length, and it’s to showcase all the cats who support and fuck with the Culture Corner and highlight its massive influence and brother/sisterhood in the form of hip hop!

Each beat feels boom bap and gritty. Just because this is a celebration of Hip Hop

Family doesn’t mean it has to be ‘family friendly’. This is a cutthroat, raw, and powerful sonic statement that best suits all the dope spitters we have on here!

Each instrumental has a combination of present-day influence meets old-school homage,  and that fusion is enough to have you mean mugging for the whole 57 minutes! 

Just pure unadulterated production that will have you bopping your head endlessly 14 tracks straight!

It’s impossible not to find a style, track you love! There’s literally a beat and influence for everyone to enjoy! (For me personally, I was more prone to the jazz-heavy joints) like 

-Bars Up

-So Much Drama etc., but again, you’re bound to at least find a handful of tracks to pop with if you don’t love them all!

These producers are men that I have strong business connections and, most importantly, friendships with, so it makes it extra sick for me to see these talented individuals rocking the production and killing it! Specifically, Tone and Mike Martinez, they are my brothers in this shit, and I’ll support them in anything! The others, although I’m not as close with them yet, have that quality in spades!

When discussing the MC side of things, just like the production. You’ll gravitate towards the specific characters you like best! Think of this as a massive fighting game with a huge character select screen to choose from! I personally fuck with most, if not all, the cats here, but even I have my favourites!

The 6th Man Crew! Honey Dinero, she’s been my MVP in the game a year running now! Of course, Bad Seed

Crotona P is always ontop of his shit, Sha-Elemental kicks it off when he has to, Poe Mack is incredibly talented as well! These are just my personal favourites but the fact is everyone on this list are top grade spitters who have decided to come together to rock the house down!

Not a weak bar in sight, they understand that this is literally a celebration of CULTURE and this can be used in the future to showcase some of the best talent the underground has to offer and honestly if this variety bag doesn’t do it for you, you ain’t for the culture. It’s as simple as that!

It’s hard for me to choose a favourite song, each track is a healthy, dope representation of the best qualities of rap today! But of course as I mentioned above the songs that feature my favourite artists resonate with me most! The song -Bars Up not only has a Jazz influence but has Honey Dinero, Seed and Crotona P AND Tone on the cuts and beats! I mean damn, that’s like my perfect track cooked up all in once!

But of course I was banging to the other 13 tracks hard as fuck too! It’s all about representation. You can have your favourites but when you see these men and woman giving their best work to the cause like this? It’s impossible not to be impressed and feel lucky you get to be alive during such a prominent time in Hip Hop!

If it ain’t obvious by what I’ve said, this shit is DOPE AS FUCK. Dope beats, dope rappers and overall a dope concept to put together. I’m proud to be a member of the culture corner and shoutout to everyone who contributed to the album go listen below!

https://theculturecorner.bandcamp.com/album/the-culture-corner-presents-all-the-pieces-matter

(Never Falling Off/Grimey Disease)

I wanted to do a special review today. A double single drop to celebrate and highlight a man who has reached out for a review, and after discovering and listening to what he has to offer, I must say, I’m impressed. 

So I thought to myself, why only talk about the one on here when I could easily do a double feature! So that’s exactly what I’ll do, and so without further delay, let’s talk about them!

These are two singles by MC Faceless Sage (dope name) and Producers ARVM Beats, and you’ve got the singles:

-Never Falling Off (2 minutes and 23 seconds)

-Grimey Disease (3 minutes and 10)

Let’s discuss the first one, ‘Never Falling Off’, released on January 30. This one has a classical meets ambient sound to me. You’ve got that atmospheric introduction with those light piano keys and that incredibly dense chord progression that runs non-disrupted throughout the entire track (even continues to the main bulk of the track).

As the song advances, we have this subtle string that reminds me of spaghetti country western scores! That you’d hear in cowboy John Wayne/Clint Eastwood vibes that’s placed ever so softly in the back of the song! 

As well as this, you have some rhythmic drum patterns that kick in about 20 seconds in and help elevate the energy of the entire song!

Although this song feels minimal in execution, it’s got so much cinematic value that it’s hard to brush it off as just another ‘skeletal instrumental’. 

On this track, we hear Faceless utilise his smooth yet powerful vocals to further enhance this track!!I love his introspective lyricism combined with his natural charisma, crisp verbal tones, and vocabulary that makes each word he spits feel like an interesting piece of art that you can’t help

but want to hear more of! 

A truly memorable performance and a great introduction to the man himself and what he brings to the table!

On the other song -Grimey Disease (which also has a clean version on Spotify) released on February 15th, 2025

We have a more detailed and deeper feel across this beat. A darker, boom-bap production that forces you to mean-mug the world around you for exactly three minutes and ten seconds! 

You’ve got those beautifully mesmerising plucked strings combined with these deep bass chords as well as this synth chord that feels distorted in motion, that kind of reminds me of a chord Daringer or Conductor Williams would utilise! Absolutely brutal but grimy as hell! 

There’s also a hint of drums that is equal parts hypnotic and bare in the pattern as it acts more as a skeleton to keep the whole track together! Sometimes you just need a small layer of tension to wrap up a song, and the drums acted as the final piece to the puzzle for this!

Contrary to the last track, we hear Sage dive deep into his more sinister notions of vocal performance and delivery. It sounds like he has a chip on his shoulder, and he wants to wear it on his sleeve the whole song through!

He’s vicious with his wordplay, barely giving himself room to breathe just between bars, setting up complicated verbal structures, one-liners, clever puns, the works.

This time it feels like he’s trying to give a masterclass in how to be an MC but doing so angry and full of rage and conviction! I love he utilised more of a street poetry take on his bars compared to the first one! It gives his verse that extra edge that suits him perfectly! Not to mention lines that mention Jujutsu Kaisen and Domain expansions! That’s right up my alley, and I’ll end the paragraph with ‘Fuck Yuji/Yuta, the real OG MC!’

These are only TWO tracks, and he’s performing at this level? He’s impressed me more than the most, and you can guarantee this won’t be the last you hear from me on this man and this producer! Check the links below! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4o6HHdimoicUaJ3phbakGj?si=yTCPh75NS42bAe5Z8UKzjg

https://open.spotify.com/album/5sfWx2lkMdA0Ty9tJThhP5?si=ogf_14kqSoi0O0BJLuuvKA

(From The Bottom, To The Top)

Today we are taking a trip back to October 2025. A lot of dope releases dropped that month, and little did I know this was one of them! Taking the opportunity to make things right and finally giving this record a chance, and I’ll say this much, had I heard it back then? It may have made it on my October Monthly list! Let’s talk about why!

This is the 2025 record by MC Agent Sin and various producers such as 

-Prod Mason

-Em Asaint

-Just Dan

And features from

-WESTSIDE BOOGIE

-YFS

-Bruce Wayne Money

-warwillkill 

-G-Tune

-Nick Curry

-XXAE47

-TopGirl Stunna

What an impressive variety of names on this project. Some I’ve heard of before, others I haven’t, and that just leads to the excitement of the record as a whole! 

Across these 17 tracks, we get a bold 55 minutes that introduces the audience to an interesting combination of Underground X Mainstream instrumentals that bring you the best of both worlds!

You’ve got that high-level, grand, and well-tuned beats such as on the intro track -Pink Panther, which has this heavy G-Funk vibe with those groovy bass strings and plucked synth strings in the background! 

But then you’ve got tracks like -One Above All, which is reminiscent of the classic Boom Bap vibe, as you’ve got those sharp synth electric guitar strings that are combined with those funky drum patterns and glistening keys that flutter in the background! A truly remarkable yet minimal experience that screams underground! 

I feel this record and its various producers feel the need to bring a sonic palette of genres, influences, and styles to the forefront to showcase the quality of what these beat makers can do! They’re out here proving they can work with many different beats and make them all work! I love how even though each song is different, it doesn’t sound messy or unorganised! 

Each track is synchronised with the ones next to it! This sounds like a ‘best of’ series of all your favourite instrumentals come under one roof, and it all fucking works. The type of songs you can just press play on, close your eyes, and let your imagination run wild! 

That last line also best suits the abilities of Agent Sin. A man who lets his charisma run wild across this almost hour of content. He’s lyrically proficient, smooth, and sharp with flows and has an extraordinary cadence that makes his performances feel that next level of powerful and immersive!

He doesn’t even give himself time to breathe. In between a traditional rhythm and speed rap, he’s dead in the middle, not giving himself a break as he showcases his verbal assault across the beats in absolute dope fashion!

For the most part, he’s giving us high-quality, brash, raw, brag bars! He wants to remind everyone that he’s a threat in the culture and he can’t be slept on! He’s utilising these banging beats to full advantage for his in-your-face verses to go off on!

Not one to lack confidence, he’s always high energy, always ready to stunt on the competition, and sounds ever so excited for the audience to hear his intense puns, one-liners, and overall impressive vocabulary infused with gritty street poetry! 

The features lend their hand in helping elevate the music with their own original takes on rapping with their own natural charisma and skills! Although a lot, he chose them correctly!

Make sure you take the trip to the past with me and discover this absolute banger! (If you haven’t already, link below!) 

https://open.spotify.com/album/1taWAkCfbDIhHTFiXTsmAR?si=lrreBe_0RMSkBbWVCK-Cpw

(BAEJING BALLAD)

The day has finally come. Easily one of the most anticipated albums of the year by an artist who has been building herself up the last few years as a powerhouse player, one with infinite potential, and now as she collaborates with this legendary producer, her talent has been realised in full force, and let me tell you now,

THE CULTURE AIN’T READY!

This is the brand-new drop by MC Chyna, BAEJING, and producer BONEWESO, and alongside these 11 tracks, we have features from

-???

-CODENINE

-SMELLO

-WRITEOUS

-ESTEE NACK

Now, the one thing I want to mention is when it comes to Chyna and her performances, she’s one to bring ‘ATTITUDE’ to the record. I feel like she’s the second coming of that legendary late 2010s early 2020 era of 23 with projects such as 

-TRIPLE BLACK DIAMONDS I&II

-IMMORTAL KOMBAT

-HAMMERABI

-AKIRAONACID

That iconic brash, against-the-grain in-your-face style that Estee and Al cultivated, I feel the same rebellious and confident vibe from that era IN THIS ALBUM HERE!

Chyna ain’t just rapping for rapping’s sake. She’s here to pave a whole new path for the culture. There’s plenty of talented Female MC’s out there today, but ain’t NONE rapping like she is on this record. 

She’s taking it upon herself to become the new originator of a newly established genre of hip hop that I guarantee will take off among your favourite rappers in years to come. This is some generational behaviour, and to hear her and her confidence come out at this level gives me goosebumps!

Across these 11 tracks, we hear verbal dominance. From that splash-style flow where she’s like a machine gun, dropping lyrical bullets anywhere and everywhere she aims! She’s got that slick, witty pen game where she combines her ruthless street talk with her clever and vivid bars that showcase her talent as an MC and a wordsmith! She’s outstunting her competition and making it look effortless!

Do you understand how hard it would be to rap alongside the legends she has on this album? We ain’t talking average Joe’s, we are talking men that have been credited as some of the underground’s GREATEST RAPPERS, and she’s out here not only holding her own but maintaining her presence and influence alongside them! She’s established herself as their peers, and it’s only a matter of time before people see her as legend status! 

No matter how many times I listen back to this, I can’t get enough. From her sharp words, her mesmerising/electric energy, to her confrontational delivery, she’s got everything to make an album that you’ll be coming back to time and time again from Australia to China!

There’s one consistent thing that I’ve noticed whenever we talk about BONEWESO. To me, that’s ’cinema’. He never makes music, but he creates experiences and scores. I’ve sung his praises time and time again, and I’ll keep doing it till I die because he deserves it.

This man hasn’t made an average beat in his life; it’s always laced with a theatrical flair and executed masterfully that he sounds less like a beat maker and more a million-dollar composer! 

On this record, we hear BONE provide us with an interesting mix of sounds and influences that help maintain the strong energy this record provides. Of course, you have that single track -HELLOKITTY, which I already reviewed, but that track that has that heavy Rock/Metal feel to it with those shredded guitars and rhythmic drums! 

There’s tracks like -23&ME, which bring a more atmospheric and Ambient feel to the record with those ringing chord progressions that feel like an ASMR bell going off in a loop! Accompanied by these glitching keys and minimal bass and drums that help bring this whole track together! (Not to mention the door verse by CODENINE)

Even the intro track -VALYRIANSTEEL, which has a combination of Gospel and Boom Bap feel to it! You’ve got those recognised organ keys in that beautiful loop accompanied by those synth-style strings that have a level of tremble to them! 

I also love the various end of the track snippets. If you’ve been listening to BONE you’ll know that ain’t nothing new but they feel more adrenaline fuelled and less narrative! (Such as the end of track 2)

All this is to say that once again (and as I’ve been saying since the start of this year) that BONE is one of the most genuine and versatile producers we have in this game. He can make everything from Christmas music to Boom Bap to Metal Music and everything in between. A true master of his craft and one who once again outdid himself across this tape!

If you haven’t heard this one then I advice you GO BUY THE ALBUM NOW ON BANDCAMP! It’s only $23 and it’s the best $23 you’ll spend all year! Check it out below!

https://chynabaejing.bandcamp.com/album/baejing-ballad

(It Ain’t A Game)

I already love this album. Who else calls their album ‘It Ain’t A Game’ and has the first track be called ‘Nintendo Flow?’ That’s wild! That kind of wit ain’t easy to find in the industry, and I know it may seem a small detail to you, but to me, it speaks volumes about the mindset of this duo! So let’s talk about it!

This is the 2025 drop by the combination of MC Tetri$ (another game reference) and Producer TONEBOLO, and together they drop a solid eight tracks with the likes of 

– The Sgt

– Kyle Bethel

– Bald Head

– Crack MeaNa

And it’s been a minute since I last covered a project where everyone is new to me! (How exciting is that!) Anyway, the album

So, I gotta talk about the MC work first. You know who this reminds me of? It might be an obscure reference to most, but does anyone remember DRAM? And how he had two years of absolute PEAK and vibe in the industry? This is exactly the same aura I’m feeling! A man with a rare charisma and energy to him that coats every breath, word, and bar he spits!

That kind of restless, feel-good energy that you can’t fake. 

Sure, he has a handful of brash and thug bars, but even so, the amount of chill, atmospheric, and warm intention lyricism outweighs the gritty ones!

I love his honest, expressive, and emotional nature! He sounds like someone who is excited to get into the studio, and all his recordings are one-take shots! The way he captures his adventurous spirit and his passionate thoughts is just so infectious to listen to!

On top of his actual performance, he has a smooth flow, an excellent vocabulary, a way with words that is equal parts vivid and explosive with colour and verbal fireworks! 

He’s the kind of MC/Guy you’d want to be friends with, the kind of guy who would have such a powerful and influential cadence to watch live! Like prime Chance The Rapper, a man who draws everyone to him just by being his organic/natural self! I can’t stress this enough, his personality is so fucking cool, and the way he’s able to mesh it into the verses is absolutely incredible!

No ordinary producer can be cast to put emphasis on that kind of energy, and that’s where TONEBOLO comes into the picture! Someone new to me, but after this, I swear he’ll be on my watchlist! His production is ridiculous!

What struck me first and foremost about the production was the amount of fresh, untainted sonic bursts coming out of the songs!

Like, you ever listen to an album (whether you enjoy said project or not) and you can’t help but hear the cliché manufactured sounds or keys that every other person uses and makes you in the back of your mind remember you’re listening to a ‘construction’ rather than an expression! Well, this feels like the free spirit of music! It’s so vibrant and fun and catchy and unpredictable that you can’t help but love it!

So many songs have this wavy, light, ambient quality to it that before you know it, you catch your head bobbing left and right to the melodies!

From the more soulful cuts to the more experimental cuts, every song triggers my imagination to the fullest extent! It’s the kind of score that makes you feel like you’ve smoked the strongest blunt you’ve ever had and you’re just sitting back, vibing to the effects! 

This man understood the assignment PERFECTLY as to what Tetri$ would need to accelerate his own performances! This duo is like the underground Justin Timberlake/Timberland or Eminem/Dr. Dre or RZA/Wu-Tang; whatever example you want to use, these two shine together stronger than I’ve heard most!

The features on this album also contribute fire verses that help make the selected tracks become memorable stand-outs and help with the overall atmosphere of the album! Shoutout to all the MC’s!

Although this came out last year, I fucking wish I had discovered it earlier because I would have definitely added it to my monthly list! This is one of the most underrated and unique records I’ve heard, period. The link is below, so go check it out!

https://open.spotify.com/album/4CmMMBNTL3x2s8QeZN9ufy?si=GlOTXY38S3qNIGICTun2Zw

(BASQUIAT’S BURNER)

I’m beyond excited that I get to cover this man again. I can legitimately say he’s one of the few I enjoyed talking shit with outside of the music, a real, genuine dude, and his songs hit even harder. From EP’s to singles, he always had an interesting sound that was unlike any other, and now he’s back to flaunt that originality in the face of the culture once again! Let’s go!

This is the brand-new EP by MC/Producer Bugsy Mogues, who is accompanied by producer Chandler Ward (on tracks 2 & 5) as these two help bring to life one of the most soulful and funky EP’s you’ll hear all year.

Right off the bat from the first track in -GIMME THREE, we get this minimalistic fever dream that just melts in your headphones.

You’ve got those heavenly chord progressions combined with a second layer of sharp violin-sounding chords, some vocal snippets that sound angelic as all hell, and some subtle bass lines and a faint trace of piano keys that go off ever so lightly! 

On the second track -SUPA, we get a heavy dose of the 70s with this funk meets soul experience that relives all your stress in seconds! You’ve got that combination pairing of that funky chord progression and what sounds like jazz-inspired piano keys and methodically paced drum patterns! 

What’s beautiful about this track is that the beat just plays uninterrupted for the last 20 seconds or so and just rides off gracefully, truly reminiscent of that era when artists and producers didn’t know how to close a track, so they just let it play and just slowly fade it out! Legendary shit.

Track 3 -IN THE RAIN (FREESTYLE) we have another blast to the past with those absolutely gorgeous jazz horns combined with those key notes and some real slow-paced, heavy drums that almost sound like a bass drum! Either way, this feels like some shit Phil Collins would have made in his hayday! 

From the glistening keys to those hard drums and horns? Nah, this is pure bliss in a bottle!

Track 4-VAFFANCULO, we have what sounds like an Asian influence with what sounds like a type of flute loop sample running through the track. There’s also thick Thundercat-reminiscent bass, plucked strings, and some light keys! What a combination of sounds. I don’t even know how to explain how this comes together, but it’s truly WAVEY in every single way!

The final track -WISH YOU WOULD ends the album with a bang of more soul and funk! You’ve got some delicious bass strings that can’t help but make you groove! Some light vocal harmony loop and some heavy-pressed piano keys! This is one of those instrumentals that I could imagine Gorillaz making! It’s infectiously hypnotic! I was walking around my room listening to this shit with a pimp walk I didn’t know I had!

Not to fucking mention those free-style piano keys to end the track off? Nah, these two were TRIPPIN’! On this one!

Across all these tracks, Bugsy showcases his expert performance and charisma. It’s the one thing I’ve appreciated most about him as an artist: his natural talent to engage the audience with his voice, bars, and general aesthetic! He’s just a groovy cat, period. 

What he can do with words and delivery can’t be bought or taught. It’s just something you have! Like a specific tang to the tongue, a certain type of pronunciation, or draw in the way you spit your verses! 

It’s like when you listen to Slick Rick or Jay-Z or, fuck it, Sticky Fingaz. No one can sound like them, even if you tried, you can’t replicate that type of natural cadence they bring to the table, as you can’t hope to replicate his! Each of the five tracks he’s booming with colour, sharp wit, and lyricism that feels exciting and entertaining to listen to! He always throws a variety of topics out there to leave the audience guessing what he’s going to be on next!

Sometimes it’s personal, sometimes it’s conceptual, sometimes it’s just brag bars for the sake of bragging! It’s the same controlled chaos vibe he’s always spreading, and it just feels more fun and perfected this time around!

So yeah, I guarantee you won’t find an EP like this, period! It’s got memorable instrumentals and bars that will make you come back for more! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/1oGhpma2j9Alv1E39x6h3t?si=DEX9UISERlGHSktZp8_Kuw

(2nd Coat)

You’d have to be living under the biggest rock in history to have missed this man’s dominance of 2025. Literally releasing a new album every month for a total of 12. An extraordinary effort to say the least, and it seems he’s back to kick it right back where he left off! So, let’s get into it!

This is the brand new (and if I’m not mistaken) his second drop of the year by MC P-Ro, who this time around is back with one of the dopest beat makers in the underground, Chuck Chan! Together they drop a solid 13 tracks with the likes of 

-GeneralBackpain

-G-Fam Black

-New Villain

-Sankofa

-Chuck Chan

-Tali Rodriguez 

-OGBenGrimm

The usual cast of hip-hop bandits I’d expect to hear on a P-Ro record, and they all come just as strong as they always have, never letting a brother down! 

I want to discuss Chuck Chan first. He’s a name I haven’t covered in ages. I actually forgot what the last album of his I reviewed was! Regardless, he’s always hitting home runs on the production, and this time is definitely no exception as he finds a way to match the energy and atmosphere that suits P to a tee! 

Across these 13, we hear a spacey and gritty execution of Boom Bap with a lot of different twists and turns to help make every song feel unique! 

For example, the track -Heavy Shading that feels like a haunted house turned rap battle! You’ve got those long chord progressions that have a creepy vibe to them that start off high pitch and progress lower register in a true horror fashion. You’ve got those second-layer chords in that shrieking sound as well as those methodically paced drums to wrap the whole song up! 

Or we have the track -Fingerprints, which despite the heavy-handed features, has what feels like an acoustic vibe to it! You’ve got the combination of those plucked strings with what sounds like an orchestral Jazz Horn pattern in the back of the acoustic parts!

There’s also some light bass that comes in and places itself across this track. A truly grand execution on this one!

The song -Metallic Markers has one of the more soulful interpretations of the whole album! It’s a combination of this angelic vocal snippet, light jazz horns, some wavy chord progressions that sound like they have an echoing effect to them, and some groovy drum patterns that make this feel like a 90’s homage beat! It’s truly magnificent!

Chuck Chan nailed the kind of aesthetic you’d want from a P-Ro album, and he’s a welcoming addition to what I assume is going to be an ever-growing catalog of P’s in the coming months!

Speaking of the main man himself, we have P-Ro, who is determined to continue his dominant streak alive in the new year and doing so with the same trademark qualities that got him where he is today!

I’m talking about that raspy, intense voice he utilises to make every word feel like an explosion on the beat. His no-nonsense vibe adds emphasis to everything he does, helping to add that extra spark to his bars.

When it comes to his lyricism, I love the fact he’s authentic. Some bars are personal and vulnerable, some are in your face and brash, and others are straight thinkers or just hip-hop bragging bars to keep you on your toes!

He’s nothing but being himself, and that includes spitting what’s on his mind at any given moment. You can feel his honesty, feel his emotions, and thought processes as they come! That’s the kind of MC I fuck with heavily because for better or for worse, you know he’s the real deal (very similar to The Bad Seed) and how organic he is.

Across these tracks, I haven’t heard P sound more confident than he is now! He has a certain level of aura to his cadence, a type of accomplished energy that I don’t think I’ve heard before!

It would make sense considering the year he had! But he just sounds vibrant and verbally more destructive all in one (which is super dope to hear).

I love the chemistry he has with all his brothers in sonic arms; they all once again come through for him as he does them! And it makes for yet another entertaining batch of feature verses that provide tons of replay value!

Another SOLID performance by P-Ro and Chuck! I’m sure they’ve worked in the past, but this is my first time hearing the magic, and I hope it’s not the last! 

https://p-ro.bandcamp.com/album/2nd-coat

(WARRIOR COCOON)

This marks the SECOND time I’ve reviewed this man. I still remember the day as well! I had just finished work, the bus was ages away, so I figured ‘fucked it, why not, let’s get a review done’ and that’s how I discovered this man!

A unique artist to say the least and one that is known to leave a lasting impression on the listener, and that is an understatement this time around! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new album by MC th3prism and contributions on the production from

-ADVANTZ’D

-COASTLINE

-BENJI SOCRATE$

-FOULE MONK

-TH3PRISM

And across these 11 tracks, we have a showcase of experimental grandeur and smooth soundscapes that come together to create an experience you’re not soon to forget!

First of all, I love the ambient nature of each song. Regardless of whether they are experimental, jazz, or boom-bap in influence, they all feel spacey, overwhelming, and powerful. Similar to how an ASMR track would make you feel, how it takes over all of your senses and engulfs the listener into this fantasy atmosphere that is so hypnotic and mesmerising that you don’t ever want to leave!

It’s the same feel here! Whether you’re talking about the tracks with that gorgeous jazz inspiration with those grand horn progressions or whether we are talking about those more distorted, noise cuts with the deranged samples that are pulled and pushed every which way in that classic experimental style!

I love the obvious chemistry between each producer. You don’t know how many albums I’ve heard where they hire a handful of beat makers but didn’t bother to make sure the chemistry was on point. Just a mess of sounds that don’t complement each other.

Thankfully, we don’t have that problem here, just a synchronic effort by all involved. Each track flows like a sonic river, from the first to the last, and everything in the middle is all cohesive, strongly shaped, and most importantly, makes sense.

Although each producer brings their own flavour and style to the table, it’s all under the same vision of what the album wants to be. There’s never a moment I listen to this and it breaks me out of my hypnotic music trance. No song that makes me think ‘why is this in here?’ It’s all properly executed and produced, and I mean I gotta shoutout everyone involved for making that happen! Definitely not easy!

As we discuss the MC performance, we have the enigma himself, th3prism. A man who brings his own personal style, lyricism, and flow to the show, and boy is it an experience!

What makes him stand out is a few key things. Firstly, his pen game is interesting to me because he finds ways to talk about anything and everything that’s on his mind, from brash, brag lyrics to introspective thinker bars and even self-doubt bars. For example, on the track -OWN2, how he goes 

‘Sick of feeling like I’m less than’ that small bar alone is more vulnerability than most rappers share in the underground period. But see from that bar, he’ll say bars such as

-That’s why I move around with stealth, avoiding every bad decision

He’s a lyricist in the purest definition of the word, and he also has a charisma that’s a combination of calm tones, a unbothered approach to his energy that gives off a strong ‘cerebral’ vibe to his performances.

Similar to an Earl Sweatshirt, KA, or Billy Woods. Someone who’s matriculated with his verses and yet a master of that cold delivery that adds layers to his aura and overall cadence!

He’s verbally sharp, calculated in his approach, and ever so versatile in his topics. He truly is a hip-hop enigma! (One that can always produce his own beats)

Also gotta give a shoutout to -King Gus who helps provide the feature on the track! He shows great chemistry with th3prism, and they both help tear the house down with their top-quality verses, making for a refreshing listen! 

I recommend everyone give this record a chance! 

He’s improved so much since last time, and he’s helped set himself apart from the rest! Go check it out now below!

https://open.spotify.com/album/2MDakEiBVkEcJq20PnDK26?si=eNoV633jTYSRoxLymRymCw

(Pee Chee Folder)

It’s been a hot minute since I last reviewed this man. If my memory serves me well, the last time I did was his record completely produced by Swab! One of the dopest albums of 2025, and now he’s back better than ever with one of the best producers we have right now. With that being said, let’s talk about it!

This brand-new album release is by MC Generalbackpain & Producer Onaje Jordan, and together they rock a solid eight tracks with almost half an hour of content and the likes of 

-New Villain 

-Deuce Henessy as the feature, and this one surprised me with its smoothness and overall elegant feel, which complements General a lot more than I thought it would!

Not to knock the brother, but I’m used to hearing him on those unforgiving boom-bap wave instrumentals, those ruthless cuts that feel like sonic shreds to the body! But on this one, we hear a more light sound that helps show just how diverse he can be with his performances and how he handles the beats!

Across these eight tracks, we have General coming it with his trademark gargantuan voice and flow that feel like mini uppercuts to the jaw with his verbal exclamations! I’m talking about those savage flows, vivid imagery, his unique way with words that take the beats hostage as he places his lyricism across the production in such a way that you feel every single word that he puts down!

He’s always had a powerful way with his wordplay, such an intense performance that you’re forced to pay attention to whenever he speaks!

That’s not even including his talents as a lyricist! He has a hypnotic way of spitting, as if he’s spitting hip-hop voodoo the way he’s slick with his words and the way he can manipulate his voice to bend to his will across the instrumentals combined with his shotgun shell delivery, and you have a recipe that is literally KILLER!

Stronger than ever, he’s showcasing why he should be on everyone’s list in 2026 (as if he wasn’t in 2025), but especially now as he’s turned even more compelling and mesmerising in that time frame and has helped create a set of verses that are sure to live rent-free in your head for the remainder of the year (if not further).

Of course, there are two people to this equation, and the other (as I mentioned above) is the renowned producer Onaje, who has spent the last few years creating a signature sound that has captivated new and old-school fans alike with his creative take on beats as well as his regular homage paying to the classics, and this time is no exception as we get a combination of both! 

On this album, ‘as it literally starts off’ on the track -Laugh Now, we get a sample of Biggie Smalls that’s blended into that heavy, gritty, and trademark General type atmosphere with those violin strings, heavy drums, and ridiculously layered bass that makes you scrunch up your face and mean-mug everyone!

But as the track ends, we have more lighter experiences such as tracks like -Polo Flow, which shows us a more classical mix and methodical vibe to the man! 

You’ve got those glistening piano keys in that gorgeous motion, that’s combined with that traditional hip-hop beat and funky drums, of that is all together minimal yet so hypnotic that I found it one of the strongest songs in the record! 

Or we can even look at the track -React, which had a phenomenal mix of 90’s and present-day as we hear that ‘Ol Dirty Bastard’ snippet in the sample that is combined with those clicking keys, light synth chords in the background, and those minimalistic drums that make this feel like one of the more atmospheric cuts we heard, period!

What an insane return for GeneralBackPain! And such ridiculous production from Onaje, this thing had no way to fail! Make sure you check it out below now.

Shoutout to the features who contributed to this record! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4YjJCmJXtowLccnvwFbZos?si=TgJ3rjKEQWC-Fw8jHQm6WQ

(DON CORLEONE & TOM HAGEN)

Well, I’d say there’s one word to describe this record. ‘Interesting’ it’s unlike many other albums in the underground and leads itself in its own lane of originality and creativity which separates it from 99% of the music out there! With that in mind, let’s get into it!

This is the brand-new album by MC’s Emerson Corelone -Naiyõ and produced by Naiyõ himself! Across these 12 tracks, we have 

-Scully

-Matt Mars

-Tetsuo (as producer)

And I have to say that last feature feels the most appropriate to have on here (especially after you hear the music!) I meant it when I say this is unlike 99% of the stuff you’ll hear on the market, but .Tetsuo is that 1% they could have been inspired by! Another genius in the industry that is often underrated!

These 27 minutes run like a psychedelic fever dream with mafia references running through it. So I suppose it would be like watching The Godfather on acid? But with music in the background.

This record is the definition of experimental and noise-based with a brash and messy atmosphere to the rough and rugged terrain of the various influences that are purposefully drowned out and distorted to create the utmost sense of chaos and uncertainty to the listener.

If you’ve ever heard an Al Divino tape or Soul La Flare, then you’ll understand the vibe I’m talking about. Literally controlled chaos reigning down on the beat, the perfect blend of noise, ambient, hip hop, soul, jazz, and funk to create this monstrous feeling of release within you! 

This music ain’t for the faint of heart (and it’s not meant to be) with albums like these, they have one purpose ‘expand’ meaning to expand the mind and taste of the listener, to expand the boundaries of what can be considered hip hop and to expand the realm of possibility of what you thought ‘music’ can stand for. 

In this goal, Naiyõ doesn’t go out like a misogynist bitch to a powerless woman, he goes out sonically swinging pushing the very limits of what hip hop can and does STAND FOR!

Speaking of swinging, we have the MC side of things (run by both men), and to rap over this kind of production ain’t easy, and it takes a special kind of flow and artist to pull it off, and that’s why these two are perfect for the job!

These two men absolutely match the vibe of the tracks bar for bar in the same chaotic, fluent, and unpredictable manner as you hear the music. They are fast-paced, freelance, and inherit that trademark ‘splash’ vibe created by Divino and Estee.

This is where the shoutout to.Tetsuo comes into place! Because he’s also known for doing the overly fast rapping over the experimental beats! So to have him on this track (as a producer) fits with the general aesthetic as he is known for doing this kind of execution (verbally and socially) in his own art!

I love the manic and wild energy both these men possess! (Although as I have been critical in the past of .Tetsuo’s fast pace, no structure style isn’t always my favourite to listen to, but I understand the aesthetic and vibe they were going for and how those verses can create a certain element of anticipation, curiosity, and excitement for the audience who do fuck with that bag!

Both men show fantastic charisma and chemistry. Both men seem to understand each other’s mindset and move accordingly, and both have their own unique personalities that do shine through on the beats! 

The various features also do well in capturing the same out-there and wild energy needed to maintain such a dynamic album, and all their parts were fire!

I feel this kind of album caters to a specific audience, but even so, if you’re wanting to challenge yourself and test the boundaries of your own music taste, then please give this one a listen and see how you go! For the fanbase who love this kind of shit, this is going to be a banger from the top! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5IWMRwpxgSTtfFzJjR4iS3?si=-5rlMbAEQb6hbF58Pbxcsg