(Jestures)

I’ll be honest with you. There is a very small amount of artists out there in Hip Hop that I’d be happily willing to listen to a one-hour and 11-minute project, and this duo is definitely one of them! They age like a fine wine and have only gotten better with age, so let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new release by the legendary duo featuring MC Slug and Producer Ant. With their first album dropping in 1997! They have literally been making music for almost 30 years, and that’s an incredible feat all on its own! With this new album, we have a whopping 26 songs and the likes of 

– Evidence

– Haphduzn

– Curious

– Mike The Martyr 

– Musab

– Muja Messiah

– WHY?

– Zoodeville 

on the roster to help push this album into incredible new heights, and I can’t even front this project was and is unbelievable!

Starting with the production side of things, I don’t know what Ant took to make the music on this album, but it sounds so blissful, nostalgic, heartfelt, and deep in ways no other producer has been able to fit before! I’m hearing combinations of 

– Soul

– Synth

– Funk

– Jazz

– Old School Hip Hop

– Ambient and more! The way he’s able to combine so many different inspirations and elements into one record is ridiculous. I know he’s been doing this for close to 3 decades, but no matter how often he drops, he never sounds stale or overdone. 

He’s always finding new ways to impress and stun! For example, the track ‘Caddy’ where we hear that almost ‘Tribe Called Quest’ call back with that soft Jazz instrumentation with that funky bass and old-school scratches and cuts! 

Or even the track ‘Effortless’ which takes a more heartfelt direction with a throwback to the 80’s Synth Pop sound with those wavy synth chords, hard-hitting drums, and cold chords! 

This one puts you into your feelings and makes you reminisce about the good old days! Not to mention that flawless feature verse by Evidence! 

Or if we look at the track ‘Heavy Lifting’ which utilises that smooth soul sample mixed with a classical vibe with those violin strings and those delicate piano keys but combined with those high-pitch vocals and thick bass lines! 

This is one of those intricate beats that feels high class and prestigious! 

Point is, Ant with all his experience to use has found a way to always keep the crowd entertained and full of love, life, and passion with a range of interesting and refreshing inspirations and choices to keep you on the edge of your seat with every song!

Now, come on. What can I say about the legend Slug that others haven’t? To say he’s a GOAT is just common knowledge in this day and age, and the fact he hasn’t watered down or become mid in all these years is actually a phenomenal feat, and that same level of surprise is in this album because he somehow sounds better than I’ve ever heard him!

He’s embraced his life and experience to create the perfect verses that feature his trademark social commentary, introspective view on life, and his quirky and personal stories about anything from describing his first ever car to calling out ‘assholes’ to how people treat him like a ‘baby’. 

I love Slug because he doesn’t think or act like anyone else before or after. He’s in his own lane in the way he writes and performs his rhymes. It’s as if he has an endless supply of ideas and thoughts, perspectives, and opinions that just happen to rhyme.

He never sounds like an MC more than he does a man fascinated with life and has the desire to record his every thought over beats. A modern-day Socrates over hip-hop production, and this album further pushes that theory!

Of course, smooth flow, flawless pen game, and a charisma he’s been growing for decades to the point no one can ever hope to match!

Somehow, for the whole length of the record, I was never bored or drained. This didn’t drag at all! I found myself completely entertained and deeply interested in the verses and fascinating beats! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5RdKL9Np2wD2HtHHedGcMN?si=EI9JTEbaTSy_crpDfQ5nRQ

(CHIPPED TOOF BOOGIE)

Man, it’s been a minute since I last reviewed this MC. After first reviewing a small 2-track package to a full length, to now another single! This man has been a super underrated addition to the underground scene, and this might be his best offering yet! Let’s talk about it!

Brand new single by MC Luable! With producer Sypooda on the beat, and together they drop a 3-minute bombshell that will have you re-living this track in your head for hours afterwards! 

So, starting with the production, we have one of the smoothest soul samples I’ve heard in a minute, with this harmonious vocal loop that’s combined with these light strings and very faint jazz-like horns that give this track a minimalistic shine to it that is out of this world! 

With so few elements to speak of, this man makes pure magic! It’s atmospheric, divine, and overall beautiful in execution! Definitely my kind of beat to listen to! (Reminds me of a WestSide Gunn-type beat), and I’m all for it!

When we talk about Luable, we have to remember one thing. This cat is still not in his prime yet, and he’s already killing it this hard! He’s out here showcasing his adventurous personality and variance on the mic!

Sometimes he’ll rap fast-paced and energised, sometimes more methodical and surreal in nature, and sometimes he’ll switch between the two! 

I’ve heard him try and experiment with every kind of style there is, and on this one, he’s just going OFF and showing the world his relentless, cut-the-breaks momentum that not only can he pull off excellently but not miss a single step even when going at such a high level of intensity!

His world play is solid, vocabulary is extensive, fluent flow, and a dominant presence that more people should be looking out for!

This track is probably my favourite track of

his so far, with that sensational instrumental combined with him rapping his fucking ass off! But what’s even better? There’s a special feature in the words to definitely keep your eyes peeled for!

https://open.spotify.com/album/10GqqZ7gSNIaHz0Pti2XhJ?si=0e6YcBNnQLK3K5GpVc0g_Q

(INTERVENTION)

Holy shit, just when I thought Bone couldn’t outdo himself, he makes this ridiculous beat and proves everyone wrong again! I’ve already listened to this song 10x before I even began to write this because I was just mean-mugging my phone while bopping my head! It’s ridiculous to even think this after what’s already come out, but this

could be the best single to drop so far! 

This is the BRAND NEW Single off the upcoming new ERG ONE album, fully produced by Bone Weso, and every new single they drop happens to be my favourite new single, and this one is no different! This is the definition of ‘Hit different’, and I can’t believe I get to cover it!

So, let’s talk about the production. Bone is a legend at this point; fuck anyone who thinks otherwise. He has consistently proven his superiority above the rest in this game, and this single is further evidence of his dominance over the game!

What we have here is one of the most infectious jazz tracks I’ve ever heard. We have this atmospheric horn loop that has a ‘Middle Eastern/dessert’ feel to it. Like a soundtrack to the Mummy movies! It’s smooth and raw at the same time! 

There’s also some thick bass lines and a minimal drum pattern that helps lift up these luxurious jazz notes as the centre stage! I don’t remember the last time I felt this engulfed by a single beat! I could literally (and probably will) listen to this for days to come on repeat!

As expected, we have ERG ONE on the verse. He opens the track up sounding as smooth as ever himself! To me, his flow on here sounds like classic 2000s underground legendary rhythm! It feels like he’s inheriting the godfathers like Illogic and Slug in his powerful and fluent take on the song! 

I love how he starts off the verse with ‘R.I.P. To Chino XL’, being respectful to the ones that came before and helping push the culture forward with his own unique and refreshing verses and performances! Absolutely incredible!

In this track though, he ain’t alone. We have the legend himself, ESTEE NACK, closing the track off, and his splash style is as infectious as ever. Never one to let the beat take his bars over, he manipulates the production and makes it wrap around HIS words and not the other way around!

He’s sharp, his street poetry is vivid and gritty as per usual, and his rhythm is untouched. Considering he and Bone go WAY back, it’s only natural that his verse is as perfect as can be! 

This is easily my new favourite single by the group. This instrumental is phenomenal, and the two verses are a masterclass in how it’s meant to be done! This is one you CAN’T AFFORD TO SKIP!!

https://open.spotify.com/album/3OdUoE2tiFGcGS7KCiaiyY?si=59kNOkK-SAK5ja7sOLK6yg

(JIGSAW ZELL)

I swear, this is a duo I’ll never get sick of! They have a specific chemistry that very few have! Another duo I’d put on their level is the very underrated act of 

-Sabio Dub and MISKEEN HALEEM! Similar magical power when together, and these two here with already three magical projects I’ve reviewed to date, this has me more excited than the trio before! So let’s talk about it!

A 4th of July album between the team of MC ZELL and Producer DEV ROGERS, and they are back with another KILLER edition to their already killer 2025 catalog! Seven tracks with 13 minutes of cutthroat energy tough enough to give SpongeBob the downs! This shit is RAW!

You can’t speak of RAW ENERGY and not bring up ZELL. He is a beast in human form, a real-life Inosuke (if you know, you know). Across these now four albums I’ve covered, he brings that surreal, animalistic drive to the microphone with absolute carnage and relentlessness to the fold! 

He ain’t one to sugarcoat. What he says is what he means, and on this project, he’s out for more blood than ever before. From the first few seconds of the record starting, he begins his MC fury with his trademark ruthless rhythm, powerhouse flow, and merciless execution of pen game and lyricism to the point of a lyrical massacre where no one can hope to survive!

His raw performances and no-holds-barred approach to the game is something I’ve become obsessed with as of late. It’s like drinking a new energy drink that gives you more of a caffeine rush than the others! You’ll start craving that specific drink and start to grow tiresome of the ones you had before.

Once you’ve experienced this man and his intensity, the rest of the game will feel tame and boring in comparison! 

Now, of course, part of the magic of ZELL is his presence alongside his brother and producer, DEV RODGERS, who once again is not content with just an average listening experience but is adamant on creating a hip-hop score so riveting and engaging that once again it feels less like an album and more like a movie soundtrack to be consumed in sonic form!

Once again, he comes in with those surreal instrumental moments of raw, unfiltered, and emotionally charged beats! 

Compared to the other three I covered, this one feels a lot more boom bap inspired and muddy than the rest! This record is the thugged-out, jail bird older brother of the last three records. The one that may not be as artistically creative but will knock your fucking head off for looking at him wrong!

This album is brutal, cunning, and destructive at every turn! It’s a swift reminder that just because DEV has a creative streak like no other, he can’t switch it up in a minute and let his gutter side out and create some of the toughest beats you’ve ever heard, period!

Another dope record by the duo! Never a miss step between them and another collection to what’s shaping up to be a killer 2025 record list!

https://open.spotify.com/album/2rIsj5x3L1zXaSuDKtTeEJ?si=tx9zBni8T1u8BKqTGnBvtA

(Levitate)

Brand new single alert! This time by an artist I’ve yet to discover until now, and one bringing with him some legendary characters and a banging producer to help the explosive nature of the track BOOM! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand new single by MC Mr. Ripley with features from Planet Asia & Pab Montega and production from Sinamatik to tie it all together with this just shy of four-minute track. Each man on this list delivers their best work I’ve heard to date, and Mr. Ripley is thoroughly impressing me! 

Let’s start with the production. I can say I wasn’t expecting what I ended up hearing. It has a 70’s Thriller/Action score to me. The first thing that came to mind was Lethal Weapon or Die Hard! It has that nostalgic/atmospheric vibe with those galactic, synth-style drums and also high-pitched synths that are ripped right out of that era!

Going through the track, we have these plucked strings that I can’t help but groove to! As well as these (what sounds like short and sharp violin snippets) that come and go in rapid scale!

This instrumental legit reminds me of a 70’s movie cop chase! A very action-based sound with glorified production and refreshingly organic instruments to use! I feel like a 12-year-old kid again re-watching all the classic 70’s/80’s action films on my bulky TV!

Now, onto the MC work. As mentioned above, we have three names on the mic. All three masters in their own right, and all three provide a different feel, charisma, and characteristics to the track that makes it feel exciting and unique!

Mr. Ripley, to me, has a no-nonsense, sharp, and raw distinct sound to him, where he delivers vivid imagery combined with raw execution and was one to set the standards in motion for the rest of the track!

He sounded solid, relentless, and heavy with conviction. The type of MC you can tell thought on his words and didn’t just let any bars fly just because they rhyme. He’s careful and calculated with his verses, and that’s what you can feel when you hear him rap them!

Planet Asia (who is a legend in the underground) comes through with a banger on his end as well: with flawless flow, excellent wordplay and distinctive vocabulary and pen game that has carried him well these past handful of years! He also brings with him his trademark aura and personality that has him stand out and recognised whenever any of his tracks are played! The mark of an icon!

As far as Pab goes, he also goes out of his way to deliver a classic verse! Filled with punchy delivery, magma pen game and a swagger so enormous he could have covered the whole track with it!

He sounded sharp-witted with impassioned rhythm and the mind of an MC hustler utilising every word, shaping every bar to fit exactly into the beat and deliver the performance of a lifetime!

This isn’t just a rap song, it’s a hip-hop masterclass of extraordinary proportions that showcases the very best the underground has to offer from the MC’s on the front line to the skilled producers making things pop on behind the desk! It all came together beautifully! 

https://mrripley9857.bandcamp.com/track/levitate

(DRIFT WORK)

Well, this is a new experience for me. I’ve never covered this man without Sabio being involved, and so I find this an interesting change of pace to see what he makes himself without the effect of the ‘duo’ handling things. 

So, without further ado, this is 

DRIFT WORK! A project by MC MISKEEN HALEEM and Producer Nav Sagan.

And together they drop a fresh eight tracks with 18 minutes of new material, and what would be a MISKEEN project without Sabio to be somewhere on the project! Helping to close the EP off!

This project production is unlike anything I’ve heard all year! It has a Lo-Fi/Ambient/Noise cut then most! I’m talking those long manipulated keys, those engulfing synth chords, atmospheric pressure that this album provides! 

It runs like a consistent score with no clear moment of starting or ending, just runs through like a beautifully morphed piece of alternative hip hop, and it’s something that will warp your mind and leave you feeling a certain way after listening to it!

So many times during this record, I had to stop relaxing so much and pay attention to the music for review’s sake because of how mesmerising the record was! It’s so eccentric and moody while being equally crisp and clean at the same time! In parts, it reminds me of ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ in its overwhelming vibes and jazz samples, but for the most part, it’s definitely in a league of its own!

From never hearing his beats to now, I gotta respect Nav for the work he put in, for the sonic world he created, and the score he so masterfully executed and built that is truly one of a kind! Respect to him!

As far as the MC goes, as I’ve heard from many other experiences, MISKEEN is definitely a beast of a rapper! He brings forward his no-nonsense, raw style of rapping that is savage and powerful, and he doesn’t miss a step!

He has sharp wordplay, a killer pen game, explosive flow, and clever vocabulary, and bars that are filled with catchy phrases, smart one-liners, and intricate puns that make a man think!

I’m sure he’s done plenty of stuff solo, but this is the first full project done with just him, and I love it! To hear his boss-level charisma and tough cadence come through as he steals the show by himself over these crazy beats really brings joy to my soul! 

Of course, as mentioned, he has only one feature, being his brother from another mother, SABIO, Mr. Sunshine Rap himself, and he goes OFF as expected. As good as MISKEEN is solo, he’s 10x more thrilling with Sabio as they bring out the best of each other (especially to close the project off). 

Overall, this is one fantastic EP! From MISKEEN stealing the show to those interesting and original beats to the surprise feature of Sabio to close the project up, this one is for the record books, and I hope everyone can give it a chance!

https://open.spotify.com/album/69MM8YDtWPB3IDfoOYzzig?si=SYtlllNbSQK4fbQzy1drWA

Central Sun Studios 845 MVP Cyphers)

Doing something a bit different this time around, I’ll be doing ranking videos on the various MC’s included in the cyphers among the handful of clips I’ve seen and give my overall take based on what I saw of them across the board and who stood out for the best/for the worst and who just didn’t impress me enough to be listed in either!

So before I start this, this is just MY opinion. Doesn’t mean it’s fact, doesn’t mean you have to agree with me and you’re allowed to have your own opinion on the matter, this is just how I feel from my own taste! So with that out of the way let’s get into it!

The list of MC’s included across the board were

-NELLZ

-DECAF BLACK

-RAPN FRZZY

-SOL IMC

-ISMILEZ

-MEATY BONE

-ACE

-JUDAH FEENOM

-NOBLE

-CRACKAJACK

-SC STATIC

-CHAIN TUDDA

-ILL NASTY CRIMINOL

-SVR

-JOEY G

-NOVA SPORT

-SAMMIE B

-MIKEY D

-JAMES EARL WOODZ

-FARKAS

-GRILLZ

-N.O.B.L.E

-A-ONE

-NAZTEE NATE

So, obviously a lot of names and before I do my criticising I respect anyone who can actually get in there and do a cypher verse, I definitely don’t like every verse I hear but the act of it and having the balls to perform one in those settings is sick so regardless of the outcome, shoutout to all the names involved for giving it a shot!

Now, let’s start with most stand out for me. Across the 4 clips I saw the few names I fucked with heavily were 

-Mikey D

-ISMILEZ

-CRACKERJACK

-NELLZ

-JUDAH FEENOM

I feel these cats are the most consistent throughout the cyphers (Mikey only being in one), but KILLED IT in his intro verse! ISMILEZ across her multiple verses brings fresh flavour, charisma, and dope MC skills that left her (in my opinion) at the top of the pack.

For me, CRACKERJACK in the ‘2019 845 MVP Cypher’ specifically had one of the most standout verses of the whole series! Especially towards the end when he goes ‘Remember Jesus Died at 33, just like Nipsey Hustle’, that line went HARD! 

-NELLZ and JUDAH alike both I felt were probably the most consistent and quality-driven throughout the four cyphers I watched! Both brought the heat, stayed interesting, and kept their intensity at an all-time high, and they ended up being the ones (outside of the other three) that I was on the lookout for!

Now, as far as names that I found interesting but not entirely amazing were cats like 

-SOL IMC

-CHAIN TUDDA

-SVR

Don’t get me wrong, they didn’t do ASS, and they had enough personality for me to remember them, but they just felt a tad too over the top for my liking!

SOL reminded me too much of Immortal Technique, and if it’s a paying homage deal, I fucking LOVE THAT concept (if it is), but even still, I wanted to see more of him and less reminded of a cat who already exists in this rap game! Stepping out of the shadow a bit.

CHAIN was dope enough, but I didn’t like his image with the knuckle dusters on and all the gold on. Don’t get me wrong, in music videos and shit like that, it’s tough, but I felt like it was more substance in image than it was bars. I felt like there was more to be seen that we didn’t get (same with the guy who wore the mask for his rap), the Casey Jones-style mask.

And SVR stayed always in the middle for me. Never doing ASS but never having the standout of the night, but again, nothing but love to even attempt his shit!

Also before I dive into the ASS factor, one thing that annoyed me a bit was the in the third one I think (the one with Mickey D) when they had the Ghost energy drink fridge. Now I don’t know how much of this was just lip synced for the camera and the real audio added later but I didn’t like that there was young kids and there was talk about giving women the inches and sexual talk.

I’m always pro freedom of speech but if those verses were live and the kids heard all of that, I felt that was a bit fucked but hopefully it was just lip synced for video sake!

Now into the ASS and for me there’s only 2 names that truly stood out for me.

-RAPN FRZZY

-Sammie B

I’m sorry but I couldn’t get into ANY of these verses by any of them. I think Sammie was only in one but she wasn’t hitting it. She just felt awkward and off, no real rhythm or groovy structure or anything to hold on to! Her verse felt flat and her bars, wordplay and overall charisma on the mic was lacking and unfortunately it stood out like a sore thumb.

And RAPN he just played the forced quirkiness ‘over the top’ card WAY TOO HEAVY. Trying to be the cyphers equivalent of ODB or something similar, Bizzare from D12.

All about being the one that stands out for his gestures and weirdness. Relying on a stand out look and purposefully pretentious to get attention with a fake eccentricity that feels ‘out of place’ 

Again, if you want you can come out and lash out and say ‘I’d like to see you step into the cypher and do better’ and you’d be 100% correct. I know I would do terrible and I’m self aware of my lack of skills as an artist. 

But as a journalist who prides myself on his honesty in my blog I can only say what I feel and unfortunately for those two names that’s how I feel!

https://youtu.be/OAGLTCAMaUQ?si=vpcKp8Le65gPkjpz

https://youtu.be/hd31uuLldnE?si=AE81_WNTi2bIb-cv

https://youtu.be/B6aPVYfJUY0?si=noVYYPt56mqjDr-S

https://youtu.be/s6LIG_CMB2w?si=zCB51buDAHxNsuED

(Auto Trigger II: Failure To Fire)

It’s always an exciting day to review this man as he will forever have the title of being my first ever review for my website! It’s an honour I hold dearly and have enjoyed his progression of the year! So now we are back with a sequel to an already established record that I enjoyed then and assuming this will be the same if not better! So let’s talk about it!

This is the brand new EP by fellow Australian and MC Artwork Kennedy and this time joined by Producer zzxxcczz and with only five tracks and eleven minutes to impress the audience I know he has no intention of running it slow! 

Across this project we hear Art go back to his no-no nonsense, in your face demeanour. I feel after all the creative endeavours he’s taken this year this was the best course of action! 

A record (big or small) to just re focus his career and remind the culture what he’s capable of and when you strip back all the conceptuality and out-there ideas that at heart he’s a MC first and foremost and he’s showcasing that on this one!

I’m talking that methodically paced, gritty-toned bars filled with aggressive intent, solid structures and assertive execution that make him sound more badass than I’ve heard him yet! As I just said when you strip everything down and let him just rap over quality beats and let the man work he is capable of out-rapping your favourites on any given day or not for real!

With eleven minutes on the board, he doesn’t have any time to waste and he doesn’t! He’s in and out with enough lyricism and wordplay to fill a few records in one and as usual he’s making it look effortless!

He’s not alone this time around though, with strong MC’s in -SportsCenter Dre and -Here’s Johnny who are men I’m beyond familiar with and who match Artwork’s vibe and energy completely! Couldn’t think of a better match for him!

As far as the production goes, I was surprised to hear Artwork return to that classic, gritty boom bap classic sound! There’s no fancy instrumentation or larger-than-life build or cryptic messaging or none of that time around. As much as he has excelled in creating those vivid atmospheres in the past, for this 11 minutes we have him for he just wants to rap over some muddy and nasty production and that’s exactly what we got!

Heavy drums, plucked strings, chords from hell and enough bass to shake the world up. Only a handful of elements per song but enough to create a hardcore soundscape that is equal parts eerie and captivating all in one! 

I love this production, I admire its stripped-back minimalistic approach and its key simplicity that knows what it is without trying to hide behind some deeper meaning. It’s just raw dope beats and it’s ridiculously incredible and mastered to perfection!

A fitting sequel by a duo who has the potential to be a dominating force in the game if they decide to stay linked up! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5zBJwONuIHriDbcgTxdCPV?si=D8BMUif-RGKc5-XXAdDkSw

(Better Stranez)

Look who’s back! It’s the main guys! The guys who I have been covering since late 2024 and, unless I’m mistaken, have reviewed every single album they’ve dropped, and they have yet to stop surprising me with their consistency, quality, and performances! Now it’s time to cover their brand-new album and see what it brings to the table!

This is the brand-new record by the underground’s highest lyricism authority, THE PEN LORDZ! The trio:

– Fam Ross

– Audio Messiah

– Arsinel

These three men have changed the way the culture sees consistency, conscious bars, and overall style of what I consider to be the underground scene. Whether that be spiritual and preaching in their bars, to a more mean and sadistic streak (as of late), they have no ceiling to worry about and keep providing their brand of no-nonsense, lyrical mastery to the culture for diehards (like me) to consume!

Across this eight-track project, they seem to be making an album that is equal parts savage and gritty and spiritually engaging! I love it because it seems they have become hip-hop’s health and well-being advocates! 

For example, on this album, they make a line upset about the fact that people are still eating McDonald’s! And on an earlier EP, they literally made a project dedicated to just health awareness! 

I don’t see anyone else in the game doing important bars like that, and to fit that into a solid record without sounding tacky is quite impressive! They are the enlightened leaders of the game, and I love hearing them stand on their morals and principles and try to encourage and support the audience of theirs!

Of course, as it should come as no surprise to anyone who is even slightly familiar with them, that they come in loaded with advanced vocabulary, precise flow, spiritual energy, and enough charisma to give away! These three have become one unit and, to me, share one mind to the point where I find it hard to distinguish between the three because of their solid unity!

Each verse is done with finesse, maturity, and years of knowledge and experience that puts them above the rest! I haven’t heard a wake verse from them yet, and I doubt I ever will!

This time around, the production is done by Fiqqouw, and he’s no stranger to the crew and has done tracks before. On this one, it feels like he’s just continuing where he left off with his trademark brand of deep, heavy minimalist vibes with a cinematic flair to them!

Although he’s only utilising a few key elements, he’s doing them in such a way that it feels less bare and more immersive and atmospheric due to his mastery on the beats!

He doesn’t waste a single second of the 24 minutes provided to him, and he is a producer who is able to sync perfectly with the vibes and notions of Penlordz to create the ideal score for the trio!

It’s really a magical moment when you see a producer take the job seriously and actually focus and grow with the artists themselves. It’s a given that artists are going to have beats; you don’t hear many a cappella records, but how many actually sync and become ONE with the artist in question?

Have you ever heard an album and have a nagging feeling that the beat doesn’t match the tone of the rapper or vice versa? That means ASS chemistry or just a quick payday without any passion or care to the project getting paid for.

It’s the equivalent of a casual teenage worker on the hour making you the worst fast food you’ve ever had in your life instead of taking the time to make it enjoyable or properly!

When it comes to these guys, there’s never a shortage of passion and conviction on both sides— beats and lyricism— and that’s why this album POPS! Doubt me? Go listen for yourself now!

https://open.spotify.com/album/57KxvJ5TGyYeCnasoquDGN?si=mSZ7dWRERwOCA567OdJhiQ

(A DOLLAR IN THE WIND)

Man, I can’t tell you how excited I am that this record is finally out. It’s one of those tapes that gathered ridiculous hype before it even dropped, and those I always assume are gaining traction for a reason! So I have to check them out, and I’m glad I did because this thing is RIDICULOUS!

This is the brand-new (Bandcamp exclusive) studio album by MC Nyeusi Loe! He brings with him producers such as:

– Himself

– Bone Weso

– Bucket Top Boogz

– Chandler Wards

– Loman-type beats

– AbbottJackson

And:

– CHYNA BAEJING

– WST. Taylor

– Bucket Top Boogz

– SMELLO

And if that set list of names isn’t enough to get you excited, then I’m convinced nothing will because that is beyond legend shit right there!

Let’s start with the MC work. Because to say I was blown away by Nyeusi would be A FUCKING UNDERSTATEMENT. Why? Because across this ten-track project, he’s giving us his best work and then some!

I’m talking ridiculous flow, that fast-paced, complex rapping style where he’s just throwing bars left, right, and centre, cutting through anything in its path!

He pairs that with his incredible charisma and music conviction, and he sets himself up with a blueprint that shits all over 90% of your favourite rappers!

The way he makes his sharp, focused, and precise wordplay look effortless is ridiculous. From the very first track, he doesn’t stop until we hear silence when the last track is over with no breaks, bumps, or stops!

Not everyone has the extended, vivid imagery like this man does! Every verse feels like street story time with graphic descriptions and social commentary of the world around him in the slickest way possible, and he doesn’t miss!

On top of all that, bringing with him a small crew of features who also provide their best work! For me, the standout guest verse was CHYNA. My god, she fucking WENT OFF! She somehow was faster-paced than him, and she took over that track and gave me goosebumps! 

This album is what the general standard of what the underground SHOULD BE. Nothing but no nonsense, quality bars over phenomenal production that engages the listener!

Speaking of phenomenal producers, we gotta talk about the handful of beat makers. Because they brought a sound so fresh and so clean that it would take 3000 Andre’s to try to imitate this big boy. Holy shit, what a sonic experience!

Although there are multiple names, you wouldn’t think it. Because they all share one mind in bringing together a project that’s smooth, refreshing, and intricate in nature. There are so many sounds here that took my mind on a journey that I found hard to write about because of how much in a trance I was in!

For example, the track ‘SUNDAY CLEANING’ done by Chandler. This track is the definition of FRESH! You’ve got this Phil Colin’s/Soul fusion of sounds with those funky, plucked strings, bright and delightful keys, and immersive drums that felt like fever dreams in my head!

Then we have the track by legendary BONE WESO ‘CRIPPLER CROSSFACE’ where he utilises this fantastical and minimal loop that runs through your whole body and brain! That vocal harmony looping through your ears as you listen to those muddy bass and light chords in the background!

As is trademark with Bone, he uses the bare minimum to create modern-day classics, and this one of those tracks that you can listen to for hours and never get sick of!

Everyone on this track does a fantastic job and helps bring this record together in a cohesive and smooth experience that’s fluent from start to finish, and that’s the important thing here!

Overall, as I was already anticipating, this album was HARD! The features were ridiculous, the production perfect, and Nyeusi showcased why he should be one of your favourites!!

https://nyeusiloe.bandcamp.com/album/a-dollar-in-the-wind