(PARAPHERNALIA)

Damn, this whole year has been full of collaborations I didn’t think would come! This one has to be the most surprising so far! Two of my main guys coming together for one of the toughest EP’s we’ve got all year! Let’s talk about it!

This time around we got MC SHA and Producer VINYL VILLAIN! These two release three tracks

-SMOKEFACE VILLAIN

-GORGEOUS KILLAZ

-NOSE CANDY

And let me tell you what. Vinyl Villain is one of those beat makers that is far too severely underrated in this game. He’s been on a run that most overshadow. Hell, his Bori Rock album ‘Lord Of The Zingz’ is one of the greatest records to come out this year alone! When this man goes off, he GOES OFF, and this EP is no different!

The production this time around feels a lot more abstract, dark, and sinister! Actually, similar to the vibe of ZINGZ but with a more emphasis on those heavy, destructive, and ambient sounds that make you feel like you’re walking around in the dark in a bio shock game! 

You have elements such as those twisted and manipulated jazz horns, those methodical drum patterns that slowly bang in such a haunting fashion! 

You have this really eerie clicking sound in the background of track one that gave me goosebumps as if some creature was just in the pitch black standing there and clicking. I kept hyper-focusing on that sound the whole time!

Track 2 is even worse with the most experimental I’ve heard Vinyl sound yet. Ambient and Lo-Fi/Sci-Fi instruments that have been turned inside out and made to sound like a horror space movie. It sounds like you’re stuck in the middle of space, nothing but darkness and emptiness for miles in each direction, fuck me, even typing this is terrifying! 

Track 3 comes down a little bit but is still drastic compared to his former work. This one sounds like a serial killers remix of Boom Bap. Those droning drums, repetitive synth chords, and what sounds like a keyboard spacing off in the background!

This is definitely the more ‘Hip-Hop’ flavoured track over the other two but is still extremely unnerving and is definitely not the kind of track I could play in the dark! I’m going 100% bitch lights on TV on, playing friends type shit while listening to this!

Now, hearing Sha on this tape although shocking can’t say I blame Vinyl! Because Sha is the definition of DOPE and he handles these beats like no one’s business!

He uses his versatile flow and vocal performances to showcase many different styles such as dark and gritty, introspective and thoughtful and straight up flexing! 

He also has the perfect blend of enthusiasm, energy and charisma across this project! 

I love how similar to the beats, he’s also very methodical in the way he spits his bars, he places emphasis on his words to make them sound as impactful and theatrical as possible! He’s swift, in depth lyrically and savage when he has to be (and on this one he definitely has to be)

These beats would honestly take out most MC’s who wouldn’t know how to handle the extreme nature of these beats but not my main man Sha! He came in ready to kill and that’s exactly what he did! Absolutely incredible effort once again by Sha!

Although short, this thing can’t be missed! Because these are a trio of songs I guarantee you won’t hear anywhere else in the game right now!

https://therealvinylvillain.bandcamp.com/album/paraphernalia?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwLihp1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABp06NbrZoAXu1MEEYujCGewANfmR0rXuhsmMeIG2AEn8frGyg6P2xh33UHwQm_aem_Rtw5FjNY6b20LJAg18-p4g

(Albizu’s Revenge)

What a shock! A new album by Big Ghost Ltd! It’s been a minute and a half since he last dropped a record, and a collaboration with UFO Fev nonetheless? This thing is about to be a classic before it even drops by name value alone! Let’s talk about it!

As stated, this is the brand new Big Ghost Ltd X UFO Fev Album! Unless you’re living under a rock, Big Ghost has been the producer to beat for the past 3-4 years at least! And UFO Fev has had a dream couple of years run, with this year alone being some of his best work to date! So together they are bound to hit!

10 fresh tracks, 30 minutes of content with features from

-Jose Santiago

-Red Inf

-DJ Perly

-Lil Dee

It feels like an early Christmas to hear Big Ghost back on the beats! No one hits quite like he does. We’re talking some of the most heavy, cinematic, and down-to-earth production you’ll hear in the game period!

His drums hit louder, his bass lines are heavier, his vocal harmony samples give goosebumps, and his keys are sharper than anyone else’s. The reason he’s such a critically acclaimed producer is because of the way he handles the beats in such a masterful way that it sounds elevated, evolved, and polished down to every millisecond of sound we hear.

Across this tape, we have some of his most smooth instrumentals yet. This feels like the 2000s era G-Funk! Those delicate uses of those horns, violin strings, synth chords— all of it is just done to such a level that it transported the listener back to the golden era of hip hop, and it sounds fucking golden!

I love how theatrical everything is. So much of this album reminds me of ‘Dr Dre-2001’ in how it’s executed. I love the beautiful instruments, the utmost respect given to each sound, and the way it all comes together in one of the most seamless records we’ve heard this year!

The other reason why this album was such a massive deal was because of UFO FEV! This man hasn’t missed yet, and his last 3-4 albums have been critical to say the least! How does he sound alongside Big Ghost? Incredible.

He spends the whole 30 minutes showcasing his undeniable talent on the beat! His immaculate pen game and lyricism. His flawless flow that hits every beat without issues! His words land exactly where it’s meant to, he’s always been one of the strongest in that area of bar placement across instrumentals!

As usual, his storytelling ability is incredible in the fact that he can tell an in-depth situation in just 16 bars that has more descriptive meaning than most people’s whole albums! With every few lanes I feel transported into the situations he’s describing and even when he’s just flexing on the beat I can feel his energy and his emotions while spitting these bars and that’s a talent definitely not everyone has!

He always flaunts his charisma and passion on the songs. He’s always got a message to tell and he’s going to use his strong will and conviction to convey that as strongly as he can! He’s a preacher for the art of Hip Hop and ain’t no one gonna silence this man!

The features are incredibly dope across projects and match his style nicely! I must say I was surprised to see Lil Dee on this album! He’s an incredibly dope MC and it makes me happy to see him on a project of this magnitude!

As expected Big Ghost came back STRONG and elevated an already lethal talent in UFO FEV back to astronomical heights that only he can achieve! This is a MUST LISTEN PROJECT 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4azr4sDurPC2yyakduETbe?si=5i0Eg83gQOKmW5pcy0mfJA

(Luboogie & Da Dummies, Vol. 1)

Looks like we’ve got a familiar face back into the mix! I remember the two dope singles this man dropped, and so to hear he’s finally dropped a record, you know I gotta check that shit out! Let’s talk about it!

This is the July 4th drop by MC LuAble and Producer Dskillz Harris which consists of ten tracks, 30 minutes, and the likes of 

-Black Chakra

– Michlopedia

-E.X Da HawkSpitta

And I gotta speak on this real quick. Although I knew somewhat to expect based on previous dealings, I was still shocked by the production. I loved these so much! Because they don’t sound like anything that I’ve heard this year! The way they are handled, how the instruments and sound palettes are represented and manipulated is absolutely fascinating and fire.

For example, the track ‘GODZILLA RAPS’ the way those haunting notes come in and out in a repetitive pattern with those subtle jazz piano keys and minimal drum beat. This sounds like 80’s Horror Synth Pop! Like imagine if ‘Tears For Fears’ went sinister, and this is the music they’d make, it’s absolutely chilling and yet original as fuck!

Or let’s even look at the track ‘E&J’ which consists of a combination of those plucked strings which give off a violent jerk motion, like a classic violinist playing his notes in an angry and fast-paced sequence! It’s hard to describe, but the way the instrument itself is being played is rather intense and again unlike anything I’ve heard this year!

Accompanying that loop, we have this angelic vocal harmony that’s on a constant loop. I love how this is an obvious contradiction to the strings, and yet they both complement each other well!

‘One For One Time’ is a track that feels like a trip back to the late 80’s or early 90’s with that old-school hip hop production with more simplistic drum patterns and that subtle execution of that synth chord in the background!

Plus, how can you ignore those tough scratches and cuts along with that ‘Ol Dirty Bastard/Biz Markie’ vocal performance for that chorus! It was absolutely wonderful and the perfect throwback to the classics! 

What I’ve just described is detail: three of the ten tracks, and yet there’s so much more to unpack that listeners should be excited to discover! With these three tracks alone, we see just how versatile and creative LuAble can be on tracks! He’s making sure each track is not only original but memorable and stands out from the rest, which I feel it 100% will!

As far as the MC work goes, I am very pleased and impressed with his work! LuAble is one of those cats who can utilise various different styles across a wide range of songs! For example, 

On some tracks, we get a more monotone and cold side shown by him with traditional flows and wordplay structures! Shit you’d expect from the 90s or 2000s! 

Then on others, you’ll hear his personality come out in spades, and we will hear his colourful side, his complex puns, witty one-liners, and intricate flow that goes all different directions! 

So, depending on the track, you can have a different side of his artistry showcasing itself, and to me, that proves the utmost talent and skill to be able to pull out various hats to fit the moment! Not many can do that!

Outside of this, his pen game is strong, honest, and at some points introspective! He ain’t speaking no nonsense shit that most other rappers are on. He’s true to himself and writes as such! 

His rhythm is point, and his lyricism even more so!

I like how well he paired with the features also! They all provide essence to the album and not just there for feature sake, which I was happy about, and they all showed brilliant chemistry and synchronicity together!

After an impressive singles showing, it should be no surprise that turned into an impressive album showing! None of the 30 minutes was wasted in needless filler, everything slapped from start to finish, and provided LuAble with an undoubtedly strong record drop! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3bq01tNuo2YIaAhDrLWiIT?si=ENNO9m9-SkGo2PpWuvhdMQ

(The Wave Gallery)

I feel honoured that I’ve been able to be chosen to review an album for its anniversary! I feel like a proud parent seeing something grow up! Weird explanation I know, but that’s how I feel regardless. Let’s get into this!

This is the 2024 collaboration album between MC’s Sabio Dub and BECK, while Sabio remains on the production! 10 tracks, 31 minutes, and the likes of 

-Primo Jab

-Miskeen Haleem

-Johnny Storm

-Unorthodocks 

Man, why is it that Sabio’s production is so fucking smooth? I know I’ve dubbed him ‘Sunshine Rap’, but he sounds like he’s been touched by Jack Kahuna Lagun, the legendary surf guru from SpongeBob! It’s flooded with aura, vibes, atmosphere, lo-fi excellence, and jazz-filled soundscapes that soothe your brain unlike anyone else I’ve come across!

He’s taking that ‘Mellow/Art Rap’ subgenre to a whole new dimension. From those shining keys to the drowning synth pop influences. The manipulated notes and ambient noises of birds in the sky and beautiful vocal loops, even sticky guitar strings, and what sounds like wave sounds accompanied by subtle drums!

I mean, what do you even say to that? Every track feels like the real-life definition of ‘Bliss’ and ‘Harmony’, like the actual feelings came to life and turned into audio form just for this album. This type of production is the closest music to reggae I can think of without it actually being reggae. As far as I’m concerned, Sabio is Bob Marley’s spirit reincarnated, and I’m standing on that statement! Anyone who disagrees obviously hasn’t actually listened to the music itself!

As far as the MC work goes, you already know he’s good for it! One of the most chill and optimistic voices in the rap game today! The way he flows is exactly how the production sounds! He’s equally smooth, introspective, and larger than life on his bars!

He’s always dropping positivity on his records. Either talking about life or weed or experiences he’s had, he’s just always with his head up, never stooping to that hardcore, gritty, trendy shit (and I hope he never does).

He’s this time accompanied by BECK, and as I reviewed him recently, I already know these two work together amazingly! Both similar but different at the same time. Both have an incredible pen game, soothing flow, and enlightened bars and verses that go against the common ‘trendy’ narrative of extreme boom bap!

The features on this album are some of my favourite MC’s so to see them on a record with them is awesome! Primo Jab and Unorthodocks specifically, my guys!

Happy one-year anniversary to this modern-day classic! Happiness in a jar, relaxation trapped inside a WAV file. Listen to this one once, and I guarantee you, stress gone!!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7MtvIdw3so0twjnE0CMPYY?si=eCNp_I9-RNONhGlLlK-JPQ

(Journey Into Mystery)

Holy shit, a new New Villain album? It was only a few months ago we got ‘Mysterioso’ which I remember covering and loving, and now we have this! He’s on a classic run, and who’s going to be the one to stop him? Definitely not me! Let’s talk about it!

This is the latest album by MC New Villain and Producer FROwNS, and together they drop 13 tracks with 34 minutes featuring the likes of 

-Paarleh

-Indigo Phoenyx

-TONE KELLY

-Sphere47

Once again, 99% of the artists on here I’ve never heard of, but that doesn’t stop this being one of the dopest albums of the year! For so many reasons, this thing is ridiculous. 

We can start with that larger-than-life production. Anytime Villain brings a producer into the situation, they always end up being cinematic, animated, and visually compelling in their beats! The same can be said here!

While listening to this, I felt like I was listening to a comic book come to life! From those film snippets to those elements such as

-Ambient

-Lo-Fi

-Synth Pop 

-Rock

-Jazz

-Soul

And I can’t put my finger on how, but every sound and instrument is elevated to an 20/10 in its grand execution, its mastering, and the methodical way they are inserted into the beat sounds absolutely incredible! These are the kinds of beats from those luscious keys, subtle bass lines, and crisp notes that make you feel like you’ve stepped into a movie and your experience every word heard! 

Every beat runs through the body, gives you goosebumps, and makes you excited for what track will come next! 

This is the king of albums. I’d love to just sit back after a hard day’s work, relax, and let this producer take me on a sonic trip that only a New Villain album can provide! 

What can I say about Villain that the culture hasn’t already said for me? Often hailed as one of the strongest lyricists and storytellers in the game right now! One with an unlimited vocabulary bank with a distinctive flow that makes his tracks and verses spot-on on any track! He really is ‘that guy’ and on this album it feels more like a flex than a record.

The flex saying ‘I can do this classic shit, as many times as I want and you can’t do shit about it!’ And his confidence makes this record that much sweeter!

As usual, we get his trademark diverse flows and cutthroat lyricism that makes you feel like you’re in an infinite jackpot slots just spitting out different words at a time. He could probably rap for an hour straight and never run out of words or concepts!

His flow is impactful and precise! Always landing on the beats whenever he’s supposed to and he’s never one to take a step backwards! Always powerful in his approach to the beats, spitting more one-liners, references, puns and bars than most do per album. A relentless wordsmith with an infinite arsenal to draw from!

His chemistry with FROwNS is exceptional as he can match the animated and colourful production with his own brand of exciting, fresh and creative verses that provide the same energy!

Man, I had so much fun with this one! Everything about this speaks ‘CLASSIC’. It’s the latest volume in the long-running comic ‘Underground Hip Hop’. Have you got your issue? 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0Z9EAjbypE3fmN0UpxcV25?si=wJUhe1SMRA65eeebrO8OeQ

(I Heard You Paint Houses)

Right off the bat, from this title alone I knew I’d fuck with it. An Irishman reference? Someone who appreciates my favourite director Martin Scorsese? Yeah, I knew this one was going to be gold! Let’s talk about it!

This is the latest drop by MC Bucket Top Boogz who also works as a producer and the artwork is handled by him as well! He does it all in an effort to showcase his abilities as a one-man band and across these ten tracks and just under 27 minutes features the likes of

-Nyeusi Loe

-HYROGLYPHX

-Wst. Taylor

-SMELLO

-RSNZ

For me, from the MC to the features I’m dealing with 99% of never-before-heard talent so considering I’m going in blind, my initial reaction is.

This is one groovy album!

To expand, this album consists of that minimansion, early Al Divino EP vibes! We’ve got those manipulated soul loop samples, across the minimal instrumentals with experimental undertones and short bursts of content with tracks around the 2-minute or less mark to fully capture the attention span of the audience at maximum capacity!

This is the kind of album that would be perfect to play while you’re walking your dog on a nice sunny day while smoking a fat one! It has that surreal, outer-wordy vibe to it. That level of atmosphere that you don’t really get from anyone else in the game except for that band of people associated with minimansion or 23Incredible are making and for that fact alone, I fuck with it!

I love those elements of jazz, soul, funk, and synth. The mastery it takes to take these sounds and create a project that not only is fluent and works well with the other nine tracks after it but also has its own individual personality and charisma is not easy and yet Boogz made it look easy! 

As far as the MC work goes, he’s just as good with that as he is with the beats! I’d describe his style as a ‘relaxed extravert’. For the most part, his flow and cadence are borderline monotone, but we do get small glimpses of his energetic style when he delivers certain phrases and bars, which is an interesting contrast to experience!

I’d describe his relationship with the beats on this album as that of a father and son working together. Boogz doesn’t exactly control or manipulate the beats but rather finds his best opportunities to spit his best bars at the best timing he can find! Like a son making sure he does everything within the dad’s field of play! 

His work with the features is also dope! Each track has amazing chemistry, and they help maintain the solid energy of the record! Memorable and passionate performances!

Overall, a fantastic record with a lot of cool snippets of the film ‘The Irishman’, which I loved. The production was fantastic, and the verses even more so! Definitely worth checking out! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2SSQTtIZgiD3cxcRIAvty5?si=065-A0hERKeAnJMaipsCHQ

(Leisure For The Wicked)

Barely a few months ago, it felt like every other day I was covering a brand-new Kheyzine album. His work this year alone has been prolific to say the least, and now he’s back with a brand-new full-length project to re-instate his domain!

So, this is a brand-new collaboration effort between MC Haron Yose and, as above mentioned, Producer Kheyzine! Together, they drop ten tracks with no features, just pure and unadulterated Hip Hop!

Considering this is the first time I’ve come across Haron, I wasn’t sure what to expect before going into this, but I can safely say he’s impressed me a lot!

He has an interesting skill of being able to tap into various tempos and energies depending on the track.

There were some tracks where I heard him go cold-blooded and monotone, just sounding straight OG with his rough and rugged cadence. Then there were tracks I heard him unlock his charisma and experimenting with various speeds, rapping styles, and techniques, showcasing his versatility!

And then on other tracks, I heard him lay down, softer and more mellow takes where he sounds relaxed, introspective, and calm. It’s been a minute since I’ve heard an MC showcase this many sides in one album! 

Normally, cats stick with what they know and perfect one specific skill set on the mic, and then every now and then in their career, surprise the audience with a slight twist and turn, but no, here we have a man who has a whole arsenal hidden inside of him that could come out at any moment!

He has incredible and complex flow; his pen game is exquisite as well as his witty and creative wordplay, which ranges in topics and themes depending on the song at hand. I also appreciate how there are no features! An album with just one MC and one Producer is always my favourite formula, and they nailed this one to a tee! Definitely be on my radar from now on!

Speaking on Kheyzine. His reputation must speak for itself at this point in his career, with his multiple artist credits to his name and a style that’s always evolving with time. He’s truly one of the most underrated beat makers we have right now, and he’s outdone himself again!

Across these ten tracks, we have Kheyzine tap into

his classic, traditional, and somewhat classical hip

Hop renditions across this record! His trademark is his masterful execution of the various sounds, turning any instrument into a cinematic experience and capturing that freshness that will

make any album he makes sound crisp, no matter how long you wait to listen to it again!

You’ve got those beautifully elegant chord progressions, those harmonic strings, and minimalistic drum patterns combined with those keys and bass lines heavy enough to keep your head bobbing for days! 

What I love about this album is its ‘down to earth’ and ‘bare’ nature. It sounds like a rap album you would hear in the 90s but with a modernised stylistic twist. There’s no need for any fancy bells and whistles or anything overly experimental and brash, just pure hip hop the way most of us grew up on and done in its most memorable and understandable format with a hint of classical/jazz elements, and I love that!

Each song is equally memorable, original, and yet flows into each other like water in an ocean. The quality is outstanding, and the instrumentals themselves sound like a score fresh out of a big-screen cinema! 

Kheyzine hasn’t taken an L yet, and I bet he doesn’t even know the meaning! Alongside one of the most unique cats I’ve come across lately, this one is a must-listen!

https://open.spotify.com/album/54lf7vx8A0UYqcWbJLzVp9?si=3HO-cRiwSB-p8t5Cr-kxdQ

(Dopedemilk)

I guess I never thought about it till now, but this really is a dream team collaboration! Both men who have been pushing the boundaries in their own respective lanes coming together to wreck sonic havoc? Say less, I’m in! 

This is the brand new collaboration album between MC Hank Dope and Producer Work Scorsese, and together they drop a 10-track record with double the length, with 20 minutes of content, and featuring the likes of 

– Outti

– Reek Osama

– Tragedy Monroe

– Yasin

And this thing is hypnotic as fuck! When I saw Work was on the case, I was expecting a more trademark gritty and muddy sound palette, but instead, I hear a lot more aesthetically ambient and surreal elements to this one!

I’m talking a lot of swaying, chords that have been mixed and manipulated. Minimalistic bass lines and synth chords! Some tracks have those light and intricate piano keys that have this mesmerising fast pace to them that makes your brain go in circles while listening! It’s a trip and a half!

I love the dark ambiance of this record. It’s not your traditional in-your-face, slap the shit out you type heaviness; it’s more a cerebral attack. A mental strike! Think of a metal band who makes an album an hour long with absolutely devastating chords and sinister progressions! This is the  hip-hop equivalent of this! This shit makes me think of music you’d play in evil psych wards you see in movies! Absolutely incredible and trance-level rap that is on a whole different level than everything else!

As far as Hank goes, he’s been killing shit all year! I’d like to think I’ve reviewed everything he’s done so far, and he’s only gotten better with every EP and mixtape drop! Now with a more album structure, we see him go off and prove that his 2025 consistency so far isn’t some kind of fluke!

He sounds stronger than ever! His bars feel like bars of gold, his gritty nature in delivery is so sharp you’ll fuck around and cut your head off! Although the production is more methodical and ambient than previous works of his, his raw flow and street rhymes provide an excellent contrast to the beats!

He’s the kind of MC that manipulates the beat to work for him, not the other way around! His words always land where he wants them because he forces the instrumental to be wherever he needs it! His rough-around-the-edges aura and cadence are trademark at this point, and the way he spits sounds like a killer walking the streets at midnight in the roughest neighbourhood! Definitely not one to fuck with!

If you’ve been following his career at all, the features across this one should come as no surprise! Especially not Outti, who has been by his side for any EP or album release he’s done so far! Partners in crime! And Reek, a long-time brother as well as Tragedy! 

Always excited for a new Hank drop because of the unforgiving and ruthless vibes he brings with him, and when you pair him with a man of the same tier of work, it’s undoubtedly going to be a classic! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4OXq133spjCDNsaKfrGY1j?si=bp2pBgzcTS-5eCl8_tbJrg

(EXECUTION TE EXCELLENCE)

I gotta say, this is one of the few albums released this year I was genuinely excited for before it came out! Being in regular communication with this man kept me in the loop of release, and for one specific reason towards the end of the record, it had me anticipating what this one will sound like, and now that it’s out, I no longer have to anticipate! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new release by MC JhiaKhana, who came to my attention with his incredible single featuring Snotty! Since then, he’s been on my watchlist, and this time around, he’s pulling no punches! We have production from the likes of 

-88blessed

-Drill Kid

-Crisis

-Wavy Da Gawd

-godBLESSbeatz

-Controversy 

-Sneak Beatz

-Level 13, and more! 

And on the verses, we have

-J-Classic

-Jalen Frazier

-Snotty

-Teek Hall

And man, dope isn’t a strong enough word to describe this record! 

To start with the production, what we have here is a combination of atmospheric, gritty, and cold-blooded Boom Bap tracks that’s tied in with plenty of wrestling references and looped instrumentation that gives this record that ‘surreal’ feel to it!

I love those swaying, deep notes, those minimalistic drum patterns accommodated by intricate keys and folk-like horns and jazz-inspired chords that all mash together into a pleather of sounds and aesthetics that complement track to track! 

To me, this album’s music has amazing breathing room within the production. Each track has 1-3 max key instruments or samples that are highlighted, mastered, and amplified to its greatest extent until each sound starts sounding cinematic in nature! 

Across these 13 tracks, you can feel the care and importance of ‘depth’ within the instrumentals. This ain’t a rushed record or meaningless cuts just thrown together for the fuck of it; each song is crafted for that exact song’s purpose and is treated respectfully! Nothing worse than when an artist drops a collection of tracks just for the fuck it! 

No thought or process, just record to get something out. This is definitely not the case here! You can hear the personality and characteristics in each second of the beats, which makes this album 100x more interesting, enjoyable, and memorable!

If there’s anything you shouldn’t have to question, it’s Jhia himself. This man has been on an upward trajectory, and I can’t see him slowing down yet! He’s got that one passionate and enthusiastic delivery that makes you realise how much fun he’s having on these tracks!

He’s a true artist in the fact that he ain’t releasing anything until it comes out exactly how he wants it! Trust me, I’ve had constant conversations with him way before this dropped, and I’m sure he could have released this way earlier than now if he wanted to, but he’s a master craftsman, and his patience paid off because this ended up DOPE!

He has that sharp pen game, his visually pleasing wordplay, and lyricism. I love the amount of wrestling references across this album! The one-liners, puns, double entendres— it’s all (as a wrestling head) absolutely fantastic! You can always hear how fluent his flow is as he’s effectively and effortlessly gliding through the production like it’s nothing!

Although he doesn’t have that many features on this thing, the amount he does have, he absolutely nails the chemistry and synchronicity! He proves to the world that you line up anyone against him, and he’ll come up on top! Those feature tracks go hard! 

And of course, track 8, that’s me! My second blessing to be featured in a record, and it couldn’t have come up better! Fantastic interlude! 

Look, if you’re a wrestling head, you will LOVE this album! And I’m convinced even if you’re not as a hip-hop head, you’ll love what this has to offer! Definitely one of the best albums of the year!!

https://jhiakhana.bandcamp.com/album/execution-te-excellence

(Let God Sort ‘Em Out)

I need you all to remember, it’s been 16 years since the last Clipse album ‘Til The Casket Drops’ and although we’ve gotten a handful of Pusha-T solo albums, all of which have ranged from great to modern-day classics, it’s still a historic moment to realise the release of a new Clipse album! It’s an announcement that had the whole world on its tippy toes waiting, and now that it’s finally here, it’s like they never left! 

Clipse, Pusha T, No Malice, and of course Pharrell are back and honestly stronger than ever. With so many legends returning with new records and dropping underwhelming updates to their discographies, it’s easy to get worried about an album like this after such a notorious run back in the early to mid-2000s, but I mean it when I say it feels like they never left!

13 tracks with 40 minutes of content and features from the likes of 

-John Legend

-Voices Of Fire

-Kendrick Lamar

-Tyler The Creator

-The Dream

-Stove God Cooks

-Ab Liva

-Nas

And this album is a masterclass in how to make the perfect hip-hop album and how to bring prestige back to the mainstream scene. I’d say Nas is one of the only ones keeping the quality alive, but this record is definitely future Grammy-nominated because this thing is flawless from front to back!

We kick off the album with a sentimental track by Clipse talking about the mother’s death and utilising John Legend’s incredible voice to further drive the emotional heaviness!

From there, we get the trademark grimy, drug raps that Clipse and specifically Pusha are known for! In fact, on track 2 is the song with Kendrick who absolutely DESTROYS the track with his incredible verse! To hear both Kendrick and Clipse on the same album is a dream come true!

From there, we have nothing but classic chemistry of Pharrell, No Malice, and Pusha combing together like a fine wine! One of my favourite cuts on the album is ‘So Be It’. I LOVE that beat; it’s so fucking catchy. No matter how many times I listen to it, I catch myself bumping my head!

I also love that minimal chorus ‘So Be It, So Be It’. It’s so tough! Absolutely solid.

But that’s the thing, every song on here slaps! The second-to-last track with Nas finishing the album off was SOLID! Between that and Kendrick’s, I’m not sure who had the verse of the album! Also, I love the new producer tag on the album ‘This Is Culturally Inappropriate’. Very unique and it grows on you!

If I had to nitpick, a single downside is that on the track ‘F.I.C.O’ ft Stove God Cooks, they didn’t let him have a proper full verse and go off like Nas and Kendrick did! But besides that, the collab was still dope!

I feel Pusha is the perfect example of how if the artistry is solid, then you can rap about the same thing for decades and still remain dope! He’s been rhyming ‘cocaine’ for years and still critically acclaimed and hasn’t fallen off yet. Clipse have had the same topics, but the way they do it, the styles, and the authenticity they bring to the music and the quality of the production is priority to them, and that’s why this album is as if they never left!

If you haven’t heard it yet and are worried, you don’t have to be! It may have been 16 years, but they haven’t missed a beat. My favourite mainstream album of the year by far! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed; the gang is back together!

https://open.spotify.com/album/17ScNnJ0lSWajodZaRpHdQ?si=vZWFfUxSQu2Sa9r7C_GPow