(Built Like That)

I can’t believe it. So soon after releasing what many are calling ‘AOTY’ contender, and he’s already got another killer EP in the bank? This guy is inhuman. But legends do legendary shit, and so this should be of no surprise from someone of his calibre! Let’s talk about it!

This is a brand new EP by Producer VDon and MC Manast LL, and together they dropped a fresh five tracks with 12 minutes that’s sure to melt your face off!

Right off the bat, compared to his last album with CRIME, this album feels a lot more melodic and mellow in nature! Across the five, we get more delicate piano keys, light/soul drum patterns, heavy bass, and intricate instrumentation that radiates a smooth nature, and I love it!

Whether you’re talking about tracks like ‘UNAPOLOGETIC’ with those heavy synth chords drowned in bass, those thick gospel-style keys, and extremely light drums that make me think of Marvin Gaye or James Brown! 

Or even the track ‘BRUCE WAYNE’ with those plucked strings, subtle (what sounds like guitar strings wailing in the background), and those soft rock drums that remind me of Phil Collins’ influences!

This EP is only 12 minutes but feels like 30 in terms of substance, quality, and in-depth atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re listening to a beautiful score by an Oscar-winning director! It’s truly a sight to behold and listen to!

This is the first time I’ve heard this MC Manast, but after this, it won’t be my last because he took the ball and fucking ran with it on this EP. Across every track (with no features), he showcased his ability as a performer and a top-tier lyricist who can switch his style up on the fly and operate at any level he’s needed at depending on the track!

If it’s a more slow and methodical pace, he’s comfortable himself being more deliberate and conceptual in approach, drawing out his verses, making sure you understand and feel every word!

And if the track is fast-paced and energised, he himself can transform more enthusiastic, passionate, and roll with the pace provided! He’s a man with every skill you need to be a formidable player in the underground!

I loved his consistent flow, his array of words and vocabulary used in his bars, his killer wordplay, and his distinctive rhythm that had him entertaining from start to finish! 

For a 12-minute EP, this hit the mark and then some! Fantastically produces tracks accompanied by stellar verses that will surely get everyone’s attention!

https://open.spotify.com/album/2PoiJKxaXTRlsGV6sBimBm?si=64oPHdBHSBKkME6W-3-LEQ

(Sun Shine On BBS’s 2)

Yooo, did you hear that killer INTRO!! Whoever that was had one sexy voice! He sounded like a real bro! (Was that subtle enough?) 

Anyway, we are so fucking back! After hounding these two for a sequel, it finally was delivered, and this might be my favourite 10 minutes of the year! So fucking hyped. Let’s talk about it!

So this is the brand-new sequel EP by MC’s and producers, respectively, Sabio Dub and God Gotti! The cool thing about this new project is that on the first one, it was Sabio on production and God rapping! Now it’s flipped, and so we get to hear an alternate collaboration between the two, and that’s what got me most excited to hear!

This album has 4 tracks:

-Harassment Across Waters

-Triple Decker

-Healthy High

-Doja

Now, immediately what caught my attention was how smooth and refined the production by God Gotti is! Not that he’s a stranger to that style, but this is exactly the vibe I’d expect Sabio to be on, and so to hear this coming from Gotti had me hyped and helped (in my opinion) make all the tracks hit that extra hit harder! 

Across the board, this 10 minutes is filled with sounds of jazz, ambient, piano-heavy beats that mellow the soul! Soothing sonic constructions with delicate chords and light drums with piano so angelic that it will wipe all your stress and even your consciousness if you’re not careful!

Legit. While I was listening to this, I let myself go into rest mode just enjoying the album, and then once it stopped, I realised ‘fuck, I gotta write about this,’ so I had to play it again for my first official listen! 

I’m not joking. What Gotti did here is incredible; he’s somehow inherited the very essence of ‘sunshine rap’ and gave Sabio arguably the best production he could ask for on this record!

As far as Sabio goes. He’s back on the vibe I love him to be on! I feel selfish saying this, but in my opinion, he should stick to the sunshine alternative non-gangsta ‘reggae’ themes in his raps! 

Of course, he can pull off the tough guy bars, but he’s at his peak when he sticks to that mellow shit, and that’s him in spades on this album!

This is some of the strongest bars I’ve heard him spit yet! Smooth flow, incredible verses that are both engaging and original! He sounds as flawless as ever, and his charisma is at an all-time high!

He manages to stay calm and collected while also not sounding boring or stale! He’s found that perfect balance of enthusiasm and rhythm that no one else is on right now! Combine that with this production, and he’s bound to hit a home run even with a blindfold on!

This is definitely the superior part to me! (No offence to Sabio’s part in the production), but this one feels like the evolved version of the first! Their chemistry is stronger, they are dynamically balanced, and utilise the smallest amount of time to the grandest degrees! This is a MUST LISTEN!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5M5w0fhQePmnMgpznwUP5z?si=Vf3VtVBXTyifsHeey6uIvg

(UNTITLED 007)

I can still remember the first time I discovered this man. It was with the album ‘BLEU MAGIC’ and after that, he climbed to the very top of producers to look out for, and he hasn’t disappointed yet! And with this new release, he’s reminding everyone why he deserves that top placement! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new album by powerhouse producer DeevoDaGenius! With this project, he brings to the table 14 new tracks and 26 minutes featuring the insane roster of 

-BlueHillBill

-Ea$tside $hee$h

-Kil The Artist

-Monday Night

-Elcamino

-Estee Nack

-Borirock

-Brother Tom Sos

-TEGA

-FNM MOOK

Immediately, the first thing I noticed and fell in love with was how this album feels like a classic 90’s mixtape! I’m talking about tracks that are quick-paced, short, and yet impactful and full of flavour! I can’t help but be reminded of projects like 

-AmeriKKKas Most Wanted (Ice Cube)

-Illmatic (Nas)

-The Chronic (Dr Dre)

Not necessarily in similar sounds but in the construction and feel! In the same way as those legendary projects, we see Deevo tap into his creativity more than ever, worried only about bangers after banger and letting not only the beat speak for itself but the artists he’s entrusted with doing their job! 

None of this pretentious over-produced bullshit a lot of people like to fuck with these days, thinking if they add a thousand layers per track, it will increase in quality. For me, nothing proves a producer’s skill more than when he’s stripped back, working with a small handful of sounds and samples and turning them to gold!

That was how the best of the best did it back in the day, and I love he’s trying to inherit the same mentality as they did!

Every song is smooth, raw, rough around the edges, and most of all, organic. You can FEEL the love, effort, and energy put into these instrumentals, and they all speak for themselves! These songs feel like one big luscious score with cinematic attributes and technique most will kill to have! 

Honestly, so many times I’ve had to check the Spotify app to see when exactly the song switched because I couldn’t hear any break or flip! That’s what you call mastery! He’s the 007 James Bond of this, packed with a Q, he’s proving to everyone that ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ and to ‘Never Say Never Again’. 

What am I supposed to criticise about this roster? I’ll give my next pay cheque in full to anyone who can honestly provide examples of the last time any of these men dropped a wack verse! It’s because it doesn’t exist! 

With every new verse I thought I heard my next favourite on the album! 

Whether you’re talking about that opening BlueHill verse on ‘WHITIN’ or fucking Estee’s verse on ‘CHRIS PAUL’ where he literally became one with the beat! 

Hell, Borirocks wavy verse on ‘AARON RODGERS?!’ That was absolutely ridiculous! Speaking of even Monday Night on ‘NOSEBLEEDS’ how he became possessed by that instrumental!

Every man on this project gave it their best and across these masterful beats you have a recipe for pure unattainable magic that only this group could hope to produce!

Overall, this is fucking fantastic. I can’t believe how good this really is! My words can’t really do justice to the quality itself! So go listen to it ASAP and experience the beauty for yourself! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/710Ha2bkO9wCP9C1hhlDQe?si=3vWPE_vfQMa36lM5LvyhlA

(K-Rec and 4-IZE Animated Cataclysm 3: Colloquialisms)

Although I’m two chapters behind on these projects, I had to get to this album as it includes an MC’s who I hadn’t known until he teamed up with Bronze and created one of the most memorable records so far (for me anyway), and since I’ve been on the lookout for what his next move will be, and now we hear it! So let’s talk about it!

This is the brand new project and second sequel to the ‘Animated Cataclysm’ series by MC 4-IZE and Producer K-Rec to stun with eight more tracks and 20 minutes of hip hop you can only get with these two men behind the wheel! With the likes of 

-S.P

-Primo Jab

-Flash E Williams 

-Ekundayo

-John Robinson 

-J.Reu 

And with these lists of names behind these two, create a stunning variety of sounds that no one could possibly bring to the table!

Starting with the production. On this particular occasion, K-Rec is bringing an array of different influences and elements that sound like you’re listening to your Spotify playlist on shuffle! You’ve got everything from 

-Spanish Guitar

-RnB Vocal choruses 

-Funky progressive chord progressions

-Jazz Horns

-Infectious Bass Lines

-Intricate Spacey Keys

Within the 20 minutes, you’ll feel like you’ve been on an acid trip with the most colourful and vivid scores you’ve heard this year! Featuring songs with different tempos, sounds, flavours and themes, but somehow all comes together beautifully, nothing awkward or out of place! 

Man, it’s almost impossible to say for certain a favourite track out of all these bangers, but if I had a gun to my head, I’d have to say either ‘Cypher Psychology’ or the final track ‘The Most Important Message’.

The first because of the names involved. This is the THEE exact project that names like Primo Jab and Megaton S.P. should be on! They have so much charisma and personality that it’s perfectly utilised under these creative circumstances!

The finale track for just how fucking smooth it is! It’s got this melodic, ambient quality to it that I became obsessed with and made for the utmost perfect way to close the record off!

When it comes to the overall vibe of the record, this is one that’s for the real ‘artists’ and a celebration of originality and fun concepts! 

As far as the main MC on this project, as expected, he shines as brightly as he did on his bronze record! Although admittedly, what made that album so memorable was his overly conspiracy-heavy lyricism, and despite this album not having that, he still showcases his overwhelming talent as a rapper!

He’s got a natural swagger and aura to him. He sounds like a real character from a comic book come to life! With such a swift, fluent flow, sharp pen game, and such a range of vocabulary that makes every verse an exciting explosion of poetry and conceptuality! 

I found myself entranced by his bars and placement on the track! He has such an original and unique way of portraying his vivid imagery that it’s wizard-like! It’s like he’s manipulating the beat and making it work for him! And considering the lush instrumentals, this makes for a most killer experience!

As well as his chemistry with the other MC’s involved and the killer production, this is one of those albums you can just play to get some energy and have a good time! Trust me, you won’t regret it! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3B0pTsEEJ5wws8Rbkl7IN6?si=s_twhMNUS4u0uga5ybzadw

(Beltzhoover Blues)

Holy shit, what a collaboration! We’ve seen some wild releases this year, but this could be one of the biggest ones yet! These two, in their own right, have captivated and moulded the game in their own image and sound, and now they are here to combine their skill and power to bring forth a single so dope, it’s almost impossible to contain! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new single by MC J-Haze and Producer/MC BharmaBull, and together they drop a two-minute and 55-second track that is equal parts powerful and beautiful to the soul!

Starting with that instrumental, we start off with a spoken snippet mentioning a bull to evolve into this soul/classical-inspired beat that is so smooth that it takes over the whole body and doesn’t let go until the duration of the track is over!

This song has angelic synth chords that are high-pitched and in the background, accompanied by what sounds like soothing violin, and a slight G-funk-inspired string that reminds me of the ‘Kush and OJ’ era of Wiz! 

You’ve also got this gorgeous vocal harmony that makes this song feel like it’s floating on air! As well as some funky drums that all come together to create a hip-hop equivalent of Marvin Gaye! It’s calming, warm, and refreshing all at once!

As far as the MC work, we’ve got the trademark charisma of J in full swing! He understands the importance of the beat on the track and doesn’t take it for granted!

On this track, he delivers his best work in a minute with groovy and infectious choruses and bars so sharp that you’ll cut yourself if you’re not careful!

He comes packed with usual passion, conviction, and smooth flow that he makes look effortless! I love the amount of puns and phrases he packs into this track! He’s just out here exploring his vivid imagery combined with his street poetry that, paired with this beat, sounds like a match made in heaven!

And to close, we have Bharma who has his own more direct, in-your-face approach to his bars that level a sonic massacre with his words alone! 

I’m

Talking that raw and precise pen game, accompanied by his next-level vocabulary and twisting of words to create pure magic with the pen!

These two are a match made in hip-hop heaven, and the chemistry they share is beyond comprehension! This is the type of shit that needs an album for!

Make sure you don’t fuck around any longer; go bump what could very well be track of the year! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0MWdnWoJJ2XZ1wx0fxsiQF?si=QddEq6feQ3m8-id8EuUzoA

(Aquarius)

YES!! What a fucking treat this is. To hear more instrumental music from this legendary producer. I don’t know how you all felt about the groundbreaking drop of ‘Elevator Music’ but I still have that on repeat in my rotation! And now you’re telling me we are getting even more of that focus? I couldn’t be happier, let’s get into it!

This is the brand new instrumental track by the one and only Apollo Brown! The man who has spent the last few years creating some of the underground’s best albums to date with such classics as 

-Cost Of Living (With Philmore Greene)

-This, Is Not That (CRIMEAPPLE)

-Funeral For A Dream (Bronze Nazareth)

And as above mentioned, his own beat tape. Now he’s back with another 3-minute track that is here to prove he has not only learnt from the first one but has improved on everything the second time around, added brand new magic and has overall succeeded in breaking new ground for instrumental tracks!

Everything from even the way the track starts off with those delicate keys, followed by those luscious and beautiful jazz chords that have a natural ‘free form element to them’ that later evolves into even grander horns that take the forefront in the song with those same initial jazz chords forming more of a structural presence as the song continues as if a band is coming together and knowing their place!

As we hear the song continue, we get introduced to what sounds like a violin harmony that comes out of nowhere and steals the show for the brief 10-15 seconds it’s there for before it evolves yet again with this time a more ‘free form’ role being given to the initial intricate keys! 

They take centre stage and shine in every crevice of the track in such harmony and delight! 

I love how this 3-minute instrumental track has so many different elements, layers and moments that you can fast forward or rewind to that make this more of a ‘Hip Hop Symphony’ than a single song. It’s absolutely incredible.

To say Apollo has outdone himself on this track would be an understatement. It’s engaging, interesting, fun and grand all in one! I can’t wait to see where he goes from here! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/3OSrCj3WWhNY1ymhE30ME2?si=8htLaSQET5CUVpvN1Ek52Q

(Black Vladimir)

This is a record I discovered thanks to Spotify! I have smart shuffle activated and one day one of the songs from this record hit my playlist and I instantly became hooked! A record by two heavyweight artists and creating one of the dopest records, period! Let’s talk about it!

This is the 2022 record by MC Titan Meyhem Lauren and on the beats we have Griselda’s affiliate Daringer. Together they dropped 15 tracks alongside names as

-Action Bronson

-Conway The Machine

-West Side Gunn

-Hologram

-Elcamino

-Flee Lord

And with that incredible roster of lyrical killers, this album had no chance but to be great!

The one thing I love and always have loved about Daringer is he doesn’t take time or build up for his beats to get banging; they start right away! This album started heavy from the opening seconds. He doesn’t wait for shit, as soon as the song starts, that’s when the fire starts instrumentally! 

That’s the gritty charm of Daringer, he just goes in and sets up the production before anyone has time to think! Across this album, he showcases his trademark delicate, boom bap delicacies that force your head to move and your neck to bop so hard you’ll be due for a chiropractor after only one listen through!

His beats are no nonsense, he utilises one infectious loop and works around it! He’s the king of that minimalistic, skeletal rhythm that is equal parts powerful and smooth! With elements of distorted jazz, synths, and classical that are used in such grand textures that it feels like you’re listening to a noir horror movie from the 1950s with street influences! 

Daringer has that kind of production that is easily distinguishable but rare to imitate. He’s a one-of-one and this album more than any proves that!

What could you say about Meyhem to justify his epic performances on the mic? He is a true MC phenom and it feels like he understands the gravity of working with the likes of Daringer because this is the best I’ve heard him sound in a minute!

He’s sounding absolutely monstrous on this record! I’m talking that heavy, in-your-face, no-holds-barred street rape that feels one inch away from your face, like if you make a sound during the record, his hands will come out of the phone and strangle you himself!

He’s got shotgun punchlines, shuriken bars, and verses so sharp they’ll cut your head off if you ain’t careful! And yet, as juggernaut as he appears, he’s also one of the smoothest with

his flow and rhythm that makes him a unique kind of threat that very few can fuck with!

Mentioning his roster, this is the rare kind of monster that can manage and execute the same vibe, energy, and power that Meyhem can! All these features not only elevate the tracks but bring that extra level of savagery to the album to further ignite it from ‘great’ to ‘modern-day classic’.

If you haven’t heard this one yet, then you are missing out on one of the strongest collaborations you’ve heard in a minute! Trust me on that one! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0nFpUBTqLcF3ZMBfdeqS9v?si=Y1vje_5hTRGh5Sso9la7fw

(MeaT CuTTeR)

I gotta be honest, the spelling of that title gave me severe OCD! But besides that, this is an exciting day because it’s a new single by one of the most unique and individual female MC in the underground right now! 

One who seems to be on the up and up since I discovered her album a few months ago, and now with her new trajectory, we have this brand new single that showcases both her pen game and personality! Let’s talk about it!

This track is by MC Black Silq and Producer Serati Beats, and together they create this 3-minute and 49-second track that is bound to turn heads and eyes! 

Firstly, let’s talk about the production. This track has a strong 90’s East Coast vibe to it with that hardcore minimalistic tone, with those long and repeated chords accompanied by intricate keys and heavy drum patterns, all coming together into an experience that reminds me of early Mobb Deep or Wu-Tang Clan! Definitely a nostalgic production that I fuck with heavy!

Now, accompanying this beat, we have Black, who is going back to her ‘Obsidian Tapes’ vibe as she utilises her strong charisma and enthusiastic personality to deliver a performance unlike any other!

I want you to imagine 2010’s Prime Nicki Minaji but more out there and lyrically superior (by far), and on this track, she’s tapping into her sadistic side by giving her own hardcore menacing attitude with hypnotic choruses and enchanting wordplay that makes you feel like you’re being put under a curse!

Across this almost 4-minute track, she’s doing a fine balance between letting her lyricism and wordplay do the talking while letting her extremely vivid persona speak through the track as if we are getting some kind of demonic possession situation! It’s eerie but so fucking cool to listen to, and she kills it on all sides!

Trust me, you haven’t and won’t hear another experience like this, this year unless it comes from her again! The beat is ridiculous, and the verses even more so! Go check it out now! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/1Jbx4pn15uxuSdOLuC4mNJ?si=KS4nd8F0QRWcBMkbf_ugBQ

(Dirty Linens 2)

Ohh shit, what a sequel to be surprised with! The first one is still very fresh in my mind, the rugged nature of it and the natural chemistry between the two MC’s so to hear a sequel so soon is crazy! Let’s not waste any time, let’s talk about it!

This is the brand new album and sequel by MC’s G Fam Black and Kingdom Kome (a match made in the flames of hell). Accompanying them is the savage producer Ruen, and this trio is done playing games and is here to take names! With 14 new tracks and the likes of 

-MONEY MOGLY

-P-Ro

-Tali Rodriguez

-Str8 Paper

-Block Forever

-Che Uno

And this project is 43 minutes of absolutely mammoth proportions! Let’s start with that harrowing production because this thing goes absolutely bananas! 

We’ve got a range of the most sickening, dark, and twisted instrumentals you could expect to hear on any rap album, period, and of course, these kinds of beats mix with the MC’s perfectly!

Whether you’re talking about the track ‘Cinema Cabaret’, which is literally just haunting, methodical keys, surreal drums, and some light synth chords and minimal cuts in the middle! This is the kind of track you’d expect Hannibal Lecter to be listening to in his cell!

Or did you want to talk about ‘Rust Stains’, which is literally a serial killer score? Again, you’ve got those haunting keys that would make you afraid to go out if you heard this at night! And those skeletal drums that help provide some grotesque texture to the track! 

Thankfully, I’m not listening to this album at night; best believe if I was, I’d be playing friends on 24/7 until daytime! This is some real scoundrel, Satanic shit!

If I had to choose a favourite beat, it would have to be ‘Covert Opps’. Why? I love first of all that repeated vocal snippet of that woman threatening you. It does sound familiar, not sure where from though, but definitely adds some cinematic depth to the record!

But no, this record is dope because it starts off with this sci-fi sounding intro to it, which evolves into this ambient heavy track with these sharp synth chords and heavy drums!

Kind of reminds me of G Funk’s murderous older brother! Similar elements but devoid of any emotion or feelings, only pure violence! (Plus not to mention MONEY absolutely killed it!)

This is all to say that Ruen understands the importance and concept of creating the most powerful sonic statement possible, and this is exactly what he’s created!

Now, onto the main MC pair. Once again, they are planning on capturing lightning in a bottle twice (well, more specifically, both men waiting in the dark with empty Hennessy bottles, ready to jump the lighting and force it to their whims!) because that’s how this record sounds.

It’s not luck that brought these two back together; it was pure aggression and skill!

Besides P-Ro and Tali (who are both on this record), I’d say Kingdom has the best chemistry with G that you can ask for! 

Both men, as expected, play off each other presently! 

You’ve got Kingdom with his slick and devastatingly sharp lyricism and pen game that can manoeuvre like a ninja; you won’t see it coming, and when you do, his lyrics will have you decapitated before you even know what hit you! 

He’s confident, enthusiastic, and one of the most outstanding lyricists in the game today!

Let’s compare that to the monster that is G Fam! This man has been terrorising beats with spinebusters and pedigrees for years now! (If you know, you know) and is easily one of the most intimidating forces within the underground today due to his imposing nature and his devastatingly savage vocal tones and the way his lyricists act as sonic earthquakes and tsunamis on the beat! 

He’s the type of MC that doesn’t hold any prisoners; if you see him approaching on the track, he’s coming for your head, break your bones, and leave you as dust! 

Across this project, we have those names mentioned above who do such a fantastic job at maintaining the album’s high quality and energy to keep up with these two!

Overall, another phenomenal record and sequel by this trio! Definitely can’t be one to ignore! If you do, trust me, you’ll be sorry! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5pbS3RDVqyAkLg6btSHzKI?si=zHZ_54ObTQagPd7hANePgw

(TOP 75 KILLA)

I swear, 2025 is the year of the remix tracks. I must have covered at least ten tracks already in this category and honestly it’s refreshing! Because I get to hear some of my favourite underground MC’s take on already established beats and that can give me a lot of perspective I never would have had until they did so it’s been a fun time covering those tracks and now we can add one more explosive remix to that list! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand new single by MC Powerhouse Maze Overlay. A man who has already showcased an incredible discography in 2025 with a handful of feature verses to match! Now today he’s rocking this infamous Nipsey Hussle beat ‘Grinding All My Life’ off his ‘Victory Lap’ record and so we get to hear how one of the strongest in the underground handles this instrumental! 

So, right off the bat I think it’s fair to say (R.I.P to Nipsey) that Maze’s rendition is definitely more lyrical in execution. That’s because he doesn’t have a chorus to interrupt the bars like on the original song so that makes for more verse time!

Secondly, when choosing a beat such as this one it’s clear that Maze would have wanted to showcase his most cutthroat, precise and powerful wordplay and lyricism possible and he did that in spades on this single! 

I love how he starts the track off saying ‘I got you in your feelings huh?’ Such a badass way to begin the track before he continues to demolish the track!

As usual, he brings his trademark fluent flow with this cold-blooded tier of pen game that slashes through the beat like a hot knife through butter and his swagger is at an all-time high with this track! 

This is a non-stop 3 minutes and 4 second lyrical onslaught done over a classic beat. Not only does Overlay remind the haters why he’s one of the best going but also does justice to a song that is in the hearts and minds of many! The definitive win/win situation!

Go and peep this new single now! Trust me you won’t be disappointed! 

https://mazeoverlay.bandcamp.com/track/top-75-killa