I’d say it’s pretty obvious to anyone paying attention to the culture that Al Divino is one of the best eyes, ears, and minds in the game, period. From his mind-blowing work with ‘Jackpot Records’ to his own solo and guest ventures, he’s able to create a vibe that simply put, no one else is on!
In this occasion, he’s decided to grace us with yet another artist, one who he only discovered recently, who produced an album that he was sure the culture HAD TO HEAR, and so with that in mind, I want to get into this tape called
‘rumble’
So, this is a project done by artist -Giani, an instrumental record with nine tracks and 19 minutes of content to talk about, and right off the bat, it’s clear why Divino was so impressed with this man and his efforts because it truly is unreal.
This isn’t your standard beat tape. This one has one of the strongest atmospheric pressures I’ve heard all year. An album that is definitely up Jackpot’s alley with its experimental, lo-fi that features distorted vocal samples and eccentric instrumentation all laced up into one hypnotic sonic pressing.
So many aspects of this album that I love. Firstly, I love the tempo variations on this thing; one minute the track will be slow, methodical, and the very next second it’s fast, chaotic, and fucking mesmerising in its high-speed energy!
This guy is a professional at genre blending and fusion. We hear him incorporating all manner of samples, influences, and techniques to turn every song into an ambient score of epic proportions. It’s like a fever dream of all the best qualities of your favourite music expanded, remixed, and re imagined across the various nine tracks.
If I had to explain the closest comparison (sound-wise), it would be someone like -Iglooghost, but even then, this is an entirely different breed of beast we are dealing with here, but for some fans who might be familiar with Igloo, it should provide some context on what lane or sound you can be expected to hear across this one!
I also love the creatively abrasive nature of the songs! I’ve heard plenty of instrumental beat tapes in my time, and not all of them can hit like this one does.
This one has a level of unpredictability and brash execution that leaves you feeling excited and anticipated for what’s about to come next! Its rough-around-the-edges exterior and purely eutrophic nature make it one of those albums that you can’t put down or forget.
I hope we get to see this man and Jackpot collaborate on all future projects. This is a character I want to hear more often! You can tell he has a music taste unlike any other, and it will take him far! Trust me, you guys will want to hear
It’s always a special occasion whenever this producer drops a record. In the past few years, he’s had one of the most compelling production discographies in a period. Working with a massive who’s who in the culture, and now he’s back with yet another artist to highlight! With that in mind, let’s talk about it!
This is the brand-new collaboration album between Producer Vinyl Villain and MC Salam MC, and together they drop a solid 10-track project with the likes of
– O’Rejinal
– BJ Baller
– DJ Slipwax
– Rogue Butterfly
– Mr. SOB
– REKS
– Mort Beasy
– Estee Nack
I can’t believe there are still so many names I haven’t heard of yet this deep into my underground discovery! It goes to show just how large the scene really is.
Something I always forget or underestimate is how versatile Vinyl is as a producer! I’m always surprised all over again with every new drop because I’m expecting a certain sound and then get blown away by him utilising something completely different! (And I feel this could be his most versatile yet.)
Across this tape, we hear Vinyl incorporating a wide range of influences that include everything from Classical to Boom Bap to Soul to Funk to Jazz and everything in between. Depending on the track, you could get a brand-new vibe! Let’s take that opening track for example – Infinite on this one, we hear an old-school ‘classical’ tune with that movie snippet interlude that blends into this beautifully crafted mix of orchestral meets Boom Bap!
You’ve got those surreal chord progressions that loop around the track in two different tones (from the main one to the eventual slightly higher pitch-toned)
There’s also that light drum work that helps provide a sonic skeleton to the whole song!
There’s the track – Restoration (Christ Like) which switches up the atmosphere with a more Funk X Jazz blend! You’ve got those prominent Jazz horns that angelically run throughout the track alongside those funky plucked bass strings and rhythmic piano keys that glisten ever so gently across the beat!
All this combined with those minimal drums, and you’ve got one of those 80’s inspired club vibe tracks that you’d walk into with a bottle of Hennessy, a pressed suit, and really for a fun night.
Actually speaking of club vibes, we have the track -Enough (Epilogue), and man, this one had me dancing on the spot while writing this shit. It was so fucking infectious!
First of all, you have a classic P-Funk vibe with those plucked string progressions, those synth chords, those mesmerising drum patterns, as well as those light and gorgeously executed vocal harmonies!
And man, that chorus? JESUS CHRIST, could you get more crisp than that? This whole track feels like a 1980’s fever dream. If we’re talking modern-day comparisons, this is right up Anderson Paak’s alley!
When we discuss Salam MC, a man I don’t remember having experience with until now but one I can definitely see turning heads with his performance on this one! Across these 10 tracks, we see him put his blood and soul into every word, wear his heart on his sleeve as he goes in with some of the most inspirational and passionate performances I’ve heard in a minute!
I can definitely see why Vinyl chose to work with this man. He has a handful of qualities that make him stand out to me.
First of all, that passion I spoke about above. He isn’t just merely ‘rapping’; he’s literally putting pieces of himself and his soul into the lyrical fabrics of the album. You can hear it when he drops his bars and verses, the emotion behind his words, the emphasis he uses on his storytelling, the depth and clarity in his voice. He’s an author of the highest order across these tracks!
Secondly, his technique. He’s a proper MC. The way he’s able to bend and manipulate the wordplay across the beats, his fluent flow, his sharp and precise lyricism combined with his profound vocabulary and pen game and he becomes a strong player in the underground! This is further proven with his chemistry with the features on the tracks. To me no more evident then his track with Estee Nack (arguably the best underground rapper alive) and the way Salam was not only able to match his energy but keep up with him as a verbal equal was phenomenal!
For a first time impression. Salam NAILED IT! He Brought exactly the right energy and atmosphere to support such grand production by Vinyl Villain. I loved the different array of names associated on the feature list and I have a strong feeling this one will take the culture by storm this year!
It’s time for yet ANOTHER discovery of a new artist for the year! How many has that been so far? I lost count. So many exciting and interesting talent out there in the culture, and I’ve just found a new one, and even though this one came out last year, I have the feeling it has the capacity to grow on a lot of new fans once they hear it! (Just like me), so let’s talk about it!
This is the October 2025 album by MC & Producer Declan The Celebrity! This one has 17 airtight tracks, a huge 52 minutes of content, and the names such as
-Angel The Alchemist
-DoubleO
-King Gus
-Anthony Kannon
-Al The Punisher
-513Jaayy
-th3prism
With a wide range of personalities and abilities, this one from the get-go has a unique feel to it due to its atmosphere range alone!
What I mean by that is, depending on the track you’re up to next, you could be experiencing a different sonic state of mind by Decan. He has the immense potential to simultaneously create a versatile soundscape with different influences and genres while also making sure each track of the 17 fits in with the one that came before and after in a beautifully fluent motion!
So, let’s talk about the first track, for example. -IVORY RAP, how it has that reverb vocal snippet that transforms into that experimental-flavoured harmonica with those wavering chord progressions and lavish jazz horns! The type of track you’d listen to after a hit of the devil’s lettuce and laying back and thinking about life!
But then you flip on tracks like -DEVIL’S TANGO, and we get a completely different vibe that has a dancehall-adjacent vibe to it with those groovy jazz horns in a loop with those funky bass lines and light/minimal drum patterns that come together into this infectious rhythm! I also love how they added an actual dance routine instruction into the song itself, otherwise leaving it completely instrumental!
Need more proof? Let’s look at the track right after it -THE CAROUSEL PT. II. On this one, we get a mixture of Boom Bap meets Trap! On one hand, you’ve got that mesmerising vocal loop that’s combined with those sharp keys and more light drums and bare bass lines! This song feels like a fusion of 2 Chainz x Earl Sweatshirt; it’s a dope beat!
My point being that he has access to a wide array of options for the production, and believe it or not, despite the variety, it all comes together in harmony!
When it comes to the MC work, that’s a whole different matter entirely! Of course, when you are both MC and producer, you by default feel more comfortable on your own tracks, and in my opinion, you can hear that in his verses! He has such a smooth yet engaging presence about him that it elevates all the music itself 10x fold. It’s not easy to find that balance between mellow and entertaining, but he found that line!
Across the 52 minutes, he showcases his sharp and introspective lyricism. Whether that be in his actual bars or the choruses, he establishes he likes to add a level of cryptic detail to them. For me, this screams the most in the track -REAL NATIONAL PARKS. I love how that mysterious chorus wording (by Angel) that transforms into her own verse that became a game changer on the song and adds a fascinating chemistry to Declan’s style!
His performances kind of remind me of Slug. Across each track, he could show many different faces and energies that can change on a dime. From brash hip hop lines to personal stories to even lyrics that borderline social commentary (exactly what a slug has done his whole career), Decan doesn’t follow a lane or pattern but does an incredible job at his delivery, cadence, and timing!
I also have to commend his chemistry across the board. Although most of these names I haven’t heard of, they all not only blend well with Decan but help elevate the album as a whole, and that’s the main point of features in the first place!
If you haven’t heard this one yet, then I commend you to try it out now! It’s beyond what I expected, and I guarantee you, if nothing else, this won’t be an album soon forgotten!
Now, for me personally, this is one of the most anticipated projects to look forward to! Why? Because it consists of one of my favourite lyricists in the game. A man who has a pen game and vocabulary like no other; it’s in this skill of his that makes his music so interesting. So with that in mind, it’s time to get into it again!
This is the brand-new album by MC/Producer Thought Provokah and Producer Numbz and tbey dropped a new batch of 12 tracks, coming in at just under half an hour, and from the first 30 seconds of the intro, you can tell this thing is special.
You can hear him about to leave to hit the road but decided to put on an old VHS tape, and the one he chose was the legendary ‘Marvin Hagler Vs Thomas Hearns’, which he becomes hooked on immediately, and that’s how the album is transported into the music itself.
Throughout the whole record, there are moments where we are taken back to the real life of Thought as we hear his insight, thoughts, and comments, as well as what sounds like TV clips, snippets, and news reports all revolving around this specific fight.
As far as the actual music itself goes, ‘the production’ is a beautiful mix of Soul/Funk/Classical infused with modern-day Hip Hop. Thought has always had the impressive know-how to combine a certain style of influences and blend them with the present-day attributes to create a sound not many others are rocking with and working alongside Numbz these attributes are increased 10x fold!
Their beats always sound pure, clean, and crisp. Never one to fuck around and go over the top for attention’s sake.
Nah, he’s always kept his music organic and, most importantly, FLUENT!
Each track blends well with each other. The different versatility of beats is just enough to separate each track from the next, but similar enough in atmosphere that it helps build each track to the other 12 in order to achieve that sonic river-like effect, a smooth and continuous motion of harmony, execution, and flawless arrangement of music that makes you feel like you’ve just finished listening to a grand score rather than an average hip-hop album. ‘And in this case and context, that actually is true.’
I already spoiled how I feel about his MC work above, but if you’ve been following my page, it should come as no surprise. I’d honestly say as far as complex and lyrically forward rappers go, my top 3 (in the underground) would be in no real order:
-Thought Provokah
-KnowItAll
-FLYG
These three men are in a class of their own that remind me of the early to mid-2000s era of the independent scene, or as I like to call it ‘the poetry rap era,’ cats like
-Illogic
-Aesop Rock
-Slug
-Milo
Men who prioritised vocabulary and verbal cues and structures over all else. Rappers who would have a maxed-out stat in literacy if this were a video game, and Thought fits in that same lane, and that’s why I fuck with him so hard! On all his joints (especially conceptual ones like this), he’s always making the listener think and spit knowledge!
Always trying to engage the mind of the audience and make them understand and appreciate the art of real lyricism. Just because you rap doesn’t necessarily mean you are a great lyricist; those are two different terminologies, and he’s excellent at both!
Across this tape, he showcases his wit, power, and originality in his verses by not only constantly tying into the main theme of the album but also in his set-up bars and above-average verses that you literally have to playback in some parts to capture the weight of what he was saying!
He’s a lyrical genius with a solid flow, charismatic as hell, and true to himself. He knows his lane and he does his best to flourish and stay creative WITHIN said lane, and that’s a realisation I wish more artists took.
Overall, as I expected, this is another groundbreaking drop. From his exceptional pen game to his quality production! This will be the album to pay attention to, I guarantee it!
I’ll be real, as soon as I heard the intro words ‘Rest In Peace To David Lynch’, this track’s fate was sealed. It could have been completely ASS from that point on, but it wasn’t! Anyone who throws respect to a legend knows what they are doing, and especially considering this is the third single dropped by the duo, I knew it was going to be legit. And with that in mind, let’s get to it!
This is the brand-new teaser single by the duo of MC & Producer B1 The Architect & MC YoungReeseDude, and together they drop another dose of 4 minutes and 09 seconds of hip hop that is surely to get you pumped and excited!
Let’s take a look at the beat real quick. In a similar David Lynch fashion, we have a more brooding, methodical, and deeper instrumental that previously explored. This one feels like it belongs in ‘Twin Peaks’.
You’ve got those dark jazz horns and surreal drums and piano sets that make for a rather minimal x eerie combination that makes the hairs on your neck stand up! I love the cinematic nature of the track and especially the last 20 seconds or so of jazz solo that leads you into that outro alongside that vocal snippet— the perfect way to close the track off!
As far as the MC work goes, these two keep getting better and better as a duo. On this occasion, they implement a more methodical approach with the verses! I guess to further compliment the sounds and David’s memory, and so you do hear a more serious tone by them, but that just makes it all the better because whether you’re talking light-hearted bars, brash or dark, they know how to pull anything off!
Of course, the pair has their trademark slick flow, piercing lyricism, deep and vivid imagery, a mix of brash, introspective, and personal bars that blend in ever so nicely!
I feel YoungReese puts a tad bit more gravel and emphasis on his vocals than B1, but regardless, they both kill the verses with their own unique characteristics and skills on the mic!
The more I listen to their chemistry, the more I can’t hear them without the other. The way they can comfortably end a verse and be confident that the other will kill their respective verse is proof of their trust in one another. After three songs in, it seems their chemistry has grown even stronger, and by the time the album rolls out, we are guaranteed to hear nothing short of perfection by the two!
Anyway, love the Lynch influence, love the more sinister approach sonically and verbally, and now I’m at peak anticipation for the album! Make sure you keep supporting and following along the saga below!
Man, what a dope name for an album! This type of theatrical display is what I love about artists, the ones who aren’t afraid to try new things or push boundaries and make what literally seems like ART and present it in hip-hop form, and that’s exactly what we have here today, so let’s talk about it!
This is the brand-new album by MC/Producer Sabio Dub, which features MC Rio Azul, and mix and mastered by MILK! together they drop a collection of 11 tracks, 28 minutes, and the likes of
-Dowsky
-Miskeen Haleem on the features.
With Sabio, I’m always curious which side of him I’m going to get! He likes to utilise different sides of his personality, and I’ve made it very clear which side I prefer most, and thankfully, we get that exact side on this one!
I’m talking about that mellow, relaxed, and smooth delivery with that ASMR-equivalent performance! I love when he does this because it’s so satisfying and different from the others!
Actually speaking of Rio? Although this is the first time I’ve heard him, he sounds somehow even more relaxed than Sabio! I beat these two collectively; don’t have a heart rate higher than 70 at any given second! Way too chilled out!
Across these 11 songs, we hear a union of addictive flow, introspective lyricism, fantastic chemistry, and wordplay that I feel you’d need a few listens per song to really grasp and appreciate what kind of bars and verses were being said! Across these equally soulful instrumentals, they turn themselves into the verbal equivalent of a bird flying through the sky! Beautifully executed with a hint of larger-than-life!
Neither of them sound like they are forcing their verses; it’s just pure, organic, and natural charisma manifesting itself into the most incredible and addictive vocals I’ve heard in a minute!
Of course, Sabio would have perfect chemistry with Miskeen as they’ve worked countless times together, and it seems Rio clicked instantly as well! As far as Downsky goes, he also implies that raw, synchronised energy that Sabio seems to instil in everyone he works with! Both features helped increase the efficiency and quality of the record!
Man, if the vocals were this relaxing? The production on this one is nothing short of atmospheric and angelic! This is EXACTLY the type of production I love most regarding Sabio! This is 28 minutes of the most vivid, harmonic, and immaculately composed production I’ve heard from him PERIOD (and that says a lot).
This goes beyond sunshine stoner music; this is that garden of Eden type music.
It would be impossible to have any stress and listen to this at the same time.
Each track makes you feel like you’re in a divine fever dream. The type of music that you could fall asleep to and have the most profound dreams in your life. A mix of soul, ASMR, jazz piano, art hop, and more. He’s chosen specifically the most superb music influences to create this dream-like experience that will go through your whole body as if you just smoked a fat blunt!
When I pressed play on this one, I expected (or should I say I hoped) it would be surreal, but I couldn’t have expected this! Whatever wave Sabio is on, I hope he stays on this one because this is truly one of the most foolproof scores I’ve heard all year!
If you ain’t on this one? Then you are missing out HARD! From that perfect chemistry, dope features, and Sabio’s signature production, this is one of the strongest drops of the month and even the year! Make sure you feel the magic down below!
Man, seeing this man’s name back on an album brings me back to 2025. There was a time where I tried my best to cover each ‘Penlordz’ drop, but I noticed that when I cover an artist too regularly, my review quality dropped, and I didn’t want to do them like that, so I took a break, but they surely didn’t! I loved watching them shine and progress, and it seems this time they come quipped with one of the dopest producers out! Let’s talk about it!
This is the brand-new album by MC Fam Ross & Producer/MC Ice Fang, and it comes with names like
– Arsinel
– Audio Messiah
Of course, as per usual, maintaining that old-school Wu-Tang mentality with only features from the brotherhood!
If we take a look at the MC work, we hear Fam Ross sounding as exquisite as ever. He’s been forever growing and strengthening his ‘Arsinel’ until he became the culture’s ‘audio messiah’ or AKA ‘The Pen Lord’, and on this one, he’s sharp enough to knock down any opponent! To hear his chemistry and vast differences between the likes of Ice, who has a more fast-paced, energetic, and impactful game, while Fam has that trademark thoughtful, powerful, and intelligent personality that he utilises throughout his bars!
Although the album is only 22 minutes in length, he doesn’t waste a single second. Fam Ross is back on his no-nonsense shit. He’s always maintained that spiritual and preacher qualities when he raps. None shows that more strongly than on the songs -THE ILLEST or -Foggy Mist, where we hear Fam Ross accompanied by his long-standing brothers in the music game in the Penlordz!
I once hailed them as the king trio, and I don’t think that’s changed! They read each other’s minds and act accordingly. What’s impressive for me is to hear Ice and how he handles himself amongst the full power of the mighty Pen Lordz, and he does really well!
He has enough originality to not sound like a carbon copy of the guys, and he lays down his own batch of smooth and clean lines of wordplay that match the atmosphere of the track! I was very impressed!
Speaking of atmosphere, I was surprised to see that the majority of the album is jazz-based! I’ve heard Ice utilise a whole range of different influences and sounds, but nothing quite like this. This might be his most smooth yet, and he helps create an entire score of relaxing harmonies and eccentric melodies that make you feel like you’re walking through a secluded forest on a bright, sunny day, happy and at peace!
There’s a level of fluency between each second of the 22 minutes! Rather than feeling like nine individual songs, it’s as if it’s one long one that’s cut into nine parts. Similar effect as what Marvin Gaye did on ‘What’s Going On’, how the whole project is so closely linked with the ones that come before and after, and that’s the same vibe I get across the board!
If I had to name my favourite track on the record, I’d have to say -Wee Hours. This one spoke to me! Those glistening piano keys, plucked chord progressions, and those infectious jazz horns that tuck subtly into the background! It’s all so angelic and gorgeously executed!
A pairing I wasn’t expecting but one that I can’t unhear now! I love how Ice Fang went out of his usual comfort zone and tried his hand at a record that could easily be one of the most memorable of the year so far! Shoutout to Fam Ross and the pen Lordz for their respective efforts! Link below!
Well, this is the second EP/Album that’s based on a dog theme! The first one I covered a few days ago had such a creative and out-there sound profile that left me shocked and impressed (with a dope, disorder-inspired Disney-inspired artwork to match), but on this one, we see the tides turn as we have this man working with a different producer, which by default means a different sound! Let’s talk about it!
This is the four-day-old tape by MC AU and Producer DJ KROOKED! And across this 25 minutes and 38 seconds record, we have the likes of
-Ant Kelly
-DJ KROOKED
-DB
-Here$ Johnny
And unlike the previous one, this one has a real smooth and soulful take to it! If the project was the hype and artistic older brother, then this one is the introverted and more soft-spoken young brother! Both are equally talented as the other, just in different aspects!
On this one, we get influences such as
-Soul
-Funk
-Art Rap
-Jazz
-Ambient and more. A more subtle tone and flavour profile than the last one, and that makes it that much more interesting and unique! DJ Krooked is a man I normally associate with the experimental and noise-related tunes as he tries to push the boundaries of the genres and listeners, but it seems in this occasion he’s decided to take a relaxing back step from his normal abrasive approach into a more ‘family-friendly’ affair, and because of his immense skill and technique, he can make any kind of genre work as he does on this one!
If I had to choose a favourite beat on this cut, it would have to be the track that starts at 3 minutes and 35 seconds! Whatever that song is called, with its haunting instrumentation, those eerier chords, methodical drums, those cuts and scratches, and that quirky, overwhelming bass! This is one of the more interesting tracks on the whole album and one that stuck with me. Kind of like a twisted, distorted classical song!
What haven’t I said about AU at this moment? He continues to impress me day in and day out. On this track, he literally just goes right in with his impressive flow and performance! Depending on the project, you’ll get a different side of him (the same dope execution), but he always slightly tweaks his delivery, his pacing, or his timing— anything—a number of things he likes to do to keep people excited and guessing his next move!
As usual, I commend his fluency, his ability to hop on any kind of beat and make it his own, as well as his natural charisma, the balance he brings to his verses and bars, his effortless witty manner, and dope and clever puns and bars that truly make him such an original artist to begin with!
And of course, the chemistry he shows with the various features? (My favourites on this one have to be Here$ Johnny! He’s a man who doesn’t disappoint, and he didn’t start now!)
Look, man, he hasn’t dropped an L yet, no matter what the genre or influence he chooses to play with that day; he’s going to kill it! Versatility is his trademark, and he rocks it well! Shoutout to DJ KROOKED for the dope beats; make sure you check this out now!
If I had to rank someone who has two underrated discographies in the last few years, it would have to be Gamblez Tha Lucky Bastard. I first heard him on the album produced by Hi-Q, and since then, he’s continued to impress me with his originality and quality control! And now he’s back with a brother in arms and a range of names to help this record up! So let’s talk about it!
This is the massive, brand-new album by MC’s Knownaz EVIL & Gamblez Tha Lucky Bastard, and together they drop a huge 16-track drop with various names such as:
– Tha King 8th
– Bombdrop
– Johnny Slash
– The Gloomy Sailor
– Jester Exodus
– DC The Midi Alien
– Boomtact
– J. Depina
– Dr. G
– Frantik
– Knownaz EVIL
– Sevin Soprano on the production and
– Dana Druff
– Ayok
– Milez Grimez
– Pryme Prolifik
– Izma 401
– Akua The God
– Drew Dollars
– Lo Gun
– Kool G Rap
– Dystrakted
– Dtaylz The Profit
– Vendetta of Pcp
– Alexa Dugan
– Kinetic-9
– Tha King 8th
– An Artist Named Flizz
As I’ve experienced before with this man, a HUGE ROSTER to accompany this HUGE album, and as I stated in the intro, this man has more than earned my trust in making a dope as fuck album regardless of the amount of names on the project, and this one did not disappoint!
Man, there are so many places I could start this review from, but I’ll choose the MC part.
So you’ve got the initial two (Knownaz EVIL) & (Gamblez Tha Lucky Bastard). They are the initial two MC’s who created this album, and they have incredible chemistry. Both are at similar levels of gritty, in-your-face approaches. Both men have raw and deep vocal tones, vicious wordplay, a vivid sense of pen game and bar work, as well as their own brand of fluency attached to their deliveries and flow.
I love the synchronous behaviour by both men specifically. This is the result of years of brotherhood, practice, and studying each other’s style and mind until they can read each other’s mind like it’s elementary. Two lyrical powerhouses taking charge of the album and providing the stable and dynamic balance that acts as the verbal constant that the rest of the features work off!
Of course, speaking of the many list of features on the mic, they all help contribute their own brand of skilful storytelling, brash bars, street poetry, and other lyrical endeavours that help push this album to that next level atmosphere! I shouldn’t have to say that it can’t be easy to try to maintain this many artists in a row, but as they have in the past, Gamblez and company find a way to coexist and create a volume that’s full of harsh verses, incredible aura that really reinforces that ‘EVIL BASTARDS’ persona this album is going for!
Each artist is tough, rough, and rugged with an established voice and rhythm that lends itself into that dark and cerebral sense of danger this album consistently has going for itself. It’s not just the fact of having 16 fucking MC’s on one album, but it’s the overall mentality of the group. They are the underground hip-hop equivalent of (House Of Torture). If you don’t know, go look it up! It even makes more sense considering the MC’s name is (Knownaz EVIL). They are a gritty group of lyrical hooligans who will do anything to come out on top!
It’s that gang mentality that you felt on classic groups like Wu-Tang or Onyx! That same intensity is felt here, and it’s an addictive feeling!
Of course, if THIS is your company for rappers, as a producer, you ain’t gonna drop no bitch shit! You gotta make sure you drop songs that are equally as intense and menacing as the performances, and in that respect, I feel the various producers hit that to TEE!
So many incredible beats, like, for example, -Bad Guys, that opening track, as we have that film intro snippet that later evolves into his gritty and atmospheric old-school type instrumental! You’ve got these raw guitar strings, thick drum patterns, these sci-fi style synth chord progressions, and those thick bass strings! This all comes together to create the perfect intro track that sets the tone for the whole album!
We have tracks like -Truth Hurts, this one is by Jester, and it’s one of the more methodically charged cuts on the album. You’ve got those high & sharp chord progressions, a different layer of sharp synth keys, minimal drums, and this all comes together for a rather chaotic yet infectious production that sounds like the physical equivalent of murderous intent!
There’s the track -Empty Shellz, which has this old-school 90’s Wu-Tang RZA feel to it. With those screeching keys that have a heavy, eerie/haunting effect!
There’s those rock and roll style drum beats, a collection of nostalgic cuts and scratches with what sounds like a ‘Gang Starr’ sample! There’s also those hypnotic chord progressions that come in every 5 seconds or so for a dramatic effect!
This is also the track with the legend himself, Kool G Rap on it, and he sounds as slick as he’s ever been!
I can’t lie, I was a bit surprised to hear how mellow and damn near sombre the final track was in -World Goes Around! After hearing how ridiculously vicious and brutal the rest of the album was, for them to go off in this note was definitely an eye-opener!
On this song, we have that classical era vocal sample on loop accompanied with those sticky strings, violin samples, and the heaviest drums that appear at the forefront of the song!
This song has a true ‘conclusive’ feel to it, especially combined with that powerful vocal performance in the chorus! Truly a creative explosion for the final track!
Man, this was a roller coaster and a half! You’d be left sweating after hearing this one! It’s the very definition of gargantuan, and you won’t be the same way you came in when you leave!
I’m trying to go back into my more recent memory and think of an artist who has a more diverse singles catalogue than this man! I swear every new track sees him on a new sound, wave, then I saw him last. It’s this unpredictable nature of his that makes reviewing his singles (or the prospect of it) so fucking exciting because you never know what to expect!
So with that in mind, let’s get into this brand-new song!
This is the latest track by MC Nero! This time around, we have Isaac No Beat on the production and CAOS as the guest feature with Muzikk doing the service of the hook! Across this 3 minutes and 24 seconds, we hear a more intense and theatrical vibe to the man’s music than we have in the past!
Let’s start off with the MC work first. This feels more like a savage cypher environment than usual verse! Like they are all standing there on a corner at midnight trying to out spit each other with the dopest verses they can think of! Each man has such a gritty and dominant tone with some sharp lyricisms, clever metaphors, smart one-liners, and overall slick performances by both Nero and CAOS!
I love the chemistry both Nero and CAOS have! They’ve worked together more times than I can count, and they always land on the mark! With the knowledge of each other’s preferences and experience together as a duo, it’s only natural that the more they drop together, the doper it comes out!
You also can’t deny Muzikk on the chorus. It’s a very overlooked element: the execution of a chorus. Most people just add whatever, whoever on the cut and forget about it. But this time around, they chose someone with incredible energy, charisma, and ability to draw you in on the limited time he’s on the track! Making the chorus itself a dope experience, and I appreciate the effort they went to doing that!
As far as the beat goes, this one has that grand feel to it! On this one, you have these sharp violin strings that are combined with that subtle choir-style vocal cords, shimmering piano keys, and some methodical drum pattern. When all this comes together, it gives this cinematic score vibes! The king of instrumental you’d expect to hear during an intense Jet Lee movie fight! Or Avengers scene!
It’s heavy-handed, emotional, grimy, and yet powerful in execution! In the small handful of times I’ve dealt with Isaac No Beat, he hasn’t disappointed, and this time is no exception.
Definitely worth checking out this latest killer single by the men involved. From the cypher-like performances to the in-your-face chorus and the slick production! It all comes together amazingly! Listen for yourself below!
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 