(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

(FRESH POWDER)

Man, that title is such an interesting concept to me because I don’t think I’ve ever seen or felt ‘Fresh Powder’ unless washing powder counts? But don’t think that’s fresh… just thinking out loud! Let’s get to the album!

So, this is the 2024 album by MC Beck and Producer FVNTVNV, and together they released eight tracks with 18 minutes of content featuring the likes of 

-Big Man G

-Hus Kingpin

-Gustavo Louis

-Sabio Dub

That’s quite a line-up to acquire for such a compact record, and it lives up to the hype. You have so many distinctive personalities across this record, and they all mash together amazingly! Whether it be the smooth king himself Hus, the ever-so-charismatic Gustavo, or the Sunshine rap innovator himself Sabio Dub!

Beck has come together to provide so much flavour and depth into this record, and of course, none more compelling than the man himself!

Across this album, we hear a man who showcases his more ‘introspective’ and ‘intricate’ side of things. Taking a refreshing detour from the over-saturated ‘Gangsta Rap’ themes and going into a more witty, thought-provoking, and engaging tone with his approach to his bars, and I love it!

He has this level of sensibility with his style, he has an absolutely killer flow with dope lyricism, and a strong pen game! The way he writes and glides through the instrumentation effortlessly is awe-inspiring!

When he’s laying the bars down, he gives off this strong energy about him that’s hard to put into words unless you’ve heard it yourself, but it’s definitely special like he’s preaching to the crowd with raw magnetic forces! It’s really cool, and combining that with the chemistry with the mentioned MC’s and you have a recipe that can’t fail!

Speaking of. We have the production aspect! One that was a lot more ambient/Lo-Fi and mellow than I was expecting, but it does pair well with the style of BECK, so it was a well-thought-out idea!

You can hear those smooth jazz elements, those subtle vocal snippets on repeat, those bass-heavy strings, and soulful strings. All the instrumentation is done with a hint of cinematic energy, where each sound has tons of emphasis placed on it until it sounds like a theatrical score! I love the methodical and surreal execution of the music itself. 

It feels like slow waves in the ocean turned into music form. The patience built up with every note and key. How they’ve taken their time to marinate and cook before each sound is hit. Nothing I hate more than rushed production; you can just hear it, and it ruins any album. There’s a difference between fast-paced instrumentation and rushed, and I’m so glad to say that on this one, not only isn’t it rushed but it’s handled so tastefully and smoothly that it just takes your mind into that peaceful place for the entirety of the 18 minutes!

Overall, for eight tracks, this one hits really hard! Not hard in terms of grit or toughness but hard in quality and execution! Definitely worth checking out! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4Grg9sOpFXfGgNCHsdkEbB?si=H6X5gTisQ7CD4SHGNskQfQ

(3MB)

As a wrestling stan, this has to be one of the greatest pieces of hip-hop I’ve ever heard! This trio are real wrestling fans, and it’s a dream come true for fellow fans! Let’s talk about it!

So, this is a trio collaboration album between MC’s Mega Ran, Teek Hall, G1ToTheRescue who is also the producer! and together they drop these incredible 12 tracks featuring the likes of 

– A.J. Francis

– Josiah Williams 

– MVP

– Dwayne Swayze, and even a spoken word passage by Xaviour Woods!

Right from the first track, the production value on this thing is next level! I love the rock and jazz influences across this album! It feels as if there’s a real live band in the studio recording alongside the members! 

The music sounds crisp, fresh, masterful, and cinematic in execution! You’ve got those beautiful horns, the combination of both subtle and heavy drum patterns (depending on the track), you have the funky and groovy hip-hop rhythms and infectious breaks, and spacey synth notes that all come together to create a distinctive and distinguished sound palette that I haven’t heard from anyone else yet!

I love how each track will provide a new sound and atmosphere! No two songs are the same, and it’s that structured unpredictably that I love most about this album. It’s not that they are just throwing anything to the wall to see what sticks! Each song is technical and mastered in its own way with its own personality, but it’s the fact that there are 12 completely unique songs with their own sound influences and styles within the tracks that makes you feel like a wrestling fan’s ‘12 days of Christmas’ but without Rowdy Piper assaulting you in the process!

It’s something you definitely have to experience to understand, but it’s a score that is equally unexpected and satisfying to the ear!

As far as the MC side of things, that’s probably something I love even more! (If that’s possible about this album), the wrestling references are endless! I’ve never heard an album use so many in one project or, better yet, in each song!

The song ‘SMACKDOWN 99’ features a verse that has references to 

-NJPW

-WWE

-AEW all in the one verse! That is fucking insane and in the best way possible! I was bugging out the entire listening session over the bars delivered by both of them!

The actual chemistry between these three guys is just as good as the original 3MB and that’s another aspect I love. The consistent references to 3MB (as there are three of them in this line-up) and that’s just genius.

The synchronicity between Teek and Mega and G1 is incredible to say the least! The way they handle the flows and verses. Their phenomenal pen games and lyricism is beyond dope! I love how they can manage not only dropping endless wrestling quotes but doing so while remaining sharp, relentless, and ruthless on the beats! They are MC’s first, wrestling second!

I also love that spoken interlude by King Woods! He gives some interesting insight into dealing with a three-man team! (I guess who else to take advice from then him?) Very cool and geeky moment for me to hear that!

All in all, if you’re a wrestling head, you will fall head over heels for this album. If you’re not, it doesn’t mean you will hate it, but so many references will go over your head, which wouldn’t be fun to deal with! 

But all wrestling heads, you can’t afford to miss this one! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6O46HoR7VjS0Xrt34tCj5b?si=1XPFN2wOTty-pThqe_n8IA

(TRIPLE M’S VOL. 1)

Sometimes, you get an artist that is on such an undeniable role that you can’t help but be hooked. I first discovered this man with his project ‘BYRDS’ a record I reviewed favourably but didn’t exactly blow me away. 

Until I heard his album that dropped recently ‘BLEU MAGIC’ which made me appreciate this man on a whole different level, then came ‘Avematix’ entirely produced by Al Divino and by that point my admiration was complete. This man was officially on my radar for good! Now we have his third album in a row and how does this trilogy hold up? Let’s talk about it!

This is the latest album by MC BlueHillBill Hosted by DeevoDaGenius AKA DJ LEFTY DANGER and consists of 13 tracks with over 40 minutes of content!

Now, what surprised me the most about this record is the fact that we hear Bluehill rap over most of the most famous beats in Hip Hop from

artists like 

-ODB

-Jay-Z

-Notorious B.I.G

No doubt a lot that just went over my head but just those 3 alone made me explode with happiness because of course there’s always that thought in the back of your head when listening to your favourite songs saying ‘I wonder what this artist or that would sound on this beat’ and now for me one of my favourite MC’s is bringing that to life!

Across all those beats he absolutely nails it! He matches the flows perfectly, the energy and bars to match! He didn’t come hear to pay homage to the GOAT’s just to take an L. 

I love his interpretation of these classics and they will be tracks I continue to return to! As far as the other cuts on these albums they provide a rich inspiration of

-Old School Hip Hop

-Jazz

-RnB

-Funk

-Soul

And the way the production is handled with such finesse that they sound timeless! Really what you’re paying for with this album is a sonic feast of various colours and flavours that no other artist can obtain for you in one album! 

Sure, a lot of these beats are well established classics from the past but in the same breathe as when a company remasters a favourite film and does it justice so here do those rules apply! These beats are given love, care and the proper level of dope verses to make them worth being on this album!

For an album that’s over 40 minutes I was shocked at how fast it all went by. I literally sat in 10 seconds of silence waiting for the next track before I realised it was done! This album feels like an elegant and respectful throwback to the golden era with a modern twist.

It’s fresh, dominant and sharp on the production while also being nostalgic and reminiscent. I don’t really know how else to put it, I had a fucking blast with this project!

As far as BlueHill himself is concerned he’s in his own lane entirely. He’s an Aura farmer MC who capitalises on his infinite charisma and natural swagger while rocking his one of a kind rhythm and cadence on the tracks!

He has his trademark high pitched vocal performances (similar to a Borirock or Danny Brown) and as equally dope as both! It’s with his golden voice that makes every track he’s on be instantly recognisable! You’ll never mistake him for anyone else you can believe that!

I love how effortlessly he spits through these beats with his mellow delivery, his nonchalant vibe and his complex and visual lyricism and wordplay that makes the listeners think. 

One line that stuck with me on this album was him saying ‘I’m a life sized Vegeta’ which as a massive anime fan I found cool and funny at the same time considering he’s apparently only 5’4 but regardless dope line! 

I’ll be honest. The only part about this album I didn’t like was the constant use of the Host. This ain’t a knock on him or how the album handles it, it’s just my personal preference. I’ve never enjoyed shit like hosts or producer tags constantly used on tracks, it throws my attention span all out of wack and so I prefer music without that stuff.

But regardless, it doesn’t take anything away from the enjoyment factor of this record. The production is flawless and nostalgic. The verses are top tier and laid out beautifully and I’m sure the majority will love how hype the host was on this album! 

You definitely don’t want to miss out on this one! $25 it’s WORTH IT!

https://pensight.com/x/bluehillbill/mmmiloveyou

(Hypersonic)

Can you believe that this man (alongside G-Fam Black) is focused on releasing a new record every month of 2025? That’s absolutely nuts! And of course, we have to talk about it!

This is the brand-new collaboration record by MC P-Ro and this time around, Producer Iandonik, and let me tell you what, I’ve yet to see P miss yet! I’d have to say my favourite album of his so far would be ‘Used Crayons’ with Flu! But regardless, each new drop has been a banger, and this one is no exception!

13 tracks, 40 minutes of content, and the likes of 

-Tali Rodriguez

-G-Fam Black

-Jodi

-James Mitchell

-Aztech

-Lu Chin Chen

And right off the bat (at least to me), I can hear how much of an ambient/minimal tune they’ve taken in the production value compared to other ones! I hear a lot more stripped-back and bare instrumentals that help put emphasis on P and the other guests’ vocal performances as the main focus!

I’m talking features such as 

-Vocal Snippet loops

-A small handful of instruments used per track

-Subtle/Skeletal Drum Patterns

I’d say these are consistent in most tracks on this album with various influences from jazz to rock to everything in between! I have to say I am a big fan of this new approach and the take they took for this record. I love how they are utilising the ‘Less is More’ focus because it really forces the MC’s involved to step their games up!

I love the raw aesthetics of the instrumentation used on this album! It doesn’t feel polished or overdone, but instead, it feels atmospheric, sharp, and demanding. Although less refined compared to other projects in the past, this type of score is the perfect addition for a record like this! 

The harsh nature of the production helps inflame the grit and passion of the rappers involved! The rough exterior fluctuates the resolve and determination and skillet of the performances to that next level!

Anyone can hide behind over-done bears. But when it’s hacks against the wall and as down-to-earth as can be, how will you fare? P gives us his answer!

How does he fare? Absolutely fine! P-Ro has done nothing but put words to paper and deliver each and every month some of the most captivating verses we’ve heard in 2025, and this is no different! The man goes off!

I love how he utilises these beats and feels like he’s upgraded all his qualities from his fantastic flow, his powerful bars, and intelligent pen game! How he leans in and activates every single word he spits across this album (or any album) to produce maximum performance!

To me, P-Ro has always had a level of ‘preacher’

in him on the mic. I can’t really explain why, but whenever he’s rapping, I just become reminded of a figure like MLK, Malcolm X, or Nelson Mandela! Someone with incredible presence and the ability to reach a large audience with their words! 

As my father is literally a bishop, I grew up with that personality, so I know what that skill set sounds like, and he definitely has the IT, and as far as his chemistry with the other names are concerned, I’ve yet to hear someone he can’t mesh with! Always excellent synchronicity with anyone he brings on the beat with him!

All and all, another dope album! I’ll most likely have to rank each of his and G-Fam’s albums and see which I prefer most, but still, a new monthly edition you don’t want to sleep on!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7E39SLzW1veQ6WCUDB3s6M?si=7lClCf3lR7yg2JnSZbq_7g

(Summer Slam)

Wrestling-themed album. Wrestling-themed album that includes Xavier Woods?! Say no more, I’m in.

This is the latest full-length album by MC/Producer Sayzee! After covering his last album ‘Two Way Mirror’, I was curious what would come from him next, but I can safely say I wasn’t expecting this! 

This album features ten tracks, 28 minutes, and the likes of 

-Xavier Woods

-Jason Packs as the guests! 

Now, as far as the production goes, I’m surprised to report this feels like a fusion of rock and jazz. Actually, quite an interesting variety, especially for a rap album, but these beats are very unconventional and actually the perfect aesthetic for a wrestling-themed album! From that opening track ‘Recepits & Dues’, after a brief roasting by Woods, we get into this soft rock/Gospel Choir production with those angelic vocal arrangements! 

After that, ‘Big Van Vader’, we have this nu-metal feel beat that fuses old-school horror chords and synths with haunting keys over a glitchy/electronic beat that suddenly goes into this 80’s metal-rock chorus! This is like the wrestling version of ‘Sicko Mode’ with its constant switching! Plus, that guitar outro was fucking sick!

‘20 Inch Pythons’ begins with a heavy distorted country sound that progresses into an experimental hip-hop beat! Once again proving a more ‘rock’ base for the production other than your traditional hip-hop sound! 

The point is. Very unlike his last more traditional record, we have Sayzee let his creative and unconventional side run wild and in the process create one of the most interesting and memorable scores of the year!

As far as his rapping goes. He’s just as good on the mic as he is on the beat! I love so many things about this album.

I love the fact he’s added so many wrestling samples of different wrestlers to get every wrestling stan listener hyped throughout the record!

I love how his lyricism is based on wrestling! That sounds self-explanatory, but a lot of artists will use artwork and album names to bring in fans, only for the record’s content to be nothing different than a normal hip-hop album’s lyrics and all!

BUT that is not the case here, as he makes sure each verse on each track has layers of one-liners, witty punchlines, and references enough to keep a wrestling stan on his toes! I thoroughly enjoyed the effort and attention to detail he put into his lyricism!

I loved his passion and his enthusiasm! How excited he sounded to make an album of this magnitude and to be able to craft what very well could be one of the premier wrestling-themed records of the last few years! 

Regardless, this one is definitely one for the ages that will have you down for the count! No matter how Charles Robinson takes to get to the ring, you ain’t kicking out of those heavy-handed beats and even heavier rhyme schemes! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6DnTe5HTCasJJIS98FlT8c?si=YzdH6XuWRo-5ssfj3xGC4g

(GRANDMASTERSPLASH)

Man, I’ll tell you what. As far as producers and larger-than-life personalities go, very few, if any, can compare to this man. He has single handedly re shaped the definition of what ‘Underground Music’ stood for. 

From the first Tripe Black Diamond to now, where he’s having one of the most legendary EP/Album drop runs in modern music history, he’s continuing to not only shape the culture but contribute to it. Of course, that man is none other than 

AL DIVINO.

This is a 32-minute and 19-second album with 19 tracks and features the likes of 

-Rahiem Supreme

-ObiJuan

-Estee Nack

As is the case with any Al album, the main talking point is the production (whether he’s the one producing it or not) because he’s always choosing the beats that best represent him and that are tailor-made for him. Which means beats that are ‘experimental, unpredictable, chaotic, and lawless’.

It’s the one aspect I love most about his albums is discovering what new flavour of adrenaline rush I’ll be treated to this time around, and for this record, we have Al in his most unhinged, empirical, and creative we’ve seen him, period. 

What we have here is his trademark bag of distorted and manipulated jazz, funk, boom bap, and alt rap sounds but done only more than we’ve heard him do yet!

From that opening alt pop banger instrumental with those re-accruing synth chords to those distorted vocal pitches and various tones of guitar that muffle in and out, it’s the most satisfying and appropriate way for this album to start! 

As the album continues, you hear more of those influences mentioned above but done in a more chaotically theatrical style that makes me think of if a supervillain had access to a studio and live orchestra and how that would come out! 

Al is hip-hop’s scarecrow, and his doses of sonic toxins put down the weak who can’t handle the pressure and make minions out of those who can! Truly a twisted genius in his prime! 

I love how each track feels like it’s alive in its own warped reality. Like each instrumental is under the influence, and what we hear as the audience is the songs themselves on a trip! Jay-Z made the song cry, Al is making the songs trip! This is truly one of Al’s most powerful expressions of taste yet, and considering his discography so far, that’s saying a lot! 

As I mentioned above, Al only chooses the sounds that reflect himself, and that means alongside the beats, you also get one of the dark horses of the underground himself spitting on the mic. A man who has never compromised or filtered himself or his approach to the mic.

As soon as he gets on the mic, his raspy and aggressive tone comes in like an earthquake and destroys everything around it, and that’s the case here. He showcases his ruthless and dangerously unpredictable MC style with free-form flow, cryptic lyricism, and unwavering pen game and wordplay! 

Whenever he spits on the mic, he ain’t rapping, he’s commanding! He’s channeling his inner hustler and forcing the audience and all his contemporaries to either sync with his wave or get the fuck out, no questions asked!

That’s why anyone he associates with (such as the features mentioned) all have perfect chemistry with the man himself. It’s because he sets the standards, and people follow! You’ll never hear a mediocre breath from him or anyone in his camp, and it’s that level of maintenance that makes him a household name!

Although it’s on YouTube now, if possible, please go cop the official WAV on the link I’ll provide below! This album is an absolute masterpiece!

https://jackpotrecords.vip/shop/ols/products/grandmastersplash-wavs?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwLbQzhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp3ZVbEGwF9BlnVU7SGmMf0Exv5Bj5R67yx-XeCZ5OX090XHe1qb9oSfdDmEf_aem_RiXJT9n71TUrSEOZOAeHkg