(Rare Air)

It’s always a great moment to discover new artists, and today is one of those days! So, without much more, let’s get to it!

So, this is the new single by MC Noware Fast called ‘Rare Air’, which was produced and written all by himself! Gotta respect that. Featuring a short and brisk one-minute and fifty-seconds of content.

Right off the bat, when it comes to the production, you can hear those beautifully plucked strings used for the loop combined with those delicate/subtle synth notes with that skeletal/raw hip-hop beat that all comes together to create this dreamy and elegant art-hop beat that forces your body to relax and your mind to wonder!

This is the kind of instrumental you’d put on after a stressful day and lay back, smoke a fat one, and let the refined melodies take you away to a place more peaceful!

I also love how towards the end of the song, it just rides off with this gorgeous singing sample to end with no rapping, just pure soul atmosphere. The perfect way to close the track off!

As far as the rapper goes, I’d definitely say he has a unique style that’s exclusive to himself. His flow and delivery feel very free-form. It doesn’t sound like a normal structured layout of bars but more him just introspectively thinking out loud. His tone provides a strong sense of reminiscing and as if he’s just thinking back on his life while in a booth, opposed to having something pre-planned.

His lyricism is personal and direct, and his pen game is deep, visual, and creative as he’s trying to convert the listener to the various times and places he’s recalled in his memory. 

For such a short song, there’s a lot here to dissect, from the smooth production to the original rap style, this track stands out for all the right reasons and can’t wait to see what he does next!

https://youtu.be/mNXGQ94EzeQ?si=UdTcKI9VmGCvpu8_

(ELEPHANT TUSK)

A brand new single alert by the notorious Penlordz, who haven’t taken a break in their career yet. They are either dropping music or working and promoting upcoming music; there’s never an in-between. And with one of the hottest producers out right now, this was guaranteed to be a lyrical banger! Let’s talk about it!

So, Penlordz Fam, Ross, Audio Messiah, and Arsinel are back collaborating on the fresh new track being produced by 6th Man’s Shade Cobain for this 3-minute and 38-second nonstop heat!

When we talk about the production, it starts off with these sharp, loud chords that pierce through the listener’s headphones and make an immediate impact. From there, we get this methodically paced combination of plucked strings and a subtle boom bap beat that brings all these elements together in such an amplified way that it actually does sound like what a threat or an elephant stampede would sound like in sonic terms.

I love how raw, unconventional, and tribal this beat sounds. From the national instrumentation to the atmospheric tones and aura surrounding the production, it’s definitely a standout beat, one that could only be crafted by a studio general of the 6th Man collective!

Now, onto the Penlordz. I’m not joking when I say you could throw rocks into a river and make them skip, and they could utilise that as a beat and rap their asses off across that sound.

Let alone when you put them in front of an instrumental or this magnitude, they are bound to destroy, and that’s exactly what they do.

It’s hard to criticise these guys as three separate people because they move, act, and come as one. So when I talk about Penlordz (unless it doesn’t feature the rest), then I’m talking on behalf of all three because they have god-tier chemistry and synchronicity; they know what the other is thinking and share the same passion, enthusiasm, and experience across the track in their respective verses!

There’s never a weak link among them. Each raps superbly with killer one-liners, sharp delivery, and lethal wordplay to rival anyone in the game going! 

They’ve crossed the finish line ten times over this year, and they’ve just gotten started. Beware of the Penlordz and their sonic elephant tusks because they will penetrate and obliterate all in their path, and teaming up with sixth man, hopefully, one of many collaborations in the future!

https://open.spotify.com/track/3u72Qgd038t2BgGPQngKVu?si=t_hM5LUlRCuPaqdONc20nA

(LAMBS)

We got a legend in the house! A man who has spent over three decades in this shit producing some of your favourite albums of all time, and now he’s back to re claim his position as OG Kingpin of this rap game! Let’s go!

So, this is the latest album by The Legendary Traxster, and on this one, he’s the MC and the producer! And with only Tia London as a feature, he’s claiming all 14 songs and the credit for himself, proving to everyone why he’s the top dog around here!

Starting with the production, the aspect that everyone knows will be flawless from his decades of experience. Whether that be from Twista or Do Or Die or any of the other powerhouses he’s worked alongside! And on this record, we hear Traxster bring his prime-level quality and consistency to the beats unlike anyone else can.

Across this album, we have a combination of classical, groovy, and old-school hip hop that comes together in the most perfect mix you could ask for!

The way he’s able to utilise vocal samples and those soulful, smooth, and orchestral sounds and elements is truly extraordinary. There’s no break or flaw in his composition or mix, and mastering it just all flows so effortlessly and beautifully that it definitely outshines 95% of the music coming out this year!

On every single track, you can hear the instruments pop. You can hear the masterful technique and exquisite atmosphere created when he’s done amplifying the score and creating a hip-hop soundtrack that is cinema-level. The heavy bass lines, the delicate piano keys, and those gorgeous notes— it’s all paired with the utmost love and respect for the game that only a goat in the industry could pull off! Can’t praise this production enough! 

Now, onto the MC side of things. Just as legendary as his production, so goes his rapping. He’s putting all MC’s on notice by showing them how the job should be done!

When he’s on the mic, he comes through with the methodical pace and approach where every word and sentence can be felt, and every breath matters to the overall story of the song! There’s never a wasted moment when he’s spitting bars. 

He has a deep and powerful tone, accompanied by a precise flow and killer lyricism that provides a conceptual effort across the whole album, with every song telling its own short stories and making you feel like you’re there in person in every scenario he’s talking about.

The fact he didn’t incorporate any features just makes this record stand out even further as a showcase of how a true artist handles and operates across a project! He’s already one of the greatest producers of all time; he’s here to steal the rappers’ day job too!

As expected, a fantastic album front to back. No skips, no filler, no bullshit. Just 32 minutes of heat! You definitely have to check it out! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4EBkbSQa07zjIzLGYxCvcL?si=VROcQcXeSz2VGqVhroxNgw

(Blood On Earth)

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it a thousand times over. When it comes to music, language isn’t a barrier that matters as long as the energy, spirit, and passion are there, and this latest record has all three in spades! Paired with one of the best producers going right now, you’ve got yourself a recipe for greatness! Let’s talk about it!

So, this is the latest project fully produced by Superior and features Sirio and N.A43. Is the eye as they come together for a 10-track, 32-minute experience with only four guest verses from the likes of

-ILL ONE

-SD Kong

-Franco Carter

-Varoner

And as stated about whether the record was in English or, in this case, Spanish, it’s the spirit of the album that counts!

Starting with the production. We See Superior showcase his ‘Superior’ skills behind the beats by bringing to life a handful of skeletal, ambient, raw, and absolutely cinematic scores that bring every instrument and sample to life in a way only he can! 

Across the tracks, you can hear the use of angelic vocal loops, crisp and polished sounds such as grand strings, delicate and beautiful keys, intricate acoustic notes, and more. From what I can hear, his formula is to focus on a few key sonic elements per song and amplify them to such a theatrical level that you can’t help but admire its awe-inspiring and grandiose standing across each track.

When a producer (especially one of this calibre) decides to apply the ‘less is more’ approach and really build on the few key instruments they imported from song to song, it has this magical effect of proving an almost ‘dreamlike’ state where the music pops out and goes throughout your whole body and soul unlike anything else can!

The best I can think of right now is Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’, how the stripped-back production and instrumentation caused an amplification in aura and atmosphere! The same applies here. With more room for an intimate connection to the music, you get a more personal connection, and I absolutely love it!

Now, onto the MC’s at work. While I can’t understand what they are saying, that doesn’t matter in the slightest as the vibe and incredible performance and energy they are giving off and chemistry is on a next level!

You can hear the absolute resolve and the unwavering enthusiasm and passion that every verse sounds like scripture on the beat. The flow was smooth, the rhythm was on point, and the bars, although in Spanish, sounded savage, lethal, and on point across the instrumentals!

The back and forth between the two MC’s was undeniably beautiful in motion, fluency, and precision! No awkward moments or transitions between the two, and the level of intensity and conviction they provided on the songs was clear and powerful!

I do love how the three features did amplify the songs they were on and weren’t there just for feature sake! They were explosive, confident, and sounded dope on the tracks!

Overall, I love this. I loved the intimate atmosphere of the record, I loved the combination of the trio on this album and the features! Definitely an album you can’t miss!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5p2yZLPr9snbzF7QQ2NyYy?si=bq9VV94xQ22isegkfq7_2Q

(Missing No Meals)

As I was scrolling through Spotify mindlessly, shopping through the endless options to listen to, I found this. A project by two of my favourites in the underground! I knew I had to give it some press, so let’s talk about it!

This is the 2024 release by MC Primo Jab and Producer Chuck Chan. Both men have released some of the most captivating albums of the last few years, and together with no features, they decided it was time to bring together the ultimate supergroup. So let’s get it!

Across these six tracks and 19 minutes of content, we have an album that’s focused on food! And I love it. Every song in one way or another mentions food, and as someone who is more passionate about food over everything (besides music), that made this a favourite of mine already. Plus, having Primo Jab on the cut, rapping and incorporating different bars and witty puns about food and double entendres and the whole nine yards!

He’s already proven how gifted he is with his pen game and original style and lyricism (as was further demonstrated this year with What Do Sounds Smell Like?) but the fact that he had to make sure he referenced ‘eating’ or ‘food’ or write a specific bar where food is used in a clever parable or analogy, man, that shit got me so hyped!

Maybe I’m on my own on this, but I fucking LOVE when artists are tasked with doing creative or conceptual shit like this. Where a specific topic is the main focus, and they work around it, it’s a dope process. I wish more artists would try, and the fact someone as naturally gifted as Primo Jab was doing it was even more satisfying!

Of course, he ain’t alone because he’s got the legendary Chuck Chan on his side, and across these six tracks, we hear him create various examples of skeletal and ambient/atmospheric sonic experiences that only he could pull off. The pattern I discovered was that he’d latch onto a few key instruments and polish/master them until they shine bright enough to carry the production! For example, track two, ‘Raw Cuisine’, where it features that methodical bass notes combined with that choir-style female harmony vocal loop, which, paired with that minimalism beat, creates something phenomenal!

Or track three, ‘Gourmet Pain’, which has what sounds like subtle horn or jazz chords that are playing on an infectious loop that takes over the track and gives it that ‘out-of-this-world’ vibe to it.

I love Chuck’s formula on this record; he’s taking advantage of the ‘less is more’ approach and making gold out of it!

To me, you can’t beat this combination. Two men in the prime of their careers coming together for a conceptual EP? You can’t fucking beat it. Check it out ASAP!

https://open.spotify.com/album/71ff2gw7tNGJX8Nhm6DqLz?si=9HGXLN0GTnSPJQkHK73XZw

(FLU FOG EP)

Man, I’ll tell you this. Based on the interesting artwork and title, I wasn’t expecting the sound to be like this! Let’s fucking talk about it!

So, this is the latest collaboration EP between Jezus Borgia and producer Mike Martinez (who is one half of the Jezus duo), and together they dropped five tracks with 15 minutes and the likes of 

-Empress Kirsten

-Big Dese to help on the project, and man, first and foremost, this was a lot of fun to listen to!

These five tracks just have a lively, colourful, and engaging atmosphere to it that I can’t really put my finger on. It’s like Mike is having the time of his life with his friend who he gets to rap alongside, and I feel that’s what is causing the surreal and original production that feels organic. 

Each song feels crisp, smooth, raw, and just authentic. There are so many elements, like on the first and second-to-last track, the utilisation of the female vocals was absolutely divine!

How on the final track you have this groovy and infectious hip-hop beat that forces you to move your body and groove! Fuck it, I have no shame to admit it, if the beat is good enough, I’ll dance to that shit! Those ‘fun and cool’ beats like back in the ‘Kool & The Gang’ era or ‘Fresh Prince’ or ‘A Tribe Called Quest’, those kinds of beats with soul and spirit and harmony! You just don’t get much of those these days, so I’m glad they decided to go off with a special bang!

As I said in the intro, this album really doesn’t sound how it looks. I was honestly expecting super muddy, rough around the edges, and lethal-type deliveries, but not at all. Don’t get me wrong, this duo absolutely KILLS the beats and provides some of the best bar work I’ve heard all year, but it’s very passionate and enthusiastic work. It sounds like these two men are just having fun, trying to outdo one another, and enjoying the five tracks they have together!

Again, this level of ‘collaboration’ is rare. It’s always about sounding the most tough or menacing in the tracks, and although I’m entertained by this method as much as the next guy, I can’t help but appreciate that two good friends are here to show off their lyrical strengths and have a blast doing it!

Especially on the last track, ‘Good Vibes Only’, is the perfect example of this. As the track implies, it’s nothing but positively enforced dope bars by two of the most skilled in the game right now. Maybe this is so shocking for me to believe since Mike produced only two to three weeks ago one of the coldest and chilling albums I’ve ever heard for ‘G Fam Black’, so to hear him vibe so effortlessly is wild to me, but it’s a side of him I love!

Long story short, this is one of the most catchiest and thrilling EP’s I’ve heard all year. The chemistry is perfect, and that production is fun, enjoyable, and crafted to excellence! You can’t afford to miss this one!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5VtjvaVGOULntVlRtsilSZ?si=Q4H2z_H9TbGSxkhv-qi-xw

(BLEU MAGIC)

Boy, do we have a special treat for you today? A trio of the highest quality who are going beyond viral and making waves in the music shit with their impactful performances and distinct records, and now they come together to bring you all one of the dopest albums of the year! Let’s get it!

So, this is a collaboration album between producer DeevoDaGenius and the MC duo of Kil The Artist & BLUEHILLBILL, and together they drop 12 tracks and over 40 minutes of content. With FEED THE FAMILY’s own Borirock as the solo feature to help make this record BANG.

So, starting with the production. As is common with most BLUEHILL releases I’ve heard, this album contains vibrant, atmospheric, and surreal usage of instruments, technique, and mastery of the beats.

Whether it’s grand and melodic guitar strings like on the track ‘THE MAN’ or absolutely infectious and looping piano chords on the track ‘20 PERCENT,’ or even if you’re talking the track ‘ANGELA SIMMONS,’ which incorporates that ambient/soul-inspired keys that vibe in and out with different octaves. 

The reason for these examples is the fact that every track not only has a unique and distinctive personality to it but that each sound in the tracks is pure, polished, and clear. This is the kind of production where you can point out everything invoked with ease. It has a cinematic level of clarity, and it’s these organically crafted instrumentals that make any record that involves BLUEHILL stand out from the rest!

If I had to choose a favourite song, it would have to be ‘SWITCHING ZINGZ’ featuring Borirock. That beat is incredible! It has a groovy, Latina dance feel to it. With those quick and lively loops featuring that harmonic vocal snippet, it all just comes together for one of the smoothest tracks on the album!

As far as the rapping is concerned. To say these two have amazing chemistry would be the understatement of the year. Kil The Family and BLUEHULL understand the importance of the powerful production they have and don’t take it lightly. They both (in their own respective styles) take turns ripping apart the beats with their killer MC instincts, their smooth rhythm, and pen game that could rival anyone in the culture right now.

Both men hold down the tracks with their own distinctive voices and characteristics, where you can hear it’s them without even checking the song information. No clones with these two; originality is their trademark, and they flash that shit like a badge of honour!

I love how they tag in and out of the tracks. There’s no awkward pause or weird choppy transition between the two men, just pure, natural flow and handing the spotlight to the other, and I love the brotherhood between them both!

Of course, they’ve decided to test their skills with Bori, who is one of the best going right now easily, and they passed that test with flying colours!

This album only just came out, and I fucking loved it! It’s fresh, charismatic, and raw all in one. The production is the definition of lively, and the MC’s are hungry, passionate, and coming for the kill! Definitely an album you can’t afford to miss!

https://open.spotify.com/album/548yu5kwzRIZD1eaLzucK1?si=uuCQXO40Te-T7t7ZtgJNSQ

(25 Red)

New single alert! This is an artist and an upcoming release that is making waves in the underground and guaranteed to be one of the biggest drops of 2025, but for now, we have this teaser track that showcases a small sample of how dope this record will be!

So, this is the latest track by rapper Jjackpot that’s been produced by Manostijeras, and right off the bat, this track starts off in the most unique way I’ve heard in a minute.

You hear this sample of what sounds like Ren and Stempy (easily the most disturbing cartoon of my childhood), and after that small intro, we get this elegant and muddy boom Bap track that is as infectious as they come.

You have those repetitive deep notes on loop in the background followed by a skeletal, raw, and rugged Hip Hop beat that features delicate and subtle piano keys that are barely heard, and then the occasional blast of a horn that fades in and out.

There’s actually a lot going on as far as the production is concerned; with quality headphones or audio equipment, you should be able to distinguish the individual sounds that may be hard to interpret listening out loud. Regardless, a fantastically raw beat that you could listen to for hours and never get sick of!

To complement this ridiculous production, we have Jjackpot! The man who has made more waves than most right now, and for good reason! He possesses a strong blend of: 

-Enthusiasm

-Personality

-Rhythm

-Pen Game

-Flow that separates him from 90% of the cats in the game right now! His vicious and aggressive tone makes every word feel like steel and every bar feel as sharp as a katana slicing through the competition.

He’s methodical and surreal when dropping his verses and came through with one of the most satisfying and powerful choruses I’ve heard in a while. Ending each chorus line with ‘there’s 25 to life in there’ It just adds something extra to the song that most songs don’t have, fuck with heavy!

Overall, a fantastic single to promote the album, which is bound to be huge! Spectacular production and even more so MC work! Definitely a single you can’t miss out on! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5bultOvMq2im6V0WzfAGnm?si=4KIOwMpcSHec_oYcdFA7Pw

(Art Official Intelligence)

New single alert! This time with a new artist and producer, which is always exciting, so let’s get to it!

This is the latest track by MC Spy, MC and producer MoonDoctor with the legendary Ruste Juxx, and this trio released a two-minute and fifty-four-second song that is sure to knock your ass down with the heat!

Starting with that beat, this song has a strong ambient/Lo-Fi aura to it with those looming strings that are orchestrated in such a beautiful loop pattern that it gives off an outer-world ambiance to the song! The beat itself feels skeletal and raw in nature, but when combined with those dreamy chords, it makes for a rather atmospheric and melodic aesthetic! 

Across this wonderful instrumental, we have the two MC’s who use their immaculate chemistry and synchronicity to create the perfect few verses for this song.

You’ve got the slick, composed, and introspective rap style of Spy MC, who spits his pen game with a calm and collected cadence and flow that kind of reminds me of Q-Tip from ‘A Tribe Called Quest’.

Then on the back end, we have the legend Ruste Juxx, who provides a more in-your-face and rugged personality on the mic. Savage and lethal lyricism with an ‘in-your-face’ approach to his pen game that forces every word to be felt and absorbed by the listener!

Overall, the combination of the two MC’s is spot-on, the production is delicate and unique, and the trio come through with one of the hottest singles of the year! 

https://spymc.bandcamp.com/track/art-official-intelligence-feat-ruste-juxx

(Trooper/Fifty Bags)

We’re back in action with DJ Krooked. He’s back with two fresh new singles with different artists per track, and so, let’s see what it’s hitting on!

Two tracks 

-Trooper (1:44)

-Fifty Bags (2:35)

And each track feels different in its own way. Let’s start with the first one featuring Daniel Son. This track is the shorter of the two, and DJ Krooked made sure this beat had the eerie synth chords, with that super dark and muddy bass and skeletal boom bap beat that provides the perfect foundation for Daniel Son to go off on.

With a beat right up his ally, Daniel Son, the master wordsmith goes off in his trademark dead serious, monotone, killer street vibes that he’s become notorious for.

As per usual, his verses are composed and calculated; every breath lands exactly where it’s supposed to as he spits his street life stories in such detail it feels like you’re there yourself! 

One other thing I love about this track is the outro, how Krooked just lets the instrumental ride off into the sunset. Sometimes it can be a nice addition to a song, and this was one of those times!

For the final track, we have the likes of Ant Kelly and DB. For this track, DJ Krooked utilises a more theatrical and cinematic instrumental with these grand horns and a traditional hip-hop beat as the base.

Although quite simplistic in the sounds involved, the execution is done so masterfully it sounds like he’s sampled a Godzilla destroying a local city scene. It’s so powerful and intense it provides a shot of adrenaline to the listener!

Across this track, we start with Ant, who honestly comes from the same cloth of bully rap as the likes of NEMS, Bub Styles, and The Bad Seed. Just pure, aggressive, and mean wordplay and savage lyricism! He sounds like a villain, and he’s got the aura of one too!

Although not as brutal, DB does his part in crafting a dope as fuck verse with lethal pen game, high energy, and enthusiasm as well as a passion for the game and smooth flow to match! This pair has incredible chemistry together, and across this monstrous beat, they can’t miss!

All in all, two different yet powerhouse singles! The production on both was well made and infectious while sporting some heavy hitters on the mic! Great work!

https://open.spotify.com/album/2pcYr7H5QqQjfX1JJcgK4B?si=R2ULWxqhSqSPohKlDuUUyg