(NOSFERATU)

Man, this is quite the interesting single! As far as the rapper being someone I’ve never heard of to the producer being a main man to me, this combination intrigued me to no end, and soon you’ll find out why!

This is the latest single by MC jean111e and producer Ant Kelly, and together they dropped 2:53 of some of the most interesting rap I’ve heard in a minute!

Let’s start with that instrumental by Ant. This thing feels like if Willy Wonka turned into a trap star. It’s so unique! We have what sounds like synth chords bouncing and plucked up and down as they slowly fade out before returning a few seconds later!

It also features with it a subtle drum pattern and some groovy bass lines! When all of this is combined, it definitely gives off ‘Art Rap’, ‘Experimental Rap’ vibes based on that beat, and as different as it is, the more you listen to it, the more it grows on you! Definitely nothing like it out there!

Now, let’s talk about the rapping. Starting off with Jean. I love her swagger and energy in her verse! You can hear her hustle, enthusiasm, and passion for the game within her words!

She features crisp delivery, smooth flow, infectious rhythm, and street vocabulary across her bars and verse! 

I love the grit attached to the words she spits! She always delivers her sentences with an extra spark attached to them! 

Although brief, her verse definitely set the tone well for the rest of the song to come and built a strong foundation for the atmosphere and for Ant to pick up off from as he closed the song off with his verse!

Now, this is the Ant I’m familiar with! The MC. Didn’t even know he could produce, but regardless, on the mic, he’s unstoppable, and on this track, he provides a short but powerful burst of energetic and dynamic vocal performances with sharpened lyricism, fast-paced flow, and distinctive rhythm to match the aura provided by jean in the first verse!

He’s able to match the chemistry well and help pull off a solid second verse that remains in keeping with the song’s theme and atmosphere while also distinguishing his own pace, tone, and cadence on the track!

Overall, a great, fun little single with a distinctive instrumental and two solid verses, each their own style and formula! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/3wUR0keLNxnHDr4DlY8unE?si=tAM_-0igTkOXFMrRAqfj6A

(CORRIDOR AFTERLIFE)

Now, this is the kind of EP I want to see! Although this is only a new artist for me, after the first listen, I could not only hear the potential but become enlightened by his level of creativity and originality! Let’s get into it!

So. This is the latest EP by MC and Producer ‘th3prism’, and on this occasion, he dropped five tracks with one extra bonus track at the end, and all of this is only 11 minutes! 

I’m going to start with the production because after what felt like an hour of trying to come up with the best sentence to describe the sound, this is the best I could think of: 

‘An intergalactic one-man hip-hop show.’ If that doesn’t sound intriguing to you, then get the fuck outta here! If I read that anywhere on any review, I’d tune in immediately! 

But this is how it sounds to me; it’s almost as if th3prism was involved in the events of space battles in ‘Star Wars’, but instead of fighting, he spent his time dropping hot bars and vibing! This EP has a beautiful arrangement of sounds from:

-Synth 

-Ambient 

-Noise

-Experimental 

– Lo-Fi

-Trap

And the way he combines these influences makes for a project that is equally chaotic and hypnotic! This is the kind of EP you listen to if you want to go on a mental adventure and tune out the world around you! It’s absolutely immersive of an experience!

I love how fluent the music itself is. For 11 minutes, he doesn’t waste a single second. He makes sure every track progresses one after another without a single break or awkward transition (you’d expect in this day and age with the technology we have, for that not to be a problem anymore, but it still happens rather frequently), but in this case, his mastery of the music itself and his overall vision for what he wants this project to be, it came out fluently, riveting, and enveloping in all the best ways possible!

As far as the rapping goes, I can’t talk highly enough about what he was able to accomplish on that front! Not only was his production on point, but so was his infectious rhythm, energy, and delivery across these tracks!

He has this focused and intense tone across the beats, like he’s a man with a mission who has tunnel-visioned what he wants to say and preach upon the EP!

I’d consider his way of rapping similar to the likes of ‘R.A.P Ferreira’ or ‘Navy Blue’, with that nonchalant attitude, intense vocabulary, and often cryptic poetry-level bars that would take 50x re-listens to understand a verse. 

This is the kind of rapping I grew up with in my teens, so it definitely made me happy to hear the rapping style of his, and combined with that truly atmospheric production, it combined beautifully for an out-of-this-world (literally) and stand-out performance on both fronts.

This EP really impressed me! I couldn’t even fault the project if I tried. The only thing I can think of is that it was too short! I can safely say he’s officially on my radar now, and I can’t wait to hear what he does next!

https://open.spotify.com/track/2KuA0MEckqRKWnJUe8rmtg?si=LlSW85pCSU-vklQ9qtACug

(40Oz Bandit)

Damn, looks like we have some ballroom jazz vibes this time! This beat is incredible. We have .Tetsuo (not Naito) come back with another banger single. This time it’s just over three minutes, and even though I’ve reviewed a small handful of his tracks, this has to be my favourite yet!

Why? It’s that fucking jazz, man! He’s utilised jazz before, but unlike the others, this one feels more organic! It feels so real, as if he hired a jazz musician himself to play live instrumentation on the beat!

These jazz notes are not just the same chord repeated over and over but, in fact, a variety of different notes and octaves performed to give the listener the illusion of ‘live music’ combined with beautifully organic organ keys! I mean, I haven’t confirmed this with him or not, but I can only assume he didn’t actually hire a real band for this song! If he did, that’s fucking legendary! 

But for now, let’s just chalk this up to him being one hell of a producer who can pull off the greatest feats, such as imitating live music! Absolutely phenomenal!

Now, what’s also very impressive is his rapping ability! (You were right, Tetsuo! I did end up getting used to it) At least for this song. Yes, he still has faint usage of his ‘free form, everywhere type flow and delivery,’ but it’s done a lot less than normal, and he’s actually pacing himself across this song! Taking breaths, slowing down, and delivering a tad bit more methodical pace, which I love!

Because in this flow, I can understand what he’s saying, I can absorb the lyrics, and see what he’s on about! Maybe it’s because of this gorgeous instrumental (or possibly band), but he’s changed his rap style ever so slightly, and honestly, I hope he does this from now on! 

No features on this single, just him and this flawless jazz score. This is the .Tetsuo I want to hear and see more of! As I said, my favourite single of the bunch so far, and hopefully, he can ride this wave!

https://open.spotify.com/track/2fRLacfb6pYD2CA4D4RQ8W?si=Zpjjz7P4SMiUIMhJDkJIcQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A1ifH4FDrXMIpun6vmQNCkg

(Bun Rush Bros)

I can’t believe it! We already get a new Penlordz track! Every time they drop it’s like Christmas all over again, and going by that example, I’ve had more than ten Christmases this year alone! Let’s get into it!

This is the latest track by the legendary Pen Lordz (Fam Ross, Arsinel, Audio Messiah), and this time we have producer DJ Phurcat on the track, and this one is somehow even better than the tracks I’ve heard this year!

That production is absolutely flawless! I swear these last few months alone I’ve heard GOATED beat choices by these guys, and it just seems to get better with every release! This one has a combination of gorgeous jazz sounds and 80’s funk homage with those slick drum patterns combined with those plucked surf rock-sounding guitar strings! 

I love how this beat has two different tones and rhythms! You have the jazz part, which I’d consider the chorus of the song due to its brief and explosive nature, and then we have the 80’s funk/surf rock vibes for the rest of the song! 

That alone makes this track unique, but also considering the fact both parts sound absolutely incredible is just another tier entirely! I’ve listened to this song already about six times since doing this review, and I can’t get enough!

Speaking of not getting enough, we have the notorious Pen Lordz! I swear these two are the best in the game right now and the only ones to appear on the ‘Serpent Tongue Award Show’ twice in a row and probably three times with tracks like these!

Once again, they showcase their god-level chemistry. When either of these three men are together, they can read each other effortlessly and with such finesse that one of them could stop mid-sentence, and the other would pick up mid-word and finish the bar without anyone of us knowing that even happened. 

That’s how in tune everyone is, and I’m shocked more people haven’t picked up on it as I have! The fact they are still underrated is criminal to me; they have some of the best flow, pen game, and lyricism in the game right now, no question! 

So, do me a favour. Go peep this track right now! This is one of a ton of singles, EP’s and albums they’ve dropped this year that have exceeded expectations and proved why they truly are ‘Pen Lordz’. 

https://open.spotify.com/track/34ECaJxCTyS93sTYRGgMm4?si=d2LbCD3NRPqJ95dR6QjV_g

(Memories Gone)

What an exciting time to be a hip-hop head! So many dope artists and producers around with quality drops coming every other day! This is one of those occasions with two of my favourite artists coming together to make one of the best singles of the year! Let’s go!

So this is the latest single by MCs Weapon E.S.P and B1 The Architect, that’s also produced by B1! It features a sick singer, Kid Renaissance, on the chorus! 

Let’s get that beautiful production discussed first because, man oh man, that is a blessing for the ears. I never knew B1 could be so smooth with it! The way he utilises those gorgeous jazz notes and subtle piano keys, plus those funky soul drum patterns! All of this put together is just beyond perfect.

It’s no secret that I’m a stan for jazz hip-hop production, and this one ticks off all my boxes! Another thing I love about this beat is how during the chorus, the beat turns minimal and lets the chorus be the star of the track!

It’s such a small factor, but it proves just how talented and technically minded B1 is on the production! Absolutely unreal!

Now onto the verses because you couldn’t ask for better chemistry if you tried! Both men spit some of the best bars you’ll hear all year! Both complement the beat and spit engaging, thought-provoking, and sharp sentences that leave a memorable taste in your mind! 

They are both so equal in lyricism and pen game that it’s near impossible to choose a favourite. The precise vocabulary, the infectious enthusiasm, and rhythm both men hold is beyond amazing! This level of synchronicity is hard to come by, and yet they execute that shit effortlessly! 

They just casually came out of nowhere and dropped two of the hottest verses of 2025 and bounced. This is what ‘real’ talent looks and sounds like. When they can drop a single with no hype or promotion and still come out hot! This is a chemistry I need to hear on a whole album!

Of course, I can’t leave without discussing Kid Renaissance! This track wouldn’t be what it is without his contributions to the chorus! He absolutely killed it! His melodic, angelic vocal performance was absolutely immaculate! It fit the track perfectly, and his chorus is one that will leave an impression on me way after the song is over! Fantastic work!

This is definitely a single you can’t afford to sleep on! This level of structure and presentation, filled with brilliant production, singing, and rapping, literally has everything going for it!

https://open.spotify.com/track/5Rj7JwI1LioEiwlsDXF03w?si=9dPkuKyXQSaX2CdUfL9zEA

(Where There’s A Will There’s A Way)

I live by a pretty simple life rule. If Swab was involved, review it! So that’s what I’m doing today. The MC on the project I’ve never come across until now, but with Swab producing the album, I’m not worried in the slightest! Let’s talk about it!

This is the latest collaboration album between MC Jus-P and Producer Swab. Together, they drop nine tracks, 23 minutes of content, with the likes of: 

-G.S. Advance

-G-Clef Da Mad Komposa

-Comet Madmen

And right off the bat, I love the dark and grimy atmosphere of this record. That beautifully crafted intro interlude sets the vibe for the album, which is drenched in mystery, intrigue, minimalistic undertones, and gritty boom Bap flavouring sprinkling all the way through!

The instrumentation across this one sounds like a mafia don walking through a city that he controls. The music sounds like power and respect. This is the kind of production that screams domination and precision. 

I love how cinematic each song feels. With only nine songs, there was no room for error or ‘filler’ skip tracks, and Jus knew this, that’s why he made sure, along with Swab, that each song went absolutely hard! That each song had its own soul and personality. Each song featured its own level of tough and rough exterior and its own muddy and gritty force oozing out of it, like nine individual mafia dons come together, and your task is to walk through each of their cities to the finish line.

That’s how his album sounds to me, masterfully crafted but ruthlessly executed! Wouldn’t expect anything less from Swab.

Now, onto this Jus. P MC. A man who will make or break my opinion of him with this record! Thankfully, I can say this definitely made it because he was extremely talented and did this production complete justice!

The first thing I noticed about his style was how methodical he was. He understood how deep and powerful this production was, so he decided to follow suit. Every word he spit had meaning to it, every breath had a reason and a purpose, and he made sure to deliver them all with precision and impact that gives goosebumps all around!

I love how relentless and introspective his lyricism was! He had his street moments, his bully moments, and his thoughtful moments! Depending on the track, he’d spit something different, and that showcased his diversity! His flow was in your face and uncompromising! 

He’s definitely utilising his storytelling abilities with his natural charisma and energy. He’s the kind of MC that can command a room just by speaking, and across these 23 minutes, he definitely took charge!

Overall, a fantastic effort by both men! I loved every aspect of this album and hope to hear more of them in the future! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5QPtGyeqduS50g99WzDbQ2?si=c9L8aV6hQ8mFjQPIegpwaQ

(The Holiest Mountain)

Alright, we are back with new music from .Tetsuo! I first covered his work as part of FAWKEM’s releases, and now I get to pry apart the brain behind the production with his own stuff, so let’s get into it!

This latest song is a whopping four minutes and twenty seconds long! A lot longer than I expected it to be. It features the man himself on production and on the mic! Alongside Rap Man Gavin (dope name), they drop a classical homage with a hip-hop influence!

That production is absolutely incredible. I love that classical, old-school sample. We get about ten solid, uninterrupted seconds of the sample before the jazz-influenced subtle drum patterns and merky, Lo-Fi wave of distorted sample looped come into effect, creating a bizarre soundscape of static-like features and overall manipulated instruments to create that field of confusion and disturbing ambiance. 

It’s quite the tease to have that gorgeously smooth sample play at the start only to butcher it for an experimental noise vibe, but it’s definitely a specific feel that I know a lot of people within this category of hip-hop will love!

As the rapping goes. Once again we hear .Tetsuo rap his chaotic, no-form, freelance style rapping. The kind of style that doesn’t have a method to the madness, just pure words everywhere and anywhere! 

I can appreciate the man working to build and evolve the overall atmosphere of the song with that already maniacal instrumental with his own equally unique and spastic energy and passion across the beat! His flow is fast, his delivery even more so! And his lyricism is so obscure and hard to catch you’d have to slow the song down to catch what he’s saying! It’s a vibe and a half!

Same can be said for Gavin. Although rapping a bit slower, he also contains the similar qualities of distorted, maniacal, and hyped delivery with sharp precision and a free-lance flow. Together, they do share brilliant chemistry for what it’s worth, and for the specific style of this record, the verses they are choosing to do are exactly what the song should have, and they utilise the production to its fullest!

I was promised by .Tetsuo that I would get used to this style, and with a lot of singles to cover, I’m hoping that’s the case! But for now, it’s still not exactly my cup of tea, but I can appreciate the intense nature of the beat, how they both try to maintain said adrenaline and energy. I can respect that, and I’m curious to see what he does next!

https://open.spotify.com/track/6aOFGqFeW3RoKq9lLZSlUO?si=OEu5Py7bR8-E5XKdqDFzMw

(Crystal Lake)

I’ll be straight with you all, there’s only a handful of artists that can leave a lasting impression on me. I have to review almost two to three projects/singles a day just to keep up with demand, so you can imagine how easy it can be to get burned out or forgetful over previous artists I’ve worked on. But that’s why this man is special; after his one collaboration album earlier this year, I haven’t been able to let go of the anticipation for a new record, and today is that day. To say I’m happy is an understatement! Let’s talk about it!

This is the latest single by my main man MC Just Mcfly (greatest rap name in the game), this time with producer Stack Moolah, and together they dropped a two-minute and 14-second banger that I feel everyone should hear at least once!

Let’s start with the production! I can’t tell people enough I am a sucker for jazz instrumentals in hip-hop, so of course I love this one! With those looping jazz progressions combined with those bass strings, it all comes together as smooth as butter! 

This beat actually reminds me of the soundtrack for the ‘Lethal Weapon’ series! Right before an intense scene, there was always a badass jazz instrumental, and that’s how I feel on this! Especially considering the heavy lyrics and themes!

This is the kind of production you can listen to for days on end! It’s smooth, relaxing, impactful, and soothing to the body! I can imagine myself walking my dog through a beautifully lit forest listening to this! Again, jazz, in my opinion, is the greatest influence in hip-hop history, and this was done justice!

Now, back to Mcfly. On this beat, he’s pulling up his Calvin Klein boxers, taking a deep breath, and dropping a verse WAY ahead of its time (I’m guessing you guys aren’t ready for this yet. But your kids are gonna love it!)

He’s riding through this beat like a skateboard and charging his pen with 1.21 gigawatts of power to send his competitors into the past, struggling to get their life and career back together again!

He’s gonna burn you so bad you’re gonna have nightmares like your mum at a younger age trying to hit on you, or your dad being a bitch. He’s gonna spin your head with all his lyricism and detailed stories. You’ll be thinking you’ve just listened to rock and roll, but it’s just the genius of McFly!

At the end of the day, whether you’re driving a DeLorean or any other type of car, or even just walking! This is the kind of track you need playing in your ears! It’s beautiful, powerful, and infectious! And who knows what’s next in the ‘future’?

https://open.spotify.com/track/73CaPYBrQH9uklO76H8Li0?si=kJTDncfrQQCL8z_RD8KJ8Q

(Dead Rituals)

Guess who’s back? The Underground’s very own Furious Styles and he’s back with a vengeance! After making it to my ‘Best rappers of May’ list, he ain’t satisfied with that. A handful of EP’s last month and he’s already back with this! Who’s gonna stop him? I’ll tell you one thing, those who try to gate-keep my man will end up losing their

DEAD RITUALS 

Brand new single by my main man HANK DOPE, featuring the ferocious FNO POP and together they come to kill the industry once again!

Let’s talk that beat because once again Hank’s ear for the muddy is untouchable. It seems every new instrumental I hear is more grimy than the last! One thing we hear is those mysterious grim chords that progress into a somber and guilt-filled choir vocals that further progress into a thick drum pattern that comes together to make a bass-heavy boom bap experience that will kick your teeth in!

I love how surreal, theatrical and equally gritty and powerful this beat is! Sure, only two minutes and 15 seconds long, but it packs enough punch to put Muhammad Ali to shame! Only real ones allowed, that backpacker shit gets sliced up over this production!

Of course, who else would qualify to rap over a beat as monstrous as this? We got HANK DOPE starting off the song. His opening verse is dark, lethal street raps with sharpened pen game ready to decapitate any of the competitors! His delivery is grim, his lyricism is methodical and deep, and his whole aura and vibe is enough to give goosebumps!

On the opposite end, we have FNO POP, who although shares the same murderous energy, I feel has a tad bit more enthusiastic aura! Like that red monstar in Space Jam! He might have been the shortest one but came with the highest intensity out of all them! That’s how I felt about that verse!

It was brutal, deliberate, intricate, adrenaline-filled, and infectious! He’s the kind of rapper who has that natural charisma that leaves impressions on the listener weeks after listening to something he’s on! He also has perfect chemistry with Hank and provides the satisfying alternative to the slower, more methodical pacing of Dope!

As usual, this ain’t the single to sleep on! Production on point, vocals on point! The whole atmosphere on point! Don’t sleep on it! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/1DNHgRMgqRG2XScJzI0d9K?si=wsq_TKATRqOnMYEggQmERQ

(BE YOURSELF)

Man, talk about a killer trio! Sometimes we get collaborations that you can tell just by looking at the names involved that you’re about to hear fire, and I can report back and say, I was absolutely right! Let’s talk about it!

So. This is the latest single by MC Wise Da God featuring the legendary CRIMEAPPLE and Red’s Corner on the beat for this 3-minute extravaganza that’s sure to knock you off your feet!

Starting with the production, we have this homage to the 90s with these harmonious keys that are glistening in the background, a traditional drum pattern with a subtle/faint female vocal snippet that can be heard in every other beat drop. 

I’d say this beat is more on the minimalistic and skeletal side, just letting the few instruments available to shine and stand out on their own and practice the whole ‘less is more’ procedure! 

Sometimes producers get in a habit of adding 100 different sounds into one song, trying to force a vibe instead of working on a solid 2-3 things that could actually sound dope! This is why I respect Red’s approach to this track because he ain’t trying to add no useless fancy shit, but making an enjoyable, infectious, and memorable beat!

Rapping on that beat, we have the two kings. First is Wise Da God; this man is as solid of a rapper as you’ll find in the game! He has tremendous skill, his lyricism is witty, introspective, and lethal! As he says himself, ‘My Flow is Sid Vicious,’ and he ain’t lying!

He has incredible fluent flow, and his pen game is untouched! Across this whole track, he lit the song on fire with his sharpened bars where no word was out of place. He knew where he had to land on each second of the song and set the tone for the second half of the song featuring the man himself, CRIMEAPPLE. 

This man truly needs no introduction. If you haven’t heard of him by now, you’re in the wrong place! He’s truly one of the best to do it right now! He’s got that trademark smooth, yet dominating personality and voice! His swaying flow patterns are iconic as he manipulates every beat he’s on to emphasise his own verses.

He’s always sounding cool, calm, and collected. Never letting the game stress him out, always the calmest guy in the studio and while delivering some of the dopest bars the game has ever heard! He’s truly an anomaly of an MC and on this track, as expected, he destroyed the track to the end!

Man, this is such an excellent and exciting single. I hope I can hear all three together on a track again! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/5iFTsGjxVYpaMVYJkorEa4?si=Nbzxm3g9QwuI73YHPrqdzA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A6aI4TGCBaiFYvDD1pcmdLz