(Miracle Whip)

2 minutes and 25 seconds of pure fire. Whenever Daniel Son is on a track, you can guarantee it’s gonna be a banger, and this is no exception!

Across this latest single, we have Daniel Son and Ty Da Dale on a song produced by NES HEIST, and this trio releases a raw track that would put anyone to shame.

The instrumental has this old-school soul/classical sound to it with this 60’s loop of instrumental that reminds me of the kind of music your grandparents would fuck with. Very mellow, soothing, and when added in this grimey artist context, makes for ironically a hard as fuck beat for these two to go off on! Unique and love it!

The chemistry between both men involved is solid and fluent! Not many people can say they can match the energy and lyricism of the likes of Daniel Son, but Ty’s fantastic penmanship, flow, and bars prove he’s his equal on this one! 

Even though there’s obviously different styles and vibes between the two, it’s so great to hear two men who are on the same page and aura to create something special on this single.

Long story short, this is one badass track. The production is dope, the verses are dope, and the overall chemistry of the trio makes for a future full-length release by all three! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2V6iYntu8Vvw5F1PU2E5EN?si=rf-HkMUDSRSOGP6L2v4Ssw

(Cracked Paint)

Talk about a run he’s been on lately. After his previous album ‘Death By Design’ with G Fam Black, you know I had to join that hype bandwagon. And with the legendary ‘Crack Sizzlack’ on the production, this one can’t miss. Let’s talk!

So, as stated above, this is the new collaboration project between rapper ‘P-Ro’ and producer ‘Crack Sizzlack’ with a 26-minute runtime. Not many features on this one: only ‘James Mitchell’ on the intro and ‘OGBenGrimm’. Otherwise, it’s just these two wrecking house themselves!

Starting with the production, it’s one of my favourite scores so far because it has this beautifully crafted ‘old school’ vibe to it, almost a southern, country style but filtered through a hip-hop filter.

It’s not like that fake country shit like Lil Nas X or Jelly Roll trying too hard to be in both lanes. This just feels like a western movie come to life in the art of rap, and it’s absolutely unique and one of a kind this year or any other I’ve heard (in the recent years at very least).

The atmosphere is surreal, immersive, and straight up cinematic, and that’s not something you get every day in this rap, so an extra shoutout to the legend Crack for this one!

Matching up with this incredible production is P-Ro, the man who has already proved himself this year and many others as a titan to be reckoned with. And on this one, he’s back with a vengeance to show everyone how it’s done!

As per usual, his style is elite, his lyricism and wordplay are smart, effective, and lethal, and his penmanship is top tier.

Across all the projects I’ve heard him on, he always sounds confident, passionate, smooth, and ready to go. And on this one, it’s all this and more so! He’s never one to miss a step, each bar landing exactly where it’s supposed to, and each verse delivering that wow factor that can perfectly synchronise with this level of instrumentals.

All in all, a beyond fantastic showing by both these men! It’s definitely one of the better projects of the year and will most definitely remain a contender for album of March!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5PnUCaGYRMzPiVmYhVvkXc?si=8e9ow-n8TciIvCh_CXgkEQ

(12 Monkeys)

Today, we are taking a trip to 2024. Where we discover a duo that provides an album worth talking about, so let’s go!

This is the collaboration project by MC ‘Sam R I’ and producer ‘William Bostick’, the latter someone I’ve already had a handful of dealings with over the present year, so it’s exciting to hear his work in the years prior! This project has 12 tracks with a total length of 33 minutes, featuring 

-Doza The Drum Dealer

-Chester

-7even Thirty

-Evil Dj Get Rite

-Kahlee

Now, when we talk about the production, this one feels a lot more traditional boom Bap than any I’ve heard previously. This shit feels raw, crisp, and fresh in execution. This feels like the late 2000’s era Hip Hop that you’d hear from the likes of ‘50 Cent, Jay-Z, The Game’, etc. 

These beats feel larger than life and, with exquisite taste and rich atmosphere, this feels like the kind of shit you’d hear played at a rich party for high-level guests.

As this is the first time I’ve heard Sam R I, I was curious to hear how he would turn out, and as expected, he was dope!

He has a very unique personality and character on the mic. Very smooth and intelligent in his use of flow, bars, and rhythm. Across each different beat, he never misses a step. Whether it’s the clever use of puns or no-nonsense lyricism, Sam hits home runs every time he’s on the mic! 

The features he’s run with also bring flames to the table that would force him to evolve and step up to meet the high expectations, but he does so not only confidently but passionately too! He’s an all-rounder in this rap game!

All in all, a catchy, infectious, and quality album that anyone could put on and have a field day with! Definitely recommend! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0ocRzaxBVBwkVNFeQqHyf8?si=BbcrM30TRYW-26W13ZGt7Q

(Jacked For The City)

And they say art is dead. It’s projects like these that make me feel secure in the artwork we call ‘Hip Hop’ because this thing right here is a modern-day masterpiece.

The latest project by rap veteran Jay Royale featuring 9 tracks and various producers such as 

-Ray Sosa

-Anibal Beats

-Pete Twist

And features on mic the likes of 

-Big Noyd

-Tek 

-Havoc

And cuts from DJ Grazzhopa.

This record is a concept album inspired by the movie ‘New Jack City’ and as stated it’s ‘The G Money Wells Perspective’.

This whole project is like cinema come to life. The kind of album you listen to with your mind and imagination first, ears second. Because Jay doesn’t simply make a rap record but a theatrical experience of a re imagining of a classic film. The way he arranges the production to the film samples to the rhymes and features is absolutely genius.

Similar in context to ‘Liquid Swords’ by GZA, how all us fans were listening and hanging on every film sample dialogue and forgetting this was even a hip hop to begin with.

This is exactly the same situation; upon my many listens of this project, back it wasn’t until the beats started playing again that I remembered this was a rap record because I was so infused and invested in the samples played.

The way Jay was able to make everything work in perfect harmony is the definition of a ‘work of art’. 

When he is rapping, as usual, Jay is untouchable. His flow is impeccable, his lyricism is second to none, and his penmanship is legendary. Considering he’s on this record with a few legendary heavy hitters such as Havoc of Mobb Deep and Tek of Smif N Wessun, he holds his own with no trouble at all. When you’ve earned the respect of the peers and legends like you become one with the greats, and this is the perfect example of that right here!

I couldn’t be more impressed with this record than I already am. The storytelling was flawless, and I’m not even sure we will get another album like this anytime soon or ever!

https://jayroyale.bandcamp.com/album/jacked-for-the-city-2

(SOLEDAD)

We are back again with another album by beat maker ‘Mr Johnson Beats’, who had an interesting release last time, so I was curious to see where he’d go this time around!

So this one has 7 tracks with a 16-minute runtime, and I feel compared to the last one, one has a more ‘traditional hip-hop’ soundscape and atmosphere attached.

Across the tracks, you hear elements of

-Lo-Fi

-Ambient

-Traditional Hip Hop

-Vocal Samples

And he seems to tie all these parts in rather well and makes for a catchy and entertaining listen for the short project that it is. 

Unlike the other project, there’s no rapping, just a beat tape with various inspirations and samples that I feel any fan of instrumental tapes should like this one!

We have something darker, like the 5th track, which has what sounds like a distorted moaning person used as the base line for the beat. 

Or even the track right after, which has a more ‘classical’ and ‘soul’ feel to the production with those specific uses of vocal samples and the beat itself!

Overall, for 16 minutes, I don’t think you can go wrong with this one; it’s fun, short, and sweet and packed with enough variety to keep you coming back for more! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4p1CFgG5b9Zctp8ncFdpK6?si=c4Zi0ndzTzSX4B1Q4IRlPw

(Sorrow)

This is the latest single by band ‘Nocturnal Tears’ with a 3:30 run time, and right off the bat, this is the kind of vibe I gravitate to in metal! The Gothic Rock/Metal vibes such as ‘H.I.M.’ and this band give a lot of the same vibes as them stylistically and instrumentally! 

This song has such great use of those haunting keys in the background combined with melodic guitar rhythms and thrashing drum patterns! Combine all this with the captivating soft vocals of the lead singer, and you’ve got a perfect gothic atmosphere for a single!

You can hear the pain and anguish in the voice and the lyrics involved in the song that add that extra level of depth to this track! I also love how halfway through the track, they add in some more keyboard notes and ramp up the drums mixed in with some timely wolf howls in the background, and you’ve truly created the kind of track you can imagine playing in the forest at 3am stewing in your loneliness and suffering!

I feel this is a terrific single and can’t wait for the upcoming album! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0eTw8sAlVggGJE9dGgD1Tf?si=ox9uAA_ZR0-AP160HlIPqA

(Slugfest)

The kind of run this man is on is the stuff of history. After a minute of radio silence, he’s back even stronger than ever and dropping gems wherever he turns. Once again, let’s get into it!

This is the latest single by Snotty X Jhiakhana, which is produced by ‘Sneak Beatz.’ This trio has been hyping up this single for days, and now that it’s finally here, and with absolutely no shock, it delivers on all the hype and more!

Firstly, let’s talk about the beat, which has this melodic, somber quality to it mixed in with this hard-hitting boom bap beat. When you combine the two, you get one of the crispiest beats you’ll find in 2025. Sneak Beatz does a fantastic job at creating this intense, serious vibe that also has a hint of tragedy mixed inside of it. I absolutely love it!

Now, if you had told me that outside the umbrella Snotty could have incredible chemistry on a track bar for bar, I’d say you’re joking, but here we are with Jhiakhana keeping his own against the veteran with consistent wordplay, dope lyricism, and exquisite flow!

Of course, Snotty delivers his usual trademark grime and excellence on the track that not many (if any) could compete with! He hasn’t taken an L yet, and we probably won’t in our lifetime!

As a single goes, this is one of the dopest I’ve heard all year! Check this shit out! 

https://youtu.be/nrYFQ2Sx8Vo?si=9agK9U-NID5rD_xO

(INFINITE WAVE)

One of the most anticipated projects of the year is finally here for me, and I couldn’t be happier. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, this one project, unlike any other, has been gaining fast notoriety, and its legend has been growing by the day. So, let’s talk about it!

This is the collaboration project by FEED THE FAMILY’s ‘BorisRock’ and BoneWeso from 23 Incredible Industries. They come together for this huge 12-track album presented by Estee Nack! This one features the likes of: 

-ESTEE NACK

-SHAYKH HANIF

-al. divino

-???

-DUN DEALY

And across this one, you have some of the crispest and freshest production you’ll hear all year! Just like the artwork suggests, this thing is flowing just like water. It’s got the hard wave moments, the smooth still flows, and at times, even motherfucking tsunamis flooding the listener with too much grime you can handle before you drown!

BoneWeso has done an excellent job at creating the vibe of ‘high-end ghetto shit.’ If the streets and the fame could ever find a sweet middle spot, then this is it! It’s raw and cutthroat and also masterful and intricate when it needs to be, which is the perfect production for someone as skilled as Borirock to go off on!

Speaking of the man, this has already been one hell of a year for the man, and with this, it only pushes that progress 10x fold!

As well, we all know, Bori has that golden smooth money flow. He’s built with confidence and passion to match 3 of your favourite rappers. 

With every bar he spits, he comes correct, with lethal wordplay, velvet flow, and king’s penmanship. 

He’s spent the past few years building up his legacy as one of the most ruthless lyricists in the game, and this one just reinforces that narrative in spades. 

This album was everything I could have expected it to be and more. The production is high-end, the features are raw, and Bori destroys every song he’s on! If you ain’t checking this one out, then you ain’t a real hip-hop fan! 

https://borirock.bandcamp.com/album/infinite-wave

(Headshot)

I’ll be honest, when I think of Canada, the only band that comes to mind is ‘GodSpeed You Black Emperor’, and no band has really impressed me from there since. But that all changes NOW. Let’s get about it! 

So, this is the latest full-length album by ‘SELIAS’, featuring 9 tracks with a 30-minute run time. From the opening track, I knew this would be an album I’d fuck with heavily! Why? Because it has some of my favourite qualities:

-It’s fast-paced

-Aggressive

-Technical

Combine those three, and you can’t go wrong! And this band understands the assignment well! This is like a sonic adrenaline pill; one shot of this per day, and you’ll be moving faster than you can say ‘Energy Drink crash’. 

This album features some of the most powerful guitar work I’ve heard in a while! The drums are fantastically in rhythm and sound infectious as fuck! The vocals: 90% death growls/screams and 10% clean is something not many bands do, but I fuck with it heavily.

It’s also the fact that the clean vocals are used so subtly in the background that it gives it this special flair that I can’t quite put my finger on why, but it gives it a ‘mystic’ to it like there’s a fantastical whisper to the songs, which is sick! 

I love how from track to track it can go from ‘Bludgeoning heavy’ to ‘Thrash Pace Fast’ and everything in between. They are skilled enough to change the various tempos (sometimes in the middle of the songs), and that gives this album that much more replay value to hear a band go back and forth between the different styles and execute both to a fucking tee!

Overall, although this is my first time hearing this band, you can guarantee it won’t be my last! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4Vj4cqYKprkKRgxMO2XoaZ?si=ngSr3tCFQge2BXw3zuEstg

(Winter In Warsaw)

After his past few projects and how impressed I was with them, you know I had to check out his past work, and that’s when I found this gem. Let’s talk about it!

So, this is the 2023 project by producer/rapper Circa97. He produced all the tracks and features the likes of: 

-Snotty

-Mo Rukuz

-Tesla’s Ghost

-Johnny Storm

-Maze Overlay

-New Villain

And cuts from: 

-Jabba The Kut

-EVIL ED

And immediately from the first track, I fell in love with the production. This is the kind of shit that’s right up my alley. We are talking about the dirtiest, grimiest, and rawest sounds in the underground going on. Unforgiving and ruthless in presentation and bloodthirsty in execution. 

On this one, Circa ain’t playing around. It makes sense now why he’s as revered as he is now because he took the underground by the throat, walking over skulls to get to the top with deadly instrumentals such as these, absolutely ridiculous beats. 

I mentioned above the features, and if that guest list doesn’t leave your jaw hanging, then you’re a fake-ass hip-hop head. These names are some nah, fuck that; these names ARE the dopest in the game right now, and this lineup would annihilate any other match-up you can think of. 

Whether you’re talking about the slick and crisp ghetto stomp of the Umbrellas’ own Snotty or the Overlord himself with his deep-toned, murderous raps with Mo Rukuz

Or even the technically gifted and savage bars by New Villain, or who can forget about the Arizona Legend himself, Maze Overlay

Regardless, any man on this team could take out 100 vs 1, so together they are absolutely unstoppable. 

I’m so happy I decided to check this one out; it’s everything I look for in a rap record. It’s my kind of sound, verses, and features. No wonder why Circa is notorious; he deserves the acclaim! 

Shoutout the extra production by MOLOTOV and Artwork by FICLOPSIS & HAN

https://open.spotify.com/album/5gjCK8eq1gvxwDmnXn8OeZ?si=AiU9ICSgQOaCieGPII1c_w