(Ganjalf The Baked)

Funny story this. After reviewing the last single he sent me, I let Spotify just play, and this song came up! I fucked with it while it was on, then didn’t think much else until I got a message asking to review this exact track! Everything came full circle in the end!

So, new track by UK rapper ‘OnlyOneOnlySon’ and produced by ‘Famskii’. Right off the bat, I didn’t care what this sounded like. The artwork is dope as fuck as well as the song title, so I was going to love this either way. And lucky for me, it ended up being a good track!

Right off the bat, the production is hectic! With those smooth jazz chords playing in an infectious loop that just rolls off the beat and makes it feel like heaven in the ear of the listener! On top of that, we have what sounds like hip hop meets synth pop.

When I listen to this production, it just reminds me of 80’s rap mixed with ‘Tears For Fears’ type sounds and inspiration with those dreamy and ambient atmosphere surrounding the jazz and rap parts of the song to tie up into a stoners paradise of a single that would be a perfect anthem for the annual 4/20!

Now, OnlyOne, the man who impressed like no other the last time I heard him, and he’s only doing more so. With his smooth delivery across this beat, his witty yet insightful lyricism, and passionate flow and cadence on the track, makes him the perfect candidate for the powerfully crafted instrumental we have in front of us!

He seems solidly focused on making sure each and every word and breath he takes on this is lined up perfectly to the beat at hand. They both complement each other the way I haven’t heard many pull off!

Overall, a bloody good single and performance by the duo involved. Amazing artwork and song title and just hits in every direction possible! No complaint can be found! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/0yPQmPL7FdP5GbmvTErshK?si=UzY6IQfaQH6wyBiLRjIuuA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A2Pvu3lfYH8MF3dyR0moSF0

(Thru The Eyes of A Madman)

This is gonna sound bad right off the bat, but hear me out, all. G Fam Black is one of those artists that I always forget is dope until I re-listen to him on a new feature or project. It’s like my brain has sonic amnesia to him that I keep re-discovering his dopeness every new verse he drops. So here we go again, and I’m once again blown away!

So, this is the latest collaboration project between MC G Fam Black and producer Mike Martinez, and together they bring 10 new tracks featuring the likes of: 

-DJ Decepta

-Aztek The Barfly

-Oblivious 

-Sankofa

-P-Ro

And let me tell you something, this thing hits H.A.R.D. holy shit.

This thing sounds like Grime Boom Bap’s older, alcoholic, abusive brother came home from jail and took over the household. This project sounds harder, tougher, scarier, and grimmer than anyone on the market right now.

Another aspect of this album is the amount of old-school cut and scratching. It’s an aspect of Hip Hop I love from the olden era, and it makes me happy to hear it again in any modern-day albums, so I love that!

But I really can’t express this enough: these monstrous beat progressions, these chilling keys and notes, and these eerie melodies take over your body and soul and trap you focused into this record from start to finish. It’s captivating as fuck and doesn’t let you free till the last second. 

Mike found his magnum opus with this shit! And he even raps on one song to make his voice heard, but this is definitely production you’ll have to experience to truly understand what I’m saying, but it’s that REAL SHIT.

G Fam Black. The man so vicious he’s plagued me with amnesia, apparently. But as per usual, his intense nature, his gargantuan energy, and deep, blood-curdling tone. He sounds as lethal as the album over does. With every word he spits, just like a rapper like Bub Styles, he doesn’t say his sentences; he fires them like a rocket launcher aiming at the instrumental and leaving it in shambles with no room left to be found, absolutely lawless.

Listening to G Fam flow and rhyme on songs feels less like a verse and more like a chaotic atmosphere, like the sonic equivalent of a VR experience where if you close your eyes, you’re surrounded by critical intentions, theatrical effects, and murderous intent. He’s the kind of artist you could listen to and legitimately worry at any moment you could breathe wrong during the album, and he could stop his bar, jump out of the Bandcamp or Spotify app, and beat the shit outta you for interrupting him. That’s how serious he feels about listening to, and I love every second of the pressure he creates!

Overall, this is a fucking BEAST of an album. It’s unforgiving, loud, brash, and in your face, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

https://gfamblack.bandcamp.com/album/thru-the-eyes-of-a-madman

(A Stoner’s Life) 10 Year Anniversary

You know, I love releases like these because there are so many times you’ll listen to an artist and forget to appreciate where they came from or how far they progressed since their beginning, and no other artist deserves that level of reminiscence than K. Burns.

So, this is his 2015 release and features 10 tracks featuring a collection of artists such as:

-153 Fetty

-Dough Montana 

-Planet Asia

And producers such as:

-Select Squad

-AtlasTheOverseer

-YKthePilot

-L&X Music

-A.Dready

-Ignorvnce 

-Onetime

-Nuglife

And this album came with the launch of K Burns’ ‘Team Fame Music Group’, and to say his career had only gone up would be a grave understatement, but it all started here. 

Right off the bat, this reminds me vaguely of Wiz Khalifa’s (Kush and OJ) mixtape, which was released 5 years prior to this one and ironically dropped the same time as this re-release. Anyway,  the stoner vibes, chill and hypnotic instrumentation, and smooth vocals and melodies have me making comparisons, but of course, his project is still its own individual album that has its own original ideas and themes.

For example, I’d say K Burns brings a certain level of grit and passion to his verses and lines that Wiz didn’t. He’s always had (even back in the day) had this certain level of confidence and hustle to his cadence and style that separated him from the others, and it’s evident on this one.

He’s always had the gift of being able to transform into whatever the production requires, which most can’t do. For example, he can appear as chill and melodic on an album centred on weed and peace vibes, then years later, he can drop one of the most chilling and eerie albums of the whole year with War Dogs. 

Even after that, he was able to piece together one of the most conceptually thrilling records with ‘Big Red Machine’.

The point being, he can turn into any lane and do fantastic! He’s not stuck in a certain box where he can’t perform in other forms. For example, can you imagine DMX in a chill album? Or Sticky Fingaz? Of course not, no disrespect to those two legends, but they were all the way hardcore East Coast and they thrived in that.

But here, Burns has the ability to mark any record he needs to and have it come out excellent.

This album features consistent and relaxing vibes that make you want to just lay back, roll one, and let all the stress fade away. It’s amazing; also, the 3 features do their roll to the tee, and of course, you can never go wrong with Planet Asia.

In closing, we’ve spent the past few years getting to know the present-day K. Burns, but now we have the blessed opportunity to visit his past, and even so, he hasn’t stopped killing it since day 1!

https://teamfamegvng.bandcamp.com/album/k-burns-a-stoner-life-lp-10-year-anniversary-edition

(We, The Makers)

Of course, I had no idea what to expect going into this, but even so, this thing definitely was not what I was expecting at all! 

So, this is an album by Paris artist August, truly a man who I had no experience with until today, but a man who’s definitely going to be on my radar from now on. 

Within this 32 minutes of content, you get gifted and experience that is more like an opera, more like a theatrical experience than it is a normal album. 

What I mean is that across this project, you hear influences such as: 

-Ambient

-Hip Hop

-Jazz

-Lo Fi

-RnB

-Soul

-Experimental 

And the way it all comes together in style, kind of reminds me of a Flying Lotus record in execution. The way all the various instrumentation and sounds fly around per track like a sonic whirlwind of wonder, delight, and intrigue, all wrapped into one! Every second of a song that passes you could be hearing a new and exciting influence, genre, and vibe.

While being accompanied by the likes of: 

-Chester Watson

-ELUCID

-August Fanon

He utilises these artistic masterminds and together help innovate and give birth to a project so enlightening and powerful that it just speaks to your whole body and forces your soul to dance and your heart to open up and breathe in the colourful ambience, and that is ‘We, The Makers’.

Vocally is what surprised me the most. While I was expecting  more traditional ‘Hip Hop’ style verses and bars, instead, we get this original singing that is unlike anything I’ve heard before! The different tones and octaves, the changing notes he’s playing, and his undeniable passion and energy he puts into every word is absolutely infectious and awe-inspiring.

I meant it when I said this is unlike anything I’ve heard yet, and if I was forced to describe what this sounds like, it would have to be a mix between: 

Joji x Genesis Owusu x Radiohead

I know that sounds bizarre, but trust me it’s bizarre in the best way possible. The lo-fi/dreamy production and notes sound like Joji. The colourful and expressive nature of his cadence reminds me of Owusu, and a lot of the times his main singing sounds like Radiohead.

This ain’t the kind of album for anyone close-minded who just cares about ‘traditional’ style music. For this one, I invite all listeners to open up your minds and ears to a cinematic composition. I guarantee you won’t be able to forget or put it down! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/7HokVFr2yPC1bNpkoBjXJ8?si=kPri1xMiSSK_emJID7Q8_Q

(Headshot)

New artist single alert! This time it’s a collaboration between Producer Bad Child, Rapper Nvy Jonez Lkr, and features DFD Baby Lee, and if you ain’t down with this monster trio, then be ready for a 

HEADSHOT 

So this 3-minute and 35-second track is gargantuan in aura and atmosphere, and let me tell you why!

Starting with the production, this album has this crisp and sharp boom-bap beat that’s mixed with classical strings and a funky drum pattern that, when combined altogether, makes one of the most powerful and tremendous instrumentals you’ve heard in a minute! It’s infectious, head-bopping, and will guarantee you scrunch your face right up while listening to it!

Onto the MC, Nvy drags the audience down to the Mariana Trench with his deep and gritty tone, his ruthless and raw raps, and his brutal execution of wordplay and lyricism! Enough to sink the confidence and pressure of any other competitor with the force of a thousand waves. 

On the other end of the sea, we have DFD Baby Lee, the Kraken unleashed with equally powerful words and flows; his only goal is to vanish foes and leave their corpses afloat as a warning for others who would dare attempt the same fate.

These two have the same level of chemistry as a captain with the waters, in complete harmony, and share one mind. With this level of power of unity, no one can stop them!

Do you dare, take a trip with this monstrous trio? If you are weak at heart, you may not survive. But if you fancy yourself strong enough to navigate the boldness and strength of this single, then all I have to say is WELCOME ABOARD 

https://open.spotify.com/track/6X8CMiRagWkXyFe2mj3ggV?si=eAsi-mjWRcKj6e3ysztkeA

(Muggers Alley)

Nothing makes me happier than discovering a dope new single by artists I’ve never heard of! Because let me tell you right now, this is is DOPE and if you don’t agree, you better watch out; you don’t end up walking around in

(Muggers Alley)

So, this is the latest track by rapper ‘OnlyOneOnlySon’ and produced by Odd Status, and let me tell you straight up, this is the kind of shit I’ve missed in today’s scene! Let me tell you something.

I’m a fan of the old-school drill era. I’ll die on the hill that Wiley’s first ‘Godfather’ album is the best drill/grime album of all time. That energy and style were unmatched to me even amongst all the great artists that came out in that time period or after, but now we have this man who matches and maintains that same level of intensity, passion, and rhythm that has left me in awe!

Starting with that infectious beat with that droning drum pattern combined with those underlining bass lines and those instrument clicks, all combined over that groovy grime beat that forces your body to move! 

Odd Status really went all out to make the kind of beat that you could play for hours on end and never get sick of it! In fact, I’ve already added this single to my Spotify playlist due to how dope it is!

OnlyOneOnlySon, the man with the most unique rap name in the game, and he has the one-in-a-generation voice and is talented in this sub-genre. The re birth if I say so myself. I say all this while absolutely loving artists like ‘Slowthai’ and artists in his lane, but while he’s more political and introspective in his UK rap efforts, we haven’t (well, in my opinion) had a UK Drill purest come out since Wiley’s album, and I strongly feel this could be that.

Not to downplay this single by the comparisons because his sharp rapping, his smooth flow, and his witty/clever wordplay all come together and spread like butter across this instrumental, and I absolutely love it!

It’s an understatement to say I’ll be tunnel-visioning myself through the process of these two artists and see where they go from here! Excellent work! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/6ApJkn9asaLh0WdAeOMxiE?si=vMj1lNuETlSSzt6HDStmtQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4OXaHNYe87V8w6sTJhog9K

(Two Way Mirror)

It’s that time again to cover a new 100 MAD album as they’ve been absolutely killing it lately, and this one is especially interesting for the reasons I’ll explain now!

So, this is the brand-new collaboration between artists Sayzee X KNG Bondalero, and what makes this a unique project is the fact that they both rap and both produce on this one. They are showing the sonic practice of ‘Two Way Mirror’ with both of them ‘mirroring’ the other with equal parts synchronicity and diversity from the other. I can’t remember another project that does the same! 

This new album has 12 tracks and 34 minutes’ worth of content, and right off the bat, the production is so original and interesting because it features sounds and inspirations I either haven’t heard in the underground or by 100 MAD yet. This project features: 

-Reggae

-Boom Bap

-Synth

-Ambient 

-Soul 

-Classical Era 

And I love the variety and different depths and styles across this project. At one point, you could hit a track like ‘Smash & Gabba’, which has that strong reggae/rock vibe with that funky bass line and instrumental that comes together so fucking smoothly! But literally just two tracks later, you land on the song ‘30 Plus’, which has the most soothing and classical beat you could hear all year.

What’s also evident is that, although there are many different inspirations, none of it feels awkward or out of place across the record. It feels more like a unique and anticipating surprise that you sit there as a listener wondering what’s coming next!

As I said above, this is really a listening experience I haven’t heard before from 100 MAD or the underground period. Both MC’s contributing to the beats and providing an original score that really hasn’t been attempted yet!

Now on to the MC part of the album. Of course, done by the same two guys who did the beats, and they go HARD. Their chemistry reminds me a lot of Mobb Deep. Two dope, raw, and rugged personalities rising the other up to new heights across the projects, each verse sounding like it’s trying to outdo the one that came before, and it’s that healthy competitive spirit is not only something I love but something that helps evolve the game onwards! The lack of pride and just working on sharpening one’s skills!

Of course, both of them have ridiculous pen game, smooth flow, and lethal lyricism and studio cadence that can content with everyone and anyone in the studio.

For example, they feature on this album: 

-New Villain

-Tona

-AYOO BIGZ

And those are some of the most powerhouse names in the game right now. If there was anyone to test your skills against, it would be against them! And they have equal chemistry with the features as they do with each other, which is a very special quality indeed!

All in all, another W by 100 MAD. I can’t imagine them taking an L, and as of right now, they still haven’t! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/34kx4ylJRwNDtnHUk0rbom?si=DvatJPLaTKeSqnZJxOEHwA

(The Fifth Horseman)

It seems like Machacha just took a quick 5-minute tea break from this producing shit because he’s already back. After producing 5-6 albums last quarter (I can’t even keep count), he’s back with another banger and this time with rapper Figerson, so let’s get into it!

So, new collaboration album. 11 tracks and 31 minutes of content. 

Starting with Machacha, who has already gone through most variety you can think of this year, he’s back yet again and showcasing an even more unique and original sound we haven’t seen him tap into yet! This time around, it sounds like he’s tapping into a more ‘psychedelic’ and ‘Tri-Hop’ influence with more of an emphasis on electronica aura and slower tempos for a more atmospheric and mystic effect on the beats.

For example, the track ‘Horses Beneath The Sand,’ where he establishes that hypnotic female vocal loop that has a cryptic/foreign desert sound like something you’d expect to hear on the original ‘The Mummy’ scores. Very theatrical and skeletal in nature.

Or even the track ‘Obsolete,’ with the repeated guitar string loop sounds like an opening to a DeadMau5 song. The type of notes he would use before the bass drops. On its surface, it may not sound ‘electronic’ in influence, but as someone who has experienced so many different sounds and genres, I can pick up certain strings that sound similar to other genres.

Let’s even talk about the song ‘Dust To Dust.’ That guitar pluck strings sound like a pattern you’d hear on a ‘Portishead’ album, very hypnotising and infectious. 

This is a side I personally haven’t heard from him yet, and I love how even with this many albums in, he’s still surprising the listeners!

Now, I’ll be honest. This is the first time I’ve heard Figerson, but of course, when he’s coming alongside one of the best beat makers out right now, it gives me all the confidence in the world, and I was right to think that because he is dope!

First of all, even though I can’t guarantee this or verify this (yet), his adlib sounds like a Young Thug sound bit off his ‘Jeffery’ mixtape. Sounds very familiar and very dope! Would love to know where that comes from or if I’m right.

Secondly, his rapping style contains this raw, rough, and rugged texture to it that I fuck with heavily. He doesn’t pull any punches; his lyricism is equally lethal and witty, and his flow is smooth and in your face at the same time. I also love how he’s doing this album without the use of features, riding his own shit, proving that he doesn’t need anyone but himself to make a golden record, and he does just that!

Overall, another classic performance by Machacha and a standout one from Figerson. He’ll definitely be on my radar from now on! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/58EKlAlgd8Oqr3F93GRBrl?si=ZgKsruxkT06DrB-cUy3Ckg

(Diamond Cutter)

I want you to ask yourself, the listeners. How many artists do you know that could drop a physical-only release with no streaming and still sell out and gain this much attention and recognition? Mickey Diamond can and did.

This is a rare moment for hip-hop fans, finally being able to listen to this record shoutout to Paka The Plug for the hook-up! So let’s get into it!

This is the latest mainly physical release by Umbrella Collective’s golden child, Mickey Diamond, the man who many argue has the best discography in the game right now. This time around, he’s working with FEED THE FAMILY producer ‘Tremendiss’, and together they drop a project that’s just under 30 minutes and 8 tracks strong!

As the album opens, we get a sick wrestling DDP ‘Diamond Cutter’ intro, which is obviously the theme of the record based on the title and vinyl cover! 

From there, we see Tremendiss bring his trademark larger-than-life grimy influence to bring you 8 cold-hearted, passionate, and ridiculously sampled score that is perfectly fitted for Diamond. 

This album is covered in manipulated vocal sample loops and sharp synth notes and chords combined with that hardcore boom-bap underground sound, and when you blend all the influences and beats together, you get a sonic experience that you can’t help but scrunch your face in the unadulterated levels of lethal, bone-crushing grime that very few, if any, other producer can match! Tremendiss has been on one hell of a run lately, and this only makes his production discography that much more notorious!

Speaking of Mickey, the man who last year dropped (in my opinion) one of his best records periods with ‘It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere’ and his highly acclaimed tribute album ‘Gucci Gambino’ with Pro Dillinger as a homage to Wu-Tang’s ‘Only Built 4 Cuban Lynx’, and now he’s back with one of the most talked-about releases of the year due to its nature of no streaming. 

Despite that fact, the vinyls sold out in a matter of minutes because he is THAT GUY. Now that I’ve had a chance to listen to it, I can understand why. 

He hasn’t changed a bit; he still has that legendary one-liner, excellent wordplay, that raspy and powerful tone in his voice, and his boss flow that makes him sound like the kingpin in any room he’s in.

Not alone on this one, he’s accompanied by

-Shaykh Hanif

-Estee Nack

Two of the most prolific rappers going right now, so you could say it was only a matter of time before they linked, and now that they have, as expected, it’s a match made in heaven: a trio of underground lords that could take on anyone in the game right now and remain undefeated— absolutely incredible.

Did you all expect him to fall? Did you expect an L from Diamond? If you did, you’re a damn fool. No matter who he works with or what platform he chooses, he’ll always be the man until he decides to finally retire and release the chokehold he’s had on the industry all these years.

While it’s on YouTube, definitely check it out! 

https://youtu.be/MDOtJoU7AJU?si=UuxZYH7bdvXUOFtA

(Cheque Day)

It’s been a minute since his massive album drop with ‘Unholy Scriptures’ and album that put the whole game on lock. An album that changed the tide of the culture and shined the light on the real and the fakes. But he ain’t done; in fact, he’s only just begun. You know why? Because today is 

(CHEQUE DAY)

This is the latest single by 100 Mad powerhouse ‘Ayoo Bigz’, and this time the production is done by ‘NAR’ and features the Umbrella’s own lyrical assassin ‘Daniel-Son’. This trio makes an absolutely unforgiving banger.

Starting with the production, we have NAR cook up one of the toughest, most rugged boom bap beats I’ve heard in a while. With those heavy thudding beat drops with that menacing, eerie chord progression in the background, giving the instrumental that extra level of ‘grit’ that makes this one of the most unforgettable singles of the year for sure! 

As far as the rapping goes, how can you expect this duo to be anything but phenomenal? These are two of the heavy hitters in the game right now! Pushing the culture to new and better heights with every release, and when their paths collide (just like they did on Bold Lies), then they are guaranteed to kill.

I love how on this single, they go back and forth and try to outdo one another with gritty verse after gritty verse. It’s like a battle between the unstoppable force vs the immovable object. Who wins that fight? I’ll tell you who. The listeners.

Each bar, verse, and word goes HARD, both men showing why they are the top of the class right now. Not only are they delivering devastatingly lethal back-and-forths, but they are inviting everyone else to match their level and, in turn, forcing the culture to evolve and thrive!

I can’t praise this single enough. Two of my favourite MC’s, one savage producer, and the result? An infectious single that I genuinely believe you won’t be able to put down! 

https://youtu.be/C6jwocJoSeQ?si=zwJhI-vnhZbyvM5y