(GodFace, Vol. 1)

We are about to take a turn for one of the BIGGEST collaborative efforts I’ve seen all year! We are talking about a massive handful of names that come together under one vision, total domination, and believe you me, I won’t be the one to tell them no! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new collaboration effort between God Divison and Twoface Media, which features the MC’s 

-(God Divison Crew) 

-Dtaylz The Profit

-Gamblez Tha Lucky Bastard

-Skull Bludgeon

-Hectik The Latin Assassin

-ERB

-Akua The God (Producer)

-Hanzo Bladez (Producer)

-The Gloomy Sailor (Producer)

-Knownaz EVIL (Producer/MC)

(Two face Media Crew)

-Space Kase AKA Jester Exodus (Producer/MC)

-Pestilence

-Nate Nasty

-I B Bumpin

And Cut’s from Tone Spliff!

And this record is borderline overwhelming with its names to keep up with as they try to set the stage in the most explosive way possible! I’ll be honest, I’m not normally a big fan of super-loaded collective records, but this one is the exception as it’s so fucking raw and heavy that it’s impossible to ignore!

Let’s start with the production side of things. As stated above, there’s a handful of beat makers working to make this record vibe as fluently as possible, and I’d say they do a solid job at that! Each track is original but not too much to the point of standing out from the rest! There’s a singular vision each man is trying to accomplish, and in that void of creativity, I feel they all win!

In my opinion, there are three standout beats! And they go as follows:

Firstly, there’s the track -Burning Flamez. I loved this track for its combination of old-school and modern-day elements!

You’ve got those classic piano chords that start the track off in those groovy looped melodies that later evolve into a more present production with those heavy drum patterns and harsh, modified violin arrangements that sound violent in nature! There’s also some light synth chords put through the song that make it all come together as a controlled chaotic rhythm that I found obsessed with!

There’s the song – Neckbreakerz. I found this song interesting mainly for all the different elements this song possesses!

For example, the intro to the track has this interesting glistening/spacey ring tone sound vibe to it that hooked me instantly! But as the song progresses, that goes away and is replaced with a more modern-day hip-hop beat with those looped plucked notes, light bass, and hypnotic drum patterns that all come together in this infectious melody! 

Not to mention the amazing 90’s style cuts this song has! 

The final track I loved was the intro track -Crazy 8’s. This is the perfect interlude to this record! You’ve got those haunting piano keys that make you feel like you’re in Count Dracula’s castle! As well as those skeletal drum patterns and very subtle bass that creeps up on you ready to strike!

Although rather minimal in layers, this has an eerie feeling to it, that I can’t shake or have enough of! Definitely a dope intro track!

As far as the MC’s goes. It’s a who’s who of names that all devastate the beats! The only names I was familiar with before this were my main men -Dtaylz and Gamblez! The rest were completely new to me, but each man brought their own flavour, energy, characteristics, and taste to the tracks to provide an enjoyable and entertaining performance across the board!

Each song has multiple names on it, which adds levels of depth and no doubt brotherly competition between the collective! That primal conviction that you should be the best out of the rest, and I have no doubt that they had this mentality across this tape!

While listening to this record, I just found myself laying back and just enjoying each name owning their own specific verses and each man elevating each other song to song!

It ain’t easy to process and manage so many artists in one place, but I feel this was as organised as it could be! Never a boring feature, never an awkward verse that ruins the vibe or atmosphere of the others, rather endless quality verses back to back that maintain the momentum and showcase the very best of what a collective project can be when done right! 

Again, although this type of records aren’t my favourite, I gotta give these guys the biggest shoutout for making something so complicated end up being as smooth as butter and make for one of the most entertaining listens all year! Go check it out now! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/33DT35CDvQzF7buRQ0zU3k?si=Qce5AvmkRUepg0WX2BhR6A

(HAT TRICK II)

Are we in for a treat or what! Today is a special day because we have a duo that consists of two of the most original artists in the underground as we speak!

I’ve covered both these men separately and to find out they are working together made me happier then I could admit! So let’s fucking talk about it!

This is the brand new EP by the Duo of Producer Deevo The Genius & MC/Singer svmbv and together they made ‘DANUEDITION’ and they come through with a 5 track extravaganza that is a perfect combination of groovy, charismatic and beautiful! This shit is my kind of bag!

Across these songs, we get these instrumentals that feel less like individual songs but one 12 minute fluent experience that takes over the senses! This production consists of elements such as

-RnB

-Soul

-Funk

-Hip Hop

-Jazz and I Can’t stress enough how gorgeously the music was handled. This is beyond next level shit! This is next generation music! It feels like Devo is always 100 steps ahead of the rest, he’s a man who’s never contained into a box. He’s the man who makes the blueprint for the producing of boxes for the rest of the world to be trapped in while he stands on top of the world, free as a bird!

It’s ridiculous to me that he makes RnB/Alt RnB instrumentals that sound better than the million dollar producers people like The Weeknd, Chris Brown, 6LACK uses! 

His music (no matter the genre) always is full of flavour, lively soul and colorful melodies and rhythms that feel like they come alive with every listen and jump into your brain and give you goosebumps! 

I’m not joking. I’ve reviewed a handful of his work this year and each new release sounds better than the last! The mainstream should be BEGGING him for instrumentals. With this one 12 minute EP he brought life back to the dying mainstream sound and elevated it, lifted it up and presented a sound that reminds me of the classic 90’s/2000’s era standards! 

I can’t believe how crisp, smooth and clean these beats are. I swear he’s a fucking alien. 

Speaking of possible aliens, we have svmbv. This man just like Deevo has somehow being tasked with bringing life back into the mainstream dominated sound of RnB and he again does a 1000x better job then any of your mainstream favourites.

In this 12 minute presentation he showcases a sound that the rest of the millionaire label artists should be studying! 

See, a lot of people blame stuff like ‘auto tune’ for the downgrade of RnB/Alt RnB/Pop whatever. But that’s bullshit. Prime T-pain used it and made some of the best music of the 2000’s! And on this record he uses auto tune but does it in a tasteful way to combine that tool with his own melodic voice to create a smooth fusion between the two that combines with the production ever so beautifully!

What I love about this man’s performances is the level of emotion in his voice. If I’m being honest he kind of reminds me of the male equivalent of ‘Summer Walker’ in the way he’s able to draw out captivating imagery and thoughts with his emotions!

He can bring out happiness, sadness, tragedy, success, pain and everything in between! Each song has a different tune and meaning and compared to what the mainstream offers that’s not an easy thing to!

He sounds like a man in his own head, his own world in the studio! He sounds like he’s letting his various thoughts out as if he’s letting his mental do the speaking for him utilising his various moods into the music and that can be felt!

This EP in one word is incredible. It’s got divine production and ridiculous vocal performances that become more and more infectious the more you listen! Don’t believe me? Go check it out now! 

Shoutout to -Yanna G for the feature!

https://open.spotify.com/album/2wuDk9aLAaqHTim6ZYsi3L?si=0iHUB0ksTYKQRHhqMm9ZkQ

(Willy & Sal)

Well, this is a pleasant surprise! A reunion of epic proportions! These two men made waves a few months ago, and now they’re back to capture the lightning in a bottle twice, and if anyone can do it, it’s these boys! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new EP by MC’s Sabio Dub and Malhee, with Malhee doing the production as well! We have five dope songs, ten minutes of content, and this album fuses sunshine energy with gritty drug references in one of the most interesting mash-ups I’ve heard yet!

Across this EP, we hear that trademark smooth, soulful, and beautiful instrumentals that I’d expect Sabio to be part of! I’m talking about those plucked guitar strings, subtle bass, jazz-style drums, delicate vocal loops, and intricate piano keys that all come together for an atmosphere of relaxation and warmth!

But as I said before, they are mixing that sound with talk and vocal snippets of drugs, crime, and overlords! These five tracks feel like what Pablo Escobar’s soundtrack would be if he requested one! Something he’d play while chilling in his illegal zoo with cash all around him in his prime!

The music is so fluid that it’s impossible (for me at least) to choose a favourite track, rather get mesmerised by the sheer depth and substance of the production itself. From start to finish, this project had me feeling goosebumps! I was lying back, eyes closed, and letting my imagination run wild as the vivid sonic imagery took over, and I felt myself drifting off, just enjoying the vibe! 

As far as the MC work goes. Of course, I was expecting nothing but smooth greatness, and that’s what these two delivered! They’ve already provided proof of their chemistry, and on this project, they just upgraded and evolved their synchronicity to a whole new level.

They actually bring two different energies to the tracks but still match each other’s aura and passion! Of course, you’ve got Sabio, the reigning king of ‘Sunshine Rap’ with his forever unbothered, relaxed takes on bars. Always sounding like he’s sitting next to an ocean in Hawaii, writing his raps with no worry in the world! 

He’s always calm, cool, and collected, and brings that ‘reggae’ energy to the room!

Malhee, on the other hand, has a bit more of a punch to his bars, more conviction and authority to his voice and bars that forces you to pay attention to what he has to say! He brings a more no-nonsense approach, and that’s what provides an almost (yin and yang) feel to the record without it going too far to either side! As I said, both men still share the singular vision of what the EP should sound like and execute it phenomenally while also including their own characteristics and cadences to the tracks!

Another solid EP from the fellas! Beautiful production and lively performance. For only 10 minutes of content, what more can you want? Tune in below! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0biUFG65UFfRJ4n25YlySt?si=vz6Ql_CTQ_W6hq4SyS7ghw

(AGAMEMNON CONTINGENCY)

If that ain’t the most dope intro of the year, then I don’t know what is! Any release by this man gets me hyped. Why? Because he has such a unique talent and creative mind that he makes all his drops feel like a comic book come to life and fused with hip-hop, and that is right up my alley, and so in saying that, let’s go talk about this new one!

This is the brand-new EP by one of the underground’s brightest minds, Wulverine! A producer I’ve been fucking with since close to the start of this year, and he’s only been improving me further and further! Across this tape, he has the names: 

– Action Figure 973

– twogeebs

– The Rebel Sky

– Heartbreak Julio

– Figerson

– EricTheRed13

First thing I love is how with every track, we hear a different contingency plan! Making it sound like each feature is a villain who got leaked access to the plans to take out each member of the Justice League! Such a dope concept and way to edit that in!

Across this EP, we hear Wulverine incorporate his trademark cinematic and theatrical takes on hip-hop beats. A few that stood out to me were as follows! 

– 28-14. On this track, we have this orchestral production with powerful violin strings that sound like they’ve been manipulated and tweaked only to a certain extent! And some elegant piano keys that give the track its surreal texture, a true villainous soundtrack! 

With the intro being the contingency plan for ‘Green Lantern’, we have The Rebel Sky being the one to lay the smack down on the Lantern Core! Very well done track.

Track – LAST SUN (which is the contingency for Superman), and on this one, we hear a more haunting instrumental. With these high-strung synth chords accompanied by some sci-fi-style keyboard keys and minimal heavy drums that come together for this truly evil score that is perfect standing for Action Figure 973 to come through and absolutely destroy Clark with his verbal kryptonite that Ka-El couldn’t hope to handle, Hope or otherwise! 

Another one -OLYMPUS is one of the most soulful tracks on the whole EP. Unfortunately, no contingency intro, but put towards the outro! But it’s obviously about Diana ‘Wonder Woman’ and this track features these gorgeous vocal harmonies and light drums and mesmerising synth chords running through

the track!

In this beautifully crafted track, we have Heartbreak Julio which delivers a rather expert but tragic verse talking about the handling of Wonder Woman!

Man, for real though, with every song and feature on here, this has to be one of the most creative and interesting concepts for an EP I’ve heard all year! Legit, everyone on here killed it, they all put together incredible performances and verses related to their specific hero to kill and the way they all played into the roles was phenomenal! Can’t believe I got to live long enough to see Action Figure turn Heel! 

Man, shoutout to all the features involved and for Wolverine once again coming through with that creative genius on the production! Make sure you go support the man! $7 ain’t SHIT and I don’t wanna hear any excuses, go buy, support, and listen NOW! 

https://wulverine.bandcamp.com/album/agamemnon-contingency

(Bronze Dinner PL8)

This time around, this is a combination of discovering a new artist and re visiting an artist I’m well established with, which causes an exciting experience of discovery and expectations that I fuck with heavily. In saying that, let’s get to the album!

This is the brand-new album by MC S-18 and produced by my main man Kheyzine! They lay out a fresh 13 tracks with the likes of

– BLACK PRINCE

– V-12

– NONCHALANTLY ZAY

A whole collection of features that are also new to me, which means I’m bound to experience something unique and fresh! I want to quickly shout out that intro track. I loved it because it started with acknowledging everyone that is part of the album, from the features to who made the artwork! Not many do that, and so I appreciated hearing that!

I want to discuss S-18 first as he’s the part I haven’t heard of yet. In my experience listening to this record, I found he has a rather raw and heavy presence when he raps. He sounds like a man with solid conviction and authenticity within himself! 

It’s like, you know when you meet someone or hear someone who has proper morals? A man who isn’t sold out or bought. A man who stands on his own two feet and doesn’t break no matter what is put in front of him?

Well, this is the vibe I’m getting from this man! He sounds solid, he has the cadence and vibe of someone who stands on his own principles and discipline to get everything he wants and has, and that type of energy takes over this record!

His rhymes on here are more methodical than most! He takes time to deliver each line to make them felt! Every word feels like a bar of gold, and he makes them shine as such! A smooth and calculated flow combined with his verbal slaughtering and impressive vocabulary, which he uses to make the best possible verses possible! 

The features he decided to bring on this record (considering this is the first time I’ve heard them) lay their verses down HARD and provided the perfect chemistry to S and actually elevate the record instead of just being there for ‘feature sake’. 

Speaking of Kheyzine now. This is a man who has quietly yet surely been building a formidable production discography in 2025, one that might be overlooked by many lists but one I’ve definitely been paying attention to!

What makes him such a deadly threat in the industry is how he’s able to use any kind of influence and genre and utilise it to create a banger! 

He doesn’t have a ceiling of what kind of music he can or can’t work with. He’s a music thesaurus with every single kind of genre in his head to use at any given moment, and that’s what makes him so ridiculously talented! 

Let’s just look at some of these tracks! First of all, we have the track -Someday, Somehow’, which has this funkadelic type vocal performance on the chorus with what sounds like a prime RZA example beat!

Those looped intricate piano keys and drums! One of those minimal type productions that sink into the audience’s soul and body! 

THEN ON THE VERY NEXT TRACK, we have -Bronze Dinner Pl8, which has a completely different vibe with these classical orchestra vocal cords on loop accompanied by some grand horns and light, methodical drums! This sounds like a theatrical interlude then a track, but it’s still absolutely epic!

Or we can even look at the track -Fork Change, which has this 90’s East Coast flavour to it. You’ve got those heavy piano keys on that loop with two different octaves!

On top of that, you have a second piano pattern in the background as well as some light taps to give an extra level of depth to an already minimal track!

My point being is that ONCE AGAIN, Kheyzine proves he can utilise any kind of sound, influence, and inspiration to create magic, and alongside a super dope MC as S-18, he created another banger! 

Make sure you go check it out below!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7na2XYSdpM8AEjrpsnAeWU?si=Qs-tvYcPT2C5oLfyqhc_ew

(LUFTHANSA HEIST)

This is literally the combination of everything I love. It’s not enough that these artists have made some of the most captivating music in the industry, but the fact that they are collaborating AND using Goodfellas as a source for concept is absolutely ridiculous. Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new powerhouse release between MC BlueHillBill and Producer Vinyl Villain with 20 tracks, 46 minutes, and the likes of

– Kil The Artist

– Eastside Sheesh

– Chyna Baejing

– Borirock

– Reek Osama

– THEHIDDENCHARACTER

– Al Divino

And with that killer roster, it’s impossible to inspect this record to be anything but phenomenal!  

The one thing I want to emphasise is that Goodfellas is one of my favourite movies of all time, and Martin Scorsese is my favourite director! So when I heard that this album is infused with snippets from the film, that automatically gave me goosebumps! 

On this tape, we hear Vinyl create what is possibly his best production of the year (since LORD OF THE ZINGZ) as he’s gone back to his cinematic and theatrical instrumentals that feel like a gritty score that you’d hear from a classic mafia film.

If Casino met Boom Bap and flooded with Goodfellas quotes, that’s what this record would represent.

Throughout the tape, we hear the songs either start or end with mainly Henry Hill movie quotes. One part I really loved was at the end of ‘God’s Gift’ where we hear the scene of Jimmy Conway introducing Henry to Tommy, and then the song ‘Crack Stems’ starts featuring Kil The Artist, which I found so dope that’s like introducing our sonic Tommy! 

Apart from the film references, the instrumentation is mysterious and mesmerising! Vinyl unlocks a new capacity for boom bap, pushing the genre into its most riveting and climatic stages with memorable and hypnotic songs that work as a fluent motion across 20 solid tracks! 

If I had to choose my favourite tracks, it would have to be -God’s Wrath, which has this beautiful classical orchestra intro that evolves into this absolutely muddy beat with heavy bass notes, high-pitched piano keys, and some light violins that create such a devastating atmosphere that I couldn’t stop listening to!

Not to mention the feature of REEK OSAMA, who was in his element with a beat like this! You couldn’t ask for better chemistry! 

Another track I loved was -Static! This song stood out because of its supervillain-type beat. You’ve got those haunting piano keys, groovy drum patterns, and some ambient feel notes in the background that provide an almost evil ASMR vibe to the song!

Who better but AL DIVINO to be the one to utilise this controlled chaos of an instrumental! His freelance, splash style fits perfectly on this song!

Even that intro track ‘Presidential Pressure’ has a beautifully harmonic vibe to it. You’ve got

those smooth violin strings as well as those groovy electric guitar notes and super subtle bass that all come together in a melodic effect that couldn’t possibly suit Bluehill better! 

Speaking of the man. For those who haven’t been tuned into his 2025 run, this man hasn’t dropped the ball all year! Back-to-back 5x, he’s outperformed and outdone everyone in the game while working with all the who’s who of producers and MC’s in the game! 

-Al Divino

-Grubby Pawz

-Deevo The Genius

-E_BUDDHA 

Among others and now the iconic Vinyl Villain, who himself has worked with the who’s who in the company! So when they come together, the magic was instant!

Once again, Bluehillbill provides the grooviest bars in the culture! As a trademark, he effortlessly cuts through the beats with his distinct, high-pitched vocals, making him stand out immediately! His flawless flow rings to the ears of the listener as if he’s never had a normal sentence in his life, only rhythmic and melodic! 

Undoubtedly the Slick Rick of the underground, he’s a man who can manipulate any beat to his liking and turn it into pure gold! 

Also the main character energy he provides on this album goes perfectly hand to hand with the Goodfellas narrative pushed in the music. He’s the Sammy Davis to Vinyl’s Sinatra. The modern day Rat Pack, and you best believe no snitching coming from either of them! They ain’t doing the industry like Henry!

This album features a crew even stronger than the wise guys back in the day. With the roster listed above and the chemistry they held together they run smoother then the sopranos and more effective then most mainstream labels in brotherhood, skill and dominance!

If this is the last album effort by both men then these two runs deserve celebration. Ending on a high note that can’t be tamed, while they (and company) go on to reach even new heights in the coming years 

For me, there’s no action. I have to wait around like everyone else. Can’t even get decent food, right after I got home I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce and I got egg noodles and ketchup. I’m just an average nobody I get to live the rest of the year like a schmunk!

(The Last Ronin)

This has been a while coming! I was aware of this album as soon as it dropped, but with a hectic schedule, I didn’t have the freedom to cover it immediately, but now with a clear head, I can finally turn my attention to what is bound to be one of the most impressive drops of the month! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new record by MC OGBenGrimm and consists of production by Knuckle Dragguz members such as

– P Ro

– Tali Rodriguez

– Crack Sizzlack

– Cloak X Dagger

– Mathias

– Ugly Jon 

And features the likes of 

– James Mitchell

– G Fam Black

– Hazerd

– Veronique 

– Tali Rodriguez

– P Ro 

With this insane roster behind him, we see OGBen flexing his connections and ability on the mic as he prepares to end the year on the highest note possible!

If we’re talking about the man himself, he has showcased his impressiveness over various features and collaboration records as a man who is steady, in control, and old school in his rhyme schemes and delivery! BUT on this album, it feels like he’s trying to go for blood and creating his magnum opus, with all his verses feeling like a whole new tier compared to his previous drops over the year!

He sounds more methodical and in-depth than he ever has! His lyricism feels heavier, sharper, and more dangerous. You can hear it in his flow, his next-level fluency, his crisp pronunciations, and the amount of swag he’s adding into every word that he spits! He’s turned himself into a whole new beast, one that is ruthless in nature yet super smooth on the delivery!

His lyrics have substance; they are spit for a meaning, not just throwaway random bars for the sake of it! He understands the importance of REAL bars, and you can hear it on this album more than the others!

Another thing I noticed in spades across this album is how immaculate the chemistry was! Obviously, these men are his brothers; he naturally would have ties with them, but for some reason, this one feels more magical and organic than the rest! It’s been a minute since I’ve heard such synchronous bars back-to-back! I felt myself getting goosebumps at the feature tracks due to how well they meshed together, absolutely beautiful!

Whenever you have the quality of the ‘Knuckle Dragguz’, you know you’re bound for a banger, and that’s exactly what the production is on this album! Every track is equally as strong as the one before and after, and it runs as a fluent score of epic proportions that delivers a theatrically raw demonstration of the best the underground has to offer!

For example, we have tracks like ‘BadaBOOM’ in which we hear one of the most gritty, muddy, heavy-handed tracks of the whole album! You’ve got those looped jazz horns, those hypnotic drums, as well as those second-layered horns that give off a more free-lance feel to it! 

This is definitely the track that made me mean-mug the world for a straight 2 minutes and 30 seconds! Incredible second track!

We have tracks like ‘Gutter Knock’ which has this haunting vibe to it! We have a track with those swaying piano keys, combined with those mesmerising drum beats, and as the track progresses, we have a case of high-pitched violin strings that give this track that cinematic feel to it! 

This is one of the more minimal tracks off the record but one that is equally hard-hitting!

Even if we look at the track ‘Scotch X Soda’ which has one of the more melodic vibes to it with the use of those pitch-edited choir-style vocals on loop with these elegant piano keys as well as bass string running through the record topped up with some delightful drums! 

I found myself mesmerised by the vocal harmonies as they added a distinct and memorable flavour to the track!

All in all, from the iconic features and production to the iconic verses of OG himself! This is a full star-studded record you can’t afford to sleep on! Go check it out now! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5uhzIB6VzmiBVrdUY3KYG4?si=9IIMyhsnQIOi7fBoWAWlwA

(Jade Palace)

Who’s ready for another single? I know I am! This man, whether it’s EP’s, albums, or singles, he’s always bringing the flames! If he were Chris Jericho, he’d be the man with 10,001 bars! And on this track, he puts the industry in the walls of Jericho, leaving the haters no choice but to tap out! Let’s find out why!

This is the brand-new single by the ZSJ of rap himself, Teek Hall, with producer E.L.E.M.N.T by his side and tag team partner Speak to join in on the three minutes of action! 

So, let’s talk production qualities first! Because on this track, we have a rather classical interpretation of a hip-hop instrumental! The first thing I noticed was those glistening piano keys that are equal parts intricate and ever so delicate! 

On top of that, we have these absolutely beautiful violin strings that are ridiculously elegant! Not to mention some light drum patterns to bring this whole experience together!

As the song reaches its ‘chorus’ part, there are these what sounds like jazz horns or an extra layer of violin to give the chorus an extra level of depth!

These elements all combined sound like a 1960s orchestra. It’s elegant, masterful, atmospheric, and melodic in the best ways possible. Sounding like a mix between a James Bond score and Gunther’s WWE theme. Badass, powerful, and surreal! 

Now onto Teek, a man who always seems to thrive on any given occasion or beat put in front of him with an energy so compelling and eccentric that he ends up carrying the instrumentals! No more is this true on this track as he’s the sonic embodiment of AJ Styles, a man who’s going to carry the show and make a good match regardless of who he’s in the ring with!

Across this track, we hear his trademark fast-paced performance with fluent/smooth flows, complex wordplay with an impressive vocabulary, and a pen game to match. The exciting thing about listing it as a new Teek track is you never know what direction he’s going to take it (due to his expansive knowledge and creativity on the mic).

He might pull out a fully wrestling-dedicated track where every line is a reference to wrestling. Then on the very next song, he might go all personal and in-depth and make you think about your life OR even flex his own shit and own everybody using those same abilities.

He’s literally the opposite of Goldberg, the non-one-trick pony who has the definition of an extensive arsenal of techniques, cadences, rhythms, and melodies for every and all occasions, and he showcases all of that on this track!

As usual, a Stella performance by Teek and a phenomenal one by the producer! Go support both down below and feel the power! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/15fdXgiXvnJUYAv5suZuJz?si=Umgta0WOTSCH_0Z0oyZDOg

(Shadows Of Strategy)

Although this isn’t my first time, I find myself needing to go back in time and either re visit or discover an album that has been out for months or sometimes even years!  With so many submissions, it’s impossible for me to get to everything, but sometimes the best albums are the ones I didn’t get the first time around! With that in mind, let’s talk about this one!

This is the July record by MC JRoberts and producer Ol Man 80zz, and together they dropped a ten-track just under 30-minute project with the likes of 

-KIIIA

-Hus KingPin

-Benny The Butcher

-Ren Thomas

-T.F

And mixed and mastered by fucking FUTUREWAVE! 

And with this fatal 5-way roster behind him, he steps out the gate with a record that is as deadly and dangerous as any other record you’ll hear in 2025!

If we start from the production side of things, we see Ol Man utilise these deliciously minimal loop-based beats with a handful of small layers to complement the stripped-back approach!

For example, we have tracks such as

The intro track ‘Paint The Battles’ in which we see this looming, dark presence take over the field. You have that haunting spoken word track! Alongside this deep bass lines, a sprung chord progression on loop, and an overall eerie vibe to kick the track off with!

As the spoken word ends, we get layers of some vocal choir and drums so heavy it feels like a kick in the stomach! A fantastic way to introduce the record!

We can even look at the second track ‘Tactical Dispositions’ where we get a more old-school 1960s vocal sample loop that is angelic as all hell!

Combined with that, we have these funky piano chords that remind me of a Stevie Wonder track! Combine that with some more bass and jazz-style horns in the background that complement the aesthetics of the track even further! 

Or we can even look at the track ‘Waging War’ which has that otherworldly vibe to it. An alternative realm of somber feelings and danger around every corner! A true boom-bap trademark formula we have those glorified piano keys, heavy bass, and that consistent synth notes that run through the track!

As the song goes on, we have what sounds like a vocal harmony very subtle in the background! This is a true raw and gritty turn across the record that made me instantly mean-mug the world! 

Speaking of mean-mugging, we have JRoberts, a man so savage and masterful he forces contemporaries and fans alike to mean-mug the world as he spits his overwhelming bars and verbal assaults that only he can pull off!

This album feels like the magnum opus for the man as he comes through with some of the most detailed, in-depth, and sharp lyricism I’ve heard all year! He sounds like the rent is due and only this record and his performance here will solve the problem!

He’s rapping like it’s his last, I’m talking that heavy vocabulary, that flexing of various styles, and in-your-face approach to his raps. 

I’m talking that smooth, clean flow alongside his versatile punchlines, one-liners, smart set-up bars, and everything in between.

He’s out here rapping like a poet! His vivid lyricism makes you feel like you’re right there with him in his shoes! He can switch between emotional cuts to straight savage street raps to more introspective verses that make you think! He can do it all, and he expresses his various abilities on this album!

The features he brought on this album speak to his confidence as an MC! Because any of those five rappers could out-rap your favourite on any given day, so the fact they all appear on this record is overkill to say the least, and yet JRoberts holds his own, maintains his conviction and passion on the tracks, and raps toe-to-toe with those powerhouses! 

I really wish I had listened to this when it first came out! It’s devastatingly good! From the killer production to the MC work! This is nothing short of incredible! Check it out below!

Shoutout to RDRB for the Artwork!

https://open.spotify.com/album/73gK1pdlYJaX8XVg9feXKT?si=YP3kQiaqQneAP1AkACoyJQ

(Nimbus)

One thing I love to hear is when men and women decide for themselves that the current rat race of life isn’t enough. That they want something beyond the norm and want to become great. Trust me, it’s an ideal that everyone has but very rarely acted on.

As someone who prioritises work ethic and ambition above all else, I can say with a good degree of confidence that this man right here, this newly discovered MC, is one that has the heart, potential, and grind to make it come true, and with this latest single on our hands, it’s further demonstration of that point! 

What we have here today is the brand-new single by MC Kidd Siver and producer 94 West. Kidd, being someone who has been making music since 2020 and has developed, from what I understand, a sizeable attraction with already over 15k in Spotify streams and almost 3k views on YouTube! 

With 94 West by his side, he seems to be the smart choice for producer as he seems to understand the exact atmosphere Kidd needs to thrive! 

As far as the production goes on this record, we have what sounds to me as a blend of psychedelia, trip-hop, trap, and hip-hop! Immediately, the sound reminded me of a combination of Travis Scott meets Kid Cudi! A variety of trippy instrumentation and prolonged chords that give off a strong atmospheric vibe that you can feel yourself being completely immersed into!

This track includes these wavy piano keys that are delicately tuned in the background! You’ve got that ridiculously heavy bass and some trap-style drum beats that force you to groove while listening to it!

There’s even vocal harmonies used far in the back of the track, used ever so subtly to give a little texture to the spacy vibe of the overall track!

There’s also somewhere in the distance what sounds like sirens! And then, as the song progresses, we get these electric guitar strings that help initiate the final moments of the track! That’s one thing about this song that I find so fucking interesting!

A lot of the sonic aspects are in the back of the song! It feels like they are a few feet away from the main elements, and that gives this song the hint of psychedelic nature and energy! Sort of an ASMR vibe to this track that I fucked with heavily! 

As far as Kidd goes, I can definitely understand why he’d be in the forefront of becoming ‘the next big thing’ as he has a sound that a particular niche is looking for, and that ‘niche’ has grown into the millions in the last decade as this kind of sound has sky-rocketed in popularity and demand!

Across this song, we hear Kidd with a more trap performance! A combination of aura-filled/explosive verses that contain equal parts bars and melodic singing that is mellow and spacey in nature!

This song screams atmosphere! This is a song that the world will play when they need a mood captured, an itch to scratch that the usual mainstream sounds can’t crack, and that’s where this man will step in!

His performance is lively, it’s infectious, and most importantly, it’s catchy and full of small details and micro-transitions from that small intro to the main song, which evolves into those guitar strings, which leads to the sound of ocean waves paired with his vocals to close the song off!

He’s keeping the audience on their toes and never leaving a boring second to worry about.

Look, although this may not be my go-to sound, I can guarantee you it will be for many. This is a type of artist that is hot right now if done correctly, and I have no doubt in my mind that this man is that guy to be the new face of this sound!