(Woolies)

I don’t want to make too much of an early prediction here, but I feel this could be our producer of the second quarter. Considering what I heard is coming later as well, not even including this, I feel we have our champ. But let’s let time decide that! 

So, this is the brand-new album drop by producer Flu, who I first discovered when he produced the album ‘Jamal Takes Manhattan’ featuring Jamal Gasol, but today he has a list of names to help bring this album to life! Such as:

-Spoda

-Shottie

-Bernz

-SmooVth

-Mav 

-All Hail Y.T

-SUBSTANCE810

-Dead Hippie

-CRIMEAPPLE

With this A-list team, you know it’s impossible to miss, and Flu makes sure to make a record worthy of the names involved.

What I love about the production side of things is how crisp, skeletal, and clean each beat sounds. There’s a hint of ‘psychedelic’ to the instrumentals that make each track sound infectious and mind-blowing all in one. I’d say most tracks on here have a slower, more methodically focused pace to them. Instead of trying to be too flashy or overly technical, he’s just making sure to use his mastery to make big and powerful sonic statements for each individual song.

Depending on the feature, the track will sound different to match the different vibe and personality of the MC. That’s one of the things I love most about this album; he’s not just throwing the same sound on the wall; he’s taking time to adjust and craft the perfect sound for the perfect rhymes. This is why Flu is one of the best going!

As I mentioned above, anyone in the game would be beyond impressed with this lineup. Of course, there is no such thing as a bad verse in this world of underground legends. It actually seems they all carry that same ‘methodical’ vibe as the production is. It feels they all have brought their killer, lethal prowess to the table and help maintain that brutal atmosphere to the album, and that feels like a sign of mutual respect to Flu and the efforts he’s putting into the record! 

Overall, fantastic record all around. It’s vibrant, memorable, and dope for everyone involved. Definitely a must-listen!

https://open.spotify.com/album/3TQBW5tP25bPB61B5AtNxS?si=HyDLtx0UR86FMZmxaSasyw

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(Pay Thru The Nose)

This might be the shortest EP of the year, but with two of the biggest artists in the underground, I guarantee you, this will be the toughest 6 minutes you’ve ever heard.

Monday Night X Michelangelo together released 4 songs, and I gotta say one thing I love about EP’s of shorter lengths is it gives the artists involved more freedom to go crazy and let whatever is thrown to the wall stick without worrying about filling x amount of time for a quality full-length record.

So in that respect, I feel these are 4 rough around the edges, raw, and deviant beats we’ve heard yet by MichaelAngelo. This production is so exciting to experience because we get to hear and see what he’s capable of in a more creative and error-proof environment. With 6 minutes of content to create, I’m sure he was able to take different liberties than otherwise could be afforded, especially for someone of his caliber.

So after listening to this, I was beyond pleased at the various elements and samples used across this project. From grimy boom bap to smooth old-school voice loops, he’s showing us just how much he can accomplish in the shortest time, and even though it’s more rough and raw than usual, it reminds me of Kendrick’s ‘Unmixed & Unmastered’ record that was nothing but raw edits, and they were still incredible!

The man, Monday Night, goes off across this EP. His trademark low-register deep tone and his street, hustler cadence go perfectly across these instrumentals!

As usual, his delivery is flawless, his flow is fluent, and his penmanship is as lethal and crisp as it’s always been! 

I think this is the perfect way to re-ignite the interest and enthusiasm in the culture for this man with a project short and sweet, no filler, just straight energy, bars, and techniques on the mic! I guarantee this will blast his career to new heights!

I don’t want anyone to tell me they don’t have time to support and stream this one. It’s fucking 6 minutes! That’s like the friends pre-intro, the theme song, plus an extra 2 minutes. It ain’t nothing to try out! So make sure you stream today! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3ThCzgUCticEavYFaYfckB?si=hMEIks1jTaOXm7dhm4nInw

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(Firescale)

It’s mind blowing to me that even when this man releases a more ‘toned down’ record compared to his past few that it still sounds cinematic In comparison to everyone else out there. He’s truly a man of flare and vision and once again we are here with a new exciting record, so let’s talk about it!

So, this is the latest EP by powerhouse innovator Y.N.X.716 and this time around he’s collaborated with producer J.Depina and together they drop 5 new tracks

Now, I said in my intro that this is a more toned down version of a release for Y.N.X and if this is the first album you’ve heard of his then you’ll might think I’m crazy for thinking so (and by stating that, it’s in no way shape or form a negative) but you have to understand the gravity of cinema he made on his last few albums especially ‘The Poison Store’ which I considered Top 3 best produced albums of 2024 in the same category as Dr Dre produced record by Marsha Ambrosius ‘CASABLANCA’ that’s how talented he is.

Across this one with the legendary J. On the production we have a passive, larger than life, surreal sonic experience that contains more aura and atmosphere on 5 tracks then most albums have in a full length.

Like for example ‘The Real’ with that incredibly gorgeous Jazz loop. The kind of production you could listen to for hours and it will only get better overtime. Including those melodic notes in the background and you have the recipe for the perfect beat.

Or the track ‘See To Believe It’ with those light and smooth piano keys that set the tone for this beautifully orchestrated instrumental. Behind a simple, traditional hip hop beat and once again you’ve got a beat that is filled with personality and essence.

Every beat on this album has a soul and character of it‘s own and that’s thanks to the masterful skills of J.Depina to breath life into the songs themselves.

Now onto the man of the hour. Since discovering him last year he’s been on a constant watch list for me where I feel top priority to listen to and cover everything he does because of his pure passion and creative mindset. He doesn’t know how to make a ‘normal’ album. Every new release is fresh, original, unique and bold. 

His level of lyricism and wordplay is second to none. Every bar spit has a meaning and a sense of purpose, nothing ever added for no reason. His flow is so smooth and fluent across these beats and he knows how to command the instrumentals to suit him best.

Even on a more dare I say ‘grounded’ EP he still sounds passionate and confident. His love for the game never stops and his desire for memorable lines and quality verses drives him to make nothing but the best.

Once again, I’m blown away by this record. It’s short but jam packed with love, care and technique that most could only wish to learn. 

https://ynx716.bandcamp.com/album/firescale-2

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(Where’s Johnny)

Man, not gonna lie. Considering his dope rap name, I really hope we get a whole series of albums based on this one! Like 

-Who’s Johnny?

-Why’s Johnny?

-When’s Johnny?

-What’s Johnny?

But hey, that’s just dumb geeking out. New album, let’s get to it!

So, new Here’s Johnny album this time he’s collaborating with producer ‘Wulverine’, which is another badass name. Together they bring forth 6 new tracks that are sure to rip your ears apart piece by piece.

Talking about the production, this time around there’s a lot more focus on Dark Jazz, Classical, and Ambient sounds. 

I love the hypnotic, trippy, and reverb effects to these elements. This production sounds like someone purposefully took a handful of the most beautiful and infectious classical music and deformed, mutated, and distorted it until it came out a whole different beast or a brand new (mutant)

These chilling and cold-pressed samples are so tough they could penetrate Magneto’s Helmet, smooth enough to sweet-talk Jean Grey, and sharp enough to match Logan’s adamantium’s claws. Point being, this puts the ‘X’ in the ‘Extraordinary’, and it would take a lot more than a striker to try and shut down instrumentals as cinematic and theatrical as these! Wolverine may not be real, but the aura of ‘Wulverine’ is alive and kicking, and he doesn’t need Bobby to blow any ice into his shit; it’s been frozen cold from the first track! 

Here’s Johnny. The man with the cadence more intense than Juggernaut and equally as deadly. There’s no father to his style; he can come on and off the track like Nightcrawler, keeping you guessing where he’ll land his bars next. 

He could borrow and replicate anyone’s flow like Rogue, and when it comes to guessing what’s coming next, he may as well have his own personal Cerebro because trust me, he’s always 10 steps ahead!

Whether he’s showing his furious yet intellectual side like Beast or dropping thunder penmanship like Storm he’s always the ‘Summers’ of the room. The leader, the one who commands the room and takes control of the situation.

Whether it’s Bishop or Cable, even the strongest need assistance sometimes and this time they choose to call in the all mighty sonic hero’s

-JSHXNOBI

-Heartbreak Julio

-FIGERSON

And accompanied by this new sound studio strength it’s them that will bring the ‘apocalypse’ the 3 horsemen of MC Lore fly high and their pens set fire to everything in sight!

Overall, this is one fantastic project! The production is original and memorable. The lyricism is tight and the features kill! 

Whenever the industry is in crisis. They’ll know who to call an to the question of ‘Where’s Johnny?’ Well it’s simple. Out there Saving the art of hip hop.

https://ditcdcom.bandcamp.com/album/wheres-johnny

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(Chocolate Bars Vs Gummies)

With an album title like that, the boys must have been high! Regardless of the title, artwork, and names involved, I was hyped before I even clicked play, and now that I have, let’s talk about it!

So this is the latest collaboration between rapper ‘Here’s Johnny’ and producer ‘Omar Glomar,’ and together they release 7 tracks with an extra remix track and features: 

-Young Stadix

-Jet $ki

-J Shxnobi

And across these tracks, you have production that is the sonic equivalent of murderous intent. Legit, every beat sounds like someone took all the hatred, disgust, anger, and revenge in the world and compacted it into one album and unleashed it to the world. It’s really that intense!

This production gives me the same feeling when watching ‘Twin Peaks,’ with how the score gave watchers goosebumps and a constant eerie feeling while watching. This has that same aura, really creepy instrumentals with noise and droning sound effects and samples to add an extra level of ‘suspense’ to the album. 

I’ll tell you one thing: had you told me an album named ‘Chocolate Bars Vs Gummies’ would sound this intense? I wouldn’t have believed you! What a trio of a listen.

Moving on to Here’s Johnny himself. The man who is himself inspired by possibly the best horror movie of all time, ‘The Shining,’ and so it’s only fitting that he be the one to rap over these mental tracks. 

The first thing that stuck out to me about him was his grimy and relentless style when he raps. He has this intensity about it that most don’t. A lot of times, you can hear a rapper jump on dark and ominous type production only for the MC to sound either unsuited or stick out like a saw thumb, but in this case, Johnny is coming with that studio axe, and he doesn’t care who’s in fear behind the sonic wall door. He’s here to kick it down and get what’s his!

All work and no play may make Jack a dull boy, but for Johnny, it just sharpens his resolve, his lethal wordplay, and vicious bars and lyricism. 

Another stand out feature on this record is just how fluent he is on the project. He’s one with the darkness on this and his deviant and dangerous approach to the mic only gets stronger across this type of production 

The way he functions with the features is also dope to hear! They all share the same energy and mindset on the tracks which helps bring out the best possible versions of the tracks themselves!

When talking about synchronicity in duos then you can’t get better than these boys! A singular vision shared across two souls and both equally twisted.

If your looking for the kind of record that might make you lose sleep? Then this is the record for you!

https://m25music.bandcamp.com/album/chocolate-bars-vs-gummies

(Things I’ve Seen)

Man, there’s just a certain atmosphere you feel as a listener when you hear two legends come together, and this is that right here! Two of the best to ever do it collaborating on what could very well be considered ‘album of the year’, so let’s talk about it!

So, this is a monstrous duo of producer ‘Bronze Nazareth’ and rapper ‘Termanology’, and together they feature 12 songs and a 30-minute length with features such as:

-Hex Murda

-Wais P

-Jon Connor

-Nim K

-DJ Eyeball

-Superstah Snuk 

-Marv Won

-Salute Da Kidd

And man, this thing is truly a modern-day classic, and I don’t use that term lightly. From the production to the deep and personal lyricism, this project is loaded with layers of greatness that could take a whole-hour video to try and explain and still wouldn’t get to the bottom of.

Starting with the production by Bronze. On this one, he brings a Masterclass in how to bring to life each and every sample, instrument, and note. Every second of the production sounds cinematic and larger than life. It sounds as if they set a soundtrack to be heard at a theater, and it was ripped right from that to the album; it’s just so fucking sonically ripe that it makes most other records I’ve heard this year sound flat and watered down in comparison.

This kind of atmosphere reminds me of the classic late 90’s era of Hip Hop. Similar sound concept as last year’s Common X Pete Rock album but with more depth, detail, and artistry (at least to me).

While I felt that album was just relying on the nostalgic sound of the 90’s, this album takes inspiration from that era, but Bronze puts his own modern twist and creates something original that pays homage to that nostalgic time period while constructing something fresh and interesting. 

Of course, as legendary as Bronze is, so is his accomplice in crime with Termanology. A man who has spent years crafting his style and making him one of not only the most respected rappers in the game but also the biggest threats in the industry.

His lore-worthy lyricism, flow, and penmanship are stuff of legends. In this album specifically, he brings to the table so many personal and heart-breaking stories about his childhood that just leave your jaw dropped regarding his family and upbringing. He’s not leaving anything left unsaid, and he wants the world to know the exact experiences that he lived through to be where he is today, right now.

All those years later, his words are still as sharp as blades, his flow still as fluent as water, and his verses still as solid as they’ve ever been. Paired with Bronze, there’s literally no way they can lose, and they don’t!

I love the selected features they chose to add to this project because they add a lot to the tracks they work on and help elevate the album from a 10/10 to a 15/10!

Long story short, this thing is a fucking masterpiece! Every single element works perfectly, and I see this as the bar for the rest of 2025. This is the album to match against! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2PDoUFGI2FTitdTkQ6rglT?si=1SI8GY_4QTWnfkG3niduZw

(Donation link)

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(The Emperor’s Wine Glass)

It’s crazy to me that my introduction to Skinny was an instrumental jazz record, and now here we are back in the straight hip-hop lane. Reminiscing aside, let’s talk about this!

7 new tracks. A new collaboration album between rapper Mad1ne and producer Skinny Bonez: The Godfather present a returning duo effort with this new EP, and starting with the production by Skinny.

He brings some of the most straightforward and no-nonsense edition of boom bap we’ve seen in a while. I think as a culture, we are always expecting bigger sounds, crazier styles, and more out-there production to try and outdo and outmatch the biggest trend of that moment, but how many of us can just appreciate a more simplistic/skeletal soundscape done well? 

On this EP, he provides solid, crisp, well-executed hip-hop that, although may seem bare compared to other sounds out there, has actually various elements and layers depending on the song.

For example, tracks ‘4 and 3’ have a lot more of a smooth and serene feeling and instrumentation that makes me feel like I’m walking on a beautiful, clear day with nothing but me and my thoughts! 

But tracks ‘1 and 5’ have that in-your-face, no-bullshit boom bap classic sound that is raw and unforgiving! The kind of beats I’m sure the mass audience would want and expect most! So there’s actually different tastes and themes across this EP and done in a more traditional sense, which I love!

Now, onto Mad1ne, the Texan MC. Who, alongside ‘Nate The Mosiac and Blazy Green,’ has the responsibility of taking these dope instrumentals and turning them into something unique and memorable, and I honestly feel they do that!

They all have dope flow, wordplay, and lethal lyricism. Of course, Mad is on every track compared to a feature verse, so he makes sure his penmanship is absolutely consistent and savage to match the atmosphere of the record, and he does just that.

He has a strong, cold tone, a remarkable studio presence, and his ability to draw you into every word he spits is something not all rappers can do, and he utilised that talent well!

Overall, another fantastic album by Skinny and his latest collaboration! The features were also dope! As far as I’m concerned, this EP was nothing short of a big success!

https://skinnybonezthagodfatha.bandcamp.com/album/the-emperors-wine-glass

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(Steel Sessions Presents: 1000WORD$ Forever)

This year has already been a trip. So many amazingly groundbreaking records that I honestly thought I had seen it all, until now. A record actually made in Harvard? If you don’t find that shit impressive, then you’re just lying to yourself! But to the rest of you, let’s talk about it!

So, this time around we have the powerhouse trio of 

-Buda Da Future

-Grandz Musik

-Mike Kuz

And as the iconic ‘Steel Sessions’, they have brought together what could possibly be the greatest feature list on any record period. The names include

-Mickey Diamond

-Avenue

-Shaykh Hanif

-Codenine

-Nym Lo

-Pro Dillinger

-The Hidden Character

-ETO

-Estee Nack

-Al-Doe

-Micah Write

-SMOKEINTHEEYE

-Xp The Marksman

-Tree Mason

-AA Rashid

-FEED THE FAMILY

-Lukey Cage

-Chase Fetti

-Bori Rock

-Dot Demo

-TOP HOOTER

-Dun Dealy

-Rim

-Eddie Kaine

-Last Days

-New Days

-Marc Andre

-Big Twin

-UFO Fev

-Bub Styles

-Slum The Resident

-Vic Spencer

-The Musalini

-Isaac Pelayo

-Knowledge The Pirate

-Sam Buck

And with the utilisation of this legendary line-up, I feel this record was made as a type of ‘celebration’ for the underground. For years, artists have scratched, clawed, sweated, and bled to make the independent scene thrive and all the work it took to make it what it is today, and I feel finally since the last half-decade, the scene has been recognised as the premier place for quality and dope albums and has finally taken over the mainstream as the go-to location for where ‘real’ hip hop lives.

This album just feels fun in execution. It’s nothing but dope, crisp, raw production with the who’s who of names putting their best selves forward in the name of ‘hip hop’. 

I love how everyone sounds on top of their game! Not a wack verse to be found. I also love how much attention and notoriety ‘FEED THE FAMILY’ is getting as of late. The past year and present  specifically, they are everywhere on everyone’s album as well as producing some classics of their own stuff! 

It’s hard to explain without listening to it first, but just how grand and celebratory this whole thing feels. When you work alongside 3 dope producers and then collaborate  with 1000 words with this ridiculously talented photography and then all these names? 

This album is the modern-day Dr. Dre:2001 quality verses, quality instrumentals, and quality mixing. 

This is the ULTIMATE passion project and no doubt will remain the soundtrack for the underground for years to come! I couldn’t be happier that this project exists, and I’ll end this by saying to everyone who spent their years or decades working and grinding to build what has become the mandatory destination for the rebirth of rap, then to all those involved: 

Thank you! And whether you’re part of this project or not, this one is for you! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3zpe7Z0F3zXNb2YzIl6FIR?si=wemjcLIuQB6seCWYd8bfMA

(Donation link)

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(Mass Murda Music)

Whenever I see an album promoted by my main man ‘KHEYZINE’, then I don’t think twice about trying it out, and as expected, I was treated to a dope as fuck album! Let’s talk about it!

This is the latest project by rapper ‘JINNAHCIDE’, and across this album, he has a range of different producers such as:

-CIPH BARKER

-KHEYZINE

-MASTA CONGA

-AI. DIVINO

-CH1B

-ST. PETER

-PRIYE

-MUNSK

-SOULITAIRE

Which, with such a diverse range of producers, you know this shit is gonna pop off, and it does! Each song has its own different flavour and personality that helps it stand out from the rest. I’d say overall, the album has an underlying dark, gritty, and ominous tone. I’d say the album title is very accurate to the atmosphere created, ‘Murder Music’, and it shows. Listening to this is more of an eerier/creepy experience than it is just merely listening to a hip-hop album.

Each producer on this list is a heavy hitter enough in their own right, so when they all come together on one collective project, you can expect nothing short of fire, and they deliver on every single mark!

Jinnah himself, a man who I only discovered today, is an absolute animal on the beat. He matches the murderous internet of the instrumentals by providing his own devilish, ruthless, and brutal wordplay, combined with his cold demeanour and killer cadence, he’s truly one of a kind MC needed for this project.

Every bar he spits is diabolically cunning, and the way he combines masterful technique with chilling aggression is a thing of wonder and makes for a rare type of listen for the listener. Across this one, he’s not alone with names such as:

-ANKHLEJOHN

– PLANET ASIA

-Al. DIVINO

– MASTER ACE

– WORDWORTH 

And of course, anyone who knows anything knows these names are some of the biggest S-Tier’s in the game right now, so to be on a record with them is a thing in and of itself, and he handles himself like a true professional, sounding like their equals in every occasion.

All in all, these 10 tracks could be some of the hardest you’ll hear all year! Don’t believe me? Give it a spin for yourself! 

https://jinnahcide.bandcamp.com/album/mass-murda-music

(Donation link)

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(HDXMM LUXE ACT:1)

To say it’s been a hell of a year for Murda Megz would be the biggest understatement. Her 2025 catalogue along has been one of quality and bangers such as:

-The Caesar Project

-From Us With Love

And now she’s back this time with equally influential female artist HONEY DINERO, and together they come together for one of the most unique and thrilling first acts you’ll hear in a minute.

So, we have 8 tracks. What’s interesting about this project is that it’s formulated in the style of a forever-changing radio station switching between different tracks, angles, and frequencies, but instead of changing artists, it’s just different variations of Murda Megz and Honey! I guarantee you no album out this year or any other runs the same!

Every track is under 3 minutes, and it makes for a more compelling and realistic ‘radio’-like experience. I can’t imagine this would have been easy to achieve production-wise, but once again, Murda pulls another rabbit out of the hat! 

On the other side of things, we have Honey, who has that iconic, potent, high-energy delivery and persona that makes anything she says in the studio ring with every listener. Her smooth flows and wordplay, her cunning lyricism, and her overall presence add that extra level of ‘power to this release’ to be perfectly paired with the production prowess of Murda.

Also on this album are the legendary cuts of Tone Spliff, and whenever he’s on a project, you can bet it’s worth the attention!

All in all, an interesting, creative, and original release that I’ll be waiting patiently for part II, and I hope you all will too! 

https://honeydinero.bandcamp.com/album/hdxmm-luxe-act-1

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