(From Us With Love)

Haven’t I already told y’all? The 6th Man domination era has already begun! You got a glimpse of the invasion with the Murda Megs X Xcel release ‘Caesar Project’, then merely a few weeks ago the war came to your hometowns when 6th Man mercenaries spilled blood with Crotona P and KNG Bondalero’s ‘Artisan Works Of Art: The Masterpiece’. 

Now, the revolutionary is here. The ring general himself, The Bad Seed, accompanied by the trumpets of the apocalypse herself, ‘Murda Megz’, they’ve come to officially take over, and there ain’t a damn thing any of you can do about it, just sit back and enjoy ‘The 6th Man Era’. 

This latest instalment is 12 tracks, all produced by Murda Megz, and cuts done by legendary Tone Spliff.

Honestly, this is the most grand and spectacular sounding project I’ve heard from Megz so far and definitely the most by Seed since his Four Finger Ring I! The rate at which Megz is evolving is scary. Not to say I didn’t fuck with her prior to this year, but the improvement rate already with the few projects she’s already been on has put her on her own tier entirely!

That’s clear from the very first track ‘94 Crime Spree’, with those classical orchestra elements from the very beginning leading into one of the toughest and crisp boom bap beats you’ve heard in the last few years.

Across the board, her production is flawless; it’s one banger after the other. Every song feels powerful and unique, like a sonic Goliath walking over and inside your ears, stomping your soul out with hard bass and pounding production! 

The one (among many) things I love about Seed is his zero fuck policy. As the years go by, the more refreshing his no-nonsense, non-politically correct, or censored eggshell rhymes are. If he has an opinion or issue, best believe you’re gonna hear about it.

Across the board, you have topics like:

-Turning 50

-The idea of no more internet

-Wack rappers and more. The man’s bars only get better with age, and his flows and penmanship are up there with anyone you can think of! He’s been in this game for literal decades, and he hasn’t missed a step. Combined with the ever-evolving Murda Megz, he’s a recipe for disaster for the industry, one they can’t control and can’t ever silence.

There’s one feature on here, ‘LR BLITZKRIEG,’ who is able to go toe to toe with Seed, which is impressive enough! Great chemistry across the board on that track, and of course, Tone wouldn’t know how to miss even if he tried.

I’m not playing with you all. This is just an early release review for the upcoming album, but when I say 6th Man are here to massacre, I MEAN IT! It’s only February now, and they’ve been here for a minute already. Trust me when the year is said and done, whether you’re the grown man on the fifth floor or West Side Gunn, you’ll have the words “ 6th Man” drilled into your head for life!

(Welcome To StuyVille)

This has easily been one of, if not the, MOST anticipated album of 2025 among the underground cats. After the incredible 2024 release of ‘Last Exit To Crooklyn’, the industry was waiting patiently for his latest drop, and when it was announced it would be a collaboration album with frequent past collaborator ‘Rim’, the excitement went from real to buzzing, and now we have it, and how does it fare? Let’s talk about it!

What we have here is an 11-track project, 35 minutes in length. From the opening track ‘What’s This’, you can hear that booming, East Coast grime production by both 38 Splesh and Camouflage Monk, who work together to bring some of the best of both worlds between underground and mainstream. I couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of Mobb Deep or G Unit when listening to the production, very crisp, raw, and boom bap influenced.

Across the tracks, you have a wide range of powerhouse features such as: 

-Che Noir

-Hus KingPin

-Benny The Butcher

-Kurupt

-Fred The Godson 

All of these legends definitely highlight the tracks they feature on. I especially loved the Che opening verse on ‘Never Stop’; she doesn’t know how to miss, and this track is no exception!

This feature list would be on anyone’s dream list, and Eddie and Rim definitely knew how to utilise them and on which beat, and they all turned out monstrous and perfect!

When it comes to Eddie and Rim, as usual, their back-and-forth chemistry is second to none. They may as well be sharing the same brain and thoughts at this point; they pick up where the other left off and vice versa. This definitely reminds me of the chemistry of a Mobb Deep in their prime, just seamless flow sharing that most would give a right arm to have!

Overall, a fantastic and well-done sequel to his last project. As the years go by, Eddie only gets finer like wine, and with Rim by his side, it’s impossible to lose! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0enZtTwp3VliY18WjX7HNK?si=T_Tvq2XkSPu66LaJVHZnvg

(Encyclopedia Slade)

Reporting in from the heart of ‘Hip-Hop’ It’s your rap reporter ‘Corban The Serpent Tongue’ Skipwith and I’m not gonna lie to folks, it’s bad out here. What use to be a thriving industry with pumping artists and musicians too numerous to count is now nothing more then a industrialised society infested with so many clones that it’s hard to tell who is who.

But wait, I’m sorry it’s just in I’ve just been told that the alarm has been rung and apparently, no wait I’ve got confirmation HE’S REALLY HERE! There’s been rumours around the land of Hip-Hop that he’ll be here and he’s finally arrived! The man, the myth the voice who everyone has been praying will come and save the land of hip hop it’s.. it’s

ENCYCLOPEDIA SLADE!! 

As I’m here on sight, sources tell me he’s brought a 29 minute 12 song project with him and the industry is fuming! I’ve never seen them so angry then they are right now, their way of life, their cloning production of rap is on the line and they know it! Vigilantes are not welcome here but most outsiders welcome the sight and the voice of the mythically known Slade who is said to have the mic skills of a god and if he’s able to plant this brand new album into the heart of hip hop, the game will be revived to it’s original glorify, the creativity and love of Hip-Hop will return and the art will be restored finally after decades!

It seems the resurgence of Hip-Hop was too much for one man so sources say he’s brought friends with him who share his vigilante justice in their hands and mics as reports go we have the names of the culprits and here are the identities of the rappers 

-Jamal Gasol

-Beenoffical Lord

-Primo Jab

-Prime Minister

-Chubs

-Poetic Ness

Already, locals and tourists alike have been left in absolute AWE over the lyrical sweeping they have achieved with their verses on this new album. The originality and intensity of their words have caused the first organic pulse in the heart of rap that I’ve seen personally in decades, this is incredible I can’t believe this is happening down there!

Wait? What’s that? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Apparently not only has Encyclopedia brought with him legendary undefeated rappers but ALSO co producers who have agreed to come along to put the final nail in the coffin of the mainstream drones! Yes reports are in the names of THOSE culprits are as followed 

-Minister Hype

-King Rem 

-Amani Cove 

-OG Prince

-Kwenu The Nigerian

-Mgerm 

-Backwoodsmuzik

They haven’t even been here 5 minutes and their Dope sounds and production have already obliterated more than half of the current mainstream drones circled around the heart! This is incredible! No one has ever impacted hip-hop like this has in actual DECADES! No one (me including) could of predicted this would be the events of today 

Encyclopaedia Slade’s rhythms, rhymes, lyricism and flow is absolutely incredible. I’m trying to report what I’m hearing as professionally as possible here live but I can’t lie, you know what fuck my job, fuck the mainstream! If this is my last time on camera I just want to say ‘FUCK THE MAINSTREAM DRONES, thank you Encyclopedia Slade for your rhymes and let’s bring back ‘Real-Hip Hop!’

*Ba Dum, Ba Dum, Ba Dum, Ba Dum*

OH MY FUCKING GOD, do you all hear that at home? The heart of Hip Hop is beating again! It’s back to life! ENCYCLOPEDIA SLADE AND HIS TEAM HAVE BROUGHT HIP HOP BACK TO LIFE

This is Corban Skipwith, a proud member of the REAL Hip-Hop community out and over.

Listen to the album. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/48BjtKPNJ2FvnTcuIqL417?si=umNkn2cKRqS-vIuzQhknAw

(The Devil’s Ballroom)

I’ll just say this much, after his list of absolute monstrous features he’s been doing these past few years I’m not sure if the industry is ready for a full Bub Styles EP. But here we are the underground juggernaut himself is let loose and let’s see what he’s getting on!

This is a 4 track EP with 11 minutes of music. But for all those who are already aware of him, every minute of his music feels like hours from how pulverising his energy is in your ears, the way he speaks it makes your whole body and soul shiver in pure awe of how intense he is. Not many if any have the energy this man has and this EP is no different!

We have production by ‘GRAPHWIZE’ who does a killer job at making these bass heavy, larger than life sinister beats for Bubs to go off on! Very underground, raw and grime influenced! The finale track on the album has a slightly more refined and smooth feel to it with that vocal loop but even so, as soon as Bubs starts to spit the song returns to its grimy nature! 

Only one feature on this project by ‘GREA8GAWD’ who does his part well with his dope verse but the rest of the album is just Bub murdering track to track in his usual cut throat style that definitely fits the album cover visual of how he must look in the studio! 

Overall, a killer EP of sonic caffeine the equivalent of 10x energy drinks back to back. It’s unreal, unrelenting and savage. Definitely not for the faint of heart!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5IsR479nSySQXHhTuDBuvv?si=wubP51c7RvKxf5aA0LinvA

(Starry Nights)

This is a wonderful first time for me. Getting to review a jazz record! One of my many genre loves and one I’m so excited and honoured to be able to review courtesy of ‘Skinny Bonez Tha Godfatha’.

Now, this is a short 17-minute 5-track project. Of course, going into a project like this and knowing firsthand how many genres and subcategories of jazz there are out there, my mind couldn’t possibly comprehend what I would be in for.

In saying this, I want to tell you all something that made me happier than I ever thought I would be about this album (and it very well could have been done unintentionally).

But it seems like Skinny has featured sonic inspiration from the three main and most notable members of the ‘Miles Davis Quintet’, that being of course:

-Miles Davis

-John Coltrane

-Herbie Hancock (given Herbie wasn’t in the original adaptation but in the second between 1964-68) but still easily the 3 most notorious characters of the quintet and for obvious reasons from their larger-than-life personalities to their major impacts on the genre itself.

Anyway, there are 3 tracks on this project out of the 5 that I hear the sonic modern-day reincarnation of these people.

First is on the opening track ‘Dark Blue Skies During Train Rides’. This track I feel the heart and soul of Miles Davis (Kind Of Blue era) with that beautiful soft tone keys mixed in with those engaging drum beats and later on classic jazz instrumentation but of course with a touch of modern style incorporated.

The second track is ‘Entering Mindstates’ or the third track overall on the album. To be this is where John Coltrane is revamped. This song reminds me of a type of track he would play on his grand/classic ‘My favourite things’ record. 

It’s grand, larger than life, colourful and lively from start to finish. Even the final 5-10 seconds of the song literally sounds like opening notes to the song ‘My Favourite Things’ or similar at least.

Then the final inspiration track to me is the final track on the album ‘Five Jazz Clubs, One Evening’, which is obviously Herbie Hancock. This song has so much flair and creativity it’s insane. Just like prime Herbie, this song is against the grain, it’s experimental, it’s original, and so funky! This is the kind of jazz you listen to when you want that ‘something different’, and everyone knew Hancock for being the jazz ‘odd man out’ in the traditional sense anyhow.

Either way, I love this track for being so out there and light years different than the other four!

The other two tracks, ‘Feel Me Vibing’ and ‘Suspicious Affairs’, are also beautifully done, and I hate to sound like I’m sidelining those, but it’s just I couldn’t help but overindulge in those 3 inspiring tracks of three of my favourite artists, not just in jazz but of all time.

Overall, this is a fantastic, near-perfect 17 minutes of music. It’s rich, masterful, and memorable. I wouldn’t change a damn thing on this project, and if you give it a chance, I know you’ll love it too!

https://skinnybonezthagodfatha.bandcamp.com/album/starry-nights-jazzy-minds

(The Emperor’s Is Back)

As the title suggests, the fucking emperor is back! Napoleon Da Legend, the man who has already dropped what many are calling ‘Album Of The Year’ with his record with JR Swiftz, ‘Great Minds’, and this time with the amazing Sol Messiah to create another head banging, neck twisting, bopping track that will damn near break your neck trying to bop to! 

From the beginning of the track, you hear that drum beat combined with this distorted vocal sample loop that kind of sounds like a guitar chord, but when combined makes for a raw and skeletal rhythm that is perfect for someone like Da Legend to set it off with!

Across his two verses, as per usual, he’s flawless. Wordplay, penmanship, flow— he’s firing on all cylinders! 

When you’re the man, you know it, you feel it, you LIVE IT, and that’s exactly what Napoleon is doing this year. He’s confident, and his cadence screams ‘MVP’, and with AOTY contender already in his pocket and a possible second coming in February with ‘F.L.A.W’, this track is nothing more than a reminder not to sleep on the king or should I say ‘The Emperor’.

Make sure you don’t forget to pump this track! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0epY3jKp4j50RjkNYzR2DN?si=tX-bcr-BRYGp_FMnXAdFww

(Ceverely Yours Presents: Bay State Bars)

Without much surprise, it’s time for another new artist discovery! This time it’s the artist ‘Ceverely Yours’ and his EP from November 28th, 2024! So let’s get into it!

This compact project has 6 tracks with a 15-minute run time. I must say, upon a few listens for this review, I’m pretty intrigued and pleasantly impressed with the sound and composition of this project, although short in length.

I felt a sense of composure and easygoing nature in the way this sounded, meaning it most EP cases (especially ones of this length) normally feel fast-paced and sometimes ‘rushed’ due to its lack of time present, but even with the time constraints, there were so many tracks where the lyrics didn’t come in till the end of half of the track or even examples of spoken word skits ‘On Dawgs’ where he’s just casually telling a story to the listener without a care in the world for the time, and utilisation of ‘patience’, a virtue I fuck with HEAVY in music and one you rarely if ever see in EP’s.

As far as the production goes, we have a few fair names to thank for the sounds such as: 

-Tajh Malik

– Theatre Truth

-DJ Vitamin D

-Rockwood Productions

-Gotti Gator

-Blaze Gator

All who create a diverse and interesting Hip Hop landscape for the listeners. It sounds like a blend of experimental/underground and indie hip hop. It’s not the traditional sounds you’d expect to hear from a rap album, and that’s another thing I love about this project, so many things against the grain and yet they all work wonderfully on this, and I can’t help but praise all the artists involved for this approach!

Ceverely himself has this confidence in his cadence that’s just damn near infectious, it’s like he’s not even rapping or practicing his verses; he’s just spinballing first takes with that pure off-the-top emotion and passion! (If this actually happens to be the case, I’d be blown away) regardless, I felt every word of his due to his nature and character on the songs themselves!

The rap features such as:

-Tajh Malik

-Billy Escobar

-Brezze

-Donnsday

-Bonnie Stone

All help matching his energy and conviction on the songs they are provided and it helps set the tone for the whole EP! 

All in all, fantastic effort on this one and for those hip hop or just straight music heads looking for something new then this could be the thing for you! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3gurcjlsXPCrZvyW3UoiWx?si=vUAdgQuORVqjaxo1rahqYg

(Pain & Laughter)

It’s time again for that new single review, and this time it’s Mason Graves and his latest work, ‘Pain and Laughter’.

From the second this song starts, you can hear that lavish and smooth key samples which sound like they were ripped from an 80’s montage scene. It sounds equally warm and crisp at the same time, absolutely fuck with this instrumental-heavy!

Not long into the beat starting, we get going with Mason, who delivers his trademark deep and powerful voice for his opening verse. As usual, strong and vicious wordplay. He takes his time with his words, methodically delivering and sonically delivering his daggers into the ears of every listener over this contrasting, inviting, and peaceful beat!

This time around, he ain’t alone because to close the track off, we have Arizona legend Maze Overlay here with his trademark slick, smooth, and hypnotic vocal flow to slide all over this beat as per usual.

It’s not even February yet, and Maze has inserted himself into your favourite rapper’s favourite rap songs of 2025, and he ain’t even dropped a new project yet! Absolutely surreal work by Overlay, and of course, he murdered the verse this time around as he’s done on any song he’s on!

Also, I love how the song ends on these jazz chords to fade the track out. Such a small yet beautiful detail to conclude an already fantastic song!

This is definitely a song you don’t want to miss, so make sure you give these two the respect they’ve earned and deserve by playing the track below!

https://open.spotify.com/track/4UZqTzSOl4Xz0uW41hJfil?si=184LhtCzRkW__6QP3gaeiQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A53HFFgt6ZCiVEFNgQwNYqy

(OVA)

Nothing quite as satisfying as finding a short and dope EP, and this is exactly what we have here with the latest release by Solute. 

On this one, we have three tracks: 

-Solute Scorsese 

-Kuabara Bars

-Doja

All tracks produced by Lou Daydream, who helped create a smooth, fresh, and what feels like a Lo-Fi/Ambient/Jazz fusion across these Hip Hop beats. 

Across the three tracks, they all sonically resemble a beautiful Sunday morning walk through a forest on a windy spring day. This is the kind of production I could release to stress out and just relax throughout the day. I love beats like this, and it kind of reminds me of the production ‘Milo’ or ‘R.A.P Ferreria’ would use, and I love every second of it.

Now, on to Solute, he’s found himself pairing well with the instrumentals provided. Even though this EP is only short, he doesn’t let that stop him from spitting fresh bars across all three, solid verses, wordplay, and penmanship to match the wonderful production.

I feel the last track is where he shows us a more ‘bragging’ tone and confident cadence, a tad bit more aggressive than the first two but equally as impressive lyricism. I take it as him trying to make a statement on the outro track, which would make sense if that was the intention, especially considering that’s the song featuring the legendary ‘Maze Overlay,’ and that’s not the kind of guy you’d want to sound subpar next to! Great chemistry between the two!

Overall, short, sweet, and successful performance in this 7-minute project. I know there will be more coming throughout the year, but for now, this is a great little appetiser to keep the palate satisfied and waiting for more! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2oUFTZH67jHp6yUVUF9DDi?si=rqTflImXSQirmYn6g2m5hw

(Artisan Works Of Art: The Masterpiece)

You heard it from me first, this is the year of the 6th man! 

After an incredible run from all artists involved last year, I know they are hungry, they are thirsty for blood, and Hip Hop ain’t ready for the attack they have prepared for the culture. Although this is merely the second instalment of the 6th man 2025 run of this latest collaboration between Crotona P and KNG Bondalero, ain’t nothing to fuck with, and trust me, this one will have all the cats talking panthers back in their kitty kat holes because when the real step up, the fake SHUT UP.

This is a 13-song, 24-minute duo project, and I’ll be honest, as dope as Crotona P’s album last year was, it wasn’t my favourite of the 6th. It had me wanting more, feeling like there’s still another level of evolution waiting to be cracked, and that level is here and now that he’s that guy. Everyone else ain’t nothing but shadows in comparison.

From the first track, the rhymes and flows just hit different. The wordplay, penmanship, lyricism— all of it just comes out more seamless than it ever has before! 

This project ain’t just about hard bars but about the synchronous nature between words and production and finding the perfect middle ground between both, and that’s what’s been achieved on this one!

Speaking of production, I honestly feel KNG is the perfect man to be behind the table for Crotona. It’s as if he’s reading his mind with instrumentals, like they both speak the same language but in different forms of communication. One with a pen, one with the beats.

There are a few different styles across this one, such as: 

-Underground

-Boom Bap

-Ambient Aesthetic

-Soul/Jazz inspiration, and each beat is done so masterfully that it makes your mind travel across songs and makes you think. This is the key sign of a professional at work when the music transcends the music itself and makes you feel something mentally and emotionally, and when you combine that with the lyricism, it’s nothing short of beautiful.

Across this project you also have underground powerhouses such as

-MercyDaharlemkid

-Jus Daze 

-The Bad Seed 

Each of which could easily hold their own individually so to come together as a power trio on this one is a statement in and of itself!

All in all, this is the 6th man we need! The ruthless yet masterful showing. No more doubting, no more anticipating THE TIME IS NOW and I guarantee you when it’s all said and done whether your talking 

-Griselda

-Umbrella Collective

You’ll be making sure to put some respect on the 6th man in the same lane because the revolutionary is happening NOW check this shit out!!

https://crotonap.bandcamp.com/album/crotona-p-x-kng-bondalero-artisan-works-of-art-the-masterpiece