B.I.L.L.Y

When people say ‘end of an era’ they use it FAR TOO LOOSELY. Too many times we reference situations that don’t deserve the phrasing but in this case I can confirm that is truly ‘An End Of A Motherfucking Era’ and these two understand the stacks, the past they’ve left behind and what it means to go out swinging and this time around they are taking the WORLD with them! One album at a time. Let’s go!

This is the brand new (and one of two) finale sequel albums between one of the most legendary duos in the hip hop game of Producer -Big Ghost Ltd and Rapper -Mickey Diamond and on this first album they bring
-Cise Greeny
-D-Styles
-Method Man to land that final nail in the coffin!

I’m not exaggerating when I say this opening track gave me goosebumps! It was stated by Big Ghost on his IG post that these two albums will be Mickey back on his selfish, brash and most aggressive impulses to finish off a series of reflective and emotional prequel records that shined light on sides we’ve never seen of him till now.
BUT now that side is over and we have the classic Mickey back and he sounds ruthless as he’s ever sounded!
Saying shit like ‘I don’t need lunch with Jigga, What the fuck he gonna say that I don’t already know?’ That is what you call BALLIN lyricism! He’s the man and no one not even the GOAT can tell him otherwise!

His deep tone sounds even more gritty and devastatingly rugged that makes each line he spits feel murderous in execution! Each bar represents a vocal jail cell he’s putting the culture in as he returns to take back the names that dared sleep on him while he let the game eat for a little while in his absence but the heartless version is back and it gives me chills listening to it!

This is prime Gucci Ghost 1, Nobody Bleeds Like Flair type shit. Every word, syllable, enunciation, utilisation of flow, mark of penmanship it’s all hitting on a brand new wave length that we haven’t heard before. He sounds FED UP with the disrespect and direction of the underground and you can hear the frustration and anger in his voice which helps amplify the words he’s spitting!

I can’t express enough respect for how Mickey has conducted himself not only on this album but all the latest drops since he’s returned. From letting us into his mosr personal thoughts and his day to day emotions to now switching it up and letting the old ‘fuck you’ attitude take hold to close the series with a banger!
He’s the king of one liners, always calculating with his lyricism and when and how to drop the bars and this record is the proclamation of what brought him to the dance and more!
For those who remember he already rocked it with -Method Man back on the ‘Gucci Gambino’ record! So it’s no surprise that he’s able to go toe to toe with the legend once again! Two legends on the same instrumental was a fever dream to listen to!

When it comes to the production, we can never say that Big Ghost has ever lost a step (especially when it’s regarding a Mickey Diamond collaboration) and this might be some of his most groovy and sharp production we’ve heard yet! And these are my picks for the most stand out beats!

First we have that opening track -B.I.L.L.Y which not was monstrous lyrically but sonically went HARD! We have those light plucked keys that sound like Morse code that’s combined with those long & elegant strings that echo for seconds after it was laid down!
There’s some lively drum work that feels like there’s a real drummer in the studio alongside them!
There’s that beautifully subtle vocal rhythm that flows throughout the entire song!
There’s also what sounds like maracas shaking in the background! This kind of stripped back instrumental is the perfect pallet for how intense the verse was!

I loved the track -D.A.R.E it has a -Pusha T influence type track. This one is the most interesting on the album. What makes this so crazy is those sporadic source of keys that appear and disappear in a wavy pattern that your brain can’t really process or get use to which makes it feel unique!
Those are combined with some surreal drum work and those dark and sterile bass strings that fuse together to create a minimal atmosphere that is perfect for a cut throat rapper like Diamond to rip apart!

Of course I can’t go without taking the Method Man track -U-Tang Forever Big Ghost made absolute magic on this one! Goosebump worthy! On this one we hear that immediate sensational vocal harmony that gorgeously plays throughout the entire track!
This one is combined with some rock and roll style drums, subtle bass strings which wraps up to create a song that’s actually quite stripped back on face value but feels cinematic in the ear! That vocal harmony man is fucking insane!

I haven’t heard the second one yet but based on this one alone I have to repeat my sentiment from above ‘This is the end of A TRUE MOTHERFUCKING ERA’ there will never be a duo like this again and they won’t leave until they take the world with them! Don’t sleep!