Extreme Charismatic Wiseguy

One thing I’ve noticed growing up is the lack of people within the wrestling community who watched ECW. It’s something that although I wasn’t old enough to catch live a promotion I’ve rented, torrented and done my best to relive as I feel it is one of the most important brands in wrestling history, one that shaped the very nature of WWE and other promotions.
In this occasion I am happy and damn near beaming with excitement to find not only a fellow ECW head one who has real connection with the company and it’s wrestlers but one who created an album based on his love for ECW. So consider it my pleasure to announce this review!

This is the 2024 epic album by MC -Jay Rhymes and Producers
-Arkin
-Potato God
-Nino Lucania And across these 4 tracks we get an absolute fever dream of content, vivid homage in promos and entrances, crowd chanting the works. He’s not just making an ECW album ‘he’s bringing it back to life for the modern era’

When we discuss the music itself, the album kicks off with an iconic spoken word intro ‘if you wouldn’t mind indulging me, dim the lights’ and then we hear that overwhelming crowd chanting ‘ECDUB, ECDUB, ECDUB’ and man I’ll tell you when I first heard that I got real goosebumps! When the beat develops we get this gritty Hip-Hop song that features a collection of mesmerising drum patterns, some echoing synth chords, light piano keys and this groovy as hell plucked strings that add an intense level of texture to the track!
I love how in the middle of this track we get a -Public Enemy promo snippet that sets up for the second verse! Truly spectacular with the chanting returning to fade the track off and who I believe was young -Paul Heyman/Paul E Dangerously having his final say at the end!

On the second track -Living Dangerously we have iconic commentator -Joey Styles kick off the track with him announcing to the crowd to ‘buckle up because we are all living dangerously’ and that sets the track on the path to this Eerie instrumental that you can feel itching in your bones!
This one has these stripped back strings feel rough and rugged around the edges, looping sharp synth chords deep in the background and some sadistic drum work that feels truly dangerous.
I also love how there’s this chord progression that runs deep throughout the song like a strong sonic vine latching onto the rest of the instruments!
The song ends with the one and only Fonzy! And RVD! If you know you know!

On the third track -A Matter Of Respect we have what I’d consider the most intriguing beat on the cut. This one has an experimental edge to it that’s hard to describe!
It’s got this electronic sound running through the track like techno chords that blend with a synth sound to create this futuristic ‘blade runner’ style atmosphere that captivates you the moment the track starts!
There’s also this shrieking loop sound in the background that returns every 2 seconds and some minimal drums! Definitely I’d describe it as the ‘black horse’ of the album but equally as riveting!

For the final track -November To Remember we return with Joey Styles opening the track up talking about the third annual ‘November To Remember’ event. Once the song advances we get this mysterious & ominous type instrumental that consists of these rock and roll style drums, glistening keys in the background with this echoing chords in that rhythmic tune that comes together to create a spacey vibe track that forces you to ponder and reminisce on the contents of this album and the brand of ECW itself!
It also ends with -Paul Heyman again hyping the return of Sabu, Joey Styles and the crowd chanting EC DUB one more time!

When discussing the rapping side of things we talk about a man who you can tell on performance alone that just like -Tommy Dreamer he’s determined to be ‘The Heart and Soul Of ECW’ and bring that love to the underground forefront with dope lyricism, vivid imagery and fantastic puns as well as his own brand of brash bars, eccentric wordplay and a conviction you won’t find in everyone!

Within only 4 tracks Jay creates a world filled with excitement. You can imagine him being a spectator and fan at the events and standing outside the arenas and bingos hall recapping to us what just went down in rapping form. Knowing Paul they would have made that a new segment like a ‘Matty In The House’ type bit expect it’s Jay rapping recaps! I mean god knows the early days before the TV deals were mainly recaps anyway so this would have fit right in!
He’s so damn fluent with his vocals. Each word lands exactly where it needs to, his confidence enunciations of the sentences and verses makes all his puns and phrases crystal clear as he jumps between one dope line to the next!

What I respect even more is the decision not to use any features! (I understand in the vinyl pressing their will be additional tracks added with other guests) but for the original it’s just him and why? Because he’s ’The Whole F’N Show’ and he knows it. Who better to tear the house down? Who better then to get the crowd into a frantic frenzy that they throw every single chair in the hall into the ring? Who better to main event this album and represent ECW? Well no other then Jay ‘The Extreme Charismatic Wiseguy’ himself and he does not disappoint!

I feel this album is educational. To not only ECW fans but the Hip-Hop community as a whole on how to conceptualise an album of this magnitude and detail. With just 4 tracks and 3 exceptional producers he has created an underrated classic that has enough replay value to have you coming back week after week.
I’ll put it as plainly as I can, to all the doubters and haters out there, they can all, KISS HIS ASS!