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Navy Blue’s 8th Album “The Sword & The Soaring” Honors the Late Ka’s Memory & Legacy (Album Review)

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Brooklyn, New York skateboarder, MC, producer, songwriter, visual artist & model Navy Blue starting the week off with his 8th studio LP. Breaking out a decade ago off his debut EP According to the Waterbearer, he would go on to drop 9 more EPs & 6 full-lengths before signing to Def Jam Recordings for his previous album Ways of Knowing produced by Budgie to critical acclaim. Coming off last summer’s Memoirs in Armour EP however, The Sword & The Sword has arrived as we reach the halfway point of the month.

“The Bloodletter” begins by hooking up a drumless piano from Chris Keys advising that you don’t have to die in order to live again whereas the only single “Orchards” takes the boom bap route instrumentally with some strings to talk about being on an other journey of self-discovery. “God’s Kingdom” produced by Graymatter gets back on the drumless vibes finding himself unable to cry lately since his uncle Carl passed while “Sunlight of the Spirit” soulfully talks about life being to beautiful to hide the way he’s living.

Moving on from there, “Guardadas” keeps it drumless calmly desiring for peace & recognition just before “My Heartbeat” heads for a jazzier boom bap direction talking about not being defined by who he’s living for soaring through an existential war. “Tale of the Truth” strips the drums once again trying to tone down the voices depriving him of his patience leading into the self-produced “Fight On” talking about love being the very thing he’s fighting for.

“Kindred Spirit” starts the 2nd half remembering the late Ka in light of his tragic passing 13 months earlier over a saxophone while “If Only…” brings a bluesy guitar in the fold apologizing for not returning calls due to falling back. “Illusions” maintains a drumless sound talking about looking high & low when he was high & low while “24 Gospel” featuring Earl Sweatshirt finds the 2 abstractly bodying a gospel sample that Animoss flipped.

To kick off The Sword & The Soaring’s final quarter, “Here & Now” jumps over a sampled piano for a couple minutes explaining his pain is where his day resides while Sebb Bash gives “Soul Investments” an appropriately soulful edge to it asks why he’s on with keeping lesser if he has more to gain. “Sharing Life blends these luscious keys & a flute talking about fatherhood while “The Phoenix” comes to the realization that the trials & tribulations have taught him he’s worthy of affection.

Navy Blue’s entire discography has been defined by his introspectively abstract lyricism & drumless production, but his newest album takes his use of music as a therapeutic outlet to newer territories having The Sword thematically representing an earthly tool used for the battle he’s cohesively describing or grief in this case & The Soaring symbolizing the heavenly council. The production on this one is soothingly peaceful handling only 25% of it himself & Ka would certainly be proud of the way he’s being honored if he was still here.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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“Dirt & Diamonds” Marks Hatch Wiseguy’s Welcomingly Overdue Return (Album Review)

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Hatch Wiseguy is a 37 year old MC from Detroit, Michigan making his full-length debut 2 decades ago with Wise Guy & following it up with an EP called Likewise. He would later go on to receive co-signs from local veterans like Royce da 5’9″ & Trick-Trick to established icons like The LOX & the late DMX, even forming a duo with Pony Evans called Role Idols. I also thought that he had the best performance of the 3 on the track he contributed to off Blizzard’s debut album Duel with Death, so hearing that he was returning for a sophomore effort felt long overdue in my personal opinion.

“To Whom It May Concern” produced by Foul Mouth starts off by hooking up a piano-based boom bap instrumental playing with fiery Hell like 2 magnums whereas “Pop Off” featuring Astray & Paradime finds the trio over a more jazzily soulful instrumental from Blizzard talking about needing head doctors since they’re so crazy. “Prolific” flexes his status with the pen continuing to demonstrate Foul’s ear for sampling just before “Foreigner” lavishly talks about popping overseas with his Gs.

38 Spesh joins the Wiseguy on the grimy boom bap collaboration “Yikes” giving no fucks as to what these pussies are like out here these days leading into “Snakes” featuring Astray reuniting the 2 to call out those exact kind of people scheming behind their backs over a dusty beat. “We Outside” featuring Bizarre gets together to give the audience that raw shit prior to “Leap Frog” featuring Marv Won talking about both of them hurdling over all these bitches, with Hatch referencing WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson alongside the greatest basketball player of all-time Michael Jordan & the late king of pop Michael Jackson.

“It’s Not Ok” featuring KXNG CROOKED begins the 2nd half with both artists looking to keep angels by their side whenever they’re out because of devils following them while the drumless “Make You Proud” talks about having to learn some lessons the hard way & seeing his father pass away in front of him. “Seeing is Believing” brings the kicks & snares back in the fold humbly living his dreams until “Chill” scoffs at these group of people acting like bitches. “Bare My Soul” featuring Astray explains that he made this album because there’s not enough love being spread these days & “Nincompoop” wraps things up with some shit-talking.

Intentionally making this a niche boom bap project for those who truly appreciate the craft & artistry of lyricism & hip hop at it’s most traditional instead of the casual rap listener or a sing-a-long crowd, Dirt & Diamonds checks all the boxes in regards of making it a triumphant comeback from very personal moments to bangers, stories, lyrical exercises & some good ol’ bops. Pulling a lot of strings to include some of the top talents in the genre from features to production & even live instrumentation, it’s like he’s catching up with all of us as to what’s been going on with him & his growth since the last time he dropped forever ago.

Score: 8/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Armand Hammer’s 7th Album “Mercy” Prod. The Alchemist Sounds Nothing Like “Haram” in the Best Ways Possible (Album Review)

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New York underground duo Armand Hammer signing to Rhymesayers Entertainment for their 7th LP. Consisting of billy woods & Elucid, they formed together a decade ago already off their only mixtape Half Measures & the debut album Race Music. The pair would go on to release an EP & 4 more albums worth of abstract political hip hop, with the last one Haram fully produced by The Alchemist becoming the most critically acclaimed within their discography. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips quickly became the greatest musical statement in Fat Possum Records’ entire discography, reuniting with Uncle Al for the Haram sequel Mercy & switching labels from Fat Possum to Rhymesayers.

“Laraaji” comes out the gate hooking up an uncanny sample saving a reference to the late Ka’s 9th & final album The Thief Next to Jesus for billy’s verse whereas “Peshawar” trades the mic with one another over a piano talking about slaughtering opponents posthumously. “Calypso Gene” embraces a jazzier vibe instrumentally using water as a metaphor for spiritual cleansing just before “Glue Traps” featuring Quelle Chris topically finds the trio addressing more economic issues.

We get some heavy pianos throughout “Scandinavia” talking about life being filtered through white curtains being stranger than the northern European subregion while “Nil by Mouth” continues to put Alchemist’s ear for sampling on full display comparing their flows to remote control lightning. “Dogeared” ends the 1st half with a drumless beat talking about their love running deep until “Crisis Phone” addresses the type of people who don’t know what it means to bleed.

“Moonbow” continues the 2nd leg of Mercyby incorporating a chipmunk soul instrumental hoping all shine through until the end of their days while “No Grabba” combines elements of boom bap & cloud rap talking about their preference of smoking weed without mixing tobacco with it. “U Know My Body” feels more like a brief billy woods solo track going on a complete massacre while “Longjohns” featuring Quelle Chris talks about seeing it all.

The 3rd & final single “California Games” featuring Earl Sweatshirt samples “Rehearse with Ornette” to continue the abstract brilliance of their previous collaborations “Falling Out the Sky” & of course “Tabula Rasa” while “Super Nintendo” wraps things up with a lead single that combines drumless, neo-psychedelia & chiptune using that very console as a metaphor for childhood memories fleeting away.

Despite being confirmed by both billy woods & Elucid that the creative processes behind Haram & Mercy were similar, you’d be disappointed to expecting Armand Hammer’s debut for Rhymesayers Entertainment to sound much like it’s predecessor because that isn’t the case whatsoever. Obviously less experimental than We Buy Diabetic Test Strips was over 25 months earlier, the drumless & jazz rap influences of Haram still remain behind the revered abstract hip hop duo to test out more back-&-forth flows.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Jason Martin Welcomes All to “Mafia Cafe” with Mike & Keys (EP Review)

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Here is the 5th EP from Compton, California emcee, songwriter & producer Jason Martin. Originally known as Problem, he would go on to release over a dozen mixtapes as well as 4 full-length studio albums & 4 EPs. Can’t forget to mention both collaborative efforts DJ Quik, the first being Rosecrans back in 2017 & the follow-up Chupacabra days before Kendrick Lamar’s now historic 1-off Pop Out concert at the Kia Forum. 52 weeks since Repack produced by Mike & Keys, they’re heading to the Mafia Cafe merely 6 weeks following A Hit Dog Gon Holla.

“I Can’t Tell” sets the tone with a drumlessly jazzy instrumental reversing his opposition’s plays whereas “When Will They Learn?” & after “Check It Out” skit embraces a chipmunk soul vibe talking about being in Jamaica backflipping off yachts. “Expensive Rentals” brings back the jazz reminding that Coffee & Kush are great for the mental just before the soulful “Choices” hones in on Jason’s storytelling abilities, portraying a conversation taking place over the phone.

We get some jazzy horns during “Black Entertainment” breaking down the industry as a whole leading into “Cafalonia” drumlessly wittily talks about sipping a latte smoother than Sade’s music. “Pity the Fools” soulfully references WWE Hall of Famer Mr. T & after the hilarious “Akademiks Finally Says Something Worth Listening To” skit, “Tricky Times” jazzily speaks of some harsh realities despite the fact that he got to “Stay Fresh Through It All”.

Not even a couple months since A Hit Dog Gonna Holla & the 3rd extended play from Jason Martin within an entire year quickly surpasses the one that recently came out earlier this fall. Mike & Keys’ production on this one is more sample heavy than it was last time, chopping up records from the jazz & soul genres to provide Jason more than enough space for him to step up his pen-game.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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”Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 20” Could Be Tha God Fahim & Jay NiCE’s Best Collab EP Since HTCR 12 EP Review)

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Atlanta, Georgia emcee Jay NiCE & the local Dump Gawd himself Tha God Fahim are back for their 5th collaborative EP. Both of whom have worked with each other countless times in the past several years, teaming up for the collab album Strictly 4 My D.U.M.P.E.R.Z. during the spring of 2018 & the Bloodspiller EP almost 3 years ago. Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 12 produced by Nicholas Craven became their greatest joint offering yet, coming off the 17th & 18th chapters to run it back for the 20th.

“Panamera” soulfully sets the tone with both of them talking about their flows leading to streams & income whereas “The Yolk” takes a funkier approach instrumentally bodying MCs in a gruesome manner. “Take It on the Chin” calls out those with phony actin’ over some pianos just before the colorful “Destruction Ability” discusses the crowd of people shittin’ on their consistency.

The song “Abandon Ship” counts down Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 20’s last 6 minutes or so with a soul sample talking about thriving in their current positions while “Deadlifts” hops on top of a flute to brag that nobody can do it hotter than them. “Cold Steel” finishes up the EP using some sampling techniques 1 last time talking about their cosmic influence.

5 episodes deep into season 2 of the Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap saga, 60% of them including this latest entry have all been collaborations with Jay NiCE except this one might be the best since 12 when speaking of his & Tha God Fahim’s shared output. Of course you can’t go wrong with Nicholas Craven’s production, but both southern hip hop artists that’re on the mic together step up their chemistry compared 17 & 18.

Score: 8/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Lil Bushwick Makes His Sid Wilson-Produced Debut (Album Review)

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Lil Bushwick is a 29 year old rapper from Houston, Texas notable for being the son of the late Bushwick Bill of the seminal horrorcore group the Geto Boys. Interestingly, Sid Wilson from one of the greatest nu metal bands of all-time Slipknot recently signed the artist formerly known as Yung Knxw to his Vomit Face Records imprint founded with J57 earlier this month & has decided to produce Lil Bushwick’s full-length debut studio album to appropriately celebrate Halloween being on a Friday.

After the “Fell on a Weekend” skit & the “Apple Tree” skit back-to-back, “Born to Die” open a with a rap rock intro produced by Sid Wilson talking about reaping what he’s sowed whereas “Pussy Ass N***a” works in some guitars to shit all over those exact type of people. After the “Moments” skit, “Prepare” talks about knowing his life’s goal from when he was a kid while “Got 2 Go Thru” admits to the feeling of love flowing over some pianos.

“Money N Da Foes” after the “Geto Boy 4 Life” skit asks if the cost if your soul is worth the game & gold while “Still Have Faith” talks about going through Hell & back. “We Gone” featuring Sid Wilson finds the 2 talking about having every floor on lock & after the “Better Version” skit, “Take It Back” featuring Bushwick Bill sends off the album with a father-son collab that feels like a bittersweet passing of the torch moment.

The eponymous debut of Lil Bushwick honors the spirit of a hip hop pioneer while forging a bold, new path forward, an emotional and daring journey through grief, heritage & growth. Blending Houston’s hip-hop roots with experimentally hardcore production & narrations from Yung Knxw’s father, he’s pushing the envelope musically & tries new sounds he would’ve never thought he’d be rapping over although there are too many skits.

Score: 8/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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The Doppelgangaz Assure You Can “Bet on Black Cloak” (EP Review)

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Orange County, New York duo The Doppelgangaz back with their 13th EP on Halloween. Consisting of MCs/producers Matter ov Fact & EP, they’ve gone on to make waves in the underground by dropping a total of 8 full-length albums as well as 11 EPs & 6 beat tapes. Standouts include their breakout sophomore effort Lone Sharks, the follow-up Hark, their 5th album Dopp Hopp, Aaaaggghh, Black Cloak Lifestyle & Went Left. The latter of which got a sequel this summer, assuring that you can Bet on Black Coat a few months later.

“Dopp Gang Thang” starts off with a piano-boom bap instrumental talking about being the game never being the same again whereas “6 Ways 2 Sunday” dustily flexes that they do things the dumb way. “Wacky Wild Crazy” works in some pianos to talk about acting that way sometimes while “Don’t Mess with Them Sharks” advises that you don’t wanna fuck with them. “Whatchu Wanna Do?” soulfully asks their partners that very question for the evening & “Live 2 Regret It” ends with a message to the hardheaded.

The ghastly duo continue to warm up for their forthcoming 9th LP by taking it back to the traditional boom bap sound that made The Doppelgangaz so popular in the underground after taking a quick g-funk detour with a rawer, more rugged, dustier & dirtier extended play than the slept-on Groggy Pack Entertainment founders have ever sounded almost 2 decades in the game.

Score: 8/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Mass Appeal Records Releases Big L’s Final Album “Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King” (Album Review)

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Big L was a 24 year old MC from Harlem, New York known for his freestyling abilities & having some of the greatest punchlines in hip hop history. Making his debut under Columbia Records in the spring of 1995 with Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, the Children of the Corn & D.I.T.C. member would go on to start up his own label Flamboyant Entertainment & almost signed to Roc-A-Fella Records until he was murdered in 1999. The next summer, Rawkus Records would distribute The Big Picture (1974-1999) for Flamboyant & it would be equally beloved as the only LP of his lifetime to this very day. 139 & Lenox came out independently and RBC Records distributed The Danger Zone, but Mass Appeal Records is giving him a proper sendoff with his 5th & officially final album executive produced by Royce da 5’9 & the 5th entry of the Legend Has It series.

“Harlem Universal” featuring Herb McGruff produced by G Koop starts with a soulfully funky beat representing their hometown whereas the only single “U Ain’t Gotta Chance” featuring Nas finds the 2 talking about nobody standing a chance against them in lyrical battle. The first half of “R.H.N. (Real Harlem N****s)” is taken from one of my favorite Children of the Corn songs “Harlem Nights”, but then “Fred Samuel Playground” featuring Method Man shouts out the location of L’s mural over a Conductor Williams instrumental.

After an interlude during the first 45 seconds of “Big Lee & Reg”, we’re treated to a brief verse from Errol Holden, the luxurious beat that Lord Finesse cooks up on “All Alone” sticks out in being amongst my favorite throughout the LP talking about looking for a place to call his own while “Forever” featuring Mac Miller bittersweetly unites 2 greats who were taken from us way too soon. There’s also the “7 Minute Freestyle” featuring JAY-Z, which is still her in today as one of the greatest freestyles in the history of hip hop.

Joe Budden only provides a spoken word intro to kick off the “Doo-Wop ‘99 Freestyle” making way for L Corleone to flow all over a beat that gives me a bit of a Halloween atmosphere but after the “Don & Satcha” skit, the “Stretch & Bobbito ‘98 Freestyle” angrily promises to take competitors out their misery while “Grants Tomb ‘97 (JazzMobile)” featuring BVNGS & Joey Bada$$ historically pairs the trio to talk about the need to get back on a roll.

“Live @ Rock N Will ‘92” starts the final leg sampling some pianos flexing that people are hiding in protective custody because he can’t be fucked with while “How Will Make It? (I Won’t)” gets remixed from the Return of the Devil’s Son compilation. After the “Don & Sacha @ Inwood Hill Park” outro, the bonus track “Put the Mic Down” featuring Fergie Baby & the late Party Arty finishes L’s coda with them over a Showbiz & Ron Browz instrumental.

Although I can’t say I’m not too surprised that there are some moments throughout Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King because neither Big L or Biggie a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G. had the same work ethic 2Pac had, I did enjoy this better than I thought I would. Primarily since it does the Flamboyant Entertainment CEO’s memory & legacy better than some of these compilations we’ve been getting out of his camp for the last quarter of a century, which is all I asked & could’ve hoped.

Score: 7/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Ransom’s Latest EP “The Reinvention” Prod. by DJ Premier Almost Rivals “The Coldest Profession” for EP of the Year Discussion (EP Review)

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Here is the highly awaited 13th EP from Jersey City wordsmith Ransom. Emerging as 1/2 of the short-lived duo A-Team alongside Hitchcock, he branched out on his own in 2008 following their disbandment beginning with the full-length debut Street Cinema & the Statik Selektah-produced sophomore effort The Proposal. But it’s been safe to say these last couple years have been his biggest so far whether it be the 5 EPs that he put out produced by Nicholas Craven, 7 based around the 7 deadly sins or Heavy’s the Head produced by Big Ghost Ltd., the Rome Streetz collab album Coup de Grâce or even his last couple projects Chaos is My Ladder, Director’s Cut 4 & Deleted Scenes 2. Lavish Misery produced by Harry Fraud was a step above Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child and MadeinTYO producing Smoke & Mirrors last summer was an exciting surprise, but The Reinvention produced by DJ Premier had me as excited The Coldest Profession almost 3 months earlier.

“Amazing Graces” begins with with a gritty piano instrumental talking about his style being so outstanding whereas “A Cut Above” works in some strings hoping that may the best man win lyrically. After the “Rap Radar” interlude, “Chaos is My Ladder” dustily welcomes anyone hoping to reach his level of lyricism while “Forgiveness” talks about going from broke to sipping champagne in Venice.

The song “Survivor’s Remorse” winds down the last few minutes of The Reinvention explaining that fake love always deceives along with the opinion of one not really trying to win if they’ve never taken a loss in their entire lives & the title track sends off the EP by advising those in attendance to prepare for his growth to he seen since they’re already stuck around to see the vengeance.

Representing a meeting of 2 master craftsmen whose fingerprints are woven into the DNA of hip-hop production & another who is recognized by peers & fans alike as one of the best pound-for-pound lyricists alive, The Reinvention showcases Ransom & DJ Premier joining forces to create a transformational musical experience that epitomizes the streetwise mentality realizing the journey’s just as important as the destination. 

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Heem Releases a Decent Conclusion of the “Bars & Noble” Trilogy on Halloween (Album Review)

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Buffalo, New York emcee Heem closing the Bars & Noble trilogy with his 4th LP. Catching my attention in 2020 after becoming of a protege of Benny the Butcher & signing to Black Soprano Family Records, he also made a few appearances on the label’s showcase EP prior to dropping his debut mixtape Long Story Short & a debut EP High Art. His debut album From the Cradle to the Game came in the spring of 2023, coming off the sequel to Bars & Noble earlier this year to complete the final chapter.

The title track opens up with a boom bap instrumental talking about leaving anyone running their mouths on stretchers whereas “Bonettis” featuring Illy Foo finds the 2 discussing times getting harder trying right some wrongs. “Buffalo to Bompton” featuring Figg Newton joins forces for a moderate east coast/west coast collaboration with a bit of a small g-funk influence just before “$20 Stones” gets on his hustler shit over a sample.

“Redrum” moves forward by showing off his murderous tendencies advising that people near him better run for their lives when he pulls up to the spot while “Menace to Society 2” conceptually picks up where the Long Story Short highlight left off. “Foot Steps” featuring Zee Baby finds the 2 expressing their desire to get up & grind leading into “$1 & a Dream” featuring Jamal Gasol optimistically talking about their day coming.

Jae Skeese joins Heem on the song “Graceful” starting the final leg of Bars & Noble 3 with my what could most likely by my favorite feature of the 5 in my personal opinion anyways asking to pray for them while “Family Tree” talks about his upbringings sampling soul music. “Warring Ave 2” finishes the trilogy with another sequel to a Long Story Short standout telling us more stories of him growing up in that very street of his hometown.

The original Bars & Noble was a solid dedication to all of the people in his circle who’ve been around since Day 1 & it’s sequel this spring at him at his wisest, but Bars & Noble 3 compared to it’s predecessors feels like a mix of both at times although the list of guests & some of the production doesn’t interest me all that much. By no means am I saying it’s wack, I simply prefer the earlier installments above this most recent one & that’s that.

Score: 6/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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