Tag Archives: Reviews

Review: The Weeknd Recalls His Legacy with Stellar ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’

The Weeknd has officially unveiled Hurry Up Tomorrow, the grand finale to his acclaimed trilogy, following After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022). Released via XO/Republic Records, the album serves…

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“In Case You Forgot”, Coast Contra Reminds the World Who They Are with Marco Polo (EP Review)

Coast Contra is a jazz rap/trap group from Los Angeles, California consisting of RioLozEric Jamal & Ras Kass’ twin children Taj Austin & Ras Austin. Their debut album Apt. 505 in the spring of 2022 received significant acclaim & their debut EP The Old Way the next fall, coming off being featured on Masta Ace & Talib Kweli’s latest albums Richmond Hill & The Confidence of Knowing respectively a year ago by teaming up with Toronto, Ontario, Canada producer Marco Polo for their 2nd EP.

“Mountain Climbers” begins with this jazzy boom bap intro wanting everyone who’s working all day to know that their time is on the way & to keep climbing making way for “‘08 Obama” to work in a soul sample mixed with kicks & snares talking about everything they cook being raw, but then “Shanghai Tower” gets romantic over a luxurious boom bap instrumental. 

The other half of the EP gets going setting out to make it right with their partners on “Been a Minute” backed by strings, kicks & snares while “Sunday Regulars” realizes obedience bringing a gospel/boom bap twist. The dusty, piano-driven title track wraps up Coast Contra’s finest work as a group with that shit you can’t fuck with.

These guys’ rise to notability has served as a breath of fresh air to hip hop fans due to the raw talent, complex lyricism, camaraderie & infectious personalities of all 4 members celebrating a decade together with the project that I’ve always wanted Coast Contra to make capitalizing on what makes the group so special. Marco Polo’s production strongly caters to boom bap, jazz rap & samples of gospel & soul music perfectly backing the quartet in reminding everyone who they are.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Jamie Madrox Has “More Music You Don’t Wanna Hear from Someone You Barely Like” (Album Review)

This is the 4th solo LP from Detroit emcee, singer/songwriter & former Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) commentator Jamie Madrox. His start as 1/3 of the House of Krazees alongside The R.O.C. & Monoxide, the latter of whom would join Mr. Bones in signing to Psychopathic Records in late 1997 as Twiztid & becoming one of the biggest acts to emerge out of the label that runs beneath the streets under the Insane Clown Posse’s wing for 15 years until forming Majik Ninja Entertainment to do it themselves. Jamie briefly went solo in the mid-90s off his debut EP The Demon Inside & the full-length debut Sacrifice, returning over a decade later for the Psychopathic-backed sophomore effort Phatso & a couple months ago on The November Brain. And with Twiztid getting ready to drop their 17th album Welcome to Your Funeral produced by Zeuss a couple weeks from now on Valentine’s Day & Juggalo Weekend, the multiple man has More Music You Don’t Wanna Hear from Someone You Barely Like.

I’m “This Ain’t No Safe Space” is a solemn boom bap intro produced by Fritz the Cat welcoming y’all to the story of The Great Skull & the Graybow whereas “Man on the Edge” takes the trap route instrumentally courtesy of Grady Finch not giving a fuck what they gotta say. “Frazzled” fuses boom bap, rap rock & trap thanks to James Garcia or the artist formerly known as Young Wicked giving middle fingers to everyone above the criticism prior to “Free Fall” not wanting anyone to think he isn’t afraid because he is.

Moving on from there, “Sunny Always Forever” serves as another trap/rap rock hybrid talking about having enough problems being himself rather than wondering what it’s like being you while the only single “Fairy Tale” switches it up with a rock ballad singing that he wants things to go back to the way it used to be. “Am I Allowed 2B Me?” gets back on the hardcore hip hop vibe wanting to know if he can be himself just before “Fallin’ Out the Sky” returns to the boom bap talking about there being a lot of stories between here & greatness.

“Rotate” begins the backend of More Music You Don’t Wanna Hear from Someone You Barely Like by experimenting with the Detroit trap sound explaining that it’s always the same fate when it’s him against them while “Until I Become Dirt” brings a morbid trap flare refusing to stop grindin’ until the wheels fall off. “☠ Don’t Like Me ‘Cause I’m Already ☠” ends the LP showing his versatility once again singing on top of this upbeat instrumental feeling alone.

It’s only been a couple months since The November Brain initially came out & despite me still enjoying it more than Phatso due to both the rawness of it & the amount of guests, More Music You Don’t Wanna Hear from Someone You Barely Like goes above & beyond the predecessor. The production mostly handled by Grady Finch & James Garcia is more consistent pulling from boom bap to hardcore hip hop, trap & rock music with Jamie showing his versatility as an artist by rapping stronger of even a couple tracks highlighting his singing abilities.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Madopelli Links Back Up on “Suffer Not Dishonor” Following Solo Endeavors (Album Review)

California City horrorcore duo Madopelli back together again for their 4th studio LP. Consisting of M.A.D & Ant Dog, the pair have also gone on to drop a couple of mixtapes & EPs ever since forming in 2016. Their sophomore effort albeit Lyrikal Snuff Productionz debut No Bluffin’ proved itself to be Madopelli’s most refined work to date both lyrically & sonically to the point where they were instantly accepted within the Gorehop realm. The follow-up Stories from the Sanctum later resulted in both members making their LSP debut as solo artists with Sadistic Symphony & M.A.D (Me Against Death), coming off their feature on IOUz couple weeks ago with Suffer Not Dishonor.

After the intro, the title track is an uncanny opener talking about rather dreaming on than losing all their love for the game whereas “Breaking the Mold” samples blues music telling everyone listening to never give up the fight since it could be worse. “O.M.G.W.T.F.Y.D.” (Oh My God, What The Fuck Y’all Drinking?)” shows a more carefree attitude dedicating this to all the drinkers & after the “Descend into Madness” skit, “Save Some Time” dabbles with trap waiting for the rain to come down & wash them away.

“Murder Glow” aggressively breaks down their mission of getting LSP on top of the underground leading into “Bad Side” featuring Scum bringing the trio together for a skull-smashing trap metal cut talking about putting you out our misery once you’ve crossed the line with them. “Perfect Place” brings a regular trap flare to the table feeling like you’re gonna die while “This Life” sends prayers to the lost souls hoping they find peace.

Mikahl Lawless joins Madopelli on “Superstitious” stacking up dead bodies on the 13th floor talking about everyone who’s said the trio has always had an irrational belief or practice that is based on magic or chance rather than reason & prior to the outro, the final song “Really Mid Faces” rounds out Ant Dog & M.A.D.’s first body of work together in a year & a half.

Both halves of the duo spent 2024 focusing on crafting the finest solo efforts of their careers last spring with their respective LSP debuts & 10 months later, they’re linking back up to drop off their 3rd album since signing to the Gorehop powerhouse & reaffirming their ever-rising status as one of the biggest acts on the label. The production draws from trap music to trap metal, sampling blues music & hardcore hip hop bringing the type of wicked shit that’ll make the squeamish suffer.

Score: 8/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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MIKE’s New Album “Showbiz!” Lifts the Curtain on the Everyday Realities of Life on Tour (Album Review)

Livingston, New Jersey emcee MIKE ending the first month of 2025 with his 7th studio LP. Breaking out a decade ago off his debut mixtape Winter New York, he would continue to make a name for himself by churning out 4 more tapes as well as his previous 6 albums & 8 EPs full of amongst the finest abstract hip hop that you’ll hear within the last decade. Standouts include May God Bless Your HustleWar in My Pen & even the Faith is a Rock collab effort with Wiki entirely produced by The AlchemistBurning Desire has become his best work yet & 10 months after Pinball, he’s back in Showbiz!.

“Bear Trap” strips the drums with some jazzy & abstract elements thrown in to get us started talking about his future being in the music industry whereas “Clown of the Class (Work Harder)” works in some heavily sampling to break down him still hustling during a new day. “Then we could be free..” turns the jazz rap influences up again explaining there’s shit you can’t replace for the cheese like a bracelet just before “Watered down” soulfully talks about those reducing the force or effectiveness of their styles.

As for “man in the mirror”, we have MIKE going for a peppier vibe instrumentally to discuss his adaptability leading into “Artist of the Century” hooks up a prominent flute so he can talk about putting his life on the fact that he’s the best making music in the 21st century. “What U Bouta Do? (A Star was Born)” featuring 454 sees the pair coming together suggesting that being in their shoes is a scary route, but then the calming “Belly 1” produced by Harrison talks about shit being cruel & never deter.

“Da Roc” kinda has this glitch hop/trap vibe throughout admitting to feeling like JAY-Z at times & that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s rockin’ with y’all while “The Weight (2K20)” takes the drumless jazz rap route taking about struggling with the shade & the passive abusiveness. “Lost Scribe” smoothly cautions a war going every time he’s scribing wanting his respect when he’s throwing the dice while “You’re the Only One Watching” gets on the drumless, chipmunk soup tip thanking God whilst talking to the sky.

To get the other half of Showbiz! started, “Lucky” hops over these crooning background vocals making his mission clear that he’s out for every bag as he can possibly take while the woozy “#82” assures that he can piece a broken heart together. After the “Too Hot” interlude, “Pieces of a Dream” experiments with some dub undertones throughout the jazz rap lead single acknowledging the rain ain’t done while the groovy “Strange Feeling” talks about tryin’ to skip the jump rope of life & puttin’ his life into this shit since it’s only 1 go.

“Zombie 2” entrancingly picks up right where the Burning Desire highlight left off conceptually reflecting on when he was once blind not seeing shit & leaving it up to the God’s since he’s tired of achieving while “Burning House” goes for a soulful, psychedelic 2-parter talking about learning how to be a part of something rather than the whole thing. The drumless title track warning that people know better than going against him while “Spun Out” suggesting having too much heart for this shit & possibly running out.

The song “Miss U” officially reaches the final moments of Showbiz! with MIKE taking a backseat vocally allowing duendita to demonstrate her singing chops for a minute & a half R&B joint serving as a bridge to the track “When It Rains” apologizes for his lyrics getting dark wondering if it’s bad the feelings he once had for this woman departed me since he hardly hits her line anymore. “Diamond Dancing (Broke)” closes the album hoping to stay close before he feels a certain way & there being no better way to cope once going separate ways.

Considered as a spiritual successor to Disco!Showbiz! lifts the curtain on the everyday realities of life on tour absorbs an era of influence with MIKE’s use of lounge music records whether it be pitching up neglected soul singles & ultimately creating his own style as opposed to the predecessor moving to the rhythm of carefree dancefloors. The sounds of drumless, experimental hip hop, jazz rap, trap & dub pair up with MIKE’s abstract lyricism to make his point that he’s more than an artist.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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V Don’s 3rd EP “Sent For” Marks His Black Soprano Family/Roc Nation Debut (EP Review)

New York producer V Don curating his 3rd EP after signing to Black Soprano Family Records & Roc Nation Records. In the past 15 years, he has become one of the most in-demand producers that the underground has seen working with the likes of Willie the Kid to Ransom & Estee Nack in addition to his small handful of solo efforts including the debut album The Opiate & his last EP Better Than Money. The latter celebrated its 3-year anniversary earlier this month & is returning with Sent For.

“Mafia” by Eto is this gritty boom bap opener talking about never sitting in a spot if he could never landlord it whereas “Fortunate” by Hobx & WhoisBravy hooks up some strings along with kicks & snares to discuss staying putting in orders in order to maintain the baller mentality of theirs. “The Same Day” by Benny the Butcher & Conway the Machine finds the pair talking about goals coming together doing something to your soul leading into “Episode” by Lloyd Banks boasting that his life’s complete.

The song “Too Much” by Al-Doe & Willie the Kid reaches the backend of Sent For by going drumless suggesting you should take it if you like what you see from them while “Old Kemba” by BabyMaine & Ty da Dale returns to the boom bap talking about staying hands on with the work. “Know Me” by Elcamino & Sule closes V Don’s debut with B$F/Roc Nation with both MCs giving headshots as if they’re photographers & that you better act as if you know what the deal really is.

Whether it be the Deutsche Marks saga or B.R.A.P. (Born Rewards & Penalties) & the Chaos is My Ladder duology, V Don’s case in being one of underground hip hop’s most in-demand producers has already been made clear as day in the past 15 years & his Black Soprano Family/Roc Nation debut takes it a step further introducing himself to a wider audience. His signature hardcore boom bap sound remains the same & he recruits a mostly high tier list of performers to kill his beats.

Score: 8/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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King Syze, Planetary & Reef the Lost Cauze Take Us Through “Murderers’ Row” (EP Review)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania emcees King SyzePlanetary & Reef the Lost Cauze coming together for a brand new collaborative EP produced by the Snowgoons. All 3 of whom are members of the Army of the Pharaohs collective, with Planetary making up the duo OuterSpace alongside King Syze’s brother Crypt the Warchild year prior to AotP’s formation. Reef on the other hand did a stellar collab EP with King Syze a decade ago called Year of the Hyenas & are getting back together on Murderers’ Row with Planetary by their side.

After the titular intro, the first song “Yard Rec” is this boom bap opener talking about everyone listening up in case they don’t know by know whereas “Royal Family” featuring Planetary’s children ELEMXNT joined by Kxng Charisma & Trxstworthy serves as the only track without Reef the Lost Cauze talking about liking scary things. “The Most Imperial” grimily lets everyone know the type of people they stay rollin’ with just before “Heat Wave” talks there being too many lames.

“Death Penalty” gets the other half of the EP going by working in this piano-driven boom bap instrumental warning everyone that last year was their last year while “187” find a trio of setting out to make murdering an artform. The closing track “Something Outta Nothing” officially rounds out Murderers’ Row by mobbin’, stealin’, grindin’ & hustlin’ in order for them to achieve the goal they’re going for.

Year of the Hyenas holds a very special place in my heart since it came out in the winter of 2014 during my senior year of high school & I played it heavily then since it was one of the most stressful time periods of my life, but Murderers’ Row recaptures the energy of that previous collab EP & adds Reef the Lost Cauze into the equation excellently. The Snowgoons’ signature boom bap production combined with the performances from each AotP member make for an exciting hardcore hip hop experience.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Ghais Guevara Releases Highly Conceptual Debut Album “Goyard Ibn Said” (Album Review)

Ghais Guevara is a 24 year old MC, producer & political activist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania starting in 2019 under the original moniker Jaja00 putting out a total of 8 mixtapes & 3 EPs in that span of time until signing to Fat Possum Records this past fall. His music is known for expressing simmering anger felt by Black communities shocking & raising awareness among white listeners, coming off all has 5 singles he’s dropped off ever since his new label deal gearing up for his official full-length debut studio album

After the Act 1 intro, the self-produced “The Old Guard Is Dead” begins by talking about becoming everything that everyone else didn’t want him to whereas “Leprosy” warns that he rolls with the killers that be packin’ it up & being the ones. “3400” acknowledges the amount of miles he is away from the hood & yet still can’t take it out of him, but then the 2-parter “I Gazed Upon the Trap with Ambition” cautions that his squad stay keeping the sticks on them.

“Monta Ellis” featuring Yoko McThuggin’ advises that you’re not really an all-star since you’re a startup & to check behind them while “Yamean” featuring FARO finds both of them asking where the palates at calling out everyone out here who doesn’t have any taste whatsoever. “Camera Shy” hits the function in fashion showing off his favorite designer brands & after the Act 2 intro, “Bystander Effect” featuring Elucid & produced by DJ Haram pleads not to come their way since neither of them have time.

Meanwhile on “4L”, we have Ghais talking about making sure you’re good for life while “The Apple That Scarcely Fell” featuring McKinley Dixon hops over a drumless loop talking about everyone wanting to put an end to them. “Branded” is this orchestral trap hybrid proud that he made it out even if he didn’t capture everyone’s hearts while “Critical Acclaim” talks about knowing one’s intentions & said individuals catching bodies for praise.

“Shaitan’s Spiderweb” nears the conclusion of Ghais’ full-length studio debut cloudily discussing having too many hoes in his phone these days while the closer “You Can Skip This Part” wraps things up on a chipmunk soul note asking who’s gonna take the bullet for him & who’ll take a shot for him when it comes down to it all in the end dancing for these crackers calling everyone else crackers in the process.

Inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 film Persona which Ghais says “opened my mind to the concept of the deflated self as a result of trauma” to the books Black Skin, White Mask & The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat by Frantz Fanon & Oliver Sacks respectively, Goyard Ibn Said for it being his Fat Possum debut is more conceptual acting as a fictional anti-hero. Act 1 highlights the glory & spoils of mainstream hip hop stardom & Act 2 takes a surprise turn, focusing on the tragic experiences faced achieving that success through the sounds of east coast hip hop, experimental hip hop, hardcore hip hop, chipmunk soul, conscious hip hop, trap, spoken word & gangsta rap.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Isaac Castor & Foul Mouth Are “Smoking Caterpillar” on “The Rabbit Hole 3” (Album Review)

Detroit, Michigan emcee Isaac Castor returning after 2 years for his 3rd full-length studio album. Coming up in 2010 under the original moniker Gameboi, he would go on drop 4 mixtapes & 3 EPs prior to signing to the local underground hip hop powerhouse Middle Finger Music following its formation 8 years later. He then enlisted the label’s co-founder Foul Mouth behind the boards for his full-length debut The Rabbit Hole & the sequel ahead of the trilogy chapter Smoking Caterpillar.

“Here They Come” is this boom bap-driven opener tryna get the money while he’s still here & assuring that he ain’t ever behind whereas “I Ain’t Fresh?” keeps it in the basement instrumentally dropping off battle bars for a few minutes. “Blind” has a soulfully & jazzier vibe talking about finally living in the mountains leading into “Why Should I Die?” hops over some horns, kicks & snares to call himself a diamond in the sky.

Kain Cole joins Isaac on “Cash Rules” planting the seeds whilst everyone else is camping while “Sidetracked” talking about all these other MCs selling out instead of him & refusing to do so. “Customer” maintains a boom bap edge promising 2025 gonna get ugly just before “Shadow Realm” featuring J-Classic & Mvck Nyce bringing the trio together so they can all flex their pen-game.

“Time for Jazz” hooks up a crooning sample talking about ditching the lazy habits he used to have, but then “Gotham” compares himself to Batman here to save the city. “Spin Itch” heads for more of a rap rock direction feelin’ cold blooded while “No Comp” featuring Jalen Frazier & Tone Plummer reminds everyone that you play by the rules if you in the game.

The song “Thoughts Runnin’” nears the end of the final chapter in the Rabbit Hole trilogy Smoking Caterpillar promising that he’ll break your head wide open so he can examine the contents of it while the closing track “Live Wire” aggressively rounds it out talking about going through the cycle all over again in the midst of him growing.

This upcoming spring will mark the 5 year anniversary of The Rabbit Hole in addition to the sequel turning 2 a couple weeks from now so whether Isaac intends on continuing the series with a Rabbit Hole 4 or a completely different body of work within itself, The Rabbit Hole 3: Smoking Caterpillar takes everything that made both of it’s predecessors the most essential listens in Isaac’s discography & elevates them. Foul Mouth builds his production around boom bap, jazz rap & rap rock with Isaac’s lyricism going from hardcore to introspective.

Score: 9/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Scum Pays Off a Couple “IOUz” (Album Review)

Here we have the 16th studio LP from Denver, Colorado emcee & Lyrikal Snuff Productionz founder Scum. Starting as a member of an experimental grind/noise band called Down Syndrome about 29 years ago, his solo debut Enter the Asylum just turned 20 this past winter & has outdone himself plenty of times since. Case in point: The GorefatherOut with the Old & recently his 3rd EP Bad Uncle fully produced by Chapter 17/Psychopathic Records in-house producer Devereaux. I also found myself enjoying the previously mentioned Dyin’ World Chroniclez trilogy of course too & paying off some IOUz almost 9 months since Anti-Human.

The title track featuring Smallz One starts with this grisly trap intro paying up & making a deal with the devil whereas “Not Us” apocalyptically talks about representing the outcasts of the outcasts. “On My Behalf” brings back the trap vibes showcasing his bilingualism rippin’ the mic in both English & Russian respectively during his verses prior to “What I Want” featuring Rysk suggesting you’d already be dead if they wanted you gone.

“Snuff Lab” offers a heinous trap flare instrumentally morbidly breaking down his murderous tendencies & saying that Jesus hung up on y’all while the ghostly boom bap joint “Tell Me” featuring Our Inner Circle asking if there’s something you haven’t told them yet. “Skeet Skirt” keeps it in the basement slaughtering anyone trippin’ leading into the sample-driven trap cut “Neva Good Enough” featuring Chloe Killz talking about that very feeling.

As for “When That Bill Due”, we have Scum on top of these ominous synthesizers to talk about revenge never being too late just before “Free 2 Rot” featuring Mista Doesha clarifying that they’ll probably never live up to the expectations of others. “Blown Off Heads” cloudily discusses headless corpses literally being unable to speak with police, but then “Whatever Awaits” featuring Madopelli & Mikahl Lawless returns to the boom bap heading towards what’s on the other side.

“Necessary Evil” gets the encore of IOUz going on a villainous trap note reassuring the fact of every story needing a villain while “Reburn” by M.M.M.F.D. energetically talks about pyromania. “Giving Up” ties up the Gorefather’s first body of work in 9 months feeling as if there are heavy chains attached to his legs getting ready to go for a swim off the edge a cliff & the chances of surviving being very slim.

Apologizing for being less professional & on point from time to time than everyone else deserves, the LSP founder has a reached a point where his life-long tab is due for a payment & IOUz is the best way he knows how to do it. All profits from the limited run of personalized & signed physical copies will be donated to a non-kill animal shelter owing them too since as an animal lover & not doing as much as he should to help.

Score: 8/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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