Nov 2, 2020

$NOT - Beautiful Havoc

Since X’s death, the whole South Florida’s scene bit on a downward spiral. Pump and Purpp’s short-lived hype is all but over. Wifi and Ski Mask have faded off into the background and the incarcerations of Kodak and Melly put heavy dents in an already battered looking scene. Sure we’ve still got Denzel. Plus Rod Wave and 9lokknine seem like they’re gearing up to build solid careers, but that excitement that was bubbling back in 2016-17 is long gone.

$NOT has given me a new perspective though. I initially wrote him off as a generic Juice-WRLD ripoff/industry plant type figure, but to be fair never really gave him a fair chance. His second album of the year - Beautiful Havoc - which dropped this Friday has completely changed my mind. This kid is good. I especially like the way he pulls all these south-Floridian sounds together into a cohesive one of his own; the confessional raps of --- and Wifi, the energetic animation of Denzel or Ski Mask, the brashness of Kodak and the weird melodic crooning of someone like Melly. He melds all of these together on album opener Watch Out, (and adds a SGP-esque Triple 6 sample in the mix for good measure), but the entire album follows suit.



Juice WRLD is clearly a strong influence, but he never lets the crooning become overbearing. Between every Cole Bennett-y Revenge (which has grown on me like a b----, I gotta say), there’s jaunts out into threat-laden s--- talking and hard-as-nails collaborations with Denzel Curry.




I don’t know who the producers are on this album but props where they’re due: the thrashy, bass-heavy home-made sounds that Ronnie J and his ilk popularised 3-4 years back are out in full force here, and $not gives each its due, alternating between baritone rumbling chants all the way to RapCaviar/Lyrical Lemonade fodder.




At some point I’mma have to go back and check out his previous music but glad I gave this chance. He’s one to watch out for. And adds some much needed new blood coming out of the Sunshine State.

 

Nov 1, 2020

Busta Rhymes - ELE 2

Its been 11 year since Busta last put out a proper full-length project. Given the length of most of his previous albums, its to be expected that the follow up to his 1998 classic was going to be a long-ride. And despite the much greater appeal of the shorter album format these days, I gotta hand it to Bussa Bus. It sounds like he put his heart and soul into this. There’s filler - as you would expect (crazy to think that 2 I Know What You Want remakes dropped on the same day in 2020…. and Trippie Redd had the better of them). Theres also a few moments of very old head energy (skinny jeans? really?) that seems to be a prerequisite nowadays for almost any rapper over 40. But besides for a few hiccups, the 22-track 78-minute album is an incredibly well-thought out and detailed summary of Busta’s entire career, a flawed, but admirable and enjoyable legacy rapper throwback album.



The first leg is an especially great throwback to Busta of the 90s, with that insane off-the-wall energetic flow bouncing around and growling and shrieking in 100 different accents at once, with the unmistakable ‘hoo! ha!’ thrown in all over the place for good measure. Features from ODB and MOP add the perfect touch of classic NY in the late 90s. And who tf woulda thought we’d get such a monumentally great Rakim feature in 2020?? Things get more 2000’s Busta-ish towards the middle of the album - some of the songs miss, some of them hit.



It does start getting long-winded towards the tail-end of the album, but a few other major highlights pop up - include a beautifully orchestrated collaboration with Kendrick Lamar over a Jackson 5 sample, and an immaculate closer that takes me directly back to listening to the first edition of ELE.



I would have loved some measure of quality control but s---, I’m glad Busta finally got this out. And that it turned out as well as it did. There are plenty of legacy acts desperately reaching back into the past to try recreate that magic and its rare that one actually captures the sound and feel of their original music without coming off as trying too hard. It just goes to show that despite his lack of a certified classic and the few bumps along the way, Busta truly is one of the GOATS. He has a natural gift for rapping that few possess. He was born to do this s---. And almost 30 years since he first showed up combining juice from the mind, he’s still f---in got it.

 

Oct 24, 2020

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: GUCCI MANE & 1017 Brick Squad/The New 1017

Allow me to Stan for a moment. I’m deadass serious when I say Gucci Mane is top 5 DOA.

Maybe the only thing holding him back is his lack of a conventional ‘classic album’. Despite the gargantuan volume of music he’s put out (and enough if it to make at least 3 all-time hip hop classics), he’s never made that one defining body of work that would propel him to the undeniable GOAT (yes, ahead of Nas, Jay, Pac, Biggie, etc.).



But is not just how good Wop is at rapping, its his influence that is surely unmatched in hip hop history. First there was Flocka, who, unsurprisingly, dropped one of the best and most influential albums of the last decade under Gucci’s tutelage. Then there was Future, Young Thug, and Migos - all of ‘em owe their careers to Wop. So does Chief Keef and the entire movement he inspired. So does Travis Scott tbh. So does the ‘class of 2016’, 21, Kodak, Uzi and Yachty. So do the newer Lil Babies, Gunnas and Keeds of the world. So do the legions of producers he’s brought to the fore - from Shawty Redd to Zaytoven to Honorable C.Note to Metro to Southside to 808 Mafia and every single one of those rappers and producers’ millions of imitators. Gucci wasn’t lying when he claimed them all as his children.



Since his 2016 return from prison, Gucci’s output has been just as relentless, and although maybe not as well received as his earlier work, still mostly excellent.

Put it in context. Gucci’s contemporaries like Tip, Ross, 2 Chainz and Jeezy are all in their 40s now - mostly all still putting out music, but also mostly just coasting on their previous success (I’ll give it up to 2 Chainz though, he’s still on fire). Wop has just entered his 40s too, but rather than show signs of slowing down like his peers, he’s starting all over again - inspiring and putting on an entire new generation of rappers, not only from his hometown but across the map. The legendary 1017 Brick Squad Records has an entirely new roster and they’ve just put out their second album of the year, the first being a ‘bonus disc’ of sorts tacked onto Gucci’s last full length solo So Icy Summer.


Following the initial compilation, and then a freestyle series which had each of the new signees try their hand at killing a classic Gucci instrumental, So Icy g---, Vol. 1 dropped last week, to surprisingly little fanfare. This time around though, the full New 1017 roster gets the space to bounce around in the spotlight with label-boss Gucci never never far off, but never over bearing. Its clearly the more well-formed and cohesive project of the two and the more I listen, the more evident it becomes that Gucci’s ear for talent hasn’t missed a step.

Spoiler: New 1017 Freestyles

I’m still getting familiar with each of these artists, but this is the breakdown of what I’ve learned (and enjoyed) from each artist so far:

Foogiano


ATL native Foogiano is brimming with charisma and star potential. (His first 2 major hit singles came directly off the So Icy Summer compilation, one of which received the remix treatment featuring DaBaby. Not only an adept rapper, but also hilarious with a flow that bounces in and out of weird patterns and rhythms, almost something Floridian-like. Watch out for this dude, he’s going places (and that “MAWB” adlib is pure gold)

Pooh Shiesty

.
It is admittedly, a pretty bad stage name but hey, the kid’s only 19 years old. He can still change it. Shiesty’s signing to 1017 tightens the already strong ATL-Memphis connect. His initial come up was one with the Memphis-based Chain g--- collective, alongside BIG30 (who also appears on a lot of these songs but isn’t an official signee). An ice-cold flow brimming with violent threats (which happens to work insanely well on a Tay Keith beat) brought him to Gucci’s attention, and his appearances on both compilations have been outstanding.

Big Scarr

Named for the scar on his face (the result of a car accident), Big Scarr is another South Memphis rapper on the new 1017 roster. Scarr is Pooh Sheisty’s cousin and although he has that similar Memphis drawl, the content of his writing seems more focused, more reflective. He has two major hits already, both featured on the latest compilation.

Roboy

Hailing from Tampa, Fl, Roboy’s R&B crooning brings the 1017 Southern states cypher to completion. I gotta be honest, I’m not sure if Roboy’s hitting as well as some of the other new 1017 artists. I’ll give Wop the benefit of the doubt, but there’s a dullness to his voice that isn’t working for me so far.

So Icy Girlz

Texan emcees K Shiday and Enchanting make up So Icy Girlz, which I guess is 1017’s answer to City Girls. I haven’t heard either of their solo stuff but their contributions on both compilations have all been dope.

The affiliates:
I’m not sure why exactly none of these artists are officially signed to the label, but all of them have close working ties with Gucci and the New 1017. All of them seriously talented. There are more (e.g. BIG30) but I can’t claimed to have listened to all of them. Of those I have:

Ola Runt

Ola was supposed to be the New 1017’s first signee - he had the chain, the Gucci co-sign and even a feature on his debut album. But he’s been notably absent from anything 1017-related since. The details aren’t clear but somewhere along the line the two stopped talking, which is a pity because Ola’s a talented rapper and had been putting out some great music this year. Hoping this is just a hitch in the road, but only time will tell.

Wavy Navy Pooh

A new QC signee from Miami who dropped his debut QC album earlier this year, and more recently a single named after, and featuring Mr. So Icy himself, with an instrumental that interpolates Gucci’s classic Wasted. No signs of any 1017 affiliation just yet but when the chemistry with Wop is this good you gotta hope there’s more to come soon.

Mulatto

Probably the best known of the bunch, with her biggest claim to fame being on the latest XXL Freshmen list (her freestyles were pretty good too). The stage name is… an interesting choice to say the least but there’s no denying the talent, the charisma and the potential. Her debut album released earlier this year was pretty good and I’m sure there’s more to come soon.

No idea why I wrote this lol but there you have it.

I guess I’m so invested in Gucci’s story and am always fascinated to try figure how certain sounds and styles all link and mesh together, how the DNA of certain rappers gets passed on to others over time. Like Thug and Future, Gucci’s one of the best case studies of that and this new 1017 is such a clear attempt at prolonging and lengthening an already incredible line of heritage. Its like out of nowhere he’s just carved out an entire handful of up-and-comers, given them platform and let them run loose. Most of them are clearly still undeveloped but who knows? One of them might just become the next Flocka or Sosa. Or they could all flop spectacularly lol. Either-way, given Gucci’s 20-year track record so far, its worth paying attention when he speaks up imo.

 

Oct 20, 2020

WEEKDAY b-----r



Ah man, the internet.

Last year July, an 18 year old Dallas-based Lil Loaded uploaded his debut 6locc 6a6y single to YouTube. In October the video still had zero views until Polish Youtuber Tommy Craze happened to stumble across it and decided to do a 'reacting to music videos with 0 views'. Now, a year later, the video has 21 million views. 2 weeks ago Lil Loaded released his debut mixtape, with a 6locc 6a6y remix featuring NLE Choppa (there's also features from Polo G and YG).
The song itself absolutely deserves the attention its got - Loaded's fire and aggression in his delivery is irresistible, his gravelly-voice sounds like that of a hardened vet. He's furiously beating on his chest, hurling out threats and boasts but you can almost hear the desperation in his verses - "my brother in the ground n!gga, skeleton and bones/and my uncle doing life, he ain't neve coming home" - it was either this or an early grave. I for one - am glad as f--- It landed up being the former.

 

Oct 10, 2020

THIS IS PERFECT

 

Oct 9, 2020

@Sav Stanfield have you listened to Flee Lord? The guy released like 10 albums this year lol. I found him pretty interesting on the Frank Murphy (awesome song title btw) track from Westside Gunn.

Pray For Evil is a short and sweet album with great production that uses samples/beats we've heard in hip-hop before but it's pretty fresh.



Also has an album with Pete Rock



A little bit of a Sticky Fingaz vibe.

Still need to check out some of the stuff you posted here..

 

Oct 8, 2020

Weekday b-----r:

MC Eiht - Honcho ft. Conway the Machine & DJ Premier


Eiht and Premo linked up for a full length album back in 2017. I don't remember much of it, just that it didn't really grab my attention. The vets link up again, this time with Griselda kingpin Conway thrown in the mix and the results this time round are electrifying. Conway - as he has been all year - is in particularly savage form: "fifty clip in every stick I carry.... I'm a VISIONARY"

 

Oct 4, 2020

Artist spotlight: Spank Nitti James

This is typical of how I discover music these days. A Freddie Gibbs binge session on YT leads me to a song that isn't on streaming services featuring a rapper I've never heard more than holding his own alongside Gangsta Gibbs over a simple but effective murky instrumental that sounds exactly like the barren Californian desert where the video was shot. Freddie kills it, as expected but there's something interesting about Spank Nitti James. He's halfway between Freddie's furious stream-of-conscious and the rapidfire new wave of west-coast rappers.



This leads to another one, a massive head-b-----r, high-energy, blatantly west-coast back and forth collab with with Dudadamthang (what a stage name!).


Now I'm intrigued and I've gotta check out a full project from this guy. His latest release is Wiggle Nation till my Cremation, released in June. The first song has me hooked. James' energy is infectious, he's barrelling over a gigantic, clean piano loop with no goal in mind, just a furious non-stop barrage of whatever comes into his mind. This s--- goes.


The rest of the short EP follows suite, with highlights being Bomb p---- (which effectively samples the classic, eery chant from DPG's Death Row debut), Ain't Stepped On, another frenzied punchline spectacle and Pill Popper, which sounds like something from the Shoreline Mafia/Drakeo camp.



Spank Nitti James is by no means a fully developed artist yet. He draws from disparate regional sounds and meshes them together into a sound of his own making. He may completely disappear off the map in the next few weeks or may continue to improve and attain some level of success. Who knows anymore? But he's already released an incredible volume of high-quality music and he's given me something to return to. If you like the songs I've posted then check out the EP.

 

May 31, 2021

Last week was STACKED. There's still a couple of projects I wanna check out but for those I did....

Young Nudy - DR. EV4L
This album - like all Nudy albums - sounds like you're floating through a nightmarish haunted traphouse while demonic creatures poke their heads through the cracks, cackling while you frantically search for an exit. But this one is particularly evil. or EV4L. There's no Pierre with his bouncy weirdness to balance out Nudy's murderous streak and the result is a claustrophobic carnival of threats and taunts and strange flows and vocal inflections that comes together in - maybe not Nudy's best album - but his most sinister to date.


Yung Mal - 1.5 Way Or No Way
ATLien and former 1017-signee (just before the New Memphisian roster came on the scene), who's been dropping some really good trap over the last 2 years or so. Nothing groundbreaking, but this one's a compact little project with a great selection of booming instrumentals and solid guest features.


18Veno - Space Route
A 19-year old Veno was tragically murdered earlier this year just as his career was starting to take off. And it was a promising one at that. High energy, sharp, charismatic and with a great ear for instrumentals that matched his animated flows and delivery. Thos beats were mostly courtesy of frequent collaborator Neako who produces the B*** of Veno's posthumous debut. And unlike other recent high profile posthumous albums, this one actually sounds like it was finished, or close to being finished. It flows consistently from front-to-back, with Veno effortlessly demonstrating his multifaceted talents. Another one gone far too soon.


CEO Trayle - Stay Dangerous
I've posted about Trayle before - a weird offshoot of the Thugger family tree (there's even a song on here called Barter 6) who slinks and slides and crawls in between the cracks and crevices of the most incongruent beats he can find. This is his second album following his 2020 debut and I'm astonished at how much Trayle's grown and developed in the interim - as a rapper and a technician that is. Its clear he's taken to spending more time on his bars, brimming with clever wordplay and complicated multi-syllabic patterns and flows, all delivered in that creepy, slimy Georgian drawl. There's something incredibly magnetic about it. I'd highly recommend checking this one out.


SpottemGottem - Most Wanted
BeatBox became a cultural phenomenon but the question is if there's more to FL's SpottemGottem than a tiktok meme? He's clearly trying to replicate the success of BeatBox : almost every song coming in at under 2 minutes, instrumentals that are so stupidly simple but undeniably catchy and spazzed out Floridian flows. Its highly possible he'll stumble onto another hit but its clear he's still got a way to go as a fully developed artist. Fun little listen though.


42 Dugg - Free Dem Boyz
My introduction to Dugg (apart from We Paid) was his Young & Turnt 2 album from last year. It was fun. The diminutive Detroit rapper seemed like a fun guy, despite that kinda ominous spaghetti Western whistle. Free Dem Boyz is an entirely different story though. Its essentially a concept album and besides for the retro 80's lead single with Roddy Ricch, this is one of the darkest and most morose releases of the year. Its built around that Helluva-like bubbling discoish Michigan production thats been creeping its way across the rap landscape in the last few years but its mostly just background noise. Dugg takes front and center stage as he delves into the hardships he's faced over the course of his life, the g--- violence, the criminal justice system, the tragedy and the heartbreak of lost family and friends. Its not by any means a fun album and even with killer features from labelmates EST Gee, Rylo Rodriguez and the aforementioned Roddy, stays in a dark and frankly terrifying place throughout its runtime. I'm still not sure if I even like this album but d---... this was a helluva (pun intended) listen.


YG & Mozzy - Kommunity Service
The novelty of the Belly album art and 2 of the best in the West going back forth over the Wanksta beat wore off quicker than I thought it would. This was a fun little project though and I'm glad these 2 came together to do this. They complement each other so well. Some great features, a couple of big hits, a couple of big misses, but overall I'd say positive positive. Like almost everything YG's put out since SB it sounds kinda rushed though. Like the results of a day or 2 in the studio together, nothing more. I'd definitely check in for a sequel though if there is one


Mach-Hommy - Pray for Haiti
Best for last. I mean, there's not much more to say that hasn't been said already. A strong early contender for AOTY. A masterclass in technical brilliance, Mach finally stepping out into full form after a few seemingly half-hearted releases, this one with all the shiny art-rap extras and grimy boom bap frills Griselda/Gunn has to offer - the sequel we've been waiting for since HBO dropped backed in 2017. And god d---, it does not disappoint. Flashes of Pac, Hov, Nas, DOOM, Mos Def, coated in Kreyol, dripping in sly, elegant tricks of the tongue that not many others could even dream of matching. I can't wait to see what else these 2 crews have cooking up. I'd love to see Droog and Fahim get pulled into the Griselda-sphere (or vice versa) at some point in the future.

 

May 10, 2021

yo who bannered this

 

Mar 31, 2021

I can hear the Gucci resemblance, this is dope. I'll add him to my bible-long list of "I'll check this later".

 

Mar 31, 2021

I've been revisiting all the new 1017 projects since Big Scarr's debut was announced and have found myself bumping the the f--- outta Sheisty Season today. This whole album flows so well, Sheisty's flow is buttery smooth, just so matter-of-factly threatening to take your head off over TP's guitar riffs. He sounds like a Tennessean version Gucci - effortless, swaggering, hyperbolic and catchy as f---.

 

Feb 4, 2021

THROWBACK THURSDAY
Day 6: 2Pac - Only God Can Judge Me ft. Rappin 4-Tay


Describing Pac as a 'ghetto poet' is a cliche beyond cliches, but d--- it if it ain't true. This has always been one of my absolute favorite songs in 2Pac's discography, as he recounts the infamous shooting that almost killed him two years prior. Dripping in paranoia as he recounts nightmares of walking through cemeteries, talking to the dirt, waking up tangled in the sheets of his hospital bed and the frustration and rage that comes of it. Even with the tinge of of hope that there's a heaven for thugs, its still f--- the world. Wrapped in that thick, Funky Wormish, Bay meets LA instrumental (not to mention an oustanding guest verse from Rappin 4-Tay), it might just be the quintessential Pac song.

 

Jan 31, 2021

Day 2: Dee Aura - You Wish


It's simple, but there's something incredibly mournful about Yellow Tape Boyz member Dee Aura's You Wish, as he hops in the foreign as goes too fast over a screwed up Giveon sample.

 

Jan 30, 2021

Alright, time to revive this mfer. Song of the day is back!

Day 1: Big Moochie Grape - Anthony Davis



January's been slow but there's been a handful of ridiculously exciting new prospects cropping up all over the place. Memphis rapper Big Moochie Grape dropped his debut tape - Eat or Get Ate - early last year on Young Dolph's Paper Route imprint, complete with gigantic, 3:00am shut-the-club-down BandPlay production and rapidfire, crunchy Memphisian flows. It went below the radar and was completely outshined by Key Glock's stellar year but Moochie hasn't given up just yet. His latest single features one of Bandplay's best instrumentals yet as he channels his inner Gucci Mane and just lets rip for 3 minutes straight. Watch this space, Moochie's on the come up

 

Dec 31, 2020

Eminem - Music To Be Murdered By: Side B

Eminem’s been off for 17 years now. One of the most maddening things about his continued spiral into mediocrity has been the occasional glimpses of that 99-03 genius peaking through every once in a while. Even at his lowest points (Recovery, Revival), we’d sometimes get a bar or a verse or even a full song that takes you back to that emcee that rapped so naturally, the one that unquestionably does deserve his spot alongside the greats. You’ve gotta hand it to him - despite his eternal war with the critics, he listens to what they say and every album since Relapse has had him trying to correct the mistakes of his previous effort. But its always one step forward, two steps back. Forget the horrendous instrumental picks, sappy pop ballads/collabs and downright stupid punchlines that have plagued all his recent work, its the actual rapping thats disappointed me most: from accents to tone-deaf bellowing to stuttering start-stop flows to overblown supersonic flows, he just can’t seem to get it right.

Like Kamikaze before it, the A Side of MTBMB was another decent step in the right direction, but still a far cry from the Marshall Mathers that put out three consecutive classic albums and (arguably) killed Jay-Z on his own s--- 20 years prior. But somehow, some way, the little-hyped, under-the-radar release of MTBMB, Side B is the best collection of songs Eminem’s put out since…. Relapse? Encore? Speaking of Encore, MTMBB almost feels like a direct sequel to Encore - goofy, playful, pretty bad in parts but most importantly, with an actual revival of that witty, tongue-in-cheek, mischievous South Park-like villain that conquered the world back in his heyday. Tone Deaf may as well be an MMLP or Devil's Night leftover. Discombobulated - despite it a clear Relapse throwback - would sound right at home on TES. The album centrepiece - Gnat is a version of the new Eminem that finally gets it all right. The flow is on point, the writing just as convoluted and technical as you’d expect, but for once its (mostly) focused and topical and relevant. And somehow, the rest of the album mostly follows suit.

We’ll never know how the s----stirring Eminem from back in the day would fare in the modern era, but he's sure as h--- given it his best shot. "Does Bill Cosby sedate once he treats to cheesecake and a decent steak?" It might be 15 years too late but d--- its good to hear the real Slim Shady again, even if it is just in glimpses.

 

Dec 30, 2020

10 Albums thats stuck with me in 2020

Much to @icecube 's (understandable) bewilderment, I listen to a s--- ton of music. And 2020 was - by far - the year I listened to the most. The never-ending torrent of new music, coupled with working from home, has allowed me to discover countless new artists and I’ve found myself enjoying music I never thought I would. But at the end of the day - even with the constant influx - there’s some music that just sticks with you. There's plenty of HM's that could have made the list, and these may not be objectively the ‘best’ albums of the year, but these are the top 10 that stuck with me throughout the year, and are bound to stick with me for years to come.

10. J Hus - Big Conspiracy
Despite my move to the UK in 2019, I’ve still never taken the time to delve into grime/UK hip hop scene as much as I’d like. I’ve enjoyed the occasional album or single from Stormzy, Skepta, Wiley, etc, but no other UK rapper has grabbed my attention like J Hus on Big Conspiracy. The step-up from his debut - a good, but somewhat run-of-the-mill album - is tremendous and the cohesiveness, the detailed writing, the fusion of genres, all comes together perfectly.


9. Conway the Machine - From King to a God
2020 was the year everyone really started paying attention to Griselda. And even with Westside Gunn’s biggest and best album yet, Benny continuing on his winning streak and the addition of Boldy to the crew, it was the Machine that took the medal home with an album that is both classically Griselda-esque, but also deeply personal, masterfully produced and has been in constant rotation for me since it dropped.


8. Blxst - No Love Lost
By far my favourite new discovery of the year. And I have @awhellno to thank for this. Blxst is a natural. Its like scratching an itch that only the eternal melodies of Nate Dogg, Akon, T-Pain and Ty Dolla $ign can satisfy. Cannot wait to see what he does next.


7. Boldy James & Alchemist - The Price of Tea in China
This album is cold. Frigid. Like you’re walking the streets of Detroit in the dead of winter, with Boldy stashing drugs in the glovebox on one side and Alchemist - arguably at the peak of his powers right - stewing a batch of icicles on the other.


6. Lil Baby - My Turn
With a Deluxe version that spans 26 songs, My Turn is not exactly a very cohesive project but it doesn’t need to be. Baby takes the classic sounds of ATL trap that have dominated hip hop for the better part of the past 10 years and and twists it to suit his purpose, updates it to match the chaos of 2020 and introduces you to 42 Dugg all at once.


5. Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake / LUV vs. the World 2
Not much more to say about EA that hasn’t already been said. In the eternal battle between the music and artistic growth on one side and fan service and streaming tactics on the other, Uzi found the perfect middle ground. Give Uzi his flowers, with EA the man has cemented himself as one of his generation’s all-time greats.


4. Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist - Alfredo
Gangsta Gibbs has reached that state of elite rapping very few have achieved. I mean, he already achieved that 6 years ago on Piñata, but he’s barely let up since. Bandana was great but with Alchemist at his side, concocting some of the richest instrumentals of his career, Gibbs re-enters that elite state, insulting and threatening to k--- you at every turn but leaving you nodding and smiling and even laughing the whole time.


3. Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony
Hip hop’s most enigmatic magician finally reveals what (I think?) is his Prestige. And s---, Jay-Z is there too. The prophecy has been fulfilled, and its f---ing beautiful.


2. 21 Savage & Metro Boomin - Savage Mode II
In the 4 years since the first Savage Mode, 21 Savage has honed his craft to perfection. The bars are simple but effective, the flow is monotone but engaging, the ad-libs are the stuff of legend. Metro Boomin has been doing the same, emerging from the trap-house basement - as he does only ever rarely nowadays to bless us with the most cinematic, orchestral, best-produced album of the year.


1. Pop Smoke - Meet the Woo 2
…and the crazy thing is, its not even as good as the first edition. I’ve mentioned before how Pop’s been the soundtrack to my life ever since I first discovered him last year. Its been 18-odd months now and that still hasn’t changed. Its always sad to hear about a celebrity/musician’s death, but I’ve never been affected as much as by this one. Its like that demonic, gravel baritone is imbued with some kind of mystical energy that hits me right in my soul every single d--- time. Its my favourite and by far most played, album of 2020.

 

Dec 29, 2020

Tobe Nwige - Cincoriginals


Houston’s always had a rich history but there was a stage in the mid 00’s - in just the space of 12 months or so - when the scene just blew up beyond anyone’s expectations: Mike Jones, Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, not to mention solos albums from p---- and Bun had everyone gripping woodgrain, fiending for that slab talk. The scene never quite peaked quite like it did back then, but the influence was tremendous (hello A$AP). Nigerian-American Tobe Nwigwe has been drawing attention recently with his inventive, choreographed music videos which he films with his family - his wife and kids - in their Houston home. I wouldn’t have expected Tobe to put together an album that does such a good job of transporting me back to the days when Chamillionaire was my ringtone but with his measured drawl, thick, plodding instrumentals (I think he produces his own s--- as well? could be wrong about that) and features from H-Town legends like Lil Keke, Killa Kyleon, Trae and Bun himself (not to mention a handful of others who all outdo themselves), he’s managed to do just that. @Sign Language i’d love to know what you think of this one.

Spoiler: Spoiler

 

Dec 24, 2020

I'm a business analyst which I guess is a nice way of saying I stare at Excel sheets for 10 hours a day lol. So I always have music on in the background, either whatever new s----s dropped or just let the Youtube algorithm do its thing. When something catches my attention I'll save it and return to it later to listen properly. To be fair lockdown/working from home has allowed me to listen to way more music than ever before, especially now with Tier 4 in London