Collector Reviews: Cannibal Hulk by Ill Bill & Stu Bangas

Ill Bill & Stu Bangas compliment their own style with a serving of comic violence on their joint EP Cannibal Hulk.

Ill Bill wasn't initially a rapper I giving a lot of playtime to, but as I delved into the east coast underground scene it became clear that his discography was not to be ignored. I had really been impressed with Bill since Black God White Devil back in 2017 and since then I've found myself gravitating to his style of violent and intricately woven rhymes.

I think the same can be said for Stu Bangas as well. I have been hearing his production across my album collection for a number of years already but I've only really aware and anticipating his music releases for the last two years or so. In that time he had production credits on albums from Apathy, Vinnie Paz and Sean Price, as well as the second installment of Watson and Holmes with Blacastan.

Ill Bill and Stu Bangas had never worked front to back on an entire album before, though Bill is no stranger to production from Stu Bangas with their first collaboration as early as 2013. Rumors of a full project from the two of them began as early as 2017 with the album finally arriving on March 29th of 2019 on a joint venture between Uncle Howie Records and Brutal Music.

Beginning with the title track, we see the concept of Cannibal Hulk applied to Bill himself as well as a fictional hallucinogen that transforms unsuspecting customers into cannibals. Stu's instrumentation is gloomy and menacing with alternating snares woven together by frantic piano melodies. I'm glad that Bill opens the record with such a long verse as well. A strong start and tone-setter.

The record keeps getting stronger with the second song "Antron Singleton". The song opens with a news clip before sinister guitars emerge with impactful snares and cymbals. I like that the cannibal theme is applied in a different way for each song. Ill Bill and Goretex have always had good chemistry but the frequency of their collaborations has picked up in recent years. This song is just so tough all the way through I can't play it without scowling.

"Yo Gamma Gamma" seems to sample some dialogue from a Hulk cartoon. Though its a short skit, it does demonstrate another example of how flexible the Cannibal Hulk theme is across the EP.

"World War Hulk" is kind of the posse cut with Goretex and Slaine lending vocals. I wasn't initially into this beat but, I've grown to appreciate the intricate drum breaks and wild guitars. Ill Bill has an entire bar dedicated to a sound effect but it does match the manic delivery of his verse. Goretex has a sharp verse it's clear these four artists are having a lot of fun on this one. The best feature on the album has to go to Slaine as he switches flow patterns and ends rhymes before and after snares while still pushing his vocabulary as far as he can.

The skits carry on with "Green Sabbath". Bill is always great at digging for news clips that convey the supposed bad influences of metal music. It's a cool throwback to the themes of the music videos from Black God White Devil.

My favourite beat can be found on "Russo's On The Bay". Stu laces strings over some real ominous keys. These keys sounds like a music box from a horror movie. The snares by itself is kinda thin and doesn't have much impact so I'm glad there's tambourines layered on every other snare hit. Vinnie Paz's contribution is as gruesome as it is extravagant. Ill Bill return fire with similar braggadocio and satanic references. "Russo's On The Bay" is another hit from Heavy Metal Kings and if there is a third installment to their groups catalog I hope they include beats from Stu Bangas.

An Ill Bill project isn't complete without references or nod to Bills late Uncle Howie. "Scumbags" brings us a sound byte of Uncle Howie reminding us to think before we judge. While it doesn't really tie into the next song it does help slow the record down a bit for the contemplative song that comes next.

My favourite song overall is "Joe Fixit" featuring Snak The Ripper. Stu's drums keep momentum up and are paired nicely with piano melodies and rising strings. Bills tone lessens but his language still stays pretty abrasive. I always get a chuckle out of Bills line "poop in Rihannas mouth/shoot up your mama's house." The hook is easy to memorize and I can see the chorus going over well in foreign markets with the crowd callouts that run in the background of the chorus. Snaks gets more personal as he references the different levels of success he's had throughout his career. I also gotta give Snak his props for using the word osteoporosis in a rhyme.

"Shiva Call" is another highlight on the record. Stu brings more melody with strings sections and gentler drums. The string section on this song might be my favourite bit of instrumentation on the record. Ill Bill slows down his flow a little bit. Shit, even Goretex seems to be rapping at a more reserved register as well. Bills verse has some highlights like "My friends rip ATMs out of wall with tow trucks." It's a similar vibe to "Bad Hombres" from Black God White Devil with a larger focus on acoustics and atmosphere.

We close the record with the first promotional single "Hulk Meat". Stu Bangas bring probably the spookiest beat on the record with haunting piano melodies and low rumbling drums. Bill and Goretex have cool enough verses I'm just not crazy of the direction they took with the hook. There's heavy pitch and distortion over the vocals. So much so that, I'm STILL trying to decipher what's he's even saying.

Pros: Ill Bill and Stu Bangas definitely were hands on with beat choices and the chemistry is really obvious off the first couple of tracks. Even when I'm not drawn towards a beat or some of the verse blend in, I can still appreciate the tentativeness of it all. It's as hard hitting as you want it to be but still plays with your expectations with songs that play with melody more than percussion like "World War Hulk" or "Shiva Call". Bills featured friends really deliver on their contributions as well.

Cons: Though the intentions of each song always succeed its still just a question of what I liked of not. There's a few beats and verses that in comparison to others that don't grasp my attention. The other gripe I can think of is with it being three years since a solo Ill Bill album, I would've liked to see a longer track listing.

In the end if Ill Bill and Stu Bangas end up making these collaborative projects a regular thing, similar to Watson and Holmes or any number of Bills side projects, I would look forward to it. Bangas understands the tone and range of Bills music and can tailor a perfect mix. I hope there's more full length projects they work together on even if I'm not loving 100% of it. Much like Czarface (another comic infused rap act) they could have their best album coming later in their discography.

Collector Reviews: Harvard Dropout by Lil Pump

Sike! Damn you really thought I'd review some garbage like this?

APRIL FOOLS.

More underground reviews to come though.

Collector Reviews: The Bridge And The Abyss by Jedi Mind Tricks

Though it has less focus than previous efforts, The Bridge And The Abyss is held up by brilliant production and more than a few hits.

The Bridge And The Abyss bears some resemblance and relation to 2015's The Thief And The Fallen from its album artwork to the inclusion of C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz to the production team. Yes Alexander also returns for several interludes as well.

The album was recorded throughout 2016 to 2018. The Bridge And The Abyss is also the first JMT record to have an excess of material from the recording process. Over forty songs were initially prepared before being whittled down to nineteen. We had an initial ball park of a 2017 release but the album was eventually announced to come out on June 22nd of 2018.

The album opens with "Al Bid Aya" establishing the tradition and tone of a Jedi Mind Tricks album. We have Yes Alexander returning from Thief And The Fallen to deliver vocals on this intro as well as a few more songs across the record. I can't say this is a huge highlight for me but it does add some backstory and intrigue. I like to start the album all the way back here for the added theatrics.

Our real kickoff happens with "San La Muerte". This banger wastes no time with assaulting organs and sweeping drums from Stoupe and C-Lance. Vinnie gives the ferocity you'd expect from an album opener. I like the hook it reminds me of "Steel Sharpens Steel" from The Cornerstone Of The Cornerstore with the style of hook we get. Even as the lead single I was just kind satisfied by this song but not really blown away. It's a decent start though.

"Rashindun Caliphate" is kind of a filler track for me. The beat is one of the gentlest on the album from its echoing woodwind instrumentation to it's tumbling drums. Even Vinnies vocals come off more reserved on here too. It's a vibe for sure but I'm usually skipping ahead to the more explosive songs that come after.

"Frescho & Miz" was a song I didn't expect to love as much as I did. Often times Jedi Mind Tricks is known for their religious or occult lyrics and they have fittingly ethereal production to boot. On this track however, we see Stoupe lacing up some real fun mixes of soul and funk. Bouncy brass sections and tumbling drums are the perfect backdrop for Vinnie and his multi syllabic schemes. We truly have one of the catchiest songs on the album here and the beat fades out slowly so we can groove to it a little bit more.

Another strong track is "When The Body Goes Cold". I like our opening monologue before we hear the signature cymbals and kicks from C-Lance with rattling hi hats and some real sinister keys. I'm not sure what sounds and addictions come from Stoupe and what comes from C-Lance but I definitely hear a drum pattern that reminds me of C-lance style so perhaps Stoup handled the keys and synths.This song also has one of my favourite hooks on the record.

One of the only duds to me was "What She Left Behind". There's quite an intense story being told here. Vinnie assumes the character of a father on the edge of sanity. Our protagonist is threatening and hurting his family over a an extremely slow beat. This song reminds me of Immortal Techniques "Dance With The Devil" in that there's an extremely grim story being told and the appeal of it mostly comes from the shock value of how the song ends. However, I still don't really bump this as its quite an uncomfortable listen.

"Death Toll Rising" is a favourite of mine from the record. Stoupe demonstrates his talent for sampling different languages. Vinnie is having a blast over these slamming drums. Lots of mafioso tropes and flow switch ups hold my attention. There's less storytelling so far on this album but I'm okay with that if he's having this much fun throwing punchlines together. Leaving the hook without lyrics was a great idea so we have time to appreciate the instrumental.

The album flows into our first interlude entitled "Shed The Skin To Receive The World". Though it lacks any rapping, I love the arrangement by Stoupe and the fade that is applied to Yes Alexander and her singing. I let it play through most times.

"Certified Dope" kicks off my favourite act of the album. Stoupe serves up quite an untreated sample as a playground for Vinnie's double time. Eamon belts out a fantastic chorus among electric guitars and tambourines. The drum breaks are wicked fun as well and I know how much further a third verse would've gone because all the talent involved here seems to be really flourishing together. The Eamon song from The Thief And The Fallen was a highlight even back then. Good batting average for this team so far.

My favourite song from this album is "Hell's Henchmen". This song is hard off the rip with kicks and basslines that rattle my car and one of favourite snares. Our instrumentation varies from 8-bit keys to furious strings and crashing cymbals that supply the fuel for some of Vinnie's toughest verses on the entire album. There's more than a few attempts at aggression on this album and I think "Hell's Henchmen" is one of the stronger cases for it. Cool hook as well showing great vocal range from Paz.

"God Forsaken" was a song that didn't exactly set the world on fire for me now that I'm thinking about it. Vinnie's attempts to rap faster have grown in popularity since fans heard his verse on "God Particle" from the Army Of The Pharaohs album In Death Reborn and for the most part, it's led to some great songs in the last handful of years. This one however, just doesn't hit the mark for me due to the instrumental being a tad overwhelming. Lots of rumbling bass hits and our hooks is quite messy as well. I can't explain where, in my iPod or music collection full of aggressive and experimental music, the line is drawn but, this song goes over it. Between the clutter of this instrumental and the appeal of simply listening to the other double time song that has an Eamon feature, I skip this one often.

Despite the previous track, our second acts still remains my favourite part of the album. The final song from act two, "Legacy Of The Prophet" is a definite high point as well. Stoupe, C-Lance and Hiltz connect with tumbling drum breaks and rapid kicks woven into some very cinematic strings. Sean Price lends one of final recorded features and my favourite vocal guest appearance on the album. From Sean delivering a timely Trump diss and Vinnie asserting that "[they're lasting forever]" its just a true demonstration of the chemistry that Paz and Price had together down to their final recordings. Vinnie snaps on the second verse as well. It's hard to accept that P passed away while still dropping heat like he does here.

As we transition into the third act, we reach our second to last interlude, "Void Ritual". I like the drums and Yes Alexanders lyrics are less edited so it sounds a bit better than the one from earlier. Probably my favourite interlude. Worth playing through as it adds to the tone and continuity of The Bridge And The Abyss.

Another later favourite of mine is "You Have One Devil But Five Angels" which kicks off with bass chords and frantic pianos. Our kicks and snare guide us into Vinnies braggadocio and the cuts are fierce too. This beat has quite an ensemble of instruments from the flute, organ and bass. Vinnie has some tough bars here similar to the style we got in the first act. Mostly the beat is perfect and Vinnie know just what to do with it. Easy highlight.

"Marciano's Reign" wasn't a highlight at first but I love it now. Much like "Certified Dope" Stoupe selects another sample. It's quite a heartfelt passage with Vinnie comforting his son and teaching him how to process pain and loss. The music video really ties it all together with depictions of how difficult it is to leave children behind to goes on tour. A great moment of humanity to break up the rest of the albums aggression.

"Torture Chamber" launches into explosive cuts and drums. Inspectah Deck takes the opening verse by storm and Esoterics maneuvers through some intricate flows into the second verse. It's not the first time we've heard Czarface and Vinnie Paz together, however, with Vinnie Paz featuring on their self titled debut. It is exciting to hear them over a Stoupe beat versus the tone of a Czarface record. It definitely brings something different out of everyone. This song is so late in the record I often forget its coming on so I definitely feel like I don't play this song enough.

The record loses some momentum as it goes on with "The Letter Concerning The Intellect". Stoupe delivers quite a strange beat. The lead sort of riff for this beat is simply singing reversed and then looped. It bizarrely works and leads us into Vinnies rhymes. His delivery pauses between each line to gives us a peek through to the instrumental. Its nice break for melody.

"Making A Killing" was a surprise to me. Much like the "You Can't Be Neutral On A Moving Train" series, C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz conduct over six minutes of music. This beat moves through few different tempos and grooves while Vinnie delivers an animal rights song. No, really. It kind of works. Though the message is spectacular, I find this pattern of lengthy and informative songs to be a little long in the tooth at this point. This song, along with other parts of this album, seems to blur the creative borders between JMT and Vinnie Paz as a solo act. I do love the instrumental here as it breathes through pianos, guitars and several drum patterns.

The album wraps up with "What Falls Is Fallen" featuring the most lyrics from Yes Alexander but it's somewhat squandered by still having the shortest running time of any of her passages. Much like the rest of this album the interludes seem to spread the narrative rather thin to pad out the runtime or accumulate more streams, we really could've done with one of two less of these intro/interlude moments and just focused on making two perfectly necessary Yes Alexander moment rather than four that convey less.

Pros: Vinnie has great history and chemistry with all producers involved. Instrumentally, there's notable high points and great ideas being brought forward. Yes Alexanders vocals add the same wonder and intrigue this time around as well. It's also very apparent that Vinnie Paz is still sharp with his pen. And new topical songs like "What She Left Behind" and "Making A Killing" show that the conscious and imaginative reputation of Jedi Mind Tricks is still intact.

Cons: Despite having similar artwork and the same production team as The Thief And The Fallen, The Bridge And The Abyss actually shares more with Vinnie's recent solo efforts like The Cornerstone Of The Cornerstore and The Pain Collector. We see the focus shift from the usual promise of JMT tropes to the looser, less pertinent braggadocio that emerged from Vinnie's solo catalogue. I still got a good serving of bangers his time around but I do hope the cohesion increases on the next Jedi Mind Tricks album.

After it's over, The Bridge And The Abyss lands somewhere in the middle of JMT's discography. There's more duds than 2015's The Thief And The Fallen but also about the same amount of likable songs. Vinnie is still at his best for most of the vocals and the production has it's own unique tone due to the recruiting of Scott Stallone, C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz. The interludes don't hold my interest as much this time around and the somewhat ballooned length only succeeds in adding extra songs I'm not fond of. But again, I loved the unity and vision that Jedi Mind Tricks albums usually have and hope to see a tighter narrative with the bands next outing.

Collector Reviews: Off The Rails by Snak The Ripper

After tragedies and miracles, Snak The Ripper return to the fold with Off The Rails.

The album was recorded across 2017 and 2018. After touring heavily throughout 2016, he was beset by a family emergency and removed himself from the spotlight. During this hiatus he continued to record music and returned to touring for the summer of 2017. In hindsight he really only disappeared for under a year. Though news on upcoming material was eerily quiet.


Snak also confirmed on his social media that he and Jaclyn Gee were expecting their first child. In February of 2018, Snak began releasing singles but was careful to reveal any album plans until their son was born. He continued to drop singles until the album was released on August 16th.

The album starts literally where From The Dirt left off with Snak stepping off of the train we heard him catch on the final seconds of his 2016 album. Slowly a snippet of some psychiatry recordings emerge. It's an intriguing intro that blends in a little better than his last attempts at skits. I actually like him starting the LP like this. "Off The Rails (Intro)" is mysterious and builds interest.

"Say My Name" was instantly resonating. Not that this cut is particularly ground breaking in terms of substance as it brings a pretty familiar tone. Snak always kicks off the start of his albums with his signature style of banger. You can find low brow and mischievous bars all across this song. It's more the conviction in his delivery and his rhyme schemes that draw me in. C-Lance composes one of his most sinister and commanding beats as well. I'm already noticing the theme of Snak coming into each song harder and hungrier than ever before.

One of my personal favourites is "I Ain't Dead". Elements of trap and boom bap are mixed very tastefully here by Starkore. The snares and kicks slap nicely and the hi-hats are at a comfortable volume as well. Snak drops lyrics affirming his self confidence as well letting us know hes still alive and kicking harder than ever. I love the break down of this beat as the tempo picks up on the second half of each verse and Snak reacts accordingly with some great double time. It's one of the shorter songs on the record so if I had a complaint that would be it. We can always rewind it though and I always do.

"Knuckle Sandwich" was a bit of a let down for me. Sure there's a grimy beat and Snak and RA are delivering some vicious 24 bar verses but, I just can't shake the fact that is a song they've all made before. It's Snak and RA being as offensive and loud as they can for as long as they can. It even feels like C-Lance has made a beat like this before. For the A-list roster that this song has, the style and tone are just too predictable. Decent hook though and Snaks breath control is already better than it was on any of his previous works. Still, it should be more of a highlight than it is I feel.

As a great standout and one of the lead singles, "I'm Good" works for a number of reasons. From Starkore's glossy and contemplative trap beat to Snaks lyrics about financial stability this song is a great end to other songs Snaks had like, "Eight Hours A Day", "Famous And Broke" and "Stress". His seemingly overnight mastery of double time is displayed here too, though the hook is tastefully slower. He's finally experiencing the spoils of his success but he's still saving money keeping his eyes on his future. His persona of being rowdy and out of control has been pretty well documented in his music and stage performances and this is just a well written and well composed evolution. Other lines about being a role model for his son, learning not to lend out money to old friends helps affirm his growth as well. His life just seems to finally be falling into place.

Of course we have to bounce back to the obnoxious stuff again with "Real Drugs". The second single chronologically, has C-Lance returning on the boards. It's similar to "Knuckle Sandwich" in that it's another off the wall Snak song. I love the hook and the drums are pretty heavy on this too. There's only sixteen bars on this one so it doesn't feel as long as "Knuckle Sandwich". The hook showcases his classic gravely singing but like the rest of this album, there's noticeable improvements to Snaks vocal range.

"Hour Glass" features a beat by Snak himself. Furious hi-hats and gloomy keys punctuate some speedy verses from Young Sin and Snak. There's a cool subject to this song as well with them both diving into their limited time on this Earth and reminding us of the urgency mortality brings. Evil Ebenezer has an appearance on the hook and kills it. It's not my favourite song on the album but, its one I'm often restarting. I should note that Young Sin has one of the standout features on the record as well but Snak still competes on the second verse.

The final single "All Out" featuring Rittz is another strong point on the album. The music on this one is crazy with wild guitars and rapid cymbals accompanying our smashing drums. Snak and Rittz tear through their verses with vicious double time and internal schemes. Snak brings his classic gravely signing to this hook once again. Of all the C-Lance and Aaron Hiltz beats here I'd say this is my second favourite. There's great progression and this song has crazy momentum that builds with each bar but I find that during Rittz's verse the song gets a little slower. It's not a detriment I just wish the music continued to build through the second verse. The hook still explodes at the end of the song so it is a small critique.

The albums second half begins with "Ashes". Snak recounts his fathers battle with cancer in a one of the most raw and thorough storytelling songs I heard in 2018. He recalls his fathers strength while wrestling with having to watch someone he loved decline in health. The production on here is perfect too this beat on it's own conveys the same feelings as Snaks lyrics. Great match. Its one of my favourite C-Lance beats ever and the hook is mixed the perfection so you really feel each note. "Ashes" is a song we can play over and over and it won't stop being powerful. There's really not much room for criticism on a song like this. It's emotionally heavy so I'm not always in the mood for it but for the subjects it covers, its perfectly written.

"Baby Boy" I believe, is pretty solid as well. Snak details his anticipation and excitement for his sons arrival with Jaclyn bring some reassuring lines in the hook. The song is another case of a perfect beat being mixed well. There's recordings of their ultrasound timed to the beat and the drums shuffle along against gentle guitars. The mixing and fading on this album is another strong point and it was at about this point of the record where I really started to queue into it. The song is actually structured similarly to "It's Over" from Snak last record Off The Rails in that we have verses and bridges from Snak and the beat changes to accommodate Jaclyn's singing. I gotta give it up to this song however for having just a little bit more humanity. I also find that with the matching music video that "Baby Boy" stands as one of the more solid collaborations from Snak and Jaclyn period.

"Driftin" has Snak on the road recounting the way his life has unfolded. The warbling synth keys and tumbling drums match Snaks reserved tone quite well. I love the juxtaposition of meeting fans and performing in front of massive crowds with catching flights and booking hotel rooms. It's like despite being surrounded by people while he's on tour there's an element of solitude that he finds peace in. Almost as if artists need to be nomadic to keep their sanity. Also this beat, even with it's short loop just keeps you nodding the whole way through. It was a good call to let the beat ride out at the end.

After those more mellow and reflective songs, we reach my favourite song on the record. "Shania Twain" sees Snak collaborating with the recently formed Jamo Gang. J57 brings some real slamming drums and cymbals. Ras Kass and El Gant both have some of the best guest features on the record. The fact that hook mentions all the members in the song is exciting too. In today's age of emailing verses back and forth its nice to hear three rappers in a cohesive way like this. And again, despite the talent recruited here, Snak drops the best verse of the song towards the end. How is this dude improving so fast? I have to play this at least twice every time we hear the album. Everyone here went in.

"Criminal Ideas" is a little lukewarm for me. Similar to Knuckle Sandwich, the song does exactly what you expect it to do and not a whole lot more. The beat from C-Lance features his usual crashing cymbals, opera chops and haunting pianos. Ill Bill brings a solid enough verse but with the impact of Black God White Devil, I can't help but be underwhelmed. I can't rap any better but I definitely feel like he could. D-Rec does bring some fantastic cuts and scratches for the hook, however. Reef The Lost Cauze brings my favourite verse on the song and Snak finishes the song up with some decent bars as well. Honestly my least favourite parts of this album are songs like this. This just feels like it came too easily for everyone involved. Sometimes I'm in the mood to play this song all the way through but it still feels like a song everyone one of these guys has made before.

The album has a terrific third act, however, that kicks off with "Paid Up". Marco Polo, who previously produced "Premium Dope" from Snak's From The Dirt album, returns on the boards here. The song starts with heavy kicks and snares that are some of my favourite on the record. Synths and organs back Snaks stories of persistence and work ethic. The song breaks into some relentless chopping in the second verse similar to "I'm Good" that we heard earlier. One of the best displays of his improved breath control is on this verse.

"Highs And Lows" has to be one of my favourite conceptual tracks on the album. C-Lance supplies high noted keys with more relaxed percussion while Snak opens up about overcoming his cocaine addiction. Prior to this album, there really wasn't much evidence of clues that Snak had been struggling with it and that only adds to this song. He talks about his addiction journey as if it's a on and off again relationship. The first verse portrays Snak immediately losing authority over his cravings and he cascades into addiction hard as Tiago Vásquez brings resolve and strength to the chorus. Snak recalls his clarity and confidence now that he's clean and provides a bit of a twist on the finishing line with the only direct mention of cocaine on the whole song.

We close the album with our first single chronologically, "Lesson Learned" was released the February before the album came out. Even hearing it prior to the rest of the album, "Lesson Learned" introduced us to a more seasoned Snak. We instantly knew what ever album this song was going to be a part of that in that album we'd hear significant growth and pertinence. Vokab brings multi layered snares that crash along to Snaks advice and recollections. I also adore this hook I find it to be very wordy but also clear and easy to rap along too. It was a perfect tone to begin his releases of 2018 with and a fantastic closer once it made the track listing for this album.

Once the record was through, I still knew that Off The Rails was Snak strongest and most confident outing yet. He more ambidextrous than ever this time as he explores his past, present and fearlessly goes into his future. Different aspects of Snaks character and important plot points are already hinted at on the front cover and the actual music sticks to those threads quite well. As a matter of fact I think the story sections of this album could be my favourite parts. The more boastful stuff is still impressive and an improvement upon the last album, however.

Pros: This is really feels like the most introspective Snak has been for an entire album. Even beyond that, his technical ability and breath control is greater this time around too. Most of the features sound really hyped to be here as well. The production is pretty satisfying no matter what your tastes are and even the bangers that I should be tired of at this point still have their moments. A great mix also shows off Snaks confidence in trying new vocal styles.

Cons: Pretty early on we figure out that the mature and transparent songs don't really compliment the bangers. These songs of wild energy translate well into a live show but I still found more enjoyment in the internal stories Snak was telling between the bangers. Maybe I just wasn't in the head space for it but I don't find myself shocked or drawn in by that kind of zany presentation anymore. I've heard lots of underground rap trying to "shock" me over the years.

Collector Reviews: WakeDaFucUp by Onyx & Snowgoons

Onyx return with some timely aggression with the help of the Snowgoons production on 2014's WakeDaFucUp.

Almost ten years after their previous album Triggermotetry (2004), Fredro Starr met DJ Illegal of the Snowgoons during a show in Europe. Fredro appeared as a solo artist on the Snowgoons album Snowgoons Dynasty in 2012 and the group appeared on their subsequent album Black Snow 2 for the song "Do U Bac Down."

In March of that same year, Onyx and The Snowgoons released this collaboration album WakeDaFucUp to critical and commercial success. The album was the bestselling CD on UndergroundHipHop.com for the year and XXL listed it in their "Top 25 albums of 2014" countdown. It's also worth noting that the group had their smallest roster yet with Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz being the only returning members.

The album opens with "WakeDaFucUp Intro" I mostly skip this one considering its just a thirty second snippet of the title track. I can however, understand the motives of putting this opener. It was a good choice for a longer intro and beat drop when you consider the explosive energy that the majority of this record will give you.

Our first real song comes in the form of track two, "Whut Whut". Despite the slower flow from Sticky and Fredro and the sleeker more contemporary drums from Snowgoons, we are quickly reminded of the tone of Onyx and their talent for choruses. It's not the most memorable song we're gonna talk about but, I can bump this and it's fun.

"We Don't Fuckin Care" showcases our first features on the album. This song has one of my favourite beats. Crisp keys and shuffling drums add a great flavour of desolation to each bar that our talent spits. Fredros' chorus has some great spaces for us to really bob our heads and hear the beat. I like Stickys' punchline of "Birth takes nine month but a nine mil you die like that" and the finger snap afterwards. One of my favourite lines to rap along to. A$AP Ferg brings one of the stronger guest verses with diverse flow switch ups and internal rhymes. Sean Price opens his verse with a great shout out to Onyx and The Snowgoons. It's not the best guest verse Sean Price has lent to a Snowgoons project but, he does add another unique flow to this beat. A strong song but not quite up there with my favourites.

"Hustlin' Hours" Is another decent banger. I love the bass line here but aside from that the beat is average in comparison to the rest of the record and it's not the most compelling song in terms of  verses either. The pair teams up with Makem Pay to drop some punchlines about trafficking and its energetic enough I just like most of the record more than this one.

"Buc Bac" is one of favourites joints. I love the strings that duck in and out of the beat and the lack of a strong bass line helps emphasize the kicks and snares. It's similar to another song later on in the album called "Hammers On Deck" but one this record they're brandishing guns purely because they enjoy causing chaos. Fredro has some lines here like "I'm disrespectful I know but, fuck you/I know a couple n***** that'll kill you for a buck or two." One of the hardest songs on here I can't rewind it enough.

Our title track still stands out as one of the stronger points on the album. It's commendable to have one of the slower tracks as the lead song of the album. I like that we can hear horrorcore influences across the chorus and into the verses that Dope DOD lends. At the time of recording this album, Onyx had been recruiting international artists to their collective 100 Mad. To choose one of foreign flagship artists to feature on the lead single is a bold move. It's songs like this drive home just how palatable Onyx's sound can be across the world. Queens, The Netherlands and Germany all coming together to prove that not only hip-hop but, underground hip-hop is still viable in other markets. The song itself is grim as Onyx's calls for a course correction away from the "hip-pop" blends that populate the radio stations. There's hard snares, tough lines and a variety of flows from all four MCs. I'd say Skits verse borders on being offensive with some rape references but, there's already so much violence on this album with more to come it doesn't stand out too much. I like Sticky Fingaz verse the most as he's angry but having so much fun at the same time.

Another one of my favourites is "The Tunnel". It's similar to a lot of beats on here as keys and strings support our boom bap drums. Onyx recruits help from Papoose and Cormega in telling their experiences in the infamous Tunnel club in Manhattan. Each emcee lists the atmosphere of the club from it's crime connections and legendary hip-hop figures to the clientele and grit of the club. Every verse describes something different and its as thorough as it is graphic. DJ Danetic also does a great job scratching around our hook.

"The Realest" took awhile to grow on me. Mostly because it's placed between some of my favourite songs and I didn't always play this one all the way through. It's on the shorter side in terms of length and some of the patterns of this album is starting to wear by this point. By track eight there's been lots of piano led boom bap songs and the verses don't jump out at me like they do on other songs. It's listenable but not standout.

I quite enjoy our ninth song "Dirty Cops". I love the perspective here and the hook. "The whole neighbourhood screaming out Dirty Cops". It's a clever way of telling no matter how many street gangs there are and how many hustlers are on the corner that the police remain the most notorious gang. Fredro Starr recalls run ins with the police while Sticky Fingaz warns us of all the schemes police have to arrest the highest amount of people they can. Snak The Ripper finishes up the song ready to fight and refuse cooperation. There's a story tying each verse together and our beat keeps pounding along. Solid track indeed.

"Boom!!" is a great banger. Fredro and Sticky spit some of their better flows on this song. Sticky has some great punchlines like "Fuck your confederate, 20 years later same n**** just a better whip" I love the periodic boom of the bongo (I'm sure it's not a bongo drum but my instrument terminology isn't up to snuff. If you hear the beat you'll know what sound I'm talking about.) There's just a great explosiveness to the lyrics and beat. Love the scratching that closes this record as well.

The last song I didn't feel too much was "Trust No Bitch". The beat here is pretty crazy and even on this song there's something about the hook that I like. The verses and the concept is a little flat for me because it honestly feels like Fredro and Sticky are trying to say bitch as many times as possible. Sticky dropped some line about Southern hip-hop that felt really outdated to me as well.

"One 4 Da Team" is a strong song as well. With the help of Reks, Fredro and Sticky bring great lines about affirming their direction. The three MC's recall the reception of themselves in the media and their journeys through the music industry. All these lyrics are accompanied by one of the more contemplative beats on the record too. It's placed pretty strategically as well because by track twelve you're ready for something slower and more self-examining. This isn't just good because of the contrast it holds to the rest of the album as Onyx has had more thought provoking material in the past. It's just a great combination of the right beat and story being told.

As we get into the final couple of cuts, "Hammers On Deck" is a bit slower but its hard nonetheless. I love the rapid kicks and the beat drop. It's cool to hear Sticky do a hook with a calmer voice. Similar to "Buc Bac" we see Onyx brandishing guns in the way only Onyx can. The song title is always being plugged in each verse and I can see this being great in a live setting.

The album ends with "TurnDaFucUp". This is easily my favourite on the album. No matter the mood I'm in, this one always get me out of my seat. Frantic strings build as Fredro delivers some lines up to the beat drop. On the subject of every hook on this album hitting, "TurnDaFucUp" is no exception. It's commanding and simple like most of our hooks but the energy and ferocity continues into the verses. Even Stickys lines are shriller than normal. Like there's just so much excitement building from this song. Fredro brings more flow and cadence to his verse. I remember seeing this one live in Calgary too and the crowd was going bonkers. Great finish especially when the last few tracks leading up to this were slower. Just in case there wasn't enough bangers they leave you with one more.

By the end of the album you really do feel invested in the energy. There's violence and heart (sometimes at the same time) and the Snowgoons production manages to be masterfully catered to each subject. It's a great working relationship and WakeDaFucUp turned out to be an album that not only hip-hop needed but also the album Onyx and Snowgoons needed in their legacies. There is spots where you find yourself wondering "Gee how angry can these guys be?" but the sequencing only allows for this to happen once or twice.

Pros: WakeDaFucUp still stands as one of the stronger releases that The Snowgoons have been a part of while also stacking up against some of the best releases from Onyx as well. For a comeback album it's everything you'd assume Onyx would sound like in this decade. The hooks all hit, even on my lesser favourites and Snowgoons really lend that raw sound you'd expect.

Cons: I knew what I was getting into with an Onyx album but, fair warning, this album doesn't take any breaks. It's hard and vulgar all the way through. For me that's is good and bad. Also despite the Snowgoons really having a diverse sound in their own discography, they don't always lend the most variety to this album. Lots of eerie pianos and overblown snares can get tiresome. Fredro and Sticky aren't always the most transparent or analytical rappers either. But again. It's an Onyx album you know what you're gonna get.

Collector Reviews: Fightin' Words by Diabolic

After establishing his own imprint, Diabolic holds his own on his sophomore LP, Fightin Words.

After emerging in the early 2000's after part of the rap collective Rebel Armz, Diabolic would go on to sign to Immortal Techniques label Viper Records.

He gained plenty of traction with his debut album Liar And A Thief, though he quickly fell out with the label due to his own money being withheld by Viper. He formed the imprint Warhorse Records in 2013 and began marketing what would later become Fightin Words.

The LP opens with "Diabolical Sound". DJ Premier makes an appearance as a producer as well as on the cuts between verses. It's a very eerie banger that blends haunting strings with impactful snares and baselines. Bolic boasts sharp wordplay and imagination on both verses. While not my favourite on the record, this song is an incredibly strong start.

Produced by Junior Makhno, the second track "Introvert" is a personal favourite of mine. Echoing strings pluck away while various beat drop shuffle against abundant tambourines. While I wouldn't quite classify Diabolics rapping on this as double time, he does bring on of his quicker paced songs here. His affinity for rhyming entire sentences becomes very clear on songs like this. Great hook too.

Our first features come on the third song "Higher". Celph Titled and Swave Sevah. A very whimsical brass section from Junior Makhno builds as Celph opens the track. Diabolic does his thing in the middle and Swave Sevah closes the tail ends. There's a solid hook here and their adlibs remind us of how much fun the three MCs are having. It's also to my knowledge the first weed anthem Diabolic has done. Despite all of that however, it doesn't grab my attention or demand a second listen in the same way some other joints do.

My favourite song on the record is number four "Piss And Vinegar". There's just bars on bars on BARS with this song. The drums are very intricate with slaps and snares shift from being layered together and separate. The verses are twenty four bars or longer a similarly long hook. It's rewarding to memorize and everything rhymes with everything. Great metaphors and lines from start to finish.

One of the bigger records from Fightin' Words is "Suffolk's Most Wanted" featuring RA The Rugged Man. Produced by the Snowgoons, it's definitely one of my favourite beats. Intense strings grind away against persistent hi hats and metallic snares. RA starts the track balancing his syllables with comparison bars and reference from boxing biblical. Definitely one of the top features on the record. Bolics hook and verse bring the title and concept together. They both pick a fun angle to rap and the song establishes Diabolic and Rugged Man as the top scumbags and shit disturbers of Suffolk County. A song of petty rebellion and advanced rhymes schemes.

"Feel Ya Pain" has ENG returning from Liar And Thief to score our emotional section of the record. Bolic is comparing stretching his money to cover bills while balancing the pursuit of his art. He goes on to describe his disillusion with corporate media and promises while also being cornered by custody battles. It's great glimpse into is personal life and morals that sounds similar some songs from Liar And A Thief like "Reasons," or "Loose Cannon". He has his back against the walls again with an even clearer detailing of his obstacles than he's ever written about before. You can hear the evolution. The beat just soars along these high pitched strings and great drum build ups. The beat alone could paint the same emotion as the lyrics. Tie it altogether with a hook that has Bolic reaching out for those in similar circumstances and you'll notice there hasn't been a dull song yet.

Our posse cut "Norman Bates" maintains the momentum with six verses over frantic production from Level 13. Taboo, Locksmith Bolic himself, Nino Bless, Apathy and Coal all bring their most aggressive and vulgar verses they can. Their entries range from psychotic murder to, predatory sex encounters, going on rampages with strong similes and entedres from all. The beats starts and stops, changing drums and has various tempo changes to compensate the syllable schemes of each MC. A repetitive beat wouldn't have been able to handle six verses but Level 13 keeps up the with roster with another one of the albums top arrangements.

"Living In My Head" is another good analytical song. Though the first verse is pretty general, he goes into his own treatment of women and the dynamic of his own relationships. It's great concept of being stuck in your ways despite being challenged to change. Taking aim at people begging for his album release dates is a great reference to the developmental stage of the record as well. Block McCloud brings a great hook too. It's a little similar in tone to "Feel Ya Pain" and though I like the emotion of the former better, there's some motivation to bump this song too. "Living In My Own Head" is, to me, the first point of the record where there's slight repetition.

There's lots of fun to be had with track nine "My Attitude". Our second beat joins potent and rapid snares with electric guitar strums to bring a great vibes of mischief. Diabolic assumes the role of essentially a grown up Bart Simpson. He's petty, out of control and rebellious purely because he know it'll piss someone off. He starts bar fights and disturb shit so much the bank is denying him loans. The song is just a hilarious anthem for anyone never learns their lessons or becomes timid with age. Diabolic acts like he's gonna be a brat forever and "My Attitude" makes it work.

"Victim Story" is exactly what it describes. BP brings some heavy keys and quick drums. Diabolic shares two verses of kids falling into journeys of self destruction after bullying pushes them over the edge. Both the young man from the first verse and the young woman from the second have clear backstories and motivations to drive their actions. I can't spoil the endings but it's pretty heavy and well paced. While it's not the livest song on the record, the heart and bold approach to the subject of bullying keeps this song on repeat.

Our title track hit pretty hard too. C-Lance crushes it with foghorns and explosive snares. For an album such as "Fightin Words" the song brings just want we needed to hear. Cocky aggression hits you across three vicious verses. There's plenty of obnoxious lines and scheme switch ups to make this song a go to for any gym or locker room playlist.

Track twelve "Game Time" invites us into the ring with another couple of features. 5th Seal brings jingling tambourines and hard kicks with boxing bells. There's great lines sampled throughout the hook. I love the roster on this album but their contributions are a little inconsistent. Maybe because Diabolic is the less established rapper of the trio and he raps a bit harder. I've just heard more exciting features from Sean and Vinnie. Still all three on the same song is a powerhouse and I'm playing it lots despite my pickiness.

My anticipation of "A.M.E.R.I.C.A (Truth Part 3)" wore off quick. As much as I like the details and scope of Diabolics political records, this one pales in comparison to Part 2 from Liar And A Thief. I think the beat ENG had the second time was a bit harder and more gripping. I wasn't fond of the hook either this time around. I probably skip this one the most out of the whole record despite the knowledge it drops.

"Here We Go" lightens up the third act with the catchiest beat on the record. Level 13 keeps the loop simple and knocking while Bolic and Coast keep the pace up with their chemistry. I love the third verses where they join up and trade bars too. You can't nod your head enough to this one.

The other Snowgoons beat shows up on the penultimate song "Bad Dreams". Diabolics temper flares as he feuds with baby mams and disrespectful label executives. There's a lot in common on this song with "Feel Ya Pain" but, here the beat is more aggressive and Bolic tackles his opposition with more anger than before. The intense tone keep it from feeling like the same song, however.

The album closes with "Alien Manuscript" produced by Junior Makhno. I'm lukewarm to this song because there's just not as much focus as there could've been. Our eerie instrumental and the alien character scoffing at Diabolic between verses lends themselves to the potentially rich subject of alien abduction or humanities contact with the fourth kind. His verses don't really bring anything that resembles this concept, however. Still great wordplay but, by the time we get to song number sixteen, simply having bars and rhymes isn't enough. There's songs earlier on the record that do about the same thing as this track so it starts to feel like filler.

Despite the four year gap of Liar And A Thief and this album here, it was well worth the wait. Diabolic catches the listener up with his personal trials, outlandish attitude and disenchanted worldview. It's aggressive and loud while still taking the pertinent breaks for heart and humanity. I'd argue that, despite the revered state of Liar And A Thief, Fightin Words has a leg up as the stronger record. The bars never take a break and Diabolic is analyzing himself and the world around him with more clarity than before.

Pros: Fightin Words recruits a great number of Diabolics friends old and new, and the records length sits comfortably at just over an hour. Diabolic sharpens his song structure while still giving us a lot of the freestyle like verses we've come to expect. I think even despite its sometimes repetitive subject matter, it successfully surpasses the quality of Liar And A Thief. There's more than a couple of memorable beats as well.

Cons: Diabolics cocky attitude wears slightly thin as the record goes on. The split between storytelling and ignorance can be jarring from song to song as well. I still can't help but feel we could've trimmed a song or two.

Collector Reviews: G.O.A.T. by Conway The Machine

Conway and Daringer preserve the grimy nineties on their 2017 mixtape G.O.A.T. (Grimiest Of All Time)

I first heard of Conway from his 2016 feature on Vinnie Paz's song Iron Tusk. Afterwards he seemed to pop up on nearly every album that dropped in the last quarter of 2016. I continued to hear Conway on the Czarface and Snowgoons release of that year before choosing to investigate his solo catalog.

It's also important to note that in spring of 2017, Conway and his brother Westside Gunn were signed to Eminem's label Shady
Records. This marked the first Buffalo rappers to be signed to a major in history. Conway, Benny and Gunn also embarked on a tour across the USA with support from the LOX. Cons relatively short and explosive commercial career (as well as his lyrical prowess and style) has garnered him recognition and approval from the likes of Wu-Tang clan members Ghostface Killah and Raekwon as well as the late prodigy of Mobb Deep (the latter of the two are featured on this record).

The album opens with our title track. Themes of drug trafficking, youth crime and murder are introduced over a very cinematic and dark Daringer arrangement. I like the cadence and flow that Conway does here over the sporadic drums. The beat builds momentum quick with Conways distinctive delivery. It's a great way to set the tone but, I'm usually skipping ahead for the tracks that get me more hype.

"Trump" brings our only producer guest with Alchemist. We get a quick skit before our eerie instrumental leads fade in. The drum pattern is simple with hard kicks and slapping drums. Conway depicts stories of him stalking his enemies in the dead of night with gruesome detail. There's lots of quotables that highlight Conways talent for gun bars. Tongue rolling gun adlibs make entertaining appearances too. There's a great fade out so we can enjoy the drum pattern a bit longer too.

One of my favourite songs is "Th3rd F" featuring Raekwon. I love the sample choice of spinning back some soul singing. Gentle drums and keys do their thing in the background as well. Conway brings great pacing to his rhymes while describing Buffalo in key lines like "I'm from a city n****s get smoked for a half a key" and the Raekwon verse brings the same calm delivery while the lyrics depict some lethal braggadocio. I'm always twisting my dial back to repeat this one.

Onto our next track with "Die On Christmas" opens with a verse from fellow Griselda label mate Benny. Benny brings one of my favourite verses on the whole album here. Flashing back between recalling his incarceration and sentence to pondering on his return to hustling with great bars like "Everyday I take chances that could put me in a prison" or "all my n****s point blank shooters and cheque chasers". I like that there's no break between the MCs contributions here as Conway immediately breaks into his own verse as soon as Benny gives his finishing lines. Conway makes his own case for being hailed as a "great" due to his own accolades and the short time frame hes achieved them in before describing another grim murder scenario. It's a fantastic song that brings intense and thorough verses from both.

"Rodney Little" continues the instrumental theme of eerie leads and dusty drum loops. Conways flow is a little less aggressive but he still won't mince words. He brings more posturing and challenges you to find a harder rapper out. Prodigy yields a comfortable and sage-like flow to his own boasting. I like his bar about "On post release supervision, I'll still get it shakin'."  Rodney Little is a song that is hard but can still relax me. Great for cruising with the windows down.

After the interlude on the end of the previous song the pace of the record picks back up with "Xxxtras". Opening up the second half of the album, this song brings another head nodding drum pattern from Daringer with some fun brass leads. Conways brings more metaphors and references to his vocal prowess and street reputation. I'm not crazy about the fade out lasting nearly two minutes, however. It's a passable song but to me it's not one of the hits.

"Bishop Shot Steel" is probably the slowest song on the record. Despite the language and grit there is some great introspection in comparison to the rest of G.O.A.T.. It's reflective without breaking the consistency of Conways persona. His first entry on the song leaves him dejected and shocked over the betrayal of a friend while he adjusts and recites the lessons hes learned on the second verse. Daringer again shines with production that manages to be both gloomy and delicate at once.

"Mandatory" is one of my favourites as well, second only to track three. Daringer brings more minimalist boom bap with my favourite snare on the record. You can hear him Con really pushing himself on this song in particular as he lays claim to the first and second verses with aggressive punchlines detailing street life, describing his cohorts and once again reminding us of his itchy trigger finger. Royce Da 5'9" bring the pain here as well with one of the more notable guest verses. Similar to track four we have two rappers just snapping for as long as they can and it's glorious.

As we near the end of the tape, Styles P teams with The Machine over an ominous score by Daringer. I like the deep bass kicks and cymbals. Sporadic cowbells and vocal samples fade in and out as well. Styles P brings similar grime to Conway in his contribution. Hearing legends spitting hard to match Conways hunger is always a great recipe for a banger. Great hook on here too. Nobody don't move or the gun blow!

We finish the record off with a posse cut style song in "Bullet Klub" Conway delivers one his strongest verses on the album before Lloyd Banks enters with the hook and then his own set of bars. Benny finishes off the song and by extension, the album with his final guest verse. There's too many punchlines and grimy bars to list or even quote as all three MCs bring their A game. The production we get from Daringer is top notch again as our kicks and snares slowly shuffle against an insidious string section.

At the end of it all, Conway brings meaning to our title and truly demonstrates why he needs to be considered the grimiest. Daringer and Alchemist deliver incredible minimalist boom bap production which serve as a terrific backdrop for Conways murder fantasies and tales of street life. Despite its shorter length, G.O.A.T. makes up for it in consistency and pacing.

Pros: Conway details street life from a griping and harsh angle while relentlessly challenging himself and his guests to bring their best. We have long verses with plenty of metaphors to unpack and the production is incredible. The beats are eerie, hard and all similar to each other but, there's still more calming scores that lend themselves to some reflective passages.

Cons: I've noticed even on a more polished project like this, Conway doesn't always write hooks or bring a thorough concept record. Aside from Bishop Shot Steel, there's little storytelling that departs from violent punchlines or braggadocio. I both love and hate this albums length as it keeps the tone and momentum of the album tight but, a little more room for variety would've made me love this record even more.