“Soolie reps the Bay area these days after growing up in Ohio. ‘Grapes’ tells his story with great lyricism and a steady unrelenting flow that harkens to another era of Hip-Hop. That said the track is legit and right at home in today’s musical landscape. This is a hard hitting track that lands all the right lyrical punches.”
Rating: 4 out of 5
“Ryn Scott offers up an sweeping track with ‘Moments.’ You can hear the influence of his native Michigan in the cadence and songwriting. This is part hype track and part reflective warning. We all hav eto take a moment and pay attention this one life we are living and this song is a reminder to do exactly that.”
“This is a matter of outhinking yourself as an artist. There are great moments to this performance and the premise was rock solid.
The problems were all in the production dynamics and arrangement. Had Wiseoff simply unleashed this track with a steady flow and build I’d have been all in, but the embellishment and add-ons got in the way emotionally for me and left the overall track feeling disjointed and needlessly chaotic. ”
“Lil Primo feels anything but lil on this big bold track. ‘Starburst’ has that old school, in-your-face vibe, and Primo infuses that hard flow with fresh linds and a crisp delivery that lands the lyrical punches with skill and precision.
This LA are rapper brings the perfect verve to his flow and the writing hits with grit and emotion.”
“The video is simple but works well witht he lyrics and vibe. This track was a mixed bag for me overall. I dig the writing and the passion put into the delivery of these flows, thought he staccato beat and start and stop feel on that side left the build feeling chaotic in a disorganized kind of way for me.
Both Nicki Knightz and JoeJas convey the emotion well in their flow and I admire their talent but this arrangement felt like a bit of mess for me.”
“Blunt and in your face! Florigineel, Thai Tahi, and Young Buck unleash a hard edged Rap track with teeth. ‘Clowns’ has some old school, Gangsta Rap sensibilities and some new world grit.
Each flow hits and the lyrical punches jab uppercut, and deliver one knockout blow after another. This is the brand of unflinching Rap you remember and the Rap we all need to hear more of because let’s face it the world is a softer place these days and that’s not always a good thing.”
“This track offered up a mixed bag of reactions for me. I do like the writing and the low-key beat hits to pair with a nice groove giving a solid emotional balance to the lyrics.
On the other hand, the vocal delivery came off very flat and emotionless for the most part. The hook is delivered with more emotive energy though it does feel overly repetitive and the verses just didn’t have enough passion behind them for this one to catch fire for me personally.
How did TaReef KnockOut’s track ‘My Way Out’ land for you?”
“The intro felt more like something out of a 1950s spy movie than it did a hype track for a Hip-Hop song.
The flow has talent and a nice energy, though that beat and backing struck me as an odd choice to pair up with. The writing here did not give me a lot new. so the hook ground me out with its repetition and while I like the passion of these performances, this one never had the lyrical punch to truly get me going.
Let us know if the track hit differently for you.”
“The world today is full of anger, hate, a and unwarranted entitlement. Quiz takes the road less travelled with the track ‘ The Conversation’ part of an album titled ‘Grateful.’
The album titles comes though in the conversation of this song as Quiz sows good vibes and gratitude. The flow here is one of humanity and healing and it’s time we all turned our focus to such pursuits as we try our best to tune out the hate and dissent so many feed on in these times.”
“Kidd Dryden wrote this track while enduring a rough patch of life, and yet he chose to remain optimistic and focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. The flow is delivered in a low-key straightforward way, but you can feel the earnest hope and vulnerability in the words.
This is a track to listen to alone when you too are struggling and need a reminder that few things are permanent and how we get back up is what usually defines us.”
“Lil Savage wrote this song a week after losing the love of his life to suicide. The emotion and heavy impact of that tragic events can be felt in the heavy brooding build and emotion of the track.
I do wish the vocal side had a touch more vibrancy within the mix but then again, the heavy sadness does come through so perhaps the track is meant to feel subdued. A track with grit, vulnerability, and genuine emotion.”
“Minasta Scruge brings an old-school type flow with his track ‘Integrity.’ Clever wordplay marks the lyrical flow and the rhymes play off each other with a simple brilliance that keeps you leaning in eager for the next line. Snoop Dogg joins in to deliver his only brand of cool smooth relaxation. ”
“The visual aesthetics of this track are definitely a standout, giving off strong homebody vibes that are quite appealing. However, the music itself falls short. The track suffers from off-key deliveries and poor placement of verses, which detract from the overall experience. Despite the strong visuals, the music lacks the polish needed to fully resonate.”
“I have a love hate relationship with this track. That steady cadence of the beat gripped me from the first listen though the lyrical flow took me a couple listen to full appreciate.
Yelawolf sounds like a Countryfied Snoop Dogg and his wordplay is ne point though the references are not what you hear in Hip-Hop. That is a good thing but it is a bit jarring upon the first listen. ”
“Viktor Harter hooked me with the writing on this track. The melancholy vibe of the flow works in the same way Biz Markie made it work, though I did crave more energy pushing the flow at times. Still the track has enough emotion to keep me on the hook and eager for the next line. ”
“Ice meez unleashes a track that is personal in nature but also speak to all of us. ‘Tomorrow’ is not promised and it is vital we embrace the present rather than spend all our focus chasing the future. The video for this track is well done and effectively adds to the emotions of the track.”
“Cxtotheworld isn’t looking for perfection but progression, and that refrain leads the way on his track ‘My Story.’
The lyrical build is full of confidence but in a very real and genuine way. The hook is catchy but the verses is where the power of this lyrical build lays. ”
“P.U.R.P. joins forces with Rosita and Akeem Ali to give us a heart wrenching tale of a jilted sidepiece. ‘Jody’ turns the trop on its head given this time we are talking side dude rather than side chick. The track has some wry humor and irony as well as genuine grit and emotion lurking there in the irony.”
“Producer BO Infinite unleashes ‘Love and War,’ a gritty new single utilizing the vocal talents of emcees Eddie Kaine, J. Arrr, and Bub Rock.
The track hits with a menacing tone and the three emcees doa great job playing off each other. The backing instrumental, matches the energy of the vocal collaborators. ”
“Instrumental Hip-Hop at it’s finest! Shrey Panda infuses classical vibes to create tracks that tell a story all on their own.
I am more of a lyric guy so it isn’t often that an instrumental truly captures my attention but Austin, Texas’s Shrey Panda has managed to hook me a few times now so I look forward to hearing more from this talented musician.”