Capturing the spirit of the old Memphis scene has proven to be a very difficult challenge for contemporary acts, and as demonstrated here, it still is. This project even seems aware of that fact to an extent, hence the derailing into more house-oriented influences in the latter half that reads as even less ambitious and confident. Messy and uninspired in its execution. I'd have rather listened to Zel and the gang attempt regional revival for the entire project's length than whatever ... read more

The sonic blending taking place is executed better than I thought it would be. Some of its appeal fades in the latter half, but Ledbyher has a distinct artistic voice and is channeling it in an enthralling way. A more polished and thoughtful stab at jerk fusion than a good amount of her contemporaries can muster.

A trippy and profound epic for greatly confusing times. Sideshow filters his critiques of contemporary society and his communal observations through a myriad of influences and styles, assembling a producer ensemble that intentionally splinters into endless directions. He manages to bridge more classical and foundational allegories and references with modern phenomena really seamlessly. A very strong showing from Sideshow, whose talent and directorial capabilities do not go to waste here.

All of Chris' eccentricities that define him as an artist are ever-present, and his singularly charismatic presence hasn't wavered with time. The way Chris functions within these soundscapes is so clean, he really feels at home amidst the loose atmospheres that are laid out for him. An enjoyable effort from Chris, and one that manages an admirable level of consistency with his personality.

Has no real areas of separation that allow any of the tracks to stand out, and sosocamo is keeping to a pocket that has no shortage of peers in it. Feels fairly unmotivated and bland.

After the underwhelming Ransom collab from a couple weeks ago, it's refreshing to hear Boldy spit alongside someone who can actually go bar-for-bar with him. The production has more to offer this time around too. Not anything too boundary-pushing for either artist, but it's impressive for what it is.

It's clear that Keem in his current form is much better as an aggregator of lively sonic environments than as a resonant emcee. It's difficult to get overly invested in a project that deviates so often and never offers anything truly introspective to latch onto. There are some individually promising moments here, but the culmination of all these approaches only works to drag them down together. Keem keeps tweaking his sound palettes, but the primary focus should be on turning his life ... read more

Slathering an array of dry hip house influences over completely detached vocal showings and lousy love sentiments won't deter from the complete lack of enthusiasm from Feng himself. I just can't connect to someone who doesn't feel like he's trying, and his ideas are marinating in a sonic approach that's already unappealing to begin with. In one ear and out the other.

Somewhat of a disjointed pairing in practice. Ransom and Boldy parallel each other stylistically to a degree that leaves them feeling like they're stepping on each other rather than coexisting. Boldy comes across as the only one present who isn't asleep at the wheel, as Ransom's appearances feel tired in comparison and Craven's beats lack their usual intrigue. A throwaway collab tape outside of some decent work from Boldy.

Fahim's work with Craven continues to produce admirable results, and Cookin Soul's contributions make for some noteworthy tracks as well. Some of the best production he's worked with in recent years makes its way onto here, and Fahim's performances continue to reach an impressive level. Not a standout project in Fahim's massive catalog, but another welcome addition to it.

A standard outing for Mus, staying true to his more reserved luxury rap sensibilities while still providing the necessary punch in his delivery to keep the project from losing steam. A short and smooth listen, and the accompanying artists do a solid job of operating within the space Mus creates. There's some quality stuff in here.

Far from the full circle introspective send-off it was meant to be. Spends more time reaffirming Cole's motionless position in the landscape than actually demonstrating substantive personal or artistic development. The hefty concept fails to turn Cole into the meaningfully dense emcee needed to pull this off. Feels no different than most of Cole's work, even with the attempted big swing. The occasional moment of true reflection breaks through the otherwise flimsy surface every now and ... read more

Don's latest effort spends its first half aimlessly dragging about and its latter half desperately trying to make up for it. The selling point has always been the voice, and it's a shame that it's only utilized in a small worn out cycle of song structures. The slower tunes run thin and the bursts of energy don't really hit until the album has already begun the process of losing your attention. It certainly doesn't help that the album's content can be glossed over ... read more

A somewhat vapid chameleon act, all things considered. IDK is still fundamentally lost as an artist, existing in this void-like state where people more talented than him are sucked in to mask the otherwise noticeable absence of distinct artistry present from IDK himself. Each track reads like a gimmick rather than the real thing. The featured rappers are mostly great, but the nature of their presence on the tape lacks thought. They're here to uphold the presentation that IDK is trying to ... read more

Does absolutely nothing to separate itself from Ayada's contemporaries. A tiring blob of samey trap cuts that mesh together and are utterly devoid of the necessary emotional chords Ayada is attempting to implement. All this over instrumentals that are so squeaky clean that all the life has been brushed out of them. Learning of Gunna's oversight on this project is not shocking in the slightest, as this output is no different from the one-note roboticism that has marked Gunna's ... read more

Rocky's confidence remains unwavering, even after the eight-year wait. He's carrying himself like he never left, and while I can appreciate Rocky handling his return with aplomb, it does ring a little narrow. One would think that such an extended hiatus would leave him with a little more to say. Stylistically speaking, every feature that has come to define Rocky's artistry is still present. He has always been a middling technician, but his ear for the atmospheric and his ... read more

Strangely lifeless for an artist of Kray's nature. Reads more like an autopilot performance, with the heft of the beats carrying all the attempted momentum rather than anything intriguing on Kray's part. There's a drowsiness to the vocal presentation and lyrical output that disengages me from the project. When coupled with the noticeable lack of focus and innovation present in the production, the end result does not sound like the work of a lively and boundary-pushing artist. ... read more

A return to a more spirited form of Doja, which is a welcome approach. She seems to be drawing from particularly antiquated influences here, filtering her pop sensibilities through a funky, disco-adjacent sheen. Her standout attitude and fondness for zoomer lingo make their presence like always, as Doja continues to slither rap structures and delivery into compositions that more broadly settle themselves into the pop sphere. It's nothing particularly ground-breaking or innovative for an ... read more

"I don't do drugs. I am drugs." - Salvador Dalí

ZelooperZ seems to have adopted a similar outlook, embracing sobriety and allowing his art to exist as the psychotropic fuel for his mind. One could sift through the various components of his work and pluck out all the individual intricacies, but it might be an antithetical practice. The singularity of his dreamlike culmination of sounds is what's most important at the end of the day. Dilip provides an ample array of ... read more

Lone, like usual, hints at something exciting but spends most of his energy retreating into dry and familiar territory. There are sparks of experimentation and growth that peek through, but those moments amount to little of worth in the end. Waiting for Lone to evolve as an artist is starting to feel like a pointless endeavor, as he appears more content to dwell in a space that is shared by so many of his peers, teasing development at his audience but refusing to fully embrace it. There was ... read more