stefanoneder Album Reviews, EP

Muggsy Malone – TPK EP (2011)

Artist: Muggsy Malone

Album: TPK EP

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. Cant Let Yall Catch Me (Produced by Tight Mike)
2. Make You A Believer (Produced By Djay Cas)
3. M.U.Double.G.S.Y (Produced By Grussle)
4. And I’m Out (Produced By Hec Dolo)
5. Be Alright (Produced By Timeless Beats)
6. Live Life featuring Novel (Produced By Timeless Beats)
7. Guardian Angel featuring Mary Brown (Produced By Bigg Vicc)
8. Otis Freestyle
9. Somewhere To Be At (Produced By Infamous)

Note:

This is a precursor to a bigger project but it serves to tide over fans until Mr. Malone drops his album.  This EP  is really dope and showcases yet another talented emcee from the DMV, which really has come to the forefront of hip hop in the last couple of years.  Every track on here is noteworthy.   There’s no reason to hit the <FF> button on this joint, you can enjoy it all the way through.

As always, I have a few favorites on the EP.  Can’t Let You All Catch Me is a legit banger as Tight Mike laces some DMV boom bap while Muggsy Malone is intent on staying ahead of his contemporaries and competition in this game.  The flow that Muggsy Malone takes with him on this track is phenomenal.  He speaks on all the ills, pitfalls, and snakes in the grass.  Every bar on this joint could be a quotable.  He is relentless.

Guardian Angel is a song that anyone who has lost a parental figure can feel.  Bigg Vicc cooks up a soulful, yet uptempo backdrop, but Muggsy Malone continues to drop his thoughts at intense pace.  He reflects on how his mother’s passing effected him in his childhood and in his adulthood.  This song just gave me chills as I hear the man tell his story.    This is an opportunity for us, as fan’s, to walk in the shoes of our favorite artists, if only for a few minutes.  It is a very powerful joint.

At the end of the EP we have the track, Somewhere To Be At.  The producer, Infamous, does an interesting rendition of Coolio’s, Gangsta Paradise.   It’s a cool joint.  The work done to alter the vocal sample as Muggy spits his bars brings a smile to my face.  Speaking of those bars…damn…the man’s flow just doesn’t quit.  He brings it on every verse regardless of tempo, sample, or beat.  Don’t waste his time, because this artist is going places.

I love what I hear in this EP and so will you.  Download it by clicking the link above.

stefanoneder Album Reviews

Laelo Hood – Fuck The World (2011)

Artist: Laelo Hood

Album: Fuck The World

Source: Inner Loop Uncut

Tracklisting:

  1. Fuck The World (prod. by DJ Soundtrax)
  2. Nah Joe (prod. by Hec Dolo)
  3. Where I Belong (ft. XO and Alison Carney) (prod. by Coldboy and Grussle)
  4. Hooked On You (ft. Mamouna Youssef) (prod. by Decompose)
  5. Fooling Myself (prod.  Bad Abbot)
  6. Trust Nobody (ft. Muggsy Malone) (prod. by Bad Abbot)
  7. Where’d I Go Wrong (ft. K-Beta)  (prod. by Coldboy)
  8. Family Ties (ft. Midian) (prod. by J-$crilla)
  9. I.L.S.O. (ft. T.E.F.L.O.N. and Sketch) (prod. by Grussle)
  10. The Crucible (ft. The Package and Kokayi) (prod. by Theory)
  11. Concrete Jungle (ft. Draus and K-Beta) (prod. by Theory)
  12. Assasin (ft. Akir and Mr. Hakwins) (prod. by Decompose)
  13. Blood On The Walls (prod. by Soulful)
  14. Take A Hit (ft. Bear Witnez) (prod. by Kobayashi)
  15. High (ft. Jai Blazin and Claudette Monet) (prod. by Terry B)

Note:

I first came across Laelo Hood when he leaked the cut, Trust Nobody, for this very project.  When I heard that joint, I hit repeat at least three times and then determined that I had to get in touch with Laelo Hood and get some more information on this man’s music.  He told me that in a few weeks that he would be releasing, Fuck The World.  I am about a week late in copping, but better late than never.

Continue reading “Laelo Hood – Fuck The World (2011)” →

stefanoneder EP

No. 2 A.Sesay – A Special EP (2010)

Note:  We have already reviewed this EP earlier in the year.  You can view the original post on A Special EP….HERE.  Quite simply this is a great sample of the music that this producer is capable of making.  I believe that the full course serving from A.Sesay will reveal the full compliment of his gifts.  The guests on this EP all shine.  Every song is a great listen.  So if you haven’t heard this EP yet, please so so immediately!

stefanoneder EP

A. Sesay – A Special EP

Artist: A. Sesay

Album: A Special EP

Source: Bandcamp

Tracklisting:

  1. Intro (ft. Muggsy Malone)
  2. We Want In (ft. Chris DeShield, D.O.E. C.I.G.A.P.O.M., Mannrock, K-Beta, Wordsmith, Adversary & Born Undadogz)
  3. Don’t Leave Me Lonely (ft. Dagga and Mannrock)
  4. Sinking With The Ship (ft. D.O.E. C.I.G.A.P.O.M., Adversary, and Napoleon Da Legend)
  5. If Love Was There (Interlude) (ft. Infearion)
  6. If Love Was There (ft. Dave East, Mic Legacy, Benji, and DJ Dublee)
  7. You Don’t Know Me Dog (ft. Dagga, Muggsy Malone, D.O.E. C.I.G.A.P.O.M., Bear Witnez)
  8. Can’t Hold Me Down (ft. Erika Anderson, Dave East, Karnagie, and Dagga)
  9. All In Stride (ft. JNesmuziq and Wordsmith)

Note:

A Special EP is one of the hidden gems of 2010.  There has not been much talk of this EP in blogging circles as far as I can tell so it certainly has gone under the radar as it were.    Regardless, of it not being picked up on by the masses, A. Sesay has done an incredible job producing the entire EP.  The DMV area has been a hot bed of hip hop activity lately and A. Sesay keeps the area on the front burner with this release.

Not only does the EP showcase A. Sesay’s production talents but it also gives other artists to share their verbal talents with the listener.  One emcee in particular that I thought was incredibly dope was D.O.E. C.I.G.A.P.O.M.  His verse on Sinking With The Ship was stellar.  It made check out his own Bandcamp page to listen to his album, Culture Shock 2012 AD.  That’s dope in it’s own right.

So what’s A. Sesay’s style?  I will call it understated.   He doesn’t “over-produce” a track.  On the posse cut, We Want In,  he keeps the beat crisp over organ instrumentation.  He sneaks the bass drum in and then all the sudden you are just nodding your head to a complete banger.  These emcees assassinate the track.  It really is dope to hear the instrumentation and the emcees come together so flawlessly.

On Don’t You Leave Me Lonely, the concept is very similar except that A. Sesay keeps it more mellow and uses a beautiful vocal sample that haunts the track.  Dagga and Mannrock both show keen ability to rock the track.  Again the fusion between emcee and producer is seamless.  This track is one of my favorites though I would have a hard time picking from the litter.

Sinking With The Ship, is the cut that I posted the video for earlier.   This cut is the one everyone should be talking about.  It’s bound to blow. The  beat and another incredible vocal sample lead the way as the emcees talk about developing unity in the hip hop game.   It addresses the way that emcees are prone to tearing each other down.  It’s a positive anthem for how hip hop should be done.  I do not take the word anthem lightly by the way.

By the time this EP is over with you should have developed a certain appreciation for what A. Sesay does behind the boards and what the DMV area talent is capable of.  So enjoy this hidden gem, and then spread the word.