Los Angeles-based Record Producer, DJ, Musician, and Songwriter/ Rapper NappyHigh recently released his new album titled MENACE. The 18-track body of work sees him working with a vast number of artists from across the US and even taps the production prowess of Canadian producer Elaquent.
The project starts with a simple introduction that ushers listeners into the world of the menace and this is followed by “FromTheProjects”, a cinematic track featuring Wu-Tang Clan‘s Raekwon and Griselda’s Westside Gunn. The duo blend a mix of introspective and bravado raps that is expected and the result is a brilliant piece that fits into most playlist. Mick Jenkins and Memnoc team up on “Mad-Hatter” a hard-hitting track made up of moody and psychedelic samples and vivid lyricism from both artists. “WhatItFeelsLike” taps the lyrical talents of Blu and Your Old Droog who share some vivid tales of their respective lives while “StashHouse” sees Boldy James and ihateyouALX waxing poetic over a scenic and engaging backdrop. On “EisenHower/Multiverse” we hear some street-savvy bars from Benny The Butcher before producer Elaquent switches it up with a sooth lofi-jazz soundscape.
“10k Hrs” brings back Mick Jenkins, ihateyouALX and Roy Rutto to detail their journey and work ethic over NappyHigh’s sombre guitar guitars and punchy offbeat drum grooves. “TheTrip” is a funk-disco sample-infused jam with modern dance grooves and it’s a nice change of pace and energy from the dark gritty songs that came before it. Blu, Memnoc, and Brian Burns take the reins on the cinematic jazz track “GlockShoot” while VJ and Donavan Ransom deliver a heist gone slightly wrong in the aptly titled “TheLick”. Jay Worthy and Blu appear on “ChillFritos”, a chilled soulful jam that samples a classic soul track that heads would recognize and once again deliver unfiltered and raw lyricism that listeners can rock with. Uprising emcee Nick Reed comes through on “ThePeace\HaveYouHeard”. The track starts off with a punchy but soulful instrumental that flips a Samurai Champloo sample into a modern-day boom-bap jam before Nick drops some hard-hitting bars over a mid-tempo soulful backdrop that comes after. The duo of G Perico and Polyester The Saint show us how they represent their hood and respective sets in “Gangsta”. The project closes out with a solemn and multi-layered instrumental titled “TheDiscussion”.
Overall, MENACE is a brilliant blend of hard-hitting cinematic beats with finest lyricists showcasing their talents.
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