ONEFOUR - BREAKS & CADDYS (STREET GUIDE PART 02) FEAT. CG
This is where we start, on a track that goes straight to the top of trending in the first 12 hours. A welcome return for J-Emz and Spenny who surprise us by brining us Section 60 member CG along for the ride, well that's what I thought, but it turns out CG is just as ruthless. Starting with a written warning and narrative before a little car thievery this track starts as a slow burner. That is until a few pre hook words and the bass kicks in then J-Emz does his J-Emz things, not holding back with the heat, not holding back with the shots "them shots we don't catch, we just send 'em, that side don't attack they defend 'em" literally shots fired about who is on the front foot. The verse takes a turn then and to me seemed 'organised crime esc' saying that they (main OneFour members) don't want to do things to risk their music careers they instead leave it to willing 'gang' participants kind of how 'soldiers' in organised crime are used. Not to say they are completely clean, catching some unlucky opp on a side walk will turn into a long night for him, making big claims that they saved music. Then for my favourite member, Spenny, he always has had a line or two that makes me laugh, but I feel he was a little quieter on this one, until he had me walking off about mentioning names and scoreboards. Doing a simple math equation, they got one of us so we have to get two of them and of course the life that got taken and mentioned a few times in past tracks and this one. Filming wise this track has a whole lot happening, flicking back and forth between artists and crimes and in my opinion a little Nod at the 'Body' video trend by Tion Wayne and Russ Millions. The biggest shock of all was CG, for me he was relentless, he had the coldest and most disrespectful verse, slowing down the energy slightly he came out naming names of opps and the opp that lost his life, some nice word play using Fetty Wap (gun) he talks about getting more numbers on boards and more parents burying their kids. Whether is be a gun or a knife in your neck he's coming for blood. The production as a whole was typical OneFour, heavy drill baseline, some really good use of video, CCTV and camera angles. Street Guide part 03 anyone?
Young Go - Coke Whites
The man from the West Coast is back with the nostalgia of classic American Hip-Hop and some great word play. Coming out over a laid back beat the Inglewood rapper uses some in depth doubles and schemes in his pre verse hook "my whole life was so ice and tote pipes" gives us a look at how he uses his words to mean different things, looking at his movements in the video the meaning looks like how he has to live cold and be strapped but also its a double with word play on the drug Crystal Meth and a pipe that you use to inhale it. The schemes like this continue but the bars become more meaningful in a way more personal to him, how guys around you are more loyal when you have nothing and how his self belief kept him going, how he always knew he had it, he just needed to be heard. The way he changes seamlessly from one subject to another is so slick you can't really tell when he does it. Some harsh words for clout chasers that are only gang over a keyboard are invited to see what 'Crippin' is really about but they just stay in their house blaming it on the pandemic is a clever little phrase. The second verse kind of took me by surprise, as the music changed so did the mood, Young Go talks about how 'hood' he is but he still demands respect and has people take their shoes off in his mums house, but the part about a 'friend' getting with his girl had me off guard with how he took it in his stride. "heard by homie fucked my bitch but you was begging her though, I ain't trippin off that she a regular hoe, ******* baby mommas all up in my messenger though" firstly what a c**t his mate is and secondly get to Go Time on that baby momma!! Finishing off with a nice little line of "its the money and the power I ain't askin for much" this is a great laid back track with some nice West Coast vibes in the video directed by California Frank involving low riders and a classic California feel.
Shely210 - TAKING THE PISS (REMIX) FT Lisi, Jaecy & Nokz
First off, I liked the original, I think Shely210 is highly underrated, so bring on this link up and add 3 other underrated artists and now you have a track that people need to pay attention to. Shely starts us off going straight at the haters and guys talking on his name and if taking shots they had better not miss, some nice word play using Chris Rock and then the use of NME's 'Presto' and 50Cents 'Many Men' caps off a verse that doesnt mess around. From Sydney to Brissy now with Nokz, Nokz has some of the best lines in any track he does, not needing MTV to rock up at your crib, the young artist uses several WWE superstars to say what will happen to the guys running their mouth. In this verse even though he talks about he and his brother Amu the video has him with 43 representatives Lisi and Lawd Lance whom he will later feature on the track Uber Beef. Its been a big week for some of these artist like Jeacy, not only has he featured on this he was also over at Red Bull studios dropping his 64 bars over a Blessed beat. Jaecy wastes no time in following suit in this pulling up in the graveyard shift and on flick of the wrist will leave you in a coffin, Linking up with the guys just down the M-Way we gon have a South West party. The transition between Jaecy and Lisi takes a different turn as there's no hook as the previous however Lisi comes on talking about the work rate, about how if he explodes he will take the G.O.A.T status and every other artist will be demoted. A short verse from Lisi compared to the others but he gets his point across about only using his fists, always ready to use them and how much everyone else is capping on tracks and lying. Filmed all in Black and white with alot of close ups, the music video had a typical drill feel to it lots of other guys in the background giving us a gang feeling and in the case of Nokz and Lisi alot is filmed in a train station to co-inside with the taking trips sort of feel to it.
OnlyRuthless - PRIDE
First time on hearing OnlyRuthless and i tell you I am not disappointed, this track literally lives up to his name. Directed by Ashi and filmed in a way that OnlyRuthless stands out all the time even when there's a quick flash of a tucked gun the movement and quick close ups are mirrored by the pace of the track. The first verse is very drill esque, talking about how he is known to go running down opps, and using weapons whether it be a blade or a bullet. The second verse in my opinion is on the subject of why no one will want any beef with him, how his name holds too much respect for anyone to start something, a nice scheme about being in the dark and how he is the spark that will help people see. The verse finishes with a few nice COD Warzone references and then you think that's done.......It isn't. This track has 2 separate halves, the second the beat and flow completely changes, the intensity in OnlyRuthless's voice changes and the dude goes off! After a few flashes of what looks like camera snaps he jumps on this beat that has quite an eerie vocal of what sounds like choir music, talk of taking trips and making hits whilst the opps turn informant is the focus. There's a line that stuck with me "taking drills to the grave...." has in a way the sense of a double, one is going as far as burying the opps and the other is not talking about what actually gets done on the street so the police don't find out, abit like when he mentions leaving his phone at home so the signal doesn't get traced. This third verse is absolutely relentless and if a hook was added to it, it could have made a whole separate track alone, its a barrage of devastation that will get inflicted onto a certain person, how his mother will have no sons left, how no shots get fired down the phone only at doors. In a ruthless way if things unfold as the track says, someone's losing their pride and possible their life and someone's pride is getting bigger. "religious man with sinned hands, will never confess on Gods name"
Lawd Lance - Uber Beef ft Nokz78
Well, well, well.....he's back, first drop of the year by Lawd Lance and he does not dissapoint, after weeks of teasing the Uber Beef he's here with his deviancy and bringing Nokz along for his second mention of the week. This whole track is the play on turning up to your house if you want beef, like Uber eats, starting on a Jesterbeatss and YMDO beat produced by Brandon Jonak this jumps off with the feel of a light drill track, with a twist of humour in the visuals. Wasting no time in getting the point across to the keyboard warriors saying no matter what time or place or how big their crew is it'l end with their downfall, taking words from the mouth of the haters that big themselves up in the streets "the only thing that's heavy about your crew is how much you fucking weigh, come my way and I'll split you up like a junkie couple fighting over meth..." there's some absolute cracking lines in LL verse along with the 'hater' in the video getting taken out by burgers. The way the video carries on with different social media posts flash on screen and how LL pays homage to Nokz and AmuThaMC's brotherly relationship shows a small serious side to Lawd, until the line comes about spit roasting a dudes girl. Lawd Lance has a perfect recipe of seriousness and humour and is a breathe of fresh air in the music industry. Paving the way for Nokz to make his second feature of the week to go off about how his blood runs the block like Tetris, the small but lethal circle of friends he has and how the guys that are hating have no bars like they've got no phone reception. I've bigged Nokz up enough this week but these lines, so simple but so effective show his brilliance. A bit of harshness shown by him how he hopes guys get an extra 10 years in prison or how jumping on the heads of opps surrounds a little WWE scheme involving Frog Splashes by RVD and Edge and Christian. The barrage of online insults pop up during the video and I'm seriously hoping they've over exaggerated the amount they get because they aren't few and far between. Welcome to 2021 Lawd Lance. Bring on some more....tongue wiggles.