Koran Streets (Instagram)

Let That Mac Rip: August 2018 Reviews (Part Two)

Chris McManus
Aug 31, 2018 · 6 min read

Back at it again with some great records from the Bay, the Chi, and NYC.

Koran Streets — Late 20s

There’s not much that I can bring into words that highlight the pain in Koran Streets’ music. Residing out of Berkeley, Calif., Koran has lived a life that many wouldn’t be able to survive. The rapper and actor suffered severe scars after a freak accident left him burned and in a coma when he was a teenager. Overcoming that experience, he began hustling to provide for his family, obtaining a couple of prison stints and a family ultimatum that turned his life around. After cleaning up his outlook, he pursued music even further, culminating with the critically acclaimed You.Know.I.Got.It. (The Album).

The record would rank No. 28 on the Rolling Stone’s Best Rap Albums of 2016 list, earning him a larger following in the Bay Area. He continued to put out work, including a provocative video for “The Preface”, where it shows him playing chess with a Ku Klux Klan member. It left a lasting impression leading up to his latest effort, Late 20s, where Koran Streets is as poignant as ever.

Koran bares his heart on his sleeve in his most recent installment of reality raps, vying to make ends meet while making a living in music (Ain’t booking me for shows/Imma rob a house/Kicking in your back door/And act like Rolling Loud). He doesn’t know any better than to emphasize the details of his life in the most honest approach. There are bright moments, such as Streets reminiscing on his hip-hop heroes (“Sucka MC’s”) and showing love to the neighborhood that made him. (“2800”). Still through it all, as he bellows out with his chest on “Sincerely Yours”, ‘They say I never talk about these burns/What do you want for me to say?/You see my face?’, the torment still haunts him through his voice.

Hermit and the Recluse — Orpheus vs. The Sirens

Ka is a master craftsman and wordsmith that takes his profession seriously. In the purest sense, he represents the blue-collar worker that looks to be a role model while knowing the code of the streets. After all, the Brownsville-born Kaseem Ryan is a firefighter by trade, a career that defines his livelihood just as much as the words he pens to paper. It’s almost as if his knack for survival is embedded in him since birth, growing up in a rough borough only to use his experiences as a way to save others at the risk of himself.

With Orpheus vs. The Sirens, it becomes a project that uses Greek mythology as a metaphor recalling Ka’s upbringing. It makes sense with his new side project Hermit and the Recluse, a collaboration between him and Los Angeles-based producer Animoss, that he rises from the ashes like Hercules after defeating Hades. His intricate wordplay is swift, albeit steely, foreshadowing a life that could be better for him within the dark memories (Hemorrhaging for the genuine never side with the fake/In my end days pray I save more lives than I take). The intertwined stories of tragedy and triumph with the Greek stories of Orpheus combined with the bloodshed found on Brooklyn’s streets are as concentrated as GZA’s masterpiece Liquid Swords. It’s remarkable listening to an artist that is so insular be captivating with each passing minute.

Z Money — Chiraq Mogul

Chicago’s rap scene has been pillaged and siphoned for over 6 years now, having the new wave of Soundcloud rappers from New York, Atlanta and Miami emulate the teachings of Chief Keef, Fredo Santana, Sasha Go Hard and King L. Through it all, the Windy City continues to persevere by taking cues from their regional contemporaries and fleshing them out even further. Instead of portraying themselves as full-on Gucci Mane clones, Z Money and Valee flipped his cadences on its head with their own lingo with “Two 16’s”. The latter managed to acquire a GOOD Music deal and later have his own flows ripped off as well. For Z Money, he keeps his head above water and further builds his resume with Chiraq Mogul.

His latest mixtape in reference to the Gucci tribute makes sense, as he is one of the latest signees to Guwop’s 1017 Eskimo Records. Z Money would spin hooks in his mentor’s fashion, dominating in a double-time that instantly becomes earworms by the second verse (Bitches always wanna go on dates, I swear they choosin’/The Wraith, it got a lot of fuckin’ space and I can’t use it). The production — anchored mainly by Lil Mexico Beatz, Chasethemoney, and Tr3asyfromthechi — gives Chiraq Mogul a hypnotic complement to the Soldier Field-sized shit talk throughout the project. While Valee appears on the jaunty “Still Got Money”, it’s his chemistry with Memphis’ Key Glock that makes them a more in-sync pairing (“Durag”, “Bon Appetit”, “No Floggin’”).

Don Tolliver — Donny Womack

The face of Houston’s new generation, Travis Scott, attempted to bridge the gap between the city’s golden era and now with Astroworld. His blistering masterclass opened the door for a relative newcomer Don Tolliver, who practically stole the show with his warbly verse on “Can’t Say”, to cult-like appeal. Roughly 24 hours after the album drop, Tolliver made a ‘surprise’ release on his mixtape Donny Womack. As a part of H-Town’s new wave of rappers featuring La Flame, Megan The Stallion, and Maxo Kream, Donny comes across more of a crooner. As the title suggests, the tape is a mix of cold R&B trap and slick stripper anthems.

With Donny Womack, Tolliver is nowhere near the soulful aesthetic or vocal chops as Bobby, yet he brings a confidence that is charming as it is amusing. The tape runs largely like one long song with additional listening with Don rarely deviating from the formula. He shines best with highlights like “Diva”, “Holdin’ Steel”, and “Bang Bang”. The aforementioned “Steel” features Dice Soho as they flaunt their treasures while dining on shrimp and steak. That’s my type of party and Don Tolliver shows potential in being something substantial.

Nef The Pharaoh — The Big Chang Theory

Vallejo, Calif.’s Nef The Pharaoh caught the attention of some selected markets with his Cash Money ode “Big Tymin’” and the Cardo-produced number “Michael Jackson” a couple of years back. At the thought of him being a popular name from those tracks alone, things went stagnant for the rapper for a bit. Sure, he released a few projects in between, but it is not until recently there was a strong focus in the Bay Area again as acts like SOB x RBE became the new flag bearers of the region. Nef’s latest project, The Big Chang Theory, probably won’t turn a lot of heads but it offers a scope on the young rapper’s versatility.

He shows his Southern fondness with “A”, even going as far as making his own version of “Area Codes” with “Boostin”. He also does a Rich Homie Quan imitation with “Offerings” and reminds people to respect his space unless they want to get smacked on “Knock Down a Fan”. It’s a bunch of quality that’s impeded by the muddled backend and police brutality-protest intro “Victim”, making the tone awfully weird but still good.

Honorable Mentions:

OMB Peezy — Loyalty Over Love

The Sacramento via Birmingham rapper oozes the trauma of Boosie and Meek Mill in a solid collection of in-your-face tracks. (“Venting Session”, “Yeah Yeah”, “My Dawg”)

Reese LaFlare — Reese LaFlare

In his studio debut with EMPIRE, Reese LaFlare has a star-studded affair that produces modest results. (“Escalator”, “Big Mad”, “Mood Ring”)

Doe Boy & TM88–88 Birdz

Just a few months after his No Worries tape, Freebandz’s Doe Boy mixes it up with TM88 that is also executively produced by Young Thug. (“Slimey As It Get”, “38”, “Both Sides”)

Moneybagg Yo — Bet On Me

Flying severely under the radar, Moneybagg Yo had a YSL house party with Gunna, Lil Baby, and Young Thug in tow. (“Wat U On”, “Luv Cycle”, “No Cutt”)

Young Nudy — Slimeball 3

Carving out a name in the Atlanta rap scene, Young Nudy leaves no frills on the third installment of the Slimeball series. (“Middle Finger”, “ABM”, “Right Now”)

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