Review: Lu Chin Chen makes grim return with Weight EP
Lu Chin Chen has been on a helluva run. In the past five years, the Massachusetts’ northern shore native has been creating dope hip-hop with a reverence to his influences, but stands on its own. His last full-length, NA Meeting (2022), explored the many dimensions of drug addiction. A little over a year and a half later, he’s back with Weight, an excellent EP.
For those unfamiliar with Lu Chin Chen, the opening track “The Weight Is Over” is a great point of entry. Lu breaks down his entire career, going from his early days creating music in the late 1990s, to the hiatus that he took to raise his family, to his recent resurgence. The beat, produced by Relentless the Tangible, sets the tone for much of the rest of the EP.
Lu excels over the EP’s production. Though he utilizes a whole host of beatmakers, there is uniform sound to the project, keeping things understated but grim. The foreboding ambience definitely enhances “Ain’t the Same,” where Tone Chop freaks a flute sample and adds thumping drums. Lyrically, Lu reflects on the music that raised him and pans the “paint by numbers tough guys” dominating hip-hop’s landscape. On “Concrete,” he’s joined by members of his L.A.D.S. crew, including a posthumous appearance by Awful P. It’s a bruising lyrical fest where everyone involved shows out. “Want beef? Better be sure,” Tone Chop raps. “It’s all fun and games until you hanging on a meat-hook and I close the freezer door.”
What a Loser,” the project’s first single, definitely offers a unique flavor. Produced by Dilly Fingaz for TRP/NME Productionz, it Lu’s take on a late 1980s/early 1990s track: a breakbeat heavy endeavor that sports a deeply funky bassline and horn sample. Lu struts across the track with a complex flow, rapping, “Swagger with a Bushwacker walk, pants with the camo / A cat pack packing thunder, punch harder than Panthro / Slam dancing at the Bando / A random Yamp, with implants and a tramp stamp of Van Gogh.”
The guest features on Weight are also strong. F.T. of Street Smartz teams with Lu on the King of New York-influenced “It’s Our Turn,” each describing how their hunger to succeed motivates them. While Solomon Childs contributes a strong opening verse to ”Greatest Enemy,” Lu shines as he raps, “You suckers need practice, but I’m Bubba Chuck, for fuck’s sake.”
Weight at times evokes the mid to late ’00s underground sound, which is often under-appreciated. “No Wins,” featuring Boot Camp Clique affiliate Rustee Juxx and production from Sultan Mir, would feel at home on Raekwon’s Only Built For Cuban Linx 2, and that’s very much a compliment. “23 Guinesses” features Lu contemplating potential societal collapse over a track built from samples of muted horns and vibes, produced by Fuzzy Ed.
Weight is an all around dope entry in Lu Chin Chen’s discography. It works either as an extension of already dope discography or as an introduction to an artist with a lot to offer. He continues to deliver a brand rough and rugged hip-hop that is always welcome.
