Blu & Exile, one of Los Angeles, California’s most respected hip-hop groups, returns with their fourth album. Their 2007 debut full-length album, Below the Heavens: In Hell Happy with Your New Imaginary Friend, is rightfully considered by many to be one of the best hip-hop albums of the past 15 years, earning Vince’s “Radio” nod. Staples released his final album on Def Jam Recordings, Dark Times, a few months ago. They released follow-up album Give Me My Flowers While I Can Smell Them in 2011, as well as 2017’s rare compilation In the Beginning: Before the Heavens and the B&E classic Miles: From an Interlude Called Life. Last LP. Four years later, Dirty Science Records teamed up with Soulspazm Records to release Love (the) Ominous World.
“Hello LA” is the perfect start to sample soul music that talks about life in the Mid-South, while “Undisputed” takes the Boom Bap route, playing it from a lyrical perspective and playing it in a hardcore way. Fashawn’s “Smack” is a dusty jazz-rap collaboration that has muhfuckas mumbling their last words on the side of the road, but then Cashus King and Pistol McFly’s “Homies” is a nod to their dogs and their balls. The team’s deep devotion.
Next up on “Sugaz & Buttaz,” we asked Blu & Exile and Rae Khalil to work together on a summer ballad about missing out on the love of their respective partners in their lives before “Gold” returned to pop music and refused to accept new songs. Ever since he put on all the chains to fly, he broke free. Featuring Kurupt and KXNG CROOKED, “Chucks” raucously sings the praises of their Converse Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers, while “Suge” actively expresses his displeasure with these guys for acting like bitches.
RBX’s “Ominous World” finds them laying it down in the basement, sonically taking us on a journey through the shadows of the trenches, while the song “Precipitation” brings another soulful flip, talking about the health benefits of rain every now and then. Penultimate track “Valley of Kings” completely strips away the drums and talks about the possibility of having to do it all over again; finally, Emanon’s “Love is Blu” with Blu & Exile closes out the fourth classic B&E album Talking About Love Here it is accompanied by the rhythm of jazz.
Every project these two collaborate on remains special in its own way, and Love (the) Ominous World does so by brilliantly building on their soulful, reflective foundation with stunning musicality and Keen songwriting achieves this by venturing into new territory while embracing and refining their content. This is easily their most unique work to date as they take a different approach in direction while still staying true to the culture their music and fan base have built.
Rating: 9/10
