Flint, Michigan-based host and producer Jon Connor returns for the third installment of his ongoing 12-part extended series. He’s been on a roll for the past 20 years, including The Calling, Vinnie Chase and the SOS trilogy, as well as the World’s Finest series that pays homage to some of Jon’s influences, Redemption, While You Were Sleeping and The Unconscious State. He even signed with Aftermath Entertainment for 6 years before leaving after Vehicle City was eventually shelved, ending up with Food for the Soul & 24, produced by No Limit Records’ in-house production team, KLC of Beats by the Pound, for a triple with Smitti Boi.
“Black Messiah” comes out of the gate aggressively talking about fighting and pumping fists until his arms get tired, while “No Smoke” goes the trap route, instrumentally explaining that BabyChiefDoIt’s use of artificial intelligence to write his raps must be the stupidest shit he’s ever heard. “So Far Gone” has a bit of a boom vibe, talking about how public opinion only changes when you die, while “War” is an apocalyptic acknowledgment that we feel like we’re in the middle of a conflict.
By the halfway point, “Good Money” is about a woman who claims to strip off to get out of trouble, but continues to do so even after becoming rich, and after “To the Young Lady in the Barbershop” melodically promises everything will be okay directly to a woman who’s not getting the love she wants, “Come Over” goes in a conscious rap direction that wants to elevate the women he’s talking about and elevate the old version of what she’s talking about after this release.
“Look the Other Way” kicked off the encore with artist Yahn Freeman III fondly discussing an experience he had the other day where he ran into someone he knew and they ended up looking away after saying something, while “Silent Conversations” returned to a booming rhythm, telling everyone listening to keep going no matter what. “Things You Can’t Control (For TTT)” soulfully concludes the EP’s conversation with a young king, a song he should play while deep in thought.
A quarter of the way to 2026, and out of the 3 entries in the entire saga so far, Artist Yahn Freeman III has improved upon Artist Yahn Freeman II and replaced 1 who started out as the strongest. It’s looking more and more likely that Smitti Boi will produce the entire series, and I can’t complain, as the production is more diverse than the other two installments, supporting the messages Jon portrays through his rhymes are often more urgent than in previous installments.
Score: 8/10
