For any rapper, working with Harry Fraud is a scary proposition. The Brooklyn-based producer always brings enthusiasm, creating work that blends creativity, cohesion, and agile sampling. Having said that, it’s fair to say that if the collaboration isn’t up to par, it’s probably due to weak MC abilities. Luckily for all parties involved, Jersey City rapper Ransom is more than up to the task on Lavish Misery, an eight-track dart that has lower stakes and thrives on flawlessly executing East Coast rap.
Ransom has proven time and time again that he has a soft spot for single-producer projects, including work with Nicholas Craven, Big Ghost Ltd, Rome Streetz and Statik Selektah. Maybe it’s his penchant for digging into related territory across multiple songs, maybe a certain aesthetic helps him get into flow, but regardless, it’s hard to argue with the results.
Ransom has always been one of your favorite MC’s, and the songs on “Lavish Misery” are filled with quotable bars and nonsense rhymes that are a reminder of just how vocal he was when he was engaged and chasing necks interesting.
On opener “Immaculate Conception,” which features weepy synths and dub-chopped drums beneath an infectious guitar line, Ransom immediately sets the tone. The former A-Team MC knows how good he is, and he was never afraid to say exactly that throughout the project. His bombastic rhymes are infectious and it’s hard to argue with him when you hear how clever some of them are.
The album’s intro should be the stuff of legend, timeless and a direct qualifier for entry into the pantheon of famous opening tracks. He begins: “Yes, I was born in a manger / Surrounded by strays and hay / Little black, crumpled up little Jesus / Little Jesus Ransome.” This would make “The Immaculate Conception” The rest becomes the story of how Ransom became a god among men, right?
While his bars don’t exactly inspire godliness, they are often pretty good. On the opening track, he wonders why he’s sacrificing everything for today’s toxic culture—and he has a point. “They don’t want to see Lan win, why go out like a martyr/When the haters see you walking on water and say you can’t swim/Y’all can’t do a damn thing, ain’t no my virtue is flawed,” he complained.
Elsewhere, on closer ‘AND 1’, Flood creates another great groove with bouncing drums and an interesting mirrored vocal sample – he went eight-for-eight on this project. Ransom reflects on his journey from jailhouse regular to Def Jam post-event to where he is now: one of the most stalwart voices in indie rap. On the track, he raps: “This coming from a guy who’s seen it all and then some/’Cause you gotta see the flaws to get over it.”
Even more impressive than the fact that Ransom still stands tall is his top-notch lyricism and careful storytelling, which brings out the best in him on “The Misery of Luxury.”
Release date: March 8, 2024
Record label: Momentum Entertainment/SRFSCHL
Listen to “The Misery of Luxury” below:
