Buffalo, New York emcees Che Noir and 7xvethegenius have teamed up for a collaborative full-length studio record. One of them exploded when 38 Spesh signed with TCF Music Group, and the other signed with Conway the Machine’s own Drumwork Music Group, although they have since founded their own labels, Poetic Movement Records and Broadband Sound respectively. We hear them meet multiple times over the years, and their chemistry continues to grow as they pursue the crown they want.
After the “Trapped in the Silicone” intro, first track “Topanga” produced by Lord Sear kicks things off with a soulful sample that gets both ladies physical for a few minutes, while “Not Me” locks Chup in so they can talk pound for pound. The third and final single “Sum of 2 Evils” connects to the low booming BAP instrumentals of the commanding Williams, showing that they can put all the money everyone brags into their wallets, leading to “Amina” talking about being successful just because of survival.
Reason joins Che and 7xve on “Flight” to reminisce about the best thing their mothers told them, which is that the sky’s the limit over V Don’s beats, and after the “Love You” interlude, Che Noir himself works with a soul sample on “Conquer,” talking about making a splash with the following moves. “Town Ballroom” brings a dusty vibe thanks to Khrysis’ direction, and although they’re smiling, shit isn’t funny, while “Breaker,” which precedes the “Black Girl” remix, leaves them feeling incredible about what they’ve accomplished.
After nearly 4 years in the making, “Desired Crowns” has achieved a chemistry that previous cuts like “Bless the Food” or “Neck Protected” had captured, except that two seriously ill women in Buffalo had grown a lot artistically over the course of the decade & it was a recurring reminder as they were both doing their own thing. Fittingly, Che Noir and 7xvethegenius were accompanied by only 1 guest, and for nearly half an hour they put all their energy into their synergistic bond over a consistent batch of beats.
Score: 8/10
