This is the sixth full-length record from Rochester emcee Mooch. He came to prominence as a member of Da Cloth, his Futurewave-produced debut album Boss Sauce, and his Rigz collaboration The Only Way Out, produced with Big Ghost Ltd., caught my attention. It’s been a long time since I last discussed Mooch’s music, since covering Da 5th Power 3 years ago, but after learning that DJ Muggs went all out on “Roc Star” I knew “Roc Star” was going to be his masterpiece.
The title track starts off with an epic drums-less style that talks about him being at the top at this stage of his career, while “Soul Screaming” takes a luxurious approach to his true soul screaming that’s similar to what he would have done in the ’70s. “Uncut Hope” has a more raw boom beat, bragging his shit bad, leading to “Trumpets” working in more kicks and traps that need to be discussed if you want to get out of the trenches.
“Belly” brings a jazzy glow to the table, looking “awesome” in the darkness, while “Mooch Moses” returns to a booming groove, talking about selling the water Jesus turned into wine. Victory’s “It Ain’t Ready” claims the oil weighs in at 31 grams, noting that it’s quite heavy, while “Walk Yours” featuring Rigz goes into soulful territory as both members inspire you to shake off anything People who hate your progress.
Meanwhile, “My Shit’s Beautiful” sees Mooch rightfully bragging about how beautiful his shit actually is, while those killer guitar riffs pepper throughout, while MAV & Times Change’s “MAV x Mooch x Times” finds the trio The group gets tougher on more soul samples – the core is actually 3 minutes straight. “Mazda” has some incredible strings, before the quietly drumless “Assets & Liability” ends with a dissatisfaction with those who engage in fake races with God, concluding Mooch’s best LP to date. , breaking down the differences between the two.
Boss Sauce has been my favorite solo work by Mooch so far, but I can’t deny that Roc Star has taken that spot, as this album far exceeded my expectations. Muggs’ work here is more consistent than some of Mooch’s recent work, and the man himself’s lyrical prowess is the strongest it’s been in years, and even unparalleled in its versatility.
Rating: 9/10
