Insane E is a 39-year-old MC and graphic designer from East Palestine, Ohio who served as 1/4 of No Clue Crew in the early 2000s before developing a solo career and releasing The Fine Line in the late 2000s ten years. He subsequently became the head of graphic design at Majik Ninja Entertainment and served as graphic designer for the label’s founder, Twiztid, in November 2013, just 11 months after the crazy duo left Psychopathic Records to go solo. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of E’s second album, The Art of Blaoww, I’m eagerly awaiting his third album.
“In the Balance” kicks off the record with some Fritz the Cat-produced rap rock that opens up your mind and looks within, while “Tell Me Do You Very Care?” It’s outrageous that since the end is near, everyone is expected to pay attention to him. “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Me 2099” is a remix of a standout track from E’s solo debut album, The Fine Line, but then “Limitless” continues with passionate talk about keeping your head high and giving it your all.
The trap metal vibe on “Alien” lends itself to lyrical content that doesn’t fit in or belong before the anthemic “Chambers” featuring Zodiac MPrint, Blaze Ya Dead Homie and ROC assisting E as they run around in circles chasing what they’re looking for. “Get a Clue” takes an ominous trap route, hoping someone out there can hear his cry, before segueing into “Excedrin,” which marks a shift into boombap territory, talking about having over-the-counter drugs delivered to him.
“Welcome to My Gallery” once again fuses trap and metal, showing that he’s just an artist searching for his inner self, while “Brainwashed 2099” is another remix, this time from the duo’s one and only Gemini Project track from the album Experiment 17. “Bury It” is mature rap-rock that feels like they’re losing their mind.
We hear more guitar and hi-hat on “Time” so E can ask how long it will be before Father Time starts to overwhelm us all, while the psychedelic “Life by Design” wonders how long it will take before Father Time starts to overwhelm us all. Whether individuals all live by default or design. “Let It Burn (No Return)” grimly talks about having passed the point of no return, while “Next Level” features Mr. Gray with a morbid trap groove discussing how they’ve waited too long to move up Move and keep going.
“Homesick” approaches its climax, with a stripped-down sound and some acoustics provided by Stir Crazy to balance the scales, talking about how he’ll always be a part of his hometown and what the family he started means to him in the world ahead. “Shift “Rightly ends the album’s fusion of electronic music and trap, asking if you can feel him now.
Some 15 years since we last heard from him on The Art of Blaoww, and some 15 years since he began carving out a path for himself as a solo artist, Insane E is back to bring me I think it is my favorite solo work among the 3. It’s better produced than his previous few LPs, he sounds focused on addressing more personal themes, and we get a stronger feature performance on top of it.
Score: 8/10
