This is the ninth studio recording from Oakland, California recording artist and educator Ras Ceylon. He debuted in 1999 and is widely regarded as the first Sri Lankan presenter to make a name for himself in the Western hip-hop canon, later joining the Wu-Tang Killa Beez group and launching 7 full-length shows. However, before his death, he recruited the late Oli “Power” Grant to executive produce Scrollz at Lion Rock and handle A&R duties alongside Holy Toledo Productions founder M-80.
Following the introduction of composition “Grand Entrance (Sigriya)”, “Word is Bond” featuring Cappadonna and Timbo King finds the trio reminding the world of who they are over roaring bap instrumentals, while “Dis.Info.Age” samples the late MF DOOM’s “Gazzillion Message” to talk about the rise of error. “Ancestors,” starring Raskas, joins forces to discuss black fearlessness, while “Buzzsaw,” starring Timberkin and Prince Nine, demolishes all factories.
“Uprising” changes things up with a trap beat about how he doesn’t shy away from shit, leading into Timbo King’s “Duality” produced by Mathematics, reaching the midpoint of my favorite song explaining that people either put in the work for the glory or they don’t do it at all. “International Flex,” a collaboration between Tuff Like Iron and Yung Shanty, brings it all together, before “Heart Muscle” soulfully breaks down his belief in love and takes it out into the world.
Timbo King appears again in “Free World” to talk about fighting to win, while “Land Grab” again dabbles in traps, keeping the theme conscious. “River 2 Sea” featuring Solomon Childs calls for an end to the Gaza genocide and all apartheid, but after “Sword Swingin'” featuring Planet Asia and Timbo King tries to see who has the deepest strokes, closer “Blessingz” featuring Prodigal Sunn closes the album and certainly doesn’t take life for granted.
Scrollz of Lion Rock builds on the idea of Jacket Fulla Medalz a few years ago, elevating Ras Ceylon’s partnership with Timbo King into a full-length statement, cementing his place in the Wu-Tang Killa Beez lineage while highlighting his unique global grassroots voice, recruiting guests to help expand the story. Primarily rooted in the traditional prosperous Bapu sound, the work confronts themes of power, resistance, survival and cultural memory with precision and weight.
Rating: 7/10
