Philly underground veteran Vinnie Paz releases his second EP approximately seven months after his eighth album All Are Guest in the House of God. As MC of Jedi Mind Tricks and leader of Legion of the Pharaohs, he released his first two solo albums, “Season of the Assassin” and “God of the Serengeti” in 2010 and 2012 respectively, until 2016 with “The Cornerstone” returns. “The Pain Collector” has been my favorite since his first two releases, but top to bottom, Paz keeps coming back to a consistent style with new solo work every year, and by incorporating Jacinto’s “Mantis” Carry on the tradition with a physical exclusive.
“Contra Cocaine” is a banging opener about killing every chance he gets, while my favorite EP “Blood Bank Affair” was produced by The Czar-Keys and Scott Stallone with some guitar , bass drum and snare drum to seduce him so he can lyrically throw it into his Boxcutter bag. “Ghost Limb” has a futuristic weirdness, thanks to the nickel plating, ensuring you might see a corpse in the city of Pack Pistol Pazzy, leading to “Bullet in the Head,” which contains stories about animals. sampling.
The song “Brainscan Exorcism” featuring Boob Bronx and Recognize Ali pairs the trio over a terrifying piano/boom bap crossover that everyone hopes to enjoy while they’re still alive, while “Funeral Pyre” has to be another A standout track that intricately takes a Shuko beat weaved through samples and you all hit a different level. “Zoë Lund” sums up Jacinto’s Praying Mantis, a stunning mix of 7L woodwinds, kick drum, snare drum and scratch hook.
I can’t say where Ikon the Verbal Hologram will go, whether it’s a ninth solo LP or a new Jedi Mind album, but he’s given the underground a solid intro EP until that day comes. In terms of production, I’d personally lean more towards his last few full-length films, although Scott did a great job with the engineering. Also, Squatdeadface’s art makes me happy, as a Griselda head I’ve been following FLYGOD since he was an awesome god, and lyrically, Odramar Vin Laden still One of the greatest men in the City of Brotherly Love.
Score: 7/10
