This is the sophomore full-length studio LP from Los Angeles duo Coyote. Comprised of the Morales brothers LadiesLoveGuapo and Ricky Blanco, they released their debut album Thicker Than Water in late 2022, gaining attention for their witty quips and East Coast influences. However, a year and a half later, their official follow-up L.Aliens quickly became their breakthrough project, so much so that people suggested I give it a try, and I was more than willing to do so as the tracklist looked promising .
“Pop the Trunk” kicks the door open as hard as possible with its booming beat production and hardcore lyricism reminiscent of the ’90s, while “3 Lokos” features fucking Shaquille O’Neal, in more The kicks and snare are reminiscent of the entire Mobb Deep Havoc production. The instrumental on MC Magic’s “Pocho” feels like something Tyler the Creator would have done in his Odd Future days, I mean, it’s a tribute to the people who have been with him since that era, showing them Of Mexican origin and “Tryna” get high blessing? B-Real is the theme song for heavy smokers.
Looking ahead to “LA LA Land,” LadiesLoveGuapo and Ricky Blanco venture into trap territory to tell us what it was like to be in the City of Angels before “DUI,” where SUCKERFREE104 hangs up with bells and kicks and trap talks about drinking too much and being in Drunk pulling your bitch with the roof off. “Buck 50” swaps the ringtone for a sample, asking if you really walk like you’re talking with your chest out, while “Do You” puts a psychedelic spin on others as the trap falls into the ground.
Shady Records signee Westside Boogie just performed for Kendrick Lamar at his Pop Out concert at Kia Forum, making his first appearance since Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Following the death of Nipsey Hu, the West Coast unites for the sweet “House Party” with Coyote, further proven by the chopped and screwed hooks that respectively represent Los Angeles and Compton into the soulful “Pushin'” , Doeman remains positive and positive. The trap-flavored “Wadadabang” featuring The Game and Lefty Gunplay had the better of the 2 compared to Game’s gangster shit, but then “Devil’s Contract” was a fusion of g-funk and boom bap horrorcore.
In “Letter to God,” the Morales brothers skip apocalyptic training beats to send a message to a higher power ahead of the “drug bunny” return craze, hilariously mocked by Dallinger Drawing inspiration from Diddy (aka P. Diddy), founder of Bad Boy Entertainment. Or Diddy attacking Cassie for being an adult and acting like a bitch. “Note to Self” once again embraces the sound of trap, ensuring the consequences are worth it, while “Cheers” takes a darker route, explaining that you’re either in it or you’re not.
Meanwhile, the energetic “Splash” talks about how they’re going to treat you like everyone else, deciding your worth by who you think you’re lifting up, rather than staying down, while “Blanco the Blizzard” signals The return of the Griselda craze bap vibe discussing fame and status. Justin Credible’s “Hunger Flow” keeps the kick and snare tight and murderous, while “Quema Quema” is full-blown Latin trap. “Rings” last brought Shaq on as mic 1 near the end of “L.Aliens,” offering a jazzy trap fusion that treated hip-hop as a sport when it wasn’t really a game, and “Busca La Muerte” It is a 2-minute Latin text closer.
Thicker Than Water , the Morales Brothers’ sophomore effort takes them to a whole new level as one of the hottest up-and-coming groups in West Coast hip-hop. The production spans from Boom Bap to Trap, Jazz Rap, Cloud Rap, Latin Music, Southern Hip Hop, Soul and even Psychedelic music, increasing the jokes to 11 and inviting a pretty tight guest list. It’s also cool that they show off their influences and put their own spin on what they end up with as a melting pot of styles.
Score: 8/10
