After two albums this year built around a hard, bangin’ West Coast sound, this one feels noticeably softer, leaning more into trap and more modern themes. With three releases in such a short span, the strain is starting to show. This is all okay, but nothing here leaves a lasting impression. My enjoyment has dropped with each recent project but the gap from this to his last is wider. There’s also a stretch of four songs, from 'Smokin on the Best' to 'Superstition', that blur together with the same laid-back vibe and predictable female-sung hooks. And I’ve said it before, but he really needs to retire that grating scream he throws on every track. It’s gone from a signature to an annoyance. A low 3/5. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★ Hooks: ★★☆ Best Tracks: DPGC, Indictment, Rowtation

A decent film that leans on a fairly standard, predictable Aussie theme: the little guy taking on the giant, much like the classic The Castle. Here, two rival fish and chip shop owners team up to take down Burgies (essentially McDonald’s in disguise). The sacrificial ending adds a fresh touch and is genuinely appreciated. It’s an enjoyable, locally filmed watch, but not exactly essential viewing.

This album is roughly a quarter political/conscious hip hop, a quarter gangsta rap, and half straight-up sex rap. It opens on the political side, with Willie taking aim at everything from the education system and entertainment industry to government and the music business. Modern producers who rely on a two-second loop for four minutes could learn a thing or two from some of the beats here. Tracks like 'Willie Dee' constantly switch up and keep the momentum going. The project starts strong, but the second half loses some steam. The themes thin out, and while the production still carries that late-80s Southern grit and thick basslines, it doesn’t hit with the same spark as earlier. Overall, a solid debut that shows flashes of something great, even if it doesn’t sustain it all the way through. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Do It Like a G.O., F..... the KKK, Willie Dee, Put the F'in Gun Away 1 Do It Like a G.O. 84 2 F..... the KKK 83 3 Kick That S..... 74 4 Willie Dee 80 5 Put the F'in Gun Away 80 6 Trip Across From Mexico 64 7 5th Ward 70 8 Bald Headed Hoes 62 9 Welfare B..... 54 10 Kinky 60 11 I Need Some P..... 60 12 F.... Me Now 64

As usual with K-Rino, this isn’t an album you can just throw on in the background. He writes with intent, always pushing a perspective or probing an idea. On 'Heaven and Hell' he questions whether those places exist, while 'Written in Blood' digs into some of the darker corners of US history. Psix lays down a solid backdrop, providing beats that hold the verses up without getting in the way. K-Rino sits in that Canibus or Lupe A-tier as a writer and rapper lane, but if you’re not here for pure lyricism, this won’t be for everyone. Every track is essentially K-Rino rapping nonstop, and the appeal hinges entirely on how much you enjoy hearing someone go all in on bars. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★ Hooks: ☆ Best Tracks: Heaven and Hell, Written in Blood

I’ve been saying the same thing in so many of Apollo Brown's album reviews that at this point, unless he works with a rapper I love, I’ll probably stop checking out his new albums. I haven't counted, but it seems like half the hooks differentiate themselves here by having a choir type VST which isn't new for Brown. He frequently works with these underground/conscious rappers who come with a similar style. The "Chess not checkers"/"Third-eye" type of spitters which is what Ty brings here. He uses those lines and then on the next song, 'Authentic', tells us how different he is. You can't say "Chess not checkers" anymore on a record. It's been done to death. Be it voice, flows, creativity, and so on, Ty has nothing as a rapper to elevate Apollo's rehashed productions. I always name the best tracks at the bottom of my reviews, but after threes listens it's hard to choose as nothing stands out. Maybe 'Traffic' with it's likeable melody if I had to name one. Apollo always makes adequate music you can press play on and let ride, but for a long-time listener, it hasn't gone beyond that for a while to make anything that I want to replay. Everything is similar. It's all safe. Nothing takes risks. Nothing stands out. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★☆ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Traffic