The Hip Hop Roundup: Chief Keef, Ill Addicts, Don Tolliver and more

Album of the week: Ill Addicts – Malfunction

Boston’s Ill Addicts may have just released the perfect cataclysmic album for our apocalyptic world setting. Compared to their jovial approach in the past (“Cake,” “Ahora”), Malfunction illustrates a group that’s more conscientious than they’ve ever been, particularly when it comes to real world politics.

Songs like “Anthrax” and “Bernie” loosely reference political happenings from past and present, while “Hello (Thought U Were Dead)” finishes the album on a depressingly sinister note. There’s no room for catharsis in a world where Contagion-like chaos ensues. The six-person posse of ProSwervez, SK, Juelz, Dochee, Zay, and Frank have finally realized that life isn’t as simple as dildos, shopping carts and birthday cake.

Chief Keef – “Hood”

It is Chief Keef who-amongst a worldwide drill renaissance (mainstream-wise)-continues to tastefully experiment with sounds from an alternate dimension. This isn’t that “Hate Bein’ Sober” Young Chop-type drill though; where minimal piano keys and a slightly over-mixed bass dominate the forefront of the production. No, when Sosa makes beats now, they summon something godly. Not only is he not using friends and hands to annihilate his enemies. He’s also taking advantage of that stout Nerf gun collection in the background of the “Shawty Say She Love Me/Colors” video. “Hood” is another example of otherworldly hedonism drenched in a colorful fun house.

Mozzy – “Tunnel Vision”

Drake would love to rap over a beat like this, even though he would never elicit this much emotion and personal insight. Mozzy on the other hand does this ultra-melodic sample justice. In a swift two-minute verse, the Sacramento rapper softly ruminates on his troubled past as a marginalized entity while holding his child in the sunny delight of California. He’s smiling and perusing through the city with the optimistic mentality of not letting your past affect your future. Much like a lot of his introspective cuts, there’s one or two bars that make you think about our problematic society from a perspective that’s not your own (“District attorney ‘nem been tryna tear me down/Like I’m the reason why they murder case was carried out”).

Chicken P – “Off My Chest”

Chicken P’s manic double time raps are what made me fall in love with his music in the first place. His Billy mixtape was one of my favorite projects from 2019. He’s one of the most entertaining Milwaukee spitters to rap on top of piano-heavy, high-BPM production. “Off My Chest” is a free-styling extension of that project.

Gmac Cash – “Coronavirus”

A song like this may come a little prematurely considering the seriousness of our current situation. But at least Gmac Cash is taking precautionary measures. He’s said he’s not coming out of his house for another year, which is more than most considerate people would do nowadays.

Don Tolliver – “Euphoria”

To most, this may seem like a standard R&B song because well, it is. But it’s not something I’d expect, especially coming from Don Tolliver’s hazy, club-ready aesthetic. A slow-burning ballad surprisingly suits Travis Scott well. This may be his best feature since Astroworld.

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