Two of the most hardcore and prolific people in the game – G Fam Black and BoFaat – team up to drop ‘Plead The Fifth‘, a nasty, hard-hitting boom bap album that is chock full of bars, beats and attitude. Both artists have incredible catalogues and this latest offering is another jewel in each of their discographies. It is a match made in heaven as BoFaat really knows how to craft beats that have immense depth and feeling, while keeping the authentic sound that we grew up with and gravitate toward to this day. G Fam Black can spit over ANYTHING, but he excels when the backing is really hardbody and robust and therefore capable of marrying up with his gruff, rugged flow and brain-permeating lyrical content.
The album starts of with some pretty dainty keys over dusty drums on ‘Kick In The Door‘ which eases the listener into the experience. Leo CaSeeNo adds value and is one of the only features on the album, but certainly provides that polish to G Fam’s iron gavel. ‘The Black Plague‘ hosts a more eerie and dark feeling and purposeful drums for Black to spit over and unfolds his devlish tales, while ‘Dedication‘ positions haunting vocals and intricate keys with brilliantly brutal lyrics that make you scratch and nod the noggin. G Fam goes for the jugular on ‘Ride Down‘ with his heavy-handed street poetry, putting dents in the solid drum-laced banger BoFaat uses for the score. It’s moody, edgy and sensational hip hop.
Kingdom Kome pairs perfectly with G Fam Black and Bo Faat to body ‘The Devil‘ which uses the gun-cock sound effect with lethal results for a track that was an immediate revisit, before moving forward with ‘I See‘ that embodies that Mobb Deep, Eye for an Eye, golden era, street corner hip hop mastery – Bless Picasso painting those verbal masterpieces and G Fam holding it down like cement shoes. BoFaat’s use of soundbytes is once again on display with ‘Miss Me Wit That‘ before G Fam fires off some warning shots such as “take it personal only if it applies”….. And when Fam talks, you listen.
‘Come Ups & Set Backs‘ sees G Fam dive back into that sidewalk street poetry and storytelling rap, done with brutal effect over a more lively, dusty anthem before the penultimate (and title) track ‘Plead The Fifth‘ slides on into the headphones over some delightfully smooth keys / strings. The finale is ‘The Main Event‘ a monstrous banger featuring Oblivious, Knuckle Dragguz comrade P-Ro and Grimewav Generals Enels and Hanzo Bladez. If you think that LOOKS like a dope lineup, then wait until you press play and the Bo Faat produced track chimes in and gets obliterated with ruthless bardom. It’s a CRAZY way to end a dope album and have you not pleading the fifth, but pleading for more.
Bangers: The Main Event, The Devil, Ride Down, I See.
Score: 9 / 10. As mentioned at the start of this review, Bo Faat and G Fam Black are important figures in the hip hop scene not just because of the prolific nature of their work, but the ability to create and craft top tier hip hop, keep it authentic and organic while creating nastiness that is poised to give you an ear infection. Bo Faat and drums are a beautiful synergy and G Fam just commands the mic and gives the listener a range of street poetry, warning shots and anthems that continue to entertain.
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