Meeco and DJ Access have been making some ripples through the hip hop underground over recent years, and now we get a killer full length project from two of the games underrated talents – Meeco on the production tip and DJ Access slaying the wheels like very few can. This pairing, along with the modern yet nostalgic sound of the boom bap era and the emcees enlisted to provide the verbal lava, ensures a fantastic project from start to finish, that will stay in the rotation for a while to come!
Lil Fame and Fredro Starr kick the album off with their concrete cracking bars on ‘My Mentality‘ which is dead set and ANTHEM. You can’t help but nod your head and completely lose your shit as it brings back those Ante Up vibes! The title track ‘We Run Shit‘ takes a different approach with a more laid back, dusty drum having track featuring razor sharp bars from Havoc and Ras Kass as they don’t mess around behind the mic before Elzhi brings his high-quality lyrical content to ‘Back in the Days‘, an airy, vibe filled boom bap track with some super impressive cuts.
An R&B flava drips through the speakers on ‘My Time‘ featuring Amber Simone delivering sultry vocals while Grafh does his thing, adding that grime and edginess with his crafty command of his verbals. This has that 2000’s club feel FOR SURE and would get everyone vibing, then it’s back to the street corner with Inspectah Deck and Fashawn dropping knowledge on the head nodding ‘Wreckless‘ where heavy lyricism is on display and makes you run more than a few lines back! The cuts are beautiful and there is a funky undertone to this track that brings some positive energy, and ‘Change‘ continues that vibe with great use of Nas samples etc.
‘Certified Legend‘ is an appropriate title for a track featuring Termanology who has been slaying beats in the hip hop underground for decades. He rips this banger as well, bringing his swagger filled bars over a semi-soulful and funky joint that has some audio personality! ‘LOTM (Lord of the Mic)‘ with Dillon Cooper really transports us back to the 90’s with a boppy number, featuring quality keys and cuts then it’s ‘Golden Rule‘ featuring Aobie that gets our head moving relentlessly with gruff and rugged flow over crisp, snappy snares.
Meeco and Access really cement their credentials on ‘First Cut the Check‘ featuring Rasco. It’s a CRAZY tune, DJ Access really making those cuts with precision and the melodic boom bap production is flawless, and Rasco does it justice by punching in some memorable bars. Skyzoo spits his traditionally dope and eclectic street poetry on ‘Me‘ over an airy, upbeat number that is a really fun and engaging listen, before ‘Honestly‘ sees Dyce Payne bring the bars over a more demure, darker and edgier track. The final track ‘Once in a Lifetime’ feels understatedly triumphant and a great way to close out the album which is a wonderful audio journey through the culture.
Bangers: My Mentality, Wreckless, We Run Shit, Me, First Cut The Check, Back In The Days.
Score: 9 / 10. What a dope album. From the moment you press play, you are taken on an audio journey that has plenty of peaks and troughs, but never a fall off in quality. It’s a diverse offering, bridging the gap with some RnB and soul influences to supplement the rough and rugged, street tales. The boom bap is in full effect, and the cuts are brilliantly executed which makes it such a complete project. Even after a handful of spins, this has great energy and will be staying in the rotation for a while.
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