Struggle Mike — Da Wall

This is one of the first records by Struggle Mike, artist from Buffalo, New York. Struggle Mike curates the project, which is produced by other artists, most notably Four Limbs. Among the guests stand out the names of the rappers of the Black Soprano Family group Benny the Butcher, Rick Hyde, Loveboat Luciano, Heem, as well as Che Noir, BodyBagBen, Madhattan, Eto, Fred the Godson, Hus Kingpin and RJ Payne.

The project opens on a high note, also thanks to the production of the main beatmaker of the tape Four Limbs: gorgeous piano in the background, plucked guitar, deep bass, dry midtempo drum, ideal musical carpet for the raw bars of BodyBagBen who opens the cut and delivers with a crisp and smooth style. A break from the Mexican group BuKnas de Culiacan preceded by a burst of machine gun fire breaks the verses offering the chorus, then the original beat returns to also accommodate BSF emcee Heemer da Steemer, who performs with good, regular and confident rapping, and the final verse of the emerging Texan rapper Vino La Mano, who drops bars with a good slow and careful style.

"Not 1 Boss" takes the road to a commercial club hit with an enterprising hi-hat and a shiny suit loop, inside Dufflebag Hottie leads the way for Benny the Butcher, Trypps Beatz's beat is accessible and clean, but the song never really takes off. Pick number four combines Rick Hyde, Madhattan and Same Dude over a beat built around a haunting piano loop and screeching sound created by Roarx the Producer. On a dissonant piano loop with accompanying violins, a dry downtempo drum, dusted cymbals and good Four Limbs samples, Boston vet Smoke Bulga delivers bars alongside Bay Area vet Gotomars aka Mars and Rochester emcee Eto, who in recent years has made his way among the most talented artists in New York State periphery.

"Coming for You" features deep bass and annoying sounds that contrast with the performers' rapping, inside The Breed Mafia, Boons and Che Noir: the latter dominates the beat, even if the production created by Roarx the Producer is terrible. There are two skits before the next tune, "Something Beautiful", where Four Limbs returns behind the keyboards. Good bass line, accessible midtempo drum, chipmunk soul sample, ideal sound carpet for Rick Hyde and Fred the Godson, there's also G Mims, splendid break. The album remains on the chipmunk soul sound also in the following piece, a collaboration between RJ Payne, Hus Kingpin and the Buffalo rapper SpiderdaGod on a production by Four Limbs. Che Noir opens "If I" with a brilliant flow on a Four Limbs production once again focused on a female soul loop, few piano keys, good bass, guitar licks, sparse drums. Also inside Queen Vee and Kalah Bishop.

“Silent Moves” aims for the hit again on an intriguing glossy production by Rick Hyde, featuring fellow BSF artist Loveboat Luciano along with Speedie da Icon. DVBLExR produces "Work" (aka "Wurk"), interesting rhythm with a frenetic hi-hat, tempered and restrained drums, inspired rap by SpiderdaGod, KevMac and Permy Lee. DVBLExR stays behind the keyboards on next track too, providing a rhythmic musical backdrop for "Cali Dreamin", posse track that features Stretchdotcom, Speedie da Icon, Moody909 and rnb pop duo 80 Empire to perform the hook in a West Coast-homage track.

“Almost” boasts more rock-sounding production courtesy of Eken Beats, Ray Swoope, Ace Roc and Xtorzionayte deliver bars on this beat. “Blender” is the latest production from Four Limbs, creating a solid boom bap to support verses from Same Dude, Blaze Merch and Grenzy. "Henny" closes the tape with a glossy and lounge production by DVBLExR, which places synths similar to those that Vangelis brought to "Blade Runner", inside Stretchdotcom, Shade Black, Waverly Jones and the duo 80 Empire.

Released by Struggle Mike's Struggle Cartel, this effort is a showcase for most of the artists involved. The project is ambitious and aims to attract the greatest possible audience with street cuts, attempted hits for the club, references to the new wave of chipmunk soul, tracks for the West Coast, pieces with rock sounds and some more experimental ones, becoming a little irregular, not very structured and, in general, a little below average compared to the many records released during the season.

Rating: 5/10.