Termanology — Shut Up and Rap

For his third studio album, Daniel Carrillo bka Termanology from Lawrence, Massachusetts, decides to provide a showcase to a dozen emerging and little-known rappers from Boston's hip-hop scene in an effort that could take the shape of a mixtape-compilation, if it weren't for the accuracy of the product and the fact that the music is made exclusively by a single rookie beatmaker, Billy Loman. Termanology reserves the only solo cut for the bonus track "Streetwise", the final choice of the album, on a production by The Mighty Moe with scratches by Statik Selektah.

The guests of the project are Michael Christmas, Astro, Chila Jones, Cortez, Chasen Hampton, Lumidee, Cyrus DeShield, Dutch ReBelle, Chris Rivers, Inspectah Deck, Skyzoo, Torae, DJ Doo Wop, Slaine, Lil' Fame and Willie the Kid, as well as Termanology's ST da Squad group members H-Blanco, Reks, Easy Money, Superstah Snuk, Hectic and Artisin.

Billy Loman immediately lays down an exquisite beat for the first posse of the tape, "The War Begins", capturing a great sample from Nancy Priddy's psychedelic "Ebony Glass" to provide an ideal sonic backdrop for Chris Rivers, Inspectah Deck directly from the Wu-Tang Clan, H-Blanco and Termano. The album continues well with "Get Away", a track created with Reks, one of the main guests of the project, Skyzoo and Torae. The song boasts a sample from Bob James and also some scratches from DJ Deadeye.

The fourth piece is "I'm Good", where Loman leans towards a sample from the Maestro Henry Mancini, so he can't go wrong: an excerpt from "Lujon", also known as "Slow Hot Wind", supports the delivery of Carrillo, Astro and Michael Christmas, all enhanced by Statik's scratches. The tape settles a little in the central section, rising in tone with the last pieces, starting with “Reality” where three ST rappers spit over a pleasant production by Loman, also thanks to a brilliant sample from P'taah's "Hold You Close". Slaine joins Artisin and Term in the battle "Depths of Hell", then "Pour Out a Bottle of Rose" closes the work with a posse together with Reks and Lil Fame.

Three bonus tracks follow, the first being "My Time 2 Shine", where Lil Fame and Termanology drop bars on a vibrant and futuristic production performed by Termanology with the help of Artisin and The Arcitype, thanks to an appropriate sample from a piece by Harold Faltermeyer from the soundtrack of the movie "The Running Man" (1987). The second is "El Wave", for this choice Statik Selektah and The Alchemist are credited behind the keyboards: the sample of Ethel Beatty's "It's Your Love" falls softly on the track, sublime soundscape for the smoothness style of Willie the Kid, Reks and Term, brilliant cut, the best on the album. It closes the aforementioned Termanology solo on a lively solitary piano.

Released at the end of the year by ST, ShowOff and Brick Records, this is a good soft rap album with a couple of standout tracks ("The War Begins", "Get Away", "El Wave") and little else, 6/10.