Four years after launching Celph Titled, Buckwild tries again with an emerging New York rapper, Meyhem Lauren from Queens. Meyhem's a rapper related to Action Bronson who plays below the scene's underground radar, he's still there despite several collaborations with DJ Muggs.
From this effort we understand why: he doesn't have elements that distinguish him from the other thousands of hip hop artists from NY. Buckwild here often provides him with jazzy rhythms, rarely breaking from his field of expertise in the gloomy tense ("Love and Loyalty"), bleak ("Silk Shirts and Yello Gold"), and soulful productions ("Aztec Blue" and Been Official"), sometimes with good results ("Honey Champagne", "Aztec Blue", "Been Official") sometimes not ("I Need It All", "Where The $ At"). Leaving aside the poor hooks and some commercial troubles, the main problem of this joint effort is the delivery of Meyhem, often uninspired (especially in the first part), dully, or simply poor and boring. It doesn't help the choice of thug themes, as street playa. The result's a mixed disc, difficult to receive, it's not even clear if they aim at a commercial result or aim to remain timeless in the underground and it doesn't matter because it doesn't succeed in both cases.
Note: Action Bronson's devastating in the opening track, AG da Coroner delivers a good verse, and "Aztec Blue" has a classic beat but Meyhem doesn't seem to notice.
Buckwild reserves his best beats for the end, "Silk Shirts and Yellow Gold" is composed of an awesome dark, bleak jazzy boom bap, has a dark aftertaste in its lightness, normal chorus (rare during this listening) and good delivery by Meyhem, which seems inspired here (another very rare thing here). It would be the best track of the album if it weren't for "Been Official": the DITC beatsmith excels himself and pulls out a sick rhythm thanks to a great, heavy sample in the background, here too Meyhem delivery better than previous attempts, with a smooth flow.
Rating: 5.5/10.
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