See – the monkey told you a while back the classic hip-hop was coming thick and fast this autumn and here’s a particularly heavyweight broadside from veteran Philly emcee Phill Most Chill and veteran Glaswegian producer Krash Slaughta in the shape of their new full-length collaboration Play It Back. The project has actually been three years in the making having come about at the suggestion of Phill himself following the success of the pair’s Rebel Base and Definition Of Ill 45s. Originally intended as a double LP, dark forces intervened to scupper that plan, necessitating a re-think that cut things back to the current slimmed-down set list on this release – though that does mean there there’s approximately the same amount of unreleased material that could potentially see the light of day in the future. Meanwhile back to the matter at hand which is to say ten cuts of raw hip-hop energy.
If you’ve caught previous team-ups between the pair, it should have prepared you for the aural onslaught contained within this release; if you haven’t – you best take cover. A case in point is opening salvo Krash The Party which pulls no punches lyrically (“We come to take ’em all out not just some/ I advise you to set up a trust fund/ Notify your next of kin when you see the ‘Most step in”) or musically with an urgent growling uptempo beat. Rumour has it that Gremlins-inspired second track Feed Me Hiphop was originally intended to feature fellow Philly rapper Bahamadia – though quite possibly the mic would’ve exploded with both her and Phill brag-rapping. The tempo drops again slightly on The Freshest – featuring the LP’s most minimal beat – more or less just a ride-cymbal-drenched drum break plus synth stabs and finely chopped samples while Phill explains, how, yep – he’s got bars – with some justification, it must be added. Freeze All Enemies finds Phill continue the lyrical take-downs over something a little faster because he’s got way too many syllables to spit for anything slower and throws a compliment Krash’s way to boot, “Krash Slaughta like water that broke the levee/ The most legendary in the game like Messi.” On second thoughts, it’s possibly just the first bit that’s for Krash while the second is for the ‘Most for himself – after all – he’s got form when it comes to autobiographical big-ups! Finally, Side One comes to a blistering end in the form of the monkey’s favourite cut – Rap Insurgents a windmilling b-boy breaks cut that features, you guessed it, a full lyrical breakdown of Phill’s skills.
Side Two opens with a cut that comes on like an episode of the X-Files, inspired by a UFO-type experience of Phill’s with a hook (and title) based around the repeated refrain, ‘I believe Bob Lazar,’ after the businessman famous for his claims about the US government and alien tech. Another LP highlight is Who Dat (Live From The Bitty) feat. Skeme Richards & Fatnice – a cut which especially memorable – not just for being dope in its own right and the LP’s only posse cut but because DJ, blogger and all-round pop culture fiend Skeme Richards came out of rap retirement just for this track! Next cut Create To Devastate feat. Rus Ace is also significant in reuniting, for the first time in forty years (!) The Devasting Two consisting of Rus Ace with his cousin…you guessed it, Phill Most Chill!
Of the two remaining cuts, the lyrics on the skeletal soul-powered beat of Shooting & Killing deviates from the LP’s primary lyrical preoccupation with mic skills to consider the (lack of) gun control (among other issues such as global warming and corporate corruption) and is one of the LP’s most understated but most powerful numbers posing the question, “When are we gonna say that we had enough of this?/ Acting like nothing’s amiss.” Finally, closer Play It Back guest features two non-emcee UK parties – singer Marietta Smith of The Allergies/ Smith & The Honey Badgers fame along with Smoove & Turrell keyboard player (and walking Stone Island advert) Mike Porter. The LP’s slowest cut, this one provides an atmospheric wind-down as Phill reflects on a decades-long career. Man, that is one tight set – not bad for a producer and an emcee who have never actually met in person. The LP will appear in ‘African violet’-coloured vinyl and feature cover art by Krash’s fellow Glasgwegian Rogue One whose murals can be seen throughout Glasgow and indeed Scotland.
(Out now HERE)