Kill Em All

Album: Kill Em All

Artist: Kill Em All (Mach-Hommy, Dj Muggs)

Genre: #HipHop

Sub-Genres: #Underground

Label: Soul Assassins

Non-Airable Tracks: All of them

Description:

From legendary producer, Dj Muggs and underground beast, Mach-Hommy, we are introduced to a new group between the two, Kill Em All. This is a grimy and intelligent self-titled album full of allusions, samples and styles from various cultures. Muggs’ beats on this record depart from his work with L.A. based Cyprus Hill and it seems the production is created specifically for the intricate flow of Mach-Hommy, and it works flawlessly. Mixing in plenty vocal samples akin to Madlib or J Dilla, this style is not going away. I wouldn’t group this project with lo-fi or even boom-bap, though they might share elements, Mach-Hommy and his vision is something in its own field entirely. 27 minutes of Hip-Hop in its truest form.

This project is filled with features from Hommy’s cohorts, Tha God Fahim (who Hommy has collaborated with countless times) and Your Old Droog, whose album “It Wasn’t Even Close” was executively produced by Mach-Hommy earlier this year. This project sounds like New York. Not the bling era, arena beats of Jay-Z or the boom-bap projects in which Wu-Tang was born, but from one man’s experience, raw and deep. Dj Muggs’ production is extremely sample heavy and diverse, from airy and ambient synths over a simple drum loop to abrasive low ends that will shake your speaker cabinet.

On the track Anacaona, we hear Hommy rap entirely in Haitian-Creole, and a feature from Sick Jacken in Spanish, showing their roots. This is not departure for Hommy however, his discography is filled with Haitian-Creole lyrics, titles, and references. Mach expresses his Hatian heritage with the same confidence as the Haitian flag bandana that dons his face. Hommy’s lyrics throughout the project range from emotional rhetoric, “project niggas get money study for human genome” on Force Majeure, to hilarious meme-like references such as, “I hop the fence, I’m Sheck Wes” on Lady Justice. His delivery is fast and speech like, showing us, instead of telling us what he is thinking and feeling. Here we get an insight into Hommy’s mind, life, and true self.

This extremely cohesive project should be listened to in its entirety, in a basement, at the highest volume. Mach-Hommy’s flow and delivery is unlike anything I’ve heard in this current era of Hip-Hop and can confidently put him in my top 5 dead or alive. Although this is a fantastic and intricate album, this isn’t even Mach’s best project this year, which speaks to the skill Mach holds. Mach-Hommy has collaborated with Earl Sweatshirt, Knxwledge, and Alchemist, and I would still put Kill Em All near the top of that list.

8/10

Sounds Like: Madlib, Conway, Westside Gunn

Recommended Tracks:

1. Force Majeure

2. Lady Justice

Reviewer’s Name: Pryce Batey

Date of Review:9/25/19