Album of the Year #17: DJ Muggs x Rome Streetz - Death & The Magician - HipHop | HipHop Channel

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Album of the Year #17: DJ Muggs x Rome Streetz - Death & The Magician - HipHop

Album of the Year #17: DJ Muggs x Rome Streetz - Death & The Magician - HipHop

Album of the Year #17: DJ Muggs x Rome Streetz - Death & The Magician

Posted: 31 Dec 2021 09:13 PM PST

Artist: DJ Muggs x Rome Streetz

Album: Death & The Magician

Listen:

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Apple Music

Background by /u/farm_sauce

Through a prophetic sense for the future of the genre, mixed with his undeniable roots in the evolution of popularized hip hop sound, DJ Muggs has become the "Nick Fury" of east coast rap's Avengers, assembling the most lyrically talented verbal superheroes the east coast has to offer, and has asserted himself as an undeniable force for all that is pure and essential to hip hop.

DJ Muggs, born Lawrence Muggerud, is a Queens borough native with a passion for New York hip hop culture. Muggs started his career DJing in the New York underground scene in 1988, shortly before linking with B-Real and Sen Dog to form one of hip hop's most iconic supergroups, Cypress Hill. You may have heard of them. Muggs produced 7 albums with the group, four of which achieved platinum status, the remaining three going gold. In the late 80's and 90's, Muggs wasn't just on fire, he was a nuclear fission plant for creating iconic music. Some of his most iconic collaborations were with rap hall-of-famers like GZA, House of Pain, Fundoobiest, and Planet Asia to name a few. He was shaping what the everyday listener thought hip hop could sound like, establishing the genre has an American staple, and creating a sound that would be revisited for decades to come.

It was Muggs who took The Alchemist under his wing in the early 90's. The Alchemist, who needs no introduction to this sub, sparked Muggs' growing passion for mentoring and collaborating with new artists, especially those whose musical abilities far surpass their exposure and fame. Muggs wanted to work on the razor's edge of hip hop, carving a path forward with two things in mind: an undying loyalty to the nostalgic sound of 90's boom bap production, and absolutely filthy elite lyricism.

In 1997, Muggs released an album titled Soul Assassins, defined by its grim and sinister melodies laid under slow-paced and menacing drums, interjected with haunting audio clips that gave the audience an all-too-close look at the rotten underbelly of American society (I strongly recommend this album). It was the first in a series of stylistic releases the production for which would become unique to Muggs and his collaborators. Little did Muggs know that the sound he had coined with his Soul Assassins production would eventually open the door for his career revival 20 years later thanks to a string of releases with talented lyricists like Mayhem Lauren, Roc Marciano, Eto, Mach-Hommy, and more.

Enter: Rome Streetz, an aptly named Queens borough native with a passion for word craft. Streetz, or Jerome Allen, grew up fast the same as any kid from Queens, where rapping had become more of an expectation than a possible career choice. His childhood saturated with street violence and the allure of crime and drugs, Rome quickly faced situations that taught him the importance of loyalty, focus, and hustle. Seeing the dark path her son was heading down, Streetz' own mother decided it best to send him across the Atlantic Ocean to attend high school in a less-dangerous environment: London, England.

It was there at the lunch tables over acapella beat-boxing and fish & chips where Rome discovered his voice and talent for rapping, outpacing his British classmates by a mile (kilometer?) with his intricate New York flows reminiscent of Nas and Mobb Deep. Grime music, though only just beginning to emerge from the London underground, showed Rome how pacing and delivery could affect the impact of his words. Rome Streetz took notes, and after graduating he returned home to New York to hone his craft.

Rome started to upload his mixtapes to DatPiff back in 2011, and in 2016 released his first full-length project I Been Thru Mad Sh\t* to generally positive reviews. In 2018, however, he released Streetz Keep Calling Me, where Rome separated himself from the pack of rabid New York rappers chomping at the bit for a shot at fortune and fame. He went on to release several more projects from 2018 – 2020, including his highly praised Noise Kandy mixtape series, which features four installments full to the fitted-cap brim of pure and crystalline bars. He has most recently been moving around with Griselda headman Westside Gunn, who touts him as the next big rapper out of NYC.

Rome and Muggs first linked up at an event in Brooklyn, where Muggs recognized the evident talent contributing to Rome's growing success and praised him for it. After DM'ing back and forth for a while, the two finally reunited at the Soul Assassins studio in LA. After releasing a slew of projects in 2020 and 2021, both Muggs and Rome were each riding their own creative hot streaks unparalleled by 99% of the industry. Both sharing an affinity for the dark and mysterious themes coursing through the veins of the American underground, Rome and Muggs' wavelengths synced to create one of the boldest, most interesting, and technically impressive hip hop albums this year: Death & The Magician.

Review by /u/farm_sauce

There aren't many albums that stick with you the way Death & The Magician has stuck with me. DATM was my first taste of what both Rome Streetz and DJ Muggs were capable of, and after the rise of Griselda in 2019 and 2020 which has constituted a great awakening to the rebirth of 90's New York hip hop, I've completely shifted my musical preferences as a result. Never before have I heard such a pure and direct assault on my senses. Never before have I been so helplessly and happily lost in an artist's lyrics, or experienced the involuntary nodding of my head and curling of my upper lip in response to a beat alone. To quote the first comment I read on YouTube after listening to DATM, Rome Streetz and DJ Muggs created a classic with this one.

At 13 songs, and a total runtime of just under 34 minutes, DATM is a perfectly paced project. There are no songs that are too long or too short, yet they each undoubtedly leave you wanting more. Synonymous with Death, the number 13 is significant, too, as DATM is not just a stellar hip hop album, but a multi-faceted concept album rife with themes of the occult both dark and light. The album exists primarily as an outlet for Rome Streetz to unleash his pen to educate all of his fans and haters alike of the trials and tribulations of thriving in the streets. DJ Muggs supplies the pedestal from which Rome delivers his ghetto street gospels, integrating his grim and high-octane production with Rome's deadly and twisting rhyme schemes. With DATM, the duo created a sound somewhere between an organized crime TED talk and a cemetery freestyle session, dark and determined in all its glory.

The album's concept is seated squarely in the world of the occult, specifically divination, and the tarot cards used to divine fortunes back in the 18th century. Death, for example, is the 13th card in most traditional tarot decks, and while it can be interpreted as actual death in divination, it is most typically associated with rebirth, light, and eternity. On the other hand, the Magician is the first card, and by all accounts refers to a person who is using all of the tools at their disposal to their benefit—the magician is a master of the elements. The big question is, of DJ Muggs and Rome Streetz, who plays the role of Death and who plays the Magician?

In classic DJ Muggs style, "6 Of Cups" starts the album with Muggs and Rome Streetz delivering a status update on the state of the streets over a backdrop of somber violins. Audio clips of newscasters reporting various gun crimes give the track a very real emotional connection to Rome's words. The 6 of Cups in tarot divination refers to your past, specifically your past coming back into your life. It's here that we immediately are exposed to some themes that will remain prevalent throughout the album: trust, loyalty, and betrayal. We hear Rome and Muggs trade commentary on how dangerous it is to be outside these days. "Sh*ts different, like… n*ggas walk around with f*ckin' masks on all day, you don't event know if that's your… friend or your enemy." Rome says one line about survival as the violins swell that particularly sticks out: "It's either me or you nowadays, and I been through too much f*ckin' sh*t for it to be me." He then speaks the most prophetic words of the album, "you gotta stay crazy… n*ggas be saying 'stay dangerous'… [because] that 'be safe' sh*t will still get your muh' f*ckin' sh*t clapped". For a first track, "6 Of Cups" does a great job at reeling the listener in close and emotionally investing them in the story to come.

The albums first song "Prayers Over Packages" features a recollection of Rome Streetz' come up laid down over a slow and drawn-out Muggs beat. Streetz asks "What gets you killed faster: too much love, trust, or truth?" implying early on that he's been burned by those he has loved in the past. Rome sings the hook, "I said prayers over packages, hopin' to God that I can sell em' fast as sh*t/ Mommy told me "never slack off, n*gga there's plenty cash to get"/ Never get too caught up in the moment, gotta capture it", where he's speaking on his lack of time to become successful. We hear about friends who have perished, or gone to jail, leaving Rome behind to either meltdown or continue grinding on his way to accomplish his goals. Rome repeatedly chooses to chase his dream over letting his circumstance drag him down, and he is aware enough to recognize that he isn't just surviving, but thriving. He isn't just some "rappity-rap" artist, but more so an entire complex personality with more life experience than most at the age of 34.

"Ace Of Swords" is by far my favorite track on the entire album. First off, the beat by DJ Muggs is just unparalleled. A mix between the grimy sewers under a city and the climax of a horror flick, Muggs is essentially kickstarting the album with this track by giving Rome a seriously dope beat to explode on—and Rome delivers. On this track we get to witness just how good the chemistry is between these two, as well as Rome's impressive vocabulary. Rome spits devious lyrics about his plans for his career, rapping "Put me in a group with you n*ggas, bet I come out with a shearling coat/ All you n*ggas sleep sheep, my aim's to flood the world with smoke". Basically, Rome is saying that no matter how many opponents he's faced with he will always come out on top, and he won't be stopping there. In divination, the Ace of Swords refers to someone who has acquired new knowledge. Rome interprets this as lessons learned from fake friends, and praises those who were true hustlers, rapping "I wish Big was able to slide in that truck/ And Pac clapped the n*ggas in that Caddie that was ridin' up/ Sh*t'd be different, still I carry tradition". The hook is one of the most impressive on the album in my opinion, with Rome basically laying out a creed for a successful life.

Building off his creed for success, on "The Manuscript" Rome elaborates even further about how you have to act to achieve success. "I hustle, ain't nothing coming free/ I don't even wanna talk if you n*ggas ain't bringing dollars my way/ I go and get it now, so why the f*ck should I wait?/ My mind is focused on this money I make". Rome basically tells us here that you'll learn more about hustling from wheeling and dealing in the street than you ever could in school. When you learn to hustle, success becomes inevitable—it's just about how many hours you put in at that point. However, Rome also recognizes that this life style is not without its drawbacks, and in fact many people have died in pursuit of their own dreams. Regardless, Rome feels confident in his path, and after coming such a long way he is still determined to continue to grow.

On "High Explosive", DJ Muggs sets an anxiety-fueled charge of police brutality and increasing murder rates across America as Rome Streetz lights the fuse for an imminent detonation. Something in America is burning, and Rome can smell the smoke. Here we get some cleverly crafted bars about injustice and police brutality, with Rome offering an escape to anyone who needs one—his music. "Rap and trap, move the music like a bag of coke/ Fiend the world the f*ck out for the cash we gross". However dark Rome's intentions may sound, he's emphasizing that people can get hooked on his music and find light to remain optimistic that one day things will be okay.

"Zig Zag Zig", named after the RZA, features Rome showcasing some straightforward storytelling over exasperated Muggs production. In similar fashion to the Wu-Tang legend in question, Rome gives us yet another flawless verse detailing his career before music and how his struggle is representative of the experience of most black children. Here we get to witness that when Rome isn't knotting his verses together with intricate wordplay, he's an accomplished storyteller who can evoke vivid imagery. We also get a guest verse by Knowledge The Pirate, who delivers some grizzled heavy-hitting bars about dealing drugs and a life of crime. Knowledge raps, "One love to all my lifers and my n*ggas locked on Rikers/ And f*ck them 85ers, they don't ABC or like us", reminding us that his lifestyle wasn't a choice but a necessity to survive, and that most people in America still don't understand that.

The track "Stone Cold Soul" continues to build off of the theme's established by earlier tracks, especially the come up and a distaste for authority. Over a beat fit for Gotham City henchmen, Rome raps, "Prescribe the homicide, now I'm coming to clap sh*t", explaining that growing up as he did, murder was his fate prescribed by society, and instead of taking that literally he decided to instead commit verbal homicide. He goes so far as to say "F*ck throwing n*ggas off of the roof now, I'd rather make 'em jump". Rome is literally so skilled at wordplay that he's going to convince his enemies to kill themselves (or at least quit).

"The Devil's Chord", named for the "flatted fifth note" which is an infamous note used in blues and rock music which distinctively sticks out from the rest of the notes played, features themes of systematic oppression, societal depression, and taking advantage. Rome thinks of himself as a "Devil's Chord" of sorts, as he has separated from the pack and made a lane for himself. The rest of this track is Rome relentlessly berating the sorry state of the post-COVID country as he raps, "Covid, is it real or is it fake? They tryna kill us all/ Politicians got a trick system, the sh*t is wicked, dog/ N*ggas in the can going nuts, they cut they visits off/ Stressed out, even the kindergarten teachers sniffin' soft". Rome synonymizes the pandemic with the state of the streets, describing piles of unidentified bodies, all wearing masks, the pain evident behind their eyes. Rome again reminds us to take care of ourselves when it's all said and done.

DJ Muggs changes the pace on "Shooting At The Dance Hall" by giving Rome a fast-paced, blown-out speaker beat fit for a Jamaican dance hall. Here we get some reiterated points about Rome's come up, fake friends, and leading the way to greatness. This song is really just fun as hell and a nice change of pace from the rest of the album. You don't need to listen to every word to understand the themes put across by Streetz, and you can still bob your head and shake your shoulders to Muggs production. A good example of DJ Muggs' ability to keep the crowd alive.

On "Wheel Of Fortune" we get an excellent "Tony Story" style song by Rome about the rise and fall of one of his supposed friends from back home. The story itself is about someone taking the life of crime—the same life that Rome was living before he shifted to music. Rome tells us that this person was successful in the streets by saying "Long story short, sh*t transformed, now it's awesomе/ He up flossin', made a pie out a portion" right before he reminds us that "Now sun shine in the ghetto, 'fore the star of death get closer when you rise up a level". The Wheel of Fortune in divination represents completion, good luck, and divine blessings. Rome reminds us with this song that luck runs out, and those around us are all too happy to watch it happen.

"Horn & Halo" gives us a slow-motion western-style beat by Muggs with verses from Rome and Rigz. Rome Streetz once again describes the dichotomy of his life, "I been conflicted since birth, born with a horn and halo". Even though Rome chose rapping, he can still feel the black cloud of crime and violence following him around, and he channels it coolly through his music. The guest verse by Rigz is full of choppy bars a-la Earl Sweatshirt, and stays in line with most of Rome's messages about focus and betrayal on DATM.

"Fly Obnoxious" is a close second for my favorite track on the album. The raw energy that Rome brings to DJ Muggs perilous-sounding and anxiety-ridden beat makes for an absolute adrenaline filled performance. In line with the title of the song, Rome uses this track to flex anything left on the table. His lyrics here are so elite that they catch the listener in a trance listening to peak Rome Streetz brag about how helpless the game is with him at the helm. We get the impression here that Rome can only repeat himself so many times before his doubters learn their lesson, and this track very much feels like a crack in Rome's otherwise calm and composed demeanor. He also delivers my favorite line from the album "Ya flavorless, I blaze whoever's on your favorite list/ I'm made for this, I'm Neo making his way through the matrix". The delivery of this line is what really set it apart from the rest, and cemented Rome's mastery over his vocabulary.

The final track, "F*ck You know About Me" presents a summation of the points Rome has harped on for the previous 12 tracks. DJ Muggs puts together an ironically upbeat sound for this one, sampling what sounds like a game show theme to let Rome say his final words. The main point of this track was to reinforce the narrative of controlling your own narrative. "Everything you do in your life is a chess move," which Rome hopes will stick with his audience and maybe make someone think a bit more before acting and doing something stupid. DJ Muggs decides to end the album on an audio clip of a couple of young men being interviewed about the return of a notorious criminal to New York. One can't help but feel as though Rome sees himself in this way returning home to New York after recording DATM in LA. He's just murdered the competition from a different city, and he hopes when he returns home he will be welcomed with open arms.

The cards themselves chosen to elicit themes on DATM say a lot about the duo's values as well. We saw the Cups and Swords suits make appearances, which signified value in love, nostalgia, mentality, and knowledge. Notably absent were the Wands and Pentacles suits, which represent values that Rome frequently incorporate into his lyrics—money, worldly possessions, creativity, and passion. Stylistically, Rome has room to grow and experiment with his voice. As a pure lyricist, he is a god-tier contender, and I think he will be an excellent addition to the Griselda collective in years to come.

Overall, the album features the best performances from Rome Streetz and DJ Muggs in recent years. The two build off of each other in a really positive way that creates an ambience about their music which lends depth and consciousness to the final product. The concept of tarot cards and divination turned an otherwise run-of-the-mill technically impressive album into a mysterious and multi-faceted project. A 25-minute film was released to accompany the album, which goes even further to add depth and evoke specific imagery. Muggs and Streetz really went all out for this project, and left no card unturned creatively.

Favorite Lyrics by /u/farm_sauce

"Coming up, had mad friends, close ones, homies, associates/ Some died, went to jail, some nights overdosed on opiates/ I been to hell and back but I'm Gucci now, n*ggas know we lit/ Bitch from Jamaica, weed from Amsterdam, the pistol Soviet" – Prayers Over Packages

"Black kids never had it easy, had to grind for this/ But understand, land is more important than designer sh*t/ We split the fortune in portions and everybody fine with it/ They say you gon' get everything you deserve when the time is lit" – Zig Zag Zig

"So often friend morph to foe, only trust a soul/ It's either money or they lust control/ Heaven's what you make it, hell's the bullsh*t you go through tryna touch your gold" – The Devil's Chord

"Follow nothing, make my own way, nobody leading me/ Body after body, bitch I lead the league easily/ They worship Rome Streetz like he a deity/ Still the flow is oh so ghetto like Jay Z in D&D" -Shooting At The Dance Hall

"I pledge allegiance to the pesos/ Possess the power to hold pistols and potent product by the case load" – Horn & Halo

"Ya flavorless, I blaze whoever's on your favorite list/ I'm made for this, I'm Neo making his way through the matrix" – Fly Obnoxious

"No brake, all gas pedal, ping pongin' memories of how I made a big boulder out my last pebble/ Rebel, foldin' bread like a pretzel/ Can't skip steps, scrap, I excelled at every level" – F*ck You know About Me

Talking Points

  • Favorite songs/lyrics?
  • Did the tarot card theme translate well throughout the album?
  • Of DJ Muggs and Rome Streetz, which is The Magician and which is Death?
  • Does Rome Streetz have the star power to break out in 2022 with Griselda?
  • Will DJ Muggs continue his crazy run of underground collaborations?
  • How can Rome Streetz branch out to improve his sound?
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Personally, I get chills everytime I pop this on. It's giving me the same vibes I got listening to illmatic.

Top 3 nas album for sure.

submitted by /u/TheFaised
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submitted by /u/HHHRobot
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How/Why Does Geographic Location Contribute to the Sound of an Artist and The Culture of Sampling

Posted: 31 Dec 2021 04:41 PM PST

This might be long and a little disorganized, please bear with me.

To start, there is obviously a very distinct and beyond exhausted sonic difference in east coast and west coast rap. Some of that can be lent to the history, culture, socioeconomic factors, and geographic features of each coast. There are obviously motifs and nuances specific to each state and sometimes even city or neighborhood because of all these reasons and so much more. I think the stylistic differences we've witnessed being created, cemented, and blurred between coasts has been a fantastic way to document the ways hip hop and humanity has evolved. Aside from that, what I want to talk about is what associations do you have with west coast and/or east coast hip hop? What colors, memories, theories, smells, images, stories, etc etc come to mind for you and why? What artist embodies each respective coast/a particular city and why? How has the coast/city's current sound reflected modern times in comparison to the music that came before? How would the music differ if were to change things as simple as the weather or something more nuanced like access to education or being of a higher or lower income? Do you think that the sounds we associate with each coast on a grand scale would be the same if anything were changed, why or why not? How do the lyrics and music reflect and furthermore influence the culture and communities of artists on both a international and state/city/neighborhood scale? By tweaking some of these factors, would the trajectory of the genre have changed? You get where I'm going. I wanted to know what everyone else thought about this or could add anything…

Sampling is an instrument and a tradition that we've seen refined, confused, reduced, celebrated, and fully integrated into contemporary music. Sampling is a very touching way to pay tribute the past while expanding upon, warping, considering, and creating something new/different/better. Sampling honors history for all it is and brings a song along for another wave of listening, appreciating, and understanding for a new generation to hear. Through sampling, we can connect to the past and bring forgotten artists to life. This being said, what are some of your favorite samples and why? What samples bring you nostalgia and what samples led you to discover new artists? What samples were the most creative? In the history of the genre, what samples have been the most influential and why? How has sampling changed the course of the genre? You get where I'm getting at.

submitted by /u/riversonlydownstream
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https://youtu.be/9uuloxhnwpE

Posting to spread knowledge of this track, one of my favourite all time songs. Judging by the meager 4,000 views and no re-uploads, some of you won't have heard this... Enjoy.

(Any info on the sample or lyrics would be greatly appreciated, I have found nothing online.)

submitted by /u/EverydayPigeon
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at