“Step with me through the thick and the thin and you’ll realise that I’m in it to win”
Cited by promoters as “strictly for the underground heads” the loyal appreciators of the Boom Bap sounds are most certainly going to be hooked into the creation devised from the clear-cut chemistry between Lego and producer Jack Danz within this definitive exemplar into the standard of Hip-Hop that’s currently emerging from all corners of the UK. With Sir Plus on the cuts and without a single other wordsmith to support Lego in his solo opportunity to substantially establish a mark onto the scene, I looked forward to examining the calibre that could set him apart from the ever-extensive competition.
The eerie Intro is Jack Danz’s starting warm-up for what’s to follow through for the thirteen tracks to come. Lego starts spraying his raw flow with a natural knack of colliding rhymes with homophone bars in Droppin’ It On ‘Em over the first of many classically Boom Bap beats, full of alluring layers to bop to. The track plays out into a sample that essentially delivers both Lego and Jack Danz’s intentions for people to hear the music borne from the initial ambition that every artist produces into a début record before the inevitable reformation that follows prior into their Hip-Hop careers in the sequel releases. All About That is a smoother jam taken at a slower pace principally to spit his dissatisfaction for the opposition before Get Gone, which takes a grittier turn to say the least. The quietened instrumental gives this track an unnerving edge that’s supplemented by the pounding heart that pumps to the beat alongside Lego’s volatile low-key verses.
The first essence of an inner morality portrays itself in a genuine warning from Lego to the musical artists naive enough to sell out to commercialism in Beware The Trap, in which he rhymes intelligently insightful lyrics particularly denouncing the persuasive aspect finance has in leading artists to an unoriginal and conformist facet within the popularised music industry over a contemplative instrumental. On the tracks Saloon Door and Unknown he takes up a more immodestly self-descriptive tact, blasting competitors through both of the short and sweet tracks in the forms of boastful similes which you’d actually expect only half of which to be fictional. Jack Danz subtly intensifies the Unknownmelody progressively throughout the deep and uncanny instrumental, whilst Sir Plus shines in a vigorous bout of saucy cuts mid-way and following the last verse Lego spits on the track.
The Rendition features potentially the hardest bars on the record, exemplifying again his slick lyrical talent by coinciding far-reaching rhymes with more extensive homophone usage. Drawing steadily towards the end Lego spits a darker bout of ice cold lyricism in Shock Horror, going in hard with dubious amounts of alliteration that ultimately creates the desired effect that both rapper and producer were looking to achieve before Bring the Biz to Kids, which features yet more provocatively insulting bars – the title derives from the sampled chorus. The final song that features spitting on the thirteen track début is track 12 – What You in It For? – in which essentially Lego reminisces the scene long gone and expresses a pure dislike for what’s ultimately become of the mainstream rap industry as well as boasting his immodest aspirations over a synthesised Arabian instrumental. The conclusive aspect to take from the track is that Lego is an artist that raps to preserve what he’s forever cherished, and now the monster has been unleashed…
I give them everything with pen in the verse to get them hanging off my every word / I’m trying to keep the shit I cherish preserved because all this other shit just gets on my nerves / I’ll never stop til I’m dead in the dirt so you can see what my legacy’s worth / I’ll stay presenting them the depths of my work until I’m getting the respect I deserve
The lyric-less Outro plays an ardently grim sample over a deep stepping beat into silence, and thus ends Lego and Jack Danz’s final Rendition. There’s evidently been a lot of thought into the thematic direction of Lego’s début album, flexing diversely clever wordplay epitomized with skilfully adept deliverance over the darkly atmospheric and uniquely distinguishable Boom Bap Hip-Hop production that has been independently conjured by the Leeds based beat-maker Jack Danz, who claims status as the singularly masterful engineer behind the instrumentals throughout the entire release. Lego speaks wiser then most, and inevitably with these aspects combined comes a considerable amount of contemplation at the end of most if not every track that features. One thing I will say is that whether or not these two becomes the sensation that’s clearly aspired, this is definitely not an duo to sleep on.
Check the record for yourself on the Bandcamp link below:
Review by Ethan Everton