Tag: young mop tribe UAC Kmon st Pete hip hop

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Young Mop-Mop Album Review

With his second project “St.Creaturesburg” almost at its 1 Year Anniversary, Young Mop & the TRiBE collective deliver a new style of ViBEZ on his self titled project “Mop”.

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Taking a different approach sonically on this project from the previous mentioned “St.Creaturesburg” which featured a dark more FLA Underground ViBE, Mop starts the project off with the almost industrial “The Cage”. The beat sounds like an old school video game gun before the drums come in.

“Awakened” features some dope vocals from Mop on the chorus. But that’s not to say Mop still isn’t spitting on this one, from Henny to Samurais this ones got it all.

“STiCKZ + STONEZ” is a dope little jam track. The hook and guitar have that out in the woods traveler ViBE to them. This one is definitely a feel good track and will get your mood and ViBE right after each listen.

“Supposed To Be” is one of my favorite tracks on the project. I love the atmospheric “Cloud Rap” esque beat. It’s like I’m floating in the clouds with Mop & the rest of the TRiBE. I would really like to see what visual aspects Mop would bring to this track.

“SKiES ARE GREY, SKiES ARE BLUE” has one of my favorite hooks and beats of the year. Although the track has a melancholic tone to it, it still meant to be uplifting, that despite shit not going right at the moment, better days are coming. Clay Frapwell, Mop’s brother was a dope addition to the track as well.

“Love” is a dope little track at about the mid way point in the project. It seems the project started out a bit more somber, with this track acting as the transition to the more up beat happier tracks.

The previous tracks put Mop in a darker space but “FiREFLY” lightens up the mood of the album. It’s tracks like this that really tie the album together. The Hi Hats on the beat give the track sort of a banger edge to it that gives the ride that ride out sort of ViBE.

“iNFRARED” was originally showcased in the TRiBE Bucket Hat video but now that we get the full version in the context of the album it is instantly one of my favorite joints off the project. I love the more Boom Bap approach with the sort of wonky production. We need a Boom Bap tape from Mop. I really dug all the old school rock references on Mop’s verse.

“DiAMOND iN the ROUGH” featuring a very rare verse from Stoop Kid might be my favorite Mop song to date. From the Boom Bap piano sampled based production just fits both emcees to a tee. This is definitely one of those tracks you just light one and ViBE out with. Stoop Kid’s voice and delivery added some OG swagger to the track, putting us all on game.

The dreamy beat on “UNiTY” sets the perfect backdrop for Mop’s hazy vocals as well as for his brother BTMVLE Jotta to always do what he does. I really dug the different flows Jotta used on just one verse. The semi slugged out beat allows the listener to beat everything Jot is droppin on us.

The project closes out with “The Elemental Poem” which is most definitely on a Whole Lotta TRiBE SHiT. From the melodic beat to the spoken word esque style Mop uses to drop his final message for this ViBE. Touching on all the elements Mop reflects not only on his journey but also the earths journey. This track almost feels like a reflection of the entire project. Just an incredible track.

The growth shown on this project is out of this world. Despite being more experimental than on his past projects I feel fans new and old will grow to love Mop’s new ViBE and share it with their TRiBE.

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Top 6 St.Pete Hip Hop Albums of 2020.

Despite COVID putting a lot of things on hold, it didn’t slow down the St. Hip Hop scene. With artists and collectives from around the burg delivering some of their best work I had no choice but to make a list.

Definitely the hardest project out of Tampa in years.

Honorable Mention: Big Baby Scumbag- www.flexedupshawty.com

Big baby would have been like number two on the list but this being a St.Pete list I didn’t feel it was right. With that being said it’s definitely the hardest project the 813 has produced in years. Scumbag delivers some of the best bangers of the year, especially on “Bobby Hill”. Big Baby is going to take over the entire Bay Area in 2021.

Palm Pact brought out the entire burg on “Armada”.

6. Palm Pact- “Armada”

2020 was definitely the year of the compilation albums, and “Armada” was no expectation. With tracks ranging across all genres of Hip-Hip, there’s practically a song and style for everyone. It was really dope to see the UAC homies on the album as well.

Big things coming out of the Clergy collective in 2021.

5. Andy Christ- “Juice EP”

The Juice EP from Andy Christ gave me faith in the underground scene, with his ability to make catchy songs but also make bangers. Andy Christ has been running the show scene for the past few years. Once the debut project is finally released Andy Christ and Clergy will be the underground kings.

“St.Creaturesburg” brought that Underground Florida Sound to the burg.

4. Young Mop- “St.Creaturesburg”

Young Mop had a big 2020, with three projects in total and numerous singles under his belt I had to put one of the projects on the list. I really dug how dark this project was, capturing a different side of St.Pete that not many other artists touch on. From the production to Mop’s bars, despite his dark days being over, “St.Creaturesburg” will have an impact in the scene for years to come.

Don Rock created the “Slug Rap” blueprint on “Welcome To The Players Club.”

3. Dj Don Rock- “Welcome To The Players Club”

It is important for a scene to take a distinct sound turning the genre of Hip-Hop into something a region can fully embrace as their own. On “Welcome To The Players Club”, Don Rock gives birth to the new “Slugged Out” St.Pete Hip Hop. From start to finish, just press play, light a blunt, and crawl down Central Ave phonking this tape. “This ain’t no chopped & screwed.”

The Zhudaru collective has vibes for everyone, across all genres.

2. Zhudaru1963- “Skyzhone”

For me this project is so special due to the different sound and style each member of the Zhudaru1963 collective brings. From Kayo Da Beast, Mackey Emmanuel, and Alec Burnright, Heyeyella giving you smash hits with “I Go Off”. Or Acoupstix providing your Sunday afternoon Bucs game chill vibes with “Arrogance”. The crew definitely achieved Skyzhone level. Kailxo Ratchet comes through with the trails and tribulations of street life in St.Pete. With all the members of Zhu slated to drop full length projects in 2021, the movement is only going to get bigger.

1. Onlyonetwo- 222

I haven’t felt this way about a St.Pete Hip Hop project since J Goodie’s “Reminisce & Muse” probably the best project ever to come out of the area. Onlyonetwo is able to capture the street life and just life in general, without coming off as forced. To me he’s like a mix between Roddy Ricch and Lil Baby but a way better lyricist than both while still crafting is own sound. From top to bottom this project is flawless with “Square One”, “Sacrifice”, and “Chosen Few” featuring Kevin Cossom. I feel like everyone can get behind Onlyonetwo sound and it’s only a matter of time before he blows up nationally.

Everyone on this list really went in this year, establishing their sound, as well as finally giving St.Pete Hip Hop heads a feeling that, St.Pete has its own vibe when it comes to this rap shit.

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The Dark Heart Of A Lion.

Coming off his “Beach Bum” album that dropped earlier this year, St.Pete native Young Mop out of the Tribe Collective brings us his darkest effort to date on “St.Creaturesburg”.

The intro “Witchez, Crowz, & Wolvez” sounds like Mop is spitting from a graveyard bringing that old school Bone and three six vibe. The track starts off slow and somber but by the end Mop comes through with a barrage of bars.

“Martian Beam Freestyle” at the beginning feels like it could be “Unsuccessful 2” with an insane video game style beat.

“King Of The Jungle” hits different when your a Leo.

“King Of The Jungle” is my favorite track off “St.Creaturesburg”, being a Leo it hits a little different. The swampy sounding horn beat from Nictunez. It would be dope if we could get some visuals for this soon.

“$peed it up!!!” has more of an underground NY style vibe reminding me off how Da$h used to spit on his old tapes. This one prob my second favorite on the project.

On “State Fair” Mop comes with a new street anthem. This one will have you chanting “we don’t fight fair, we don’t play fair” all day. We definitely need some visuals for this one.

Kmon Beats comes through with one of my favorite cloud rap beats he’s done on “Stardust”. From the hook to the verses mop paints a picture of what happens when your off that stardust.

“Don’t Lose Hope” is one of the more introspective tracks on the project. The glistening hi hats are spliced throughout the hazy production that Mop floats over. This one is more about the vibe it gives off rather than the bars.

The break out your shell metaphor on “Snail Shell” furthers the darker themes on “St.Creaturesburg” that Mop has touched on throughout the project.

The “Siamese Twinz (outro)” has Mop on his storytelling shit to end out the project. This project fits the Underground Florida Hip Hop esthetic that acts like Robb Bank$, Denzel Curry, and Raider Klan put out back in the day, but with a fully St.Pete Hip Hop spice to it. Mop has stated this will be his last “trap” album, taking a shift in his musical direction. Be on the look out for other dope St.Pete Hip Hop and projects from Young Mop and Tribe in the future.