Mike / War In My Pen
Album: War In My Pen   Collection:Hip-hop
Artist:Mike   Added:Jan 2019
Label:Slumsnyc  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2019-01-28 Pull Date: 2019-04-01 Charts: Hip-Hop
Week Ending: Feb 17 Feb 3
Airplays: 1 1

Recent Airplay
1. Apr 02, 2019: Attitude Adjustment
Ucr, Like My Mama Ft. Navy Blue
3. Jan 31, 2019: Stewed Down
Neverknocked, Prayers Ft. Methane
2. Feb 14, 2019: Stewed Down
Red Sax;Babylon

Album Review
Alex Mejía
Reviewed 2019-01-22
MIKE - War In My Pen
Album full of lyrics about family, depression, self-medication, living in the city, and other existential topics. Beats are super grimy and off kilter - that is, really dope vibes to listen to. Really cool introspective rap album. Let’s play more hip hop on KZSU!

Favorites: 3 (OK to play anytime), 6 (safe harbor only), 8 (safe harbor only), 13 (OK to play anytime).
FCCs: 1, 2, 4, 5, 13
RIYL:

1. “Choco” - 1:34 - FCC “n word”; cool track with skittish drums and slow rapping.
2. “Grabba” - 2:34 - FCC “shit”, and more unfortunately. cool glitchy samples; rapping about smoking, literature, and more smoking. Cool chill song for late night shows.
3. “October Baby” - 2:08 - no FCCs! super warm hazy sample and spaced out drums; autobiographical and spacey rapping;
4. “neverKnocked” - 3:04 - FCCs. the production on this is brighter than the other tracks; cool horn and string samples; drums are still spacey; lyrics feel autobiographical about family and youth.
5. “Rottweiler” - 3:14 - FCCs. nice mix of vocal and string samples chopped up and sequenced in trippy way; lyrics about people getting caught up in wack stuff, trying to stay focused, etc.
6. “Like My Mama” ft. Navy Blue - 2:39 - FCCs; lyrics about staying focused, living in the city (Philly), coming up, and more. Beat is slow and spacey and has cool panning.
7. “Prayers” ft. Methane - 3:05 - FCCs. Lyrics about travel, getting clarity on life, family. Beat has nice old school sample chopped up nice. Shakers as percussion add nice shuffle groove.
8. “UCR” - 2:42 - FCCs. beat is crazy. Super reverby and dope sample that sounds like an organ; rapping about regret, parents, and not being held back. Rapping without drums sounds dope. This track is dope.
9. “Red Sox;babylon” ft. Taphari - 3:22 - FCCs. Dope keys chopped up sound warm and light. Very floaty. Lyrics about not wanting to get caught up in the system, avoiding problems, etc.
10. “AFC” ft. King Carter - 2:17 - FCCs. Lyrics about staying alive in the midst of difficulty, horizontal violence, and hitting a stride and making a comeback. Beat is characteristic of the album with nice slow drums and warm fuzzy sample.
11. “Nothin’ To Me” - 1:48 - damn the snare on this is super fuzzy and full sounding.
12. “Smoke” - 1:18 - FCCs. Lyrics sound like what they’re rapping about - being high; very stoney beat and lyrics. more familial reflections and their relationship to listening to smoke. Sick slow beat, characteristic of the rest of the beats.
13. “For You” - : - lyrics about sleeplessness, smoking, time, and other existential topics; beat is slow and warm af. cool beat switch up toward the last min of the track and in comes a femme voice talking about life. Very nice.

Track Listing
1. Choco   7. Prayers Ft. Methane
2. Grabba   8. Ucr
3. October Baby   9. Red Sax;Babylon
4. Neverknocked   10. Afc Ft. King Carter
5. Rottweiler   11. Nothin' To Me
6. Like My Mama Ft. Navy Blue   12. Smoke
  13. For You