The Visionaries’ 6th LP “The Last Shall Be First…..” Prod. by Key-Kool Attests to Their Evolution After 3 Decades (Album Review)
The Visionaries are an alternative hip hop group from Los Angeles, California consisting of 2Mex, LMNO, Dannu, Lord Zen, Up Above Records founder Key-Kool & his Kozmonautz cohort DJ Rhettmatic. Making their full-length debut with Galleries almost 3 decades ago, they would go onto follow it up with Sophomore Jinx as well as Pangaea & We’re the Ones (We’ve Been Waiting For) respectively. They reunited in the fall of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down to drop V & have reunited after nearly 6 whole years to drop their 6th studio LP.
After the intro, “Missing Link 2” kicks things off with this rap rock opener produced by Key-Kool observing that shit hasn’t been the same since they came & went whereas “Untouchable” moves on from there flexing that no one can touch them lyrically. “VSHA VSHA” talks about how these guys have been a definitive movement for 3 decades already leading into “For U(s)” dustily dedicates itself to themselves & those who’ve stuck around since their inception.
“Collect Call” finishes the 1st leg talking about washing out all these bad actors just before “Freestyle Sunday” finds everyone going off the top for a couple minutes over a boom bap instrumental looking for thrills similarly to the late WWE Hall of Famer Muhammad Ali & the late King of Pop Michael Jackson. “Mo’ Pressha Blues” hooks up a sinister organ melody calling this the land they stand on instead of a house they built while the original “Missing Link” talks about being the lost connection to the chain of events.
The track “Diamonds in the Rough” winds down the last leg of the album discussing the feeling they have of being analyzed but not defined & after “Whowannit 2” delivers a boom bap flavored sequel to “Whowannit” off Hang on Alex a couple years earlier asking if anyone truly would like smoke from them as a crew, the final song “Let’s Grow” preceding the outro concludes The Last Shall Be 1st….. calling for everyone to better themselves.
A lot of people in the west coast felt like V was a testament to them regardless of some considering it 1-note, but The Last Shall Be 1st….. does an improved job at making seem like the Visionaries haven’t been collectively inconsistent at giving us the abstract boom bap we’ve come to know & love from them. Key-Kool’s production displays of the growth & mastery these guys have experienced in the last 3 decades exploring themes of growth along with maturity & reflecting upon of a deeper understanding of their existences.
Score: 8/10
