100GrandRoyce & 183rd – “Prodigal Sun” (EP Review)

100GrandRoyce is an MC from Harlem, New York that came up as a member of The Stackboys. He eventually went solo in 2011 releasing his debut No Relief followed by the debut EP Chips followed by the sophomore effort Destiny preluding a whole trilogy of EPs: The Old Dutch, 3 Strikes & more recently Nice Guys Finish Last this past Black Friday. But to start off the new decade, he’s enlisting 183rd to produce his 5th EP in its entirety.

Things kick off with the title track, where 100GrandRoyce talks about how no one can fuck with him over a meditative instrumental with a saxophone hanging in the back. The next song “No Pressure” continues to flex his rapping prowess over a mystical-sounding instrumental while the track “Prime” talks about how he feels like he’s at his best right now over a trap beat with a harmonious vocal sample.

The song “Above All” is a sensual love tune while the penultimate track “Angel” talks about being watched from above over a soothing instrumental. The EP finishes off with “Pain 2 Pleasure”, where 100GrandRoyce talks about overcoming his hardships & I love the way “Living Inside Your Love” by Earl Klugh gets flipped on here.

To me, this is 100GrandRoyce’s best work to date & it’s a really great entry point for new fans. Could’ve used a feature or 2, but his lyrical evolution compared to his previous efforts is insane & 183rd’s production is absolutely gorgeous.

Score: 8/10