“Dark Side of the Ring 4” Takes It Back to What Action Figure 973’s Always Been Known For (EP Review)
Another extended play & the 15th overall from Belleville, New Jersey emcee/producer Action Figure 973. For a while at this point, his first couple mixtapes followed by his last 14 EPs & the full-length debut DOOM Was Right over a year ago giving flowers to one of my all-time personal favorite albums Madvillainy have each established himself as a promisingly skilled luchador who so happens to rap. The Most Interesting Man in the World got with Machacha for his sophomore effort last October, coming off What Would Harley Race Do? as well as & the baseball-themed Polo Grounds produced by DiMaggio & Souled Out for a 4th installment of the Dark Side of the Ring series only 48 hours after Vince Russo announced his departure from Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW).
The intro “Know You Role” references the current AEW World Tag Team Champion Adam Copeland shooting it with former AEW World Tag Team Champion, FTW Champion, DEFY World Champion, the inaugural NWA World Television Champion, NXT Champion & NXT North American Champion Ricky Starks whereas “Rap Is Still Crap” continues from there giving a nod to former WCW World Tag Team Champions the West Texas Rednecks.
“Going to Kill You” gives a nod to a chant originated by current AEW commentator, former 2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, 2-time ECW World Television Champion, the inaugural 2-time FTW Champion & 4-time WWE tag team champion Taz just before “R.I.P. Vince Steel” pays tribute to the late New York performer. “Junkyard Dog” however ends the 1st half remembering the late WWE Hall of Famer & former WCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion.
We get a lo-fi boom bap instrumental on “20 Minute Blowjob” so Act-Lo can keep it hardcore until “3rd Man” includes a reference to the WWE Hall of Famers nWo’s debut 3 decades earlier. “Main Event of Thunder” calls back to WCW’s secondary program Thunder & the outro “Macho’s Elbow Drop” wraps up Dark Side of the Ring 4shouting out the late the late WWE Hall of Famer, former 6-time WWE world champion & WWE Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage.
From the Polo Grounds theming itself around America’s favorite past time to Souled Out celebrating his birthday describing some trips he took overseas, Dark Side of the Ring 4 mainly takes it back to what made Action Figure 973 one of the most interesting figures in the underground whether it be the raw production or the witty lyricism including gems that only professional wrestling fans would understand better than most.
Score: 8/10
