Mickey Diamond & Big Ghost Ltd. Release 4th Installment of Their Classic “Gucci Ghost” Series (Album Review)
This is the 11th full-length studio album from one of the illest Detroit emcees in the underground currently: Mickey Diamond. Emerging at the beginning of 2020 off the strength of his debut EP Bangkok Dangerous, the dude has since gone on to turn quite a few heads in the underground by building up the impressive discography for himself with his previous 10 albums alongside 7 EPs & & a mixtape. But for the past year, Mickey has been consistent putting out some of the best material of his career thus far. This includes the Gucci Ghost album & it’s sequel produced by Big Ghost Ltd., the Ral Duke-produced Oroku Saki EP, the Sadhugold-produced Death Threat$ album, the Camoflauge Monk-produced Capital Gains album & more recently Gucci Ghost 3 only last weekend. But as we approach Christmas weekend, Diamond & Big Ghost are keeping the series going by unleashing a 4th installment to the Gucci Ghost saga with only a few days’ notice.
After the “Cut the Check” intro, the first song “Gucci North Face” is a sample-based opener cautioning to keep his name out your mouth or else he’ll pull up to your crib whereas “Ice Caps” gives off a somber boom bap edge talking about being in the last days. “Maurizio’s Funeral” has this drumless soul flip declaring himself as a hitman for hire rocking luxurious attire prior to “Giverny Frames” bringing back the kicks & snares so he can get on his mobster shit to round out the first half of the album.
After the “Gucci Boycott” interlude, “Yachts n Boycotts” starts the 2nd leg of the LP by jumping over a suspensefully dark boom bap instrumental asking to be forgiven for his sins along with reminding that there’s a thin line between family & friends just before “Godzilla Mac 10s” keeps it raw talking about being a certified killa. “Murder for Hire” morbidly gets in his outlaw bag leading into “The Last Supper” featuring Big Trip, Bori Rock, Shaykh Hanif, Snotty & Ty Farris closing out Gucci Ghost 4 in the form of an 8-minute posse cut with my favorite verses going to Diamond as well as Big Trip, Snotty & T-Flame. I also loved the line Ty had referencing Dana White, who is now the CEO & President of the UFC after Endeavor merged Zuffa with the WWE to form TKO Group Holdings this fall.
You know since the first Gucci Ghost came out at the beginning of December last year & then 2 followed only 3 weeks later, I should’ve figured that a 4th installment was on the horizon at some point & I actually happen to love it as much as the predecessor that we got only the previous weekend. Big Ghost Ltd.‘s production is predominantly in that boom bap style with more drumless undertones, Mickey still remains as one of the sharpest lyricists in the Umbrella collective & I love how there’s more features except they all pop up in the backend of it.
Score: 9/10
