Milano Constantine x BodyBagBen – “Write It In Blood” (Album Review)
New York City & Cali come together with Milano Constantine & BodyBagBen as they release their new album titled “Write It In Blood“. The album cover reminded me of an old Hollywood Gangsta film with the blood red overtone and trigger happy host! The classic Hip Hop sound caught me by surprise, the quality of the mixes made each song resonate even more. The Dj scratches were all on point and fell right into the pockets of quality production, adding a full spectrum of elements we all know to expect when it comes to an excellent Hip Hop album.
The 1st song on the album “Hell Or High Water” was smooth at the roots, reminding me of the slick storytelling styles compared to the Griselda Records camp. The production sounds very east coast born, with the hi-hats and drum hitting super hard. The chant style hook screams New York, influenced by the true origins of Hip Hop culture. “Jesus Pieces” was all about bars and full of substance, I especially liked the Biggie sample used in the hook, it made the record much more fuller. The 2nd verse is gritty and raw, stays repetitive, but again this song is more focused on bars anyways.
“The Hearse” Production felt a lot like the previous song but the bells changed a bit. We see the Dj scratch formula is used time after time in the arrangement of the songs. Each artist came out swinging on this one like piranhas sniffing blood. “Sparks Steak house” Was one of those confidence boosting songs, you see the story of a don learning to move and finesse the streets. I get a NAS influence from the overall terminology, also to be noted, the DJ scratch is a major element to this album too, giving it a respectable dated golden-era feel.
“Jazz Cafe” Gave use exactly that feel, The Conway style delivery hits hard on this one with massive punch lines! Jazz sounds merge with the gangsta style approach and horror, which can be an exciting Halloween video or short horror film. “Sobre” was crazy raw too, demanding you to bop your head with passion, its like the production commands your attention. “Primavera” was dope lyrical content, the “2 greats dodging the pearly gates” line/verse really blew me away, literally making me “think twice” about my rap ability, as I myself am a Hip Hop artist. They are making me realize that Milano Constantine and BodyBagBen are truly influencing the underground Hip Hop scene by the masses.
“Write it in Blood” featuring Planet Asia was my favorite song on the album, as the bar arrangement and chemistry on this record is unmatched! I cant wait to see a visual on this one if they ever plan on making one. Planet Asia came so gritty and raw showing why he holds a legendary spot in the underground Hip Hop community. “Brutus” sounds in compliance with the rest of the album, the high bell influence made it a bit annoying, but overall its pretty average compared to the other tracks. “Vicious” featuring Supreme Cerebral was hot, I really digged the lyrical words chosen along with delivery intensity. Supreme is definitely one SoCal based artist that is hitting the underground scene super hard, separating himself from the pack for sure! The super hero vibe makes it dope, but I would like a larger variety of direct artist hooks, other than all sampled Dj Scratches hooks. But as a closing outro track, this song did its due justice. Stay updated with Body Bag Ben & Milano Constantine on social media for news music and new visuals.
Rating: 8/10
