Rome Streetz & Farma Beats – “Kontraband” (Album Review)

“Kontraband” is the brand new project from New York emcee Rome Streetz. Breaking out in 2016 with his debut mixtape I Been Thru Mad Shit, he would make his presence in the underground known with following releases like Street Farmacy as well as the Noise Kandy trilogy & my personal favorite: Headcrack. He just dropped an EP earlier this year entitled The Residue & then the 4th installment of his Noise Kandy series back in June but to celebrate his 34th birthday, Rome has reunited with Farma Beats for a sequel to Street Farmacy exclusively on Bandcamp.

The opener “Track Marks” talks about whipping up drugs over an unsettling instrumental whereas the next song “Lick da Toad” talks about being platinum plus over a tense beat. The track “Bucketz” with Daniel Son sees the 2 getting on some exploitation shit over some horns while the song “Mirrors & Smoke” talks about reaching the top over a jazzy beat.

The track “Laced” gets in his storytelling bag over a soulful instrumental while the song “Ghetto Star” declares himself as such over a dismal beat. The track “London Pound Cake” with Radamiz finds the 2 comparing their music to coke over some mischievous synths while the song “Ballad of the Lone Wolf” talks about looking for an outcome from different shit over an earnest beat.

The track “Sinsation” talks about the cash over an uptempo instrumental while the song “Eyes on Fire” with Ransom finds the 2 talking about watching those next to you over some vocal harmonies hanging in the background. The penultimate track “Lucky Stopped Dreaming” comes at his competition over a demented instrumental & then the album ends with “Word 2 Mommy”, where Rome talks about being out to get the world as it turns over a classy beat.

What a way for dude to round out the year. The chemistry between Rome Streetz & Farma Beats is just as dope as it was on Street Farmacy, especially since how much both of these guys have evolved throughout the years. Can’t wait to hear where Rome takes things in 2021.

Score: 7/10