T.F. Outdoes Himself with Mephux/Roc Marciano-Produced ”Blame Kansas” (Album Review)
T.F. is a 36 year old MC from Los Angeles, California who I first heard after he was featured on “Tookie Knows, Pt. II” off ScHoolboy Q’s magnum opus Blank Face LP. He then dropped his debut EP No Hooks only 7 months later, which was followed up by his full-length debut ErThangSkanless & then a 2nd EP called OktoberFest. Then after appearing on Flee Lord’s 8th EP Hand Me My Flowers produced entirely by Buckwild & put out 2 more EPs on his own, T.F. eventually signed to Lord Mobb Music & dropped his sophomore effort Skanless Summer last spring. But now after releasing Big Moon a few months back, T.F. is back in effect for his 3rd album produced by Mephux & Roc Marciano.
The title track sets off the album with a pillowy boom bap cut talking about violence coming from everyday arguments whereas “Olathe” with Conway the Machine & Roc Marciano finds the trio on top of a narcocorrido sample getting in their mafioso bag. BVNGS tags along for “Death Wish” to talk about needing to be killed if you ain’t loyal to the game on top of a despondent beat just before “Crash Bandicoot” goes into a jazzier direction saying he’s been focused lately as well as doing it for the dead ones.
After the “Intermission” interlude, we have Crimeapple coming into the picture for “Friend of God” working in a Spanish vocal loop spitting that g shit leading into the Lil Bunko-assisted “Cuban Links” taking a more climatic route as far as Marci’s production goes saying you gotta talk to God instead of them. The song “Betty Crocker” of courses gets back on the drug dealer tip over an eerie sample while the penultimate track “Long Way Home” with Zoo jumps into drumless territory talking about the rate they’re going. “Fuck the Rest” with Flee Lord then ends the album with an orchestral loop talking not fucking with anyone but his homies.
If you’ve enjoyed T.F.’s features in the past & are looking to get into his solo work, then Blame Kansas would be a great introduction in my personal opinion. There are a couple of lackluster features, but a good majority do a good job at breaking up any monotony & the dude himself sounds hungrier than ever. On top of that, both Mephux & Roc absolutely SCHOOL it behind the boards.
Score: 8/10