Vino La Mano – “Circle of Trust” (EP Review)
Vino La Mano is a 33 year old MC from Corpus Christi, Texas who broke out a couple years ago after Benny the Butcher signed him to his E1 Music imprint Black Soprano Family Records. He’s released a total of 8 EPs since but to continue his hustle into 2021, Vino is staying on the grind by dropping a 9th EP.
The opener “Bill Lambert” has some dope mafioso lyrics throughout, but the production is just ok to me. The next song “Pair of Aces” talks about playing the hands he’s delt with over a grimy boom bap beat while the track “Mo Money” talks about the bread over a flute-tinged instrumental. The song “I’m Numb” gets on the introspective side of things over a boom bap beat with a psychedelic rock-flavored guitar throughout about while the penultimate track “Stretch the Cake” talks about being a different breed over an instrumental kin to Griselda‘s W.W.C.D. (What Would Chinegun Do?). The EP finishes off with “Gangsters Don’t Smile”, where Vino talks about how thugs don’t show happinness unless proven not guilty over a somber beat.
Overall, it’s a pretty solid EP. Some of the best bars Vino La Mano has ever written pop up on here whereas The Soul Monsters’ production does a decent job of honning in on that signature Griselda sound. If you’re a diehard BSF fan, then I recommend you give this EP a listen & I can’t wait to hear what he does on a full-length album down the road.
Score: 7/10
