D. Edge – “DevSeason” EP (Album Review)

Campaigning his upcoming new EP for weeks now, rising Brooklyn rhyme spitter D.Edge unveils the new sampler EP, properly-titled, ‘DevSeason‘. While the title exhibits purpose, confidence, and interest. Can the up-and-coming student of the true essence of Hip-Hop follow in the footsteps of his cities iconic greatness?

D. Edge starts the five-track ‘DevSeason’ with features from Leeza, SMTH, Ether Epic and KwaNun. His production is done by Parker, Woodro Skillson and U-Dub of NY Bangers. Parker also engineered and mastered the project. D.Edge’s lyricism on the project is aggressive, authentic New York underground; however, it becomes annoying due to it’s content bashing.

While not taking the opportunity to showcase his skills, majority of the project, D.Edge spends spilling out lines insulting, discrediting, and showing his distaste for the radio Hip-Hop and today’s popular mumble rap. Getting in his own way, D.Edge becomes annoying after several songs of yelling out those rap genres are wack that could have been better use of the song with some fancy wordplay and New York flavor. After three songs of bashing, you are left saying, “Okay, we get it, mumble rap is trash, but what do you have to offer.”

Attacking other genres doesn’t show creativity but laziness. Coming from a spot of New York built on keeping their stance on things short and to the point. Repeatedly speaking on claims only proves to listeners the lack of substance and thought you put into lyricism. A lyricist is a wizard in Hip-Hop, a person of tongue-twisting, mind-blowing, rhyme slayer. D.Edge never swim out into deep waters with his wordsmith on this project like we would have like him too to get a true essence of who D.Edge is.

Tracks like “King” and “Born II Reign” shows that D.Edge does have character and a flair about him among the ignorance. The songs showcase D.Edge potential with the practice of reference mixed with high-energy flow. However, a 2 out of 5 batting average is not good overall for the project but it is a project that is granted an opportunity at an even better sequel.

Take a listen to the complete project below, courtesy of Bandcamp.

The production throughout the project serves up the meat and potatoes for D.Edge, crafting a sound that allows him to be heard and tailors his identity as an emcee. Producer Parker’s mentorship shows experience and originality behind the boards, giving D.Edge a lane of his own to develop, experiment, and evolve safely. Along with the only two other producer Woodro and U-Dub, the production side of the project formulates a powerful delivery like Voltron.

While the Brooklyn emcee tries to keep things short and sweet on this EP. With its many flaws, the project contains a sprinkle of signature New York sound with gritty lyricism but D falls flat with lack of in-depth signature New York sound that has become text-book rhyming. D does put words together just to match but its nothing slick, clever, or thought-provoking like shows that N.Y. State of Mind. D.Edge also drowned himself out with the constant claiming of being the King of New York instead of rising like a gladiator and allowing his skill to become the king he proclaimed to be.

With thousands of rappers repeatedly claiming to be coming for the thrones that Jay-Z, Diddy, and several others sit on comfortably. D.Edge looks his focus in entertaining the fans by simply yelling out I am the King, when all he had to do was simply prove it. Caught by the limelight, anger, and impatient of not already being deemed a Hip-Hop superior, causes ‘DevSeason’ to derail.

The thing about season, they come and go, but they always return.

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Rating: 5/10
Highlights: Production