Cassette Review // Nevamind & Royal-T "The Yesmen" (Hand'Solo Records)

 

$15 // Edition of 103 // https://handsolorecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-yesmen

One of the things which I can appreciate right away about this cassette is the simple fact that it embraces a time in hip hop when I was really into the genre while also trying to help further it into the future.  There are far too many rappers out there (I could've stopped there) that think that the key to success is just copying the style of someone else.  At least that's what I believe because so many rappers on the radio have so many songs that all sound the same.

Nevamind & Royal-T begin "The Yesmen" with this pinball type of computer skramz sound behind their words before finding a vibe that brings to mind such influences as Busta Rhymes, Black Sheep, Onyx and A Tribe Called Quest.  Again, I really enjoy that the artists I hear in these songs tend to rely heavily on the days of when rap was released on cassette because the compact disc had not come along yet.

This cassette will also reference anything from TMNT and Tony Stark to Tom Petty and George Constanza in the lyrics.   The rhymes go hard but so do the words as this just seems to feel like a lyrical pummeling delivered by the best and most well-trained.  While "Judonno" can have this carnival-like feel to it, I also enjoy that the final song, "Nose Up", is one which you can really bob your head to and sing along with. 

Perhaps one of my favorite lines comes on "Mercy on My Soul" and it says: "You make me laugh harder than a white guy with dreads".  I'm not sure who is still doing that but it needs to stop.  There is also a song called "Dropped My Mixtape" in which the "dropped" doesn't refer to releasing it but rather losing it and now the world will never be able to hear some of the best music ever recorded.  I'm not sure if this is based on a true story or not, but this "The Yes Men" cassette is some of the best music I've ever heard.