Red Eye

“It’s not an album or mixtape… It’s more of a compilation of ill sh*t…” For bully-rap king Red Eye, his massive and hilariously titled new project, Fatrick Ewing, eschews traditional formats and goes right for the throat with track-upon-track of killer Boom bap. This is no-bullsh*t Hip-Hop from one of the biggest voices going in the genre right now, and he’s clearly not afraid to lay it all on the line. While the 27-track release is technically a compilation, the wordplay maven made sure to craft a cohesive listen that’s also brimming with lyrical and musical variety. If you want a bruising banger for your ride, throw on “Baddest MF” (feat. Born Unique) or “Illest In My Hood” (feat. Strangeflo). If you want something more introspective, “Born Alone, Die Alone” (feat. Joell Ortiz) and “24 Barbarian pt.9” more than fit the bill. That’s especially true of the latter, which is produced by and dedicated to Red Eye’s late friend, Kevlaar 7. Of course, as the series’ title implies, every “Barbarian” installment is packed with straight-up bars from the Queens-born/Orlando-based rapper. He drops references to pro athletes, classic video games, and religion (sometimes in the same breath), weaves in ridiculous punchlines, and then ties it all together with his ear for production. The same can be said for Fatrick Ewing as a whole. It may have a slew of guests ranging from Joell Ortiz to Mr. Cheeks to Shabaam Sahdeeq, but it’s driven by Red Eye alone. And it’s that quality