This album was released on March 6th this year. Grafh is an artist whom I’ve been aware of for almost a decade at this point, but I didn’t really start looking into his music until recently. I think he’s a really great MC. My worry is that he’ll turn out to be one of those rappers who knows how to write really great bars, but isn’t very good at writing songs. We’ll see how it turns out though. I’ve enjoyed most of the singles, so I’m expecting it to be pretty good. I’ve just been putting it off because it’s so goddamn long. This thing is almost an hour in length. I made it a priority to review it though because I’ve seen people saying it’s one of the more slept on releases of the year. Hopefully I end up agreeing. Every track is produced by DJ Green Lantern, except where noted.

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1. Opulence

I’m honestly not really crazy about this beat, but it definitely isn’t bad at all. I’m just not really into this production style personally. It sounds like one of those hyper luxurious beats that Rick Ross would rap over, and I’ve never been crazy about that sound. Grafh’s rapping here is thankfully very enjoyable though. The opening verse isn’t amazing or anything, but it was far above average in my opinion. The hook is super simplistic, but it serves its purpose well enough. The second verse was better than the first one in my opinion.

I hate when a black man talk proper, and niggas try to say he talk white
I talk white, but it’s hard white
I’m beyond nice, there’s no appeal, this is all life
This is on sight, semi infrared-y fog lights

Overall, the song has a very straightforward structure, and it doesn’t throw any curveballs. It’s just two nice verses over a solid beat and a very simplistic hook. I fuck with it though; this shit is dope.

2. Anonymous

This beat is a huge step up from the preceding instrumental in my opinion. It sounds hard as motherfuck. Grafh killed the first verse too.

The nozzle of the tech drawn’s ‘bout the side of my left arm

There’s only one verse on this song which was slightly disappointing to be honest. I think one more verse, or maybe a really good feature would’ve pushed this song to the next level. This shit is still fire though. I even like the hook at the end of the song. I think this shit is dope as hell.

3. Stove Work produced by Pete Rock

This beat is hard as hell. It has that old school flair while still maintaining a gritty aesthetic. I feel like Freddie Gibbs would slaughter this shit. The opening verse from Grafh is great; I love how aggressive the lyricism is here.

Pumpin’ the Mac, thumbtackin’
If it get stuck in your back, then your lungs flatten
If it’s stuffed in your hat, then your skull’s crackin’
It’s a bloodbath when skull fragments are stuffed back in

Nems would probably fit in well on this track too. The first verse is awesome, but the hook is a little flat to me. It’s not really a huge issue though. Honestly, I think he sounds perfect over this beat. He spazzed on that second verse. This song is dope as hell, and it makes me wanna hear more work from these two in the future.

4. 24 Hours

This beat sounds super familiar, so I feel like it probably flips a sample that I’ve heard in another song before. I can’t really remember exactly where I heard it. It’s fire though; I think the beat’s dope af. I like the opening verse on this song a lot, but some of the lines come off really fucking dumb to be honest.

I ménage à trois, I synchronize women
I pull up and your broad hop inside, “get in”
Brazilian broad, skin golder than my fried chicken

It should be noted that he pronounced the word “à” as “ayyy” instead of “ah.” I guess it shouldn’t be that big of a deal; it is just one line after all. The verse was pretty solid overall. Once again, the hook is super simplistic, but it serves its purpose. Honestly, I really like the way Grafh is flowing and rhyming on this song, but a lot of the content makes me roll my eyes.

I need more room, I tell the truth everywhere but a courtroom
I told your daughter “Let’s shoot a porn soon,” in her dorm room
I brought drugs on the campus, I let her snort, boom
Shake that ass
E-pills keeping her up, she late for class
Look at my wallet, you see I’m great at math
My weed smell like it need to take a bath
You can tell I’m getting money by the way I laugh

Those last three bars in particular just seem super generic. It is what it is though. The verses are pretty solid, and the hook is okay. I mainly just enjoy this song for the production, but I think it’s pretty good overall.

5. Blow featuring Benny the Butcher produced by DJ Shay

This was the first single that I heard from this album because it came out over a year ago. I either heard it in late 2018 or very early 2019. I’m pretty sure it’s actually one of the very first songs I ever heard from Grafh. I remember watching the music video a few years after it dropped, and thinking it was one of the most hilariously stupid things I’d ever seen. It’s not self aware at all though, so it just ended up being really embarrassing. The acting was so bad, and they were really trying hard to make it look serious and hard. The song itself is great though. The instrumental isn’t really that great on its own, but I think Benny sounds perfect over it. I don’t know if it’s just me, but personally it seems like Benny’s voice sounds deeper here than it usually does. Maybe I’m tripping. Either way, his verse was stellar.

I’ll have you goin’ to another wake
Or your homies wipin’ tears off your mother’s face
I need a block worth 100K
Or a spot where the money straight, so I could do one a day
I treat this rap shit like the perfect lick
My Griselda deal worth a brick
Pistol on ‘em ‘cause he can’t work the stick
Streets made us merciless, it’s no goin’ back once you insert the clip

He killed this shit. The hook on this song kinda sucks, but it’s definitely not bad enough to ruin it. The second verse from Grafh was fire too. I loved that line about how fake chains are making rappers’ necks itch, and the one about chopping a brick into a cotton ball was hard too. If I had to choose a favorite verse I’d probably go with Benny, but they’re pretty much neck & neck for me. This is easily one of the best songs on the project.

6. Congratulations produced by Harry Fraud

The beat here is pretty cool. It sounded kinda tame at first, but the vocal sample that eventually came in was awesome. The first verse also had a pretty lame start in my opinion.

I’m illy-matic, silly rabbit
Been gettin’ money, silly habit
Been gettin’ focused and gettin’ at it
Them niggas that post it don’t really have it

It thankfully got a lot better after these first few bars though. The opening verse is pretty good. The hook is okay. I kinda hated it at first, but it grew on me to be honest. The second verse kinda left something to be desired, but it wasn’t really bad. I just wish it was a bit longer. Anyway, the song as a whole is definitely enjoyable. I just feel like the rapping is kinda spotty. I do love the production though. It’s a good track.

7. Pray featuring Conway the Machine produced by DJ Analyze

I was really excited when I saw this track in my subscription box. As I said last week, Grafh is one of those really dope rappers who I’d been sleeping on for a long time, but I’m becoming a big fan. Y’all already know how I feel about Conway too. Grafh murdered the first verse.

Your man got jumped, you were just watchin’
I left your body in the trunk rottin’
House niggas never plucked cotton
I’m just boxed in, jabbin’, I’m just boxin’
Jumped up, dodgin’
I’m from where Santa Clause never come stuff stockings
You hustle or play ball, those are fucked up options
I just fucked memory lane up drunk drivin’

Conway definitely didn’t disappoint on this track either though. His verse was really great.

You got shooters layin’ all in your bushes & grass
Waitin’ for you so they can be took to the cash
Got you openin’ your safe and got you pullin’ out cash
And you know what happen next when he pull up his mask, nigga
The muzzle flash and the bullet’ll pass
Through your melon, your whole shit gettin’ put on the glass
Robbery gone bad, news bulletin flash
I laugh ’cause I’m the nigga that put up the bag

I really don’t know who I’d say has the better verse. I’m kinda leaning towards Grafh just because I feel like it was more consistent, but they’re both really good. Grafh’s hook was actually really nice here too, and the beat from DJ Analyze was good as well. The song’s dope. Check it out.

8. How Can I Lose featuring Crooked I & Jag produced by Nails

The beat on this track is pretty amazing to be honest; I fucking love it. Grafh slaughtered that opening verse too.

You goddamn bamma, I’m cut from the same cloth as 2Pac’s bandana
My toolbox cram hammers to remove your roof top and mute your jukebox antenna

That was probably my favorite couplet in his verse, but the way he ended it by rapping about strangling his guardian angel with a chain was crazy too. The hook on this track is pretty dope as well. Crooked I’s verse was fucking amazing.

Yo, here we go; flame shit like indo
Gun on my hip but the clip hit my ankle
Extendo leave you in pain like the window
You want the fade 10-4 swingin’ like Kimbo
Rearrangin’ your shin bones
Make your face look like a Picasso
Skin meltin’ like a hot cup of nacho
Cheese, then I knock on your thot’s do’

Obviously the window pain line was kinda corny, and it wasn’t super interesting when he started going in about fucking dudes’ girlfriends, but overall I really enjoyed the verse. The way he ended it was amazing.

I’m countin’ paper with no degree in math
Niggas claimin’ “God MC,” soon as you see him laugh
Talkin’ ‘bout they “flow is walkin’ on water”
Thinkin’ that they goin’ the Jesus path
’Til me and Grafh split the sea in half

The final verse is performed by Jag, who I feel like I’ve definitely heard of in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually listened to any of his music. His verse was great though. He probably had my least favorite verse on the track, but I still really enjoyed his performance here. Overall, I think this is easily one of the best songs on the album. The production is fantastic, and it has some of the best rapping on the whole project. This shit is dope af.

9. Ya Heard

I really like the weird, warbled production on this track. Unfortunately, Grafh’s hook here is annoying as fuck. It’s not bad enough to completely ruin the song, but it definitely tarnishes it. The actual rapping is pretty dope though.

My pack of thieves, baggin’ up bags of peas
The trash bags of weed be lookin’ like bags of leaves
Terrible, they actually look like a stack of trees
The hair on it actually look like a bag of weaves

Well… That’s actually not very good, is it? I don’t know why I quoted these bars like they were dope. I think it just sounded good to me because he was rhyming so well, but obviously the content is dumb. I still enjoyed the verse despite some questionable lyrics. The second verse was far more entertaining to me.

You just coffin-bound
Get your coffin found in a lost n’ found
I’m the boss when your boss around
I be bossin’ your boss around

It’s far from a highlight on this album, but I do like it to some extent. I love the beat, and Grafh’s performance sounded pretty nice. Again, the hook is annoying, but the song’s not bad to me overall. I think it’s pretty good.

10. Gawd Gawd featuring Dope Gang Porter produced by Udae

I’m not really a fan of this trendier, Trap inspired production. It’s not a terrible beat or anything; it’s just kinda generic. The opening verse from Grafh is cool I guess, but the hook on this track is wack as hell to me. I don’t think I’d ever heard a verse from Dope Gang Porter before listening to this track, but I enjoyed his performance here to be honest. He sounded pretty good. I like his voice a lot. I can see how the inflection of his voice could be grating to people, but I didn’t mind it personally. This song isn’t very good to me though. I mean, I kinda liked the verses, and I liked how energetic both of the MCs were over it, but the beat just wasn’t very enjoyable for me, and I really disliked the hook. It’s an okay song to me overall, but I’m not gonna be listening to it again.

11. Good Die Young produced by DJ Analyze

The beat on this track is pretty straightforward and traditional, but I like it. It’s the kinda beat that can only be enjoyable if a talented MC is rapping over it. The opening verse is pretty dope. I was a bit worried at first because the first 8 or so bars had the word “comfortable” in it, which got annoying, and I was afraid that every single bar would have some variation of that word, but that didn’t end up being the case.

I can’t share cold pizza with no heater for a can of food
The judge want the prison bars on my slammer glued
Why? Because I’m goin’ hard and I don’t plan to lose
Yeah, the hood is where I’m born, but I plan to move

It’s a dope verse. Unfortunately, the sung hook is pure dogshit. His singing sounds awful. Even if he was an above average singer, which he isn’t, it still wouldn’t be a good hook because the melody just isn’t enjoyable at all. The second verse was pretty good to be honest, but as a total package this song isn’t cuttin’ it for me. I’m not gonna be listening this again. The rapping is good, but the hook is trash, and the repetitive beat got pretty annoying after a while as well. It’s an okay track though; I don’t think it’s bad at all.

12. Let Me See It featuring Bun B & Rittz

This was the only single that I heard from this album that I didn’t like at all. I think this song sucks ass to be honest. This just isn’t my style at all. There are aspects of it that I really like though. I think the beat is pretty awesome. I just really don’t care for the content of this song at all. The hook is lame, and I think the opening verse from Grafh kinda sucks to be honest.

I’m with my set, I been with my set, ridin’ with my set
With my set, diamonds on my neck, I shine and I reflect
I reflect, grind and I’ma stretch product, I’m a chef
China white or meth, your wifey vagina on my breath

Well, the verse isn’t too bad as a whole. I just really don’t like the way it starts. I was satisfied by the time his verse ended. The hook still sucks though. Rittz’s verse is okay I guess. I just never want to hear him rap about sex, and unfortunately that’s exactly what he did here. I’ve always thought he was a super technically proficient MC, but the whole redneck rap thing is a huge turn off for me. It’s the same issue I have with a lot of Yelawolf’s music. Yes, they’re both talented rappers, but the redneck aesthetic is frankly disgusting to me, and I don’t wanna feel like I’m one wrong look away from getting lynched when I listen to Hip Hop. I don’t think his verse was bad, despite a few questionable lines here and there.

You the type to cross-dress, singing Lil Nas X

I guess that’s supposed to be a diss, and I get that cross dressing and mainstream Trailer Trap music doesn’t exactly match the style of this song, but this line still made me roll my eyes. The lines about how he’d “fuck a redneck bitch” made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. Bun B surprisingly had the worst verse on the entire track, which was disappointing since I’m a huge fan of him. He probably should’ve had the first verse because going from Rittz’s fast paced chopper style of flowing to Bun B’s slower, Southern flow makes it feel like all the momentum is completely lost.

Come on mami, just pop that culo
One more time for your papi chulo
No such thing, girl, as dropping it too low
Shake what your mama gave you, girl, you know
Just how to do it, do it
Who the one, girl? You it, you it
Ain’t nothin’ to it, to it
She got the wet wet, it’s fluid, fluid

This is fucking unbearable to me. I literally said “ah, hell no” out loud after listening to his verse for the first time. I can’t stand this kinda shit. I didn’t think the song was very good up to his verse, but it was at least tolerable. He made this shit way worse though. It pains me to say this too because I really like Bun B. This is not my style at all though. I think the song’s wack.

13. Who Shot Ya? featuring Hopsin produced by Mr. Porter

Grafh’s The Oracle III has become one of my most anticipated releases of the year, so I was pretty excited when I saw this single. Obviously I was a bit apprehensive about the Hopsin feature, but the production from Mr. Porter is absolutely glorious. People really need to start giving him more credit as a producer because that dude is a beast. Grafh murdered that first verse too.

The soul of Michael Myers is my solar cycle
You showin’ vital signs of no survival
Now you gotta clone my rivals
So fuck what you wrote, nigga, I wrote the Bible
I put your soul in an open bottle & close the nozzle
My glock plastic; I don’t recycle. Who shot ya?

I’m also relieved to say that Hopsin’s verse was genuinely great. I think it’s one of the best verses I’ve heard from him in… Well, it’s probably one of his best verses period. He didn’t sound as goofy as he usually does, and the cringe was thankfully minimized. This shit is dope af. Check it out.

14. Agenda featuring Royce da 5’9”

I really love the jazzier production on this track, and Grafh slaughtered that opening verse.

Fuck all the perjury, y’all should go ring the alarm for the burglary
I’m on a long murder spree
Y’all should be urgently callin’ emergency
This open-heart surgery, your blood spillin’ over, dark burgundy
All the flippin’ over the raw perfectly
Done created enough crack babies to open a small nursery
Drop the top on the Range Rover, then park vertically
I break most of the law first degree

The hook is pretty simplistic, but I actually think it works really well; I fuck with it. Royce of course murdered that second verse as well. I don’t think he completely stole the show though. This isn’t as good to me as the collaboration from The Allegory, but I can’t say that I’m disappointed at all because it’s still fire.

I’m a slave to my hooligan ways
You shoot the fade, I lose the fade, I come back shootin’ the Ks
You shoot the K back, then I came back through and threw the grenade
You the shit? Well, I’m the shit that came back through the bidet
Sent the booth, unloadin’ speed-loadin’ truth
Each flow is proof, the reason these hoes be on the net deepthroatin’ fruit

It’s a pretty straightforward track; just two verses with a simplistic hook in between. It’s all done really well though. I think this shit is dope as hell. The music video is pretty cool too.

15. Guilty featuring Shalone produced by Soulsearches

I kinda wish I recorded my reaction to this song. I was so confused because it’s just such a jarring change in style. I actually love the production, but the sung hook from Shalone is awful. I think the first verse from Grafh was actually pretty dope. It would’ve been cool if the rest of the album had more personal content like this. Honestly, I think I would’ve loved this song if the hook wasn’t so unbearable. It completely ruined the song for me though. It’s pretty frustrating because I like the rapping so much. It is what it is though. The song’s decent to me. The hook is fucking god awful, and the song didn’t need to be over 6 minutes; Shalone’s presence is highly questionable. It’s not too bad overall though. I just think it’s mediocre as a whole, but I definitely see what he was going for.

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This album is pretty good. I’m glad I checked it out. It’s definitely very flawed, but I came away from it pretty satisfied. Grafh’s ability is undeniable in my opinion, and I really enjoyed most of the beats here. A lot of the features were fantastic as well. I just wish the content was a bit more specific and personal. Even though I didn’t care for the closing song, I wish more of the songs were that introspective. Most of the songs here are just about typical street shit, which is cool, but some variation would’ve been appreciated. He probably could’ve trimmed some of the fat on this project too. I was enjoying every song at the beginning, but the final third was pretty shaky. I like this project though, and I’d consider myself a fan at this point. This was my first time listening to a project from Grafh, and I’m looking forward to whatever comes next. This shit is dope.

Favorite Song: Who Shot Ya?
Least Favorite Song: Let Me See It

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