This album was released on March 12th this year. Barry Marrow is an artist with Souless Records who I was previously unfamiliar with. I’ve been getting into more of the artists in that crew lately, so I guess that’s the latest label that I’m diving into. I’ve noticed that each year I tend to find one crew and kinda explore their work. Last year it was Cold Rhymes, and before that I’d done Deathbomb Arc and EXOCIETY. Anyway, this was my first time listening to any of Barry Marrow’s music, so I went into it with zero expectations. Well, that’s not entirely true. I was expecting the production to be fire because I’ve become a pretty big fan of Killer Kane over the past few months.
There aren’t any tracks that I don’t like on this album, so I’ll write about the full thing in the proper order of the tracklist. The first track is called Barry. I absolutely love how melodic and smooth the production here is. I think Barry’s melodic delivery sounds really great here too.
I wake up early in the morning, smoking, chirping with the birds
I grab my notepad and my pen just to write a couple words
Was drinking Henny last night, I park the Coupe up on the curb
I tend to stay in my own bubble ‘cause these niggas act like turds
Love a pink haired witch with a ass like a berry
All my homies call me D White and she love to call me Barry
She was vegan, yes I knew it ‘cause the pussy taste like cherries
I don’t trust you if your hands moist and your ass is drinkin’ dairy
Right off the bat, this track reminded me of something SeKwence would rap over, so these guys definitely fit in with each other at Souless. The song has kind of an abrupt ending, but I think it’s really dope overall. It’s followed by a highlight for me called My Life. I love the melodic, piano-driven production here. It’s a really beautiful beat, and the simplistic, yet melodic hook from Barry is really catchy. I love the Project Pat-influenced flow he utilized for the beginning of his verse too. Sonically, I think this is one of the best tracks on the whole album. The verse from Barry is dope too.
I’m feelin’ like Jesus on Easter morning
Niggas tried to kill me ‘cause I’m important
Ex couldn’t keep me, she tried extortion
Well, they barely exist, no talkin’ abortion
Pray to the gods I get my food
I give my niggas a bit of the portion
The song is dope as hell to me. The following track, Madula, is another highlight for me. For this one, Kane flipped the same sample that was used in King Los’ song, War. I think the way it was flipped here is definitely more interesting. Los’ track definitely felt more minimalistic, so this one’s a bit more attention grabbing. The lyricism on this track is a bit more thought provoking than that of the preceding couple tracks.
I hope you ain’t depressed no more, I hope you smile every day
And if I’m honest right now, you’ll probably smile me away
I smoke a thousand ‘woods a day with no pain in my heart
And with the sun in my face, and with a glock on my waste
The second verse from Big Breakfa$t is pretty cool. His accent reminds me of Earl Sweatshirt.
I’m in my bag like a Snapple apple Cop a glock .26 just to clap it at you Disappear in the palm of my hand after that too We in the streets of South Philly like some raccoons Not your average rap dudes; we will smack you Pabst Blue Ribbon from the tattooed women In the pack of the backwoods in my satchel I don't even smoke like that, I copped off of Barry Combined forces like Voltron And not take a puff of the stuff that he smoked on
The song is dope as hell to me overall. Track 4 is called Mama’s Crib (Kill Barry Shit). This track has some of the most aggressive rapping from Barry up to this point on the record in my opinion. It’s a really short song, but he managed to leave an impression before the track ended. I like the way the beat kinda switches up about halfway through the song. The shout to Big Floyd was nice too. This song is really dope; I fuck with it. It’s followed by Kill Barry Freestyle. This definitely isn’t one of my favorites on the album, but I do enjoy it to some extent. I just feel like the production from Kane & Frank Sriracha is the main aspect that stands out. The song kinda feels like some old school Houston Rap track to me. The slow paced flow along with the heavy bass just gave me that impression. Anyway, I imagine this song literally was an off the top freestyle just because of the way Barry was flowing. Again, it’s mainly the production that made me enjoy this song, but the rapping isn’t bad. I think it’s a pretty good song. The next track is called Pink Curtains / Mamba Mentality. As the title of this track indicates, it’s split up into two different songs, the latter of which is my preference. Both of them are good, but Mamba Mentality just stands out to me a bit more. I think it’s mainly because the vocal sample in the beat is so damn good to me. Barry killed this whole track though; I actually think this one has some of his best rapping on the project.
Hippies on the streets stylin’
It seems peaceful on our end, but the other end is violence
Abandoned homes, but the humans still are banded
Bandana with the bands, I swear Barry’s such a bandit
Talk down on me? They gon’ get you ass a bandage
Like medicine, it’s bitter, like to mix it with the Fanta
Fantastic, dude; shorty say she just a fan
And I been that nigga, yeah, I always been the man
He killed this shit. The song is really dope. The following track is another highlight entitled Harder Than Ever (Rapping My Ass Off). This song has another one of the best beats on the album in my opinion. I love the hard-hitting, kinda muffled-sounding percussion. Once again, Barry killed this shit. I think he thankfully lived up to the title of this track because he rapped his ass off.
It’s 2020, shit been harder than my dick
Think I’m hot, the candle lit
But pockets look like candle wicks, yeah
Puff cannabis and throwing shots at analysts
Who brought you? Whose man is this?
Boy I could get you handled quick
I love you, but my heart need protection
My heart coated like glass, now I’m the one that need affection
This shit depressing, this my confession
Yeah, I’ma let it burn, Paul Bearer with the urn
The hook sounds pretty similar to that of Madula; it follows pretty much the same exact formula. I don’t really mind too much though. I still think the song is dope as hell. It’s followed by Many Nights. The beat on this track is really smooth. I think this song has some of the most relatable lyricism on the project.
I spend way too many nights alone
Ain’t nobody hittin’ up my mobile phone
It’s just me and this chrome
I treat my throne like a shrine
I’m quick to blow like a mine
I been searchin’ for a long time
I’m sure I lost my mind
The song has a very straightforward structure, but nothing about it stood out for the wrong reasons. I definitely preferred Barry’s verse, but Big Breakfa$t did his thing too. I think it’s a dope track. The next song is entitled Bullshit. I think this track has one of the best hooks on the album. I really like the slow-paced, kind of somber, piano-driven production here. The content here is more relatable for me than a lot of the other tracks too.
I woke up early this morning, realized I ain’t that rich
Man, that just made me sick
But goodmorning, the sun shines so bright
I prolly rolled a whole 8th because I need to get my mind right
Been thinkin’, jumpin’ off a bridge, I know I’m not your type
But fuck it I’m prolly tweakin’, ignore that line
My homie caught me flippin’ out ‘cause he just scored the pint
I told him save me a 4, we gon’ pour up tonight
Most of the other tracks sound pretty lighthearted and almost celebratory, so it’s cool to get this as a nice change of pace. It’s a really dope track; I fuck with it. Buck Shot definitely has the hardest, grittiest beat on the album. I could see someone like Kingpen Slim slaughtering this. The line in the opening verse from Barry about how he’ll take a girl on a date that she hates stood out to me. I thought that was kinda funny. I also kinda found it kinda funny how he said a girl was sucking him “reluctantly.” I feel like he just said that because it fit the rhyme scheme, but I like to think he meant it literally. Anyway, the second verse from Skip Blase was fire. I’d never heard of him, but he really impressed me here. His voice kinda reminded me of ScHoolboy Q a little bit.
These niggas got coron’, you sick, but you isn’t ill Niggas bleed Balenciaga, but die in some Tommy Hilfiger Lil nigga chill, you slip and go wash the spill, nigga Poppin’ pills when touchin’ soul, fuck ‘bout how you feel
The way they started trading bars towards the end of the song was hard as shit too. This is one of the better songs on the album for sure in my opinion. I think it’s dope as hell. I’m glad SeKwence was featured on Get Involved because this collab feels so natural, and like a no brainer. It would’ve been a shame if they didn’t get a track in together for this project. I think this track has some of the best rapping on the album too. I feel like I’ve said that for the past 5 songs, but I really mean it here.
Costa Rica cocaine with bullets from the desert storm
Y’all addicted to the thought of this shit, like watching porn
Hollows stickin’ like porcupine, don’t make me blow your mind
Boy don’t make me blow this .9, I’ll do it and I’ll be fine
Prayin’ to the man above, hopin’ my pockets don’t shrink
Shit, nigga smokin’ ’til I faint, sippin’ syrup while I paint
I’m a motherfuckin’ alien, every one of them guys I’m better than
I’ma get my way, no settlin’; this nigga give no fucks, I’m celibate
The second verse from SeKwence is really nice too. Like I said, this collaboration was kind of a no-brainer; I think they sound really great together. SeKwence fits over this production from Kane & ayashi[!] perfectly. The song is really dope. The outro is called Patrick, and the beat is dope as hell. I love how mellow a lot of Killer Kane’s beats tend to sound. The first verse from Barry is really nice. When I first saw this track I was confused because I thought it featured the battle rapper, D.N.A., but it’s actually a different artist named DNA. It sounds like DNA is actually Barry’s brother, so that’s why he was featured on this closing song since they’re so close. I’m guessing Patrick is DNA’s name? Or maybe Barry’s real name isn’t actually Barry and it’s Patrick. I don’t know. The song is dope though. I really fuck with it.
This album is pretty great. First of all, I think the production across the board from Killer Kane is top tier. The dude just solidifies himself as one of the best producers in the industry every time he drops something. This was also a really good first impression of Barry for me. I liked every single track, and I really don’t have any consistent gripes. I think they nailed it. The music here is fairly accessible, so I can recommend it to most people and be fairly confident that they’ll dig it. I really enjoyed this, and I look forward to hearing more work from these guys in the future, whether they’re collaborating again or working independently. This shit is great. Check it out.
Favorite Song: Harder Than Ever (Rapping My Ass Off)
Least Favorite Song: Kill Barry Freestyle
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