Prolific Wone is an MC from New York City and co-founder of the legendary End of the Weak international open mic event. It’s commonly referred to as EODUB, which you may have heard Lupe Fiasco namedrop at the end of Steve Jobs: SLR 3 1/2, his surgical dismantling of Royce da 5’9″. This latest album dropped in November, but I sadly didn’t get around to hearing it until earlier this year. It most definitely would have ended up on my year-end list if I listened in time. It’s fully produced by UK rapper/producer Manage, with cover art by veteran London-based graffiti artist Mr. Cenz. Even before listening I could see that there was a lot of thought behind the overall presentation of God En Man. The music itself along with the visuals, themes, and even the merchandise just seemed very robust. After I heard the full LP, I was mad at myself for not checking it out sooner. I wanted to punch myself in the face Justin Hunte style.

Prolific Wone is an incredibly proficient MC who is able to rap at a highly technical level without it feeling masturbatory or lame. It also helps that he has a really good voice and vocal delivery. As soon as I heard the first couplet on the title track that opens the album, I was sold.

The illustrious learned lucrative, the lexicon
Father spirit, girl-dad spittin' the liquid heroine

His flow on this track in particular kinda reminded me of Sa-Roc. I don’t really know how to describe the production. I know I’ve heard instrumentals with a similar vibe in the past, but I can’t remember what song it was. This beat sounds like it’s chill, but with kind of a hard edge to it. Like, if the primary loop was adjusted properly it could be used for a New Age song in a spa. Manage somehow built it up into a more traditional-sounding backdrop that elicits the coveted involuntary head nod. I think the first verse on this track is excellent, but the second verse is where Prolific Wone really went crazy in my opinion.

Lavender sands near the mangroves and the cove where I'm cooking potions
Hearing oceans, motions hope for better programs
Aura got me where I'm touring off exploring, never boring, just respect the forum
Plus no filibustering
Where we hustling buskers cling to the rustling, and the sounds of change
Even though it's ruffling feathers, wettin' beaks
Audio components, no one speak
On these rodents, malicious proponents known us since before could speak
Baby bro 'em, get to know 'em, downright rolling 'fore they stole him
Difference knowing versus thinking for a box of Winston
Wrinkled Lincoln, honest, able, sent the cable to the label on these fables
Well and table, spoon and needle

This is the type of music that makes me wanna write raps. The lyricism is elite, and this whole track just sounds awesome. I love it.

The following track is called Act Natural, and I actually think this song is even better. In contrast to the preceding instrumental, this one sounds much more fiery and energetic. Prolific Wone definitely matched the tone of the production lyrically as well.

121 on the hour, more perception
Homeopathic natural food over prescription
Higher self forming, coming into fruition
Update my OS, critical pat vision
Upgrades mentally jailbreak restrictions
Axel of no hitches, unconditioned
Act right, observe, dispel your misconception
Play your part well, world's a stage presence
Project, make eye contact, lenses
Third and fourth wall breaking down with each sentence

This song is ostensibly targeting people who are presenting themselves as something they’re not. My interpretation is that it almost serves as a diss towards fraudulent, uh… Well, frauds in general I guess. I was trying to think of a more eloquent way to say it, but that’s pretty much it. I really love the hook on this one.

You're a natural, kid, keep acting
Cameras and the lights, freeze frame, call "Action"
You're a natural, kid, great acting
Pandering to people, sleeping on what they lacking
More you play, more you believe
Running all them lines, running for the screen
Truman, play your part, act right, die slow
Smile for the candid, act natural

This song evoked the memory of a concept I learned about in a sociology course. “Dramaturgy” in the sociological context refers to the idea that human behavior is a performance. There’s the “front stage” in which one kind of performs actions that are expected by others, such as at work or just generally in public. Then there’s the “back stage” behavior, where one is just being themself and chillin’. I feel like the back stage behavior is what Pro is looking for when he tells listeners to act natural. I first learned about this concept in 2020 I think, and it’s kind of stuck with me since then. I remember finding it very interesting due to the particular mental health crisis I had endured a few years prior, but I digress. I think this song is amazing, and it’s probably top 3 on the album for me.

The next track I wanna talk about is called Smoke Signals. This one has two rappers named Holden Stephan Roy & Dutch Vega credited as features. However, they’re featured in the same way Nas is featured on 48 by Tyler the Creator. In other words, as far as I can tell their only contributions are a clip of them speaking to each other that’s included in the song. I’m personally glad they don’t actually have verses on this song because I honestly just wanna hear Prolific Wone rap. The beat on this one is even more aggressive than that of Act Natural. This might actually be the most belligerent-sounding instrumental on the whole project. The closest thing I can compare it to would be Pistolier by Roc Marciano. It’s not really the same, but it has a similar atmosphere in my opinion. Pro’s flow throughout this entire track is excellent. He had to have been in battle mode when he wrote and recorded this one.

Sell you one for the low, double down on the doja
Loud leaf leave you dumb, cannabis odor
Waft in the air, smoke, sweetest aroma
Charge up the EV, plug us into the owner

I adore the aggression and uptempo energy displayed on this song. It’s phenomenal.

Track 7 is a major highlight called Dark Times. This was the first song I heard from the album when the music video came out.

I really love how lowkey the production sounds on this one. It kinda made me think of Ka’s That Cold & Lonely. The main difference here is that the percussion is much more prominent. As always, Pro’s writing on this track had me hooked.

Received a message from the solar system
Filled with knowledge, wisdom born from beyond, reach my soul extension
But the line went busy, must've missed me
Summer after summer, no calls, Mr. Ripley
Believing and not giving a fuck back
To reality where words matter and all that
Exist in real life, manifesting the actual
Something you can touch and feel, collateral
Feelin' tense inside the magistrate
Missing fingers counting down, two, one, 'til the latches break
Old relics from cold wars, badlands
Try and grapple with the truth, suspended disbelief, fam
Is it grief that's soaking in?
High on hope and sin, buying time like it's opium
Dragon fire on these bomboclats
Open shots at rappers selling candy wrappers on the auction block 

This is probably my second favorite song on the whole album. I just really like the kind of eerie, unsettling atmosphere of the instrumental, and I like the structure of this song as well. The whole thing is just a long verse with no hook or bridge or anything like that. Prolific Wone killed it. This song’s amazing.

I think my number one favorite song on this album is the penultimate track, About You. This one features vocals from a singer named Sinclair Johnson, and I believe the voicemail at the end is by Waita Mendoza. I really love how subtle Sinclair’s vocal contribution is. I wouldn’t quite call it “background vocals,” but it’s not like a super attention-grabbing performance where he captures the spotlight. It complements the song super well in my opinion. Lyrically, this song is probably the most interesting moment on the whole project. I’ve heard it a bunch of times, and my interpretation has evolved with every listen. I’m still not quite sure that I understand exactly what this story is describing. The first time I heard it, I had a simplified perception of it, and thought it was a straightforward tale about the rise and fall of a romantic relationship. Then when I paid a bit more attention, particularly to the final verse, I noticed that there was kind of a sinister development in the narrative. I don’t know how I didn’t catch that the first time I listened to the song. Even the production has a suspenseful atmosphere that reflects the nature of the storytelling.

What's really under the surface?
Chipping at the layers in your past make me nervous
You started a skirmish
Ice so thin, but the scar so permanent
Each day I would pray
Hoping for a miracle, willing away
Love isn't cruel, doesn't eat you inside
Believed and belied, would lead me to die

Eventually I came to the conclusion that the love interest was a honeytrap who set the protagonist up to be assassinated. However, when I heard the outro from Waita Mendoza I started having doubts. I don’t know. I’m still not completely confident in any interpretation I was able to conjure up, but I actually prefer it that way. The cryptic writing lends itself to repeat listens, and just makes for a more interesting, engaging song in general. If you don’t like listening to music that makes you think, this isn’t gonna be for you. That’s exactly what I want though, so this one really stuck with me. I think it’s pretty incredible stuff.

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^{I didn’t write about every single track on this album, but I want to note that there aren’t any songs I don’t like on here. I even dug the interludes a lot because they had good instrumentals in the background. Like I said, had I listened to this album when it was released, it would have ended up on my best albums of 2025 list. Everything just came together the right way. All of the artists Pro worked with really came through for him on this project. Prolific Wone himself is super skilled as well. There were songs on here that reminded me of Wu-Tang, and I also thought of Lord Have Mercy, Cambatta & Magno Garcia as I was listening. Prolific Wone also has a really good voice that he knows how to control well. There weren’t any lines that sounded awkward or unpleasant. I also appreciated the West Indian references as a Trini myself. I don’t know exactly what Pro’s ethnic background is because I couldn’t find any information about that online. He had lines about the West Indies, Soca, and Tandoori though, so that was super dope. Anyway, definitely make sure you check this album out if you haven’t yet, and let me know what you think down below in the comment section. I think it’s amazing. ✌🏽}

Favorite Song: About You
Least Favorite Song: Cooking Slow