Every Villain Has A Story

A statement could not be more true. What’s that infamous saying? You either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain’ and in this case we get to hear the tale of a man and his spiral into darkness while being accompanied by Hip Hop’s Apollo and his modern day equivalent of the ‘Golden Lyre’ with that in mind let’s talk about it! This is the brand new album between MC Shark and Producer Hi-Q and between the two of them they come equipped with 13 tracks and the likes of -Jake Haw -Words -B1 The Architect three rather familiar names with Hi-Q and they spit just as hard as they ever have! And right off the bat, in true Apollo fashion we have Hi-Q performing a score that is fit for the gods. Even from the opening track -Origins we have this beat that’s a combination of glistening keys, rhythmic drum, this angelic whistling harmony that’s met with some scratches and cuts and heavy bass! This is the king of shit I can imagine Hades pharaoh walking to! What about tracks like -Hurt People? Did you hear that opening chilling vocal sequence? It literally sounds like those lost souls forever tormenting in the realm of Asphodel! I also love how they incorporate those sounds in the chorus! These chords are accompanied by some rather lush acoustic strings, high shrieking chord progressions and hypnotic drums! Quite a variety of different sounds but somehow they all work! Not to mention the quality of features across the track! We can even discuss the track -Ancient Knowledge as it begins with those cryptic sounds that’s a blend of high strung chord progressions and scattering keys that later evolves into this sci fi like instrumental with those mysterious keys, looping strings and the combo of thick bass and surreal drum usage! Those chords sound literally like a UFO trying to capture you! It’s so Bizzare but in the best way possible! As far as the MC work goes I have to say (from what I’ve heard from his catalogue so far) is that I appreciate Shark because he has such a cut throat, raw and in your face style that it’s impossible for me to be impressed with it! It’s the level of passion and grit he showcases with each bar he spits! The amount of conviction shown with his delivery and penmanship that draws me to his music and this very well might be his magnum opus pairing up with Hi-Q! Across these 13 tracks we hear Shark In pure conceptual mode as he more or less narrates his ‘villain arc’ and the justification behind it! Even from the opening track -Origins we hear a harrowing tale about him in the ocean using a lot of clever comparisons between him and an actual shark! In genius wordplay! As the album goes on we hear him go into more darker detail and in depth lyricism about his current mindset, the landscape of his day to day situation and his emphasis on his brash and aggressive approach to his performances that sound truly killer! This is like the sonic equivalent of a prequel detailing the evolution of a killer. Movies like -Hannibal or -BrightBurn where we see the clear signs of a man turning lethal and he’s doing that with his sharp words, his dominant demeanour and his obvious gift for the writing! The fearsome features he’s decided to bring with him are like the horseman of the apocalypse! Coming to support his destruction and chaos in every feature verse! Whether you identity as a hero or a villain. Everyone loves a well written story and this is one of the best written with a god tier score and Oscar worthy side characters! Tune in!