This electric new collaboration album between rapper/producer Dopeazzmuzik and singer/producer Razor showcases the very best of the artists’ home music scenes while boosting their reputation as industry gems.
‘Silk Sox & Cognac’, a taste of Razor’s upcoming E.P ‘Trapsoul 101′ and Dopeazzmuzik’s ’50 Cal’, is both bold and polished in its collection of smooth yet savage hip-hop tracks that dabble in R&B, trap and soul.
Dopeazzmuzik, from Oakland California, is known both as a soloist and as one half of the hip-hop duo Westside Konnext. However, this certainly isn’t the first time the rapper and Razor, an actor, singer-songwriter and producer from Miami, have collaborated. With Razor having appeared on Dopeazzmuzik’s solo material and featuring on a Westside Konnext record, the two multitalented artists have by now refined their sound and continue to display their knack for putting out high quality material with the bombastic ‘Silk Sox & Cognac’.
‘Since 93’, the first of the album’s seven tracks, introduces an old-school hip-hop sound with Dopeazzmuzik’s verses and Razor’s vocals bouncing atop a trap beat that will instantly get listeners bopping. Dopeazzmuzik flaunts his dexterity as a rapper with his skilled flow and lyrics singling him and Razor out as no-nonsense artists who worked hard to earn a reputation in the scene and are more than happy to revel in the fact (“I’m forever winning”). Razor’s suave voice cuts through the beat like butter, with him proudly stating “Got it all but came from nothing, Sky’s the limit watch me touch it”. It’s clear that these two laser-focused musicians are dead-set on achieving greatness in the industry, and listeners will agree that they have the talent to go far.
The thrill of ‘Back In The Days’ is ignited by Razor’s velvet croon in a chorus that reveals more of the singer’s childhood dedication to aim high when starting out in the music industry (“Sometimes I wonder how I made it, it’s amazing”). With Razor’s laidback chorus contrasted with Dopeazzmuzik’s staccato bars, this back and forth affords the song an exciting buzz as listeners can indulge in the artists’ differing vocal textures and techniques. Though the track may be shorter, it’s certainly memorable in its powerful sentiment and energetic vocal performances that flow wonderfully over a subtle bass-led instrumental.
‘No Patience’ compares the artists’ pasts to their present, and details how it made them how they are today. With a sweeping piano-led backing track, Dopeazzmuzik lays bare his earlier hardships that he was able to overcome (“You seeing all these scars cause I earned them, all the painful lessons in my life I learned them”). As a result, listeners will have a newfound respect for both musicians’ self-made journey and the realistic struggles that they had to go through. Razor’s clever crafted line “They say that patience is a virtue, I say that patience could hurt you” gives a new meaning to the realities of the industry straight from two of its brightest hip-hop stars.
‘Real One’ may be one of the highlights of the album, naturally due to the duo’s vocals and hard-hitting lyrics, but certainly due to the track’s striking composition. Starting with a delicate piano melody, the track’s manipulation of its hip-hop beat allows the artists to change up their flows and play around with the rhythm of the track. This is really only to be expected from these seasoned producers, who have built up years of experience exploring the music from their respective areas.
Both ‘The World Is Yours’ featuring Nah Black and ‘Upper Echelon’ with Smooth Tha Dude are upbeat hip-hop jams with lyrics that boast of Dopeazzmuzik and Razor’s acheivements and reputations as industry stars. On ‘The World Is Yours’ Razor sings “No Need for stressing, they fear your presence”; highlighting the duo’s pride at their status and desire for world domination with their music. The cool ‘Upper Echelon’ is an unapologetic ode to the musicians’ hard-earned lifestyles, with Dopeazzmuzik commanding “Put some respect on my name when you say it”. When you’re at the top of your game like these artists, there’s really no room for doubt around these kinds of statements.
The album is drawn to a close with ‘Silk Sox & Cognac’; a delightfully dreamy fusion of hip-hop and R&B. Razor’s soulful vocals are in full swing here as he dips into an airy falsetto that sounds both effortless and charming. The song’s understated but groovy bass accompaniment is a perfect match for the track’s sultry lyrics; ending the album on a stirring and seductive note.
Score/Excellent: Dopeazzmuzik and Razor sound self-assured and swaggering on their collaboration album, while once again showcasing their masterful touches in production, songwriting, singing and rapping. While there appears to be a plethora of influences from hip-hop, soul and R&B in this record, the duo ultimately succeed in bringing the music from both the West Coast and South Coast together in a combination that sounds simultaneously sentimental and savage.
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Follow Dopeazzmuzik and Razor on:
Dopeazzmuzik :https://x.com/dopeazzmuzik
Razor:https://x.com/305razor
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Dopeazzmuzik: https://www.instagram.com/dopeazzmuzik/
Razor:https://www.instagram.com/305razor/
