Though admittedly not for everyone, The Alchemist's latest collaborative album with Armand Hammer is exactly the sort of dark street hip-hop that underground heads have been fiending for. Enter Haram, a grimy odyssey through the minds of three creative expressionists, fueled by strong lyricism and hallucinogenic production. The project kicks off on a particularly striking note, with "Sir Benni Miles" drawing listeners deeper into the hazy world of Billy Woods and Elucid.
"Dreams is dangerous, linger like angel dust, ain't no angels harboring, ain't no savin' us," spits Billy Woods, his flow somehow dexterous and methodical at the same time. "Ain't no slaving us, You gon' need a bigger boat / You gon' need a smaller ocean, But here's some more rope." Elucid steps in for the second verse, firing off a staccato burst of dense lyrics designed for repeat listens. "Workin' on my posture, I'ma slap box Judge Mathis and Judge Wapner," he raps. "Hot stuff, crockpot all rocked up, lockstep / Everything for sale except for the scale."
If you're a fan of Alchemist's production or the respective solo output of Billy Woods and Elucid, be sure to check out Armand Hammer's Haram project right here.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
It's ill, but you're like krill in that cold deep
Alcohol seep out the pores like gills
Air squeeze out the ocean floor
Leviathan swim with open jaw