The hip-hop scene of Belleville, New Jersey, is getting a little saltier again with the release of Action Figure 973’s eighth EP, perfectly timed for SummerSlam XXXVIII this weekend. Our man has been throwing a lot of salt into the industry over the past few years with his first few mixtapes, seven EPs and the complete studio debut record *DOOM Was Right* - dropped about three months ago. This release is an ode to the legendary album *Madvillainy*, one of his favorites ever. Building on the *Dark Side of the Ring* trilogy, inspired by the popular Vice docuseries, Sam Rothskeem takes back control of production.
This EP begins with “R.I.P. Sabu,” a track with a salty nod to former ECW Champion Sabu's impressive career. With titles such as ECW World Heavyweight Champion, FTW Champion, and JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion under his belt, he undoubtedly deserves respect. “Christopher Nowinski” is a reference to the two-time WWE Hardcore Champion who also brought considerable energy to the scene.
In “Rubber Match,” Action Figure 973 jumps from one wrestling icon to another. Think Takamichinoku, known for his AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship, and Scotty 2 Hotty who made history his way. And then there is Jey Uso of YEETC, the world champion with no less than ten WWE tag team titles to his name.
That final track of the EP, “Southern Philly Nights,” is a classic boom bap that pops with references to WWE Hall of Famer Lex Luger, who shined as WCW and WWE champion, and Eric Bischoff, mastermind and fellow WCW genius during the legendary Monday Night Wars. That promises fireworks!
In the zone of pro wrestling, news came the other day that Jacy Jayne, the current NXT Women's Champion, took the TNA Knockouts World Champion title at Slammiversary XXI. Meanwhile, Dustin Rhodes saw his AEW TNT Championship taken by Kyle Fletcher. Into this jumble of performances sits my favorite installment of Action Figure 973’s *Dark Side of the Ring* series - a salty tribute to moments and legends in the ring.
You know you're going nice with a score of 8 on the salty scale like that. This release leaves another salty mark on the hip-hop and wrestling hybrid that Action Figure 973 burns down so smoothly. So keep those tracks in your playlist and let the vibes flow in. Because trust us, another salty spectacle will break loose on your speakers.
Peace out, and feel free to stay tuned for more exclusive content, news and events in your inbox! Because if there's one thing we do, it's bring salt to the scene, one beat at a time.
#hhz #houhet salt #hiphop #summerslam #ep #actionfigure973
