Mike Shabb, the talented emcee, producer and engineer from Montreal, Quebec, who has been delighting us with his music since the spring of 2018, has delivered another masterpiece. Since his impressive debut with "Northwave," he has been making quite a splash by releasing quite a few EPs and mixtapes. His name really became big after he collaborated on "Fair Exchange No Robbery" by Boldy James and the track "Switches on Everything" from "Hitler Wears Hermes X." Add in the full production of his EP "Shadow Moses" by his mentor Nicholas Craven, and you know this man has more than earned his place in the hip-hop scene. Now he takes another step forward with his latest project, "Shabb Van Gogh."
We're treated to a kick-off with "breakadawn," a self-produced jazz rap intro track that wonders how people can know so much about him without really getting acquainted. Next, "merry go round" switches to lo-fi boom bap vibes guaranteed to get you dancing. In "underground legend," co-produced by Nicholas Craven, Shabb reflects on his increasing popularity and the legacy he is beginning to build, with the help of a soulful beat. In contrast, "Jank" provides a raw piano vibe that exposes his serious side and inner pain.
With "Krump," we enter the world of Ebonics while soul samples set the tone. This track is followed by "can't wait," after an interlude "brand new sound," where Shabb deals with the sense of importance he is experiencing these days. On "nothing is the same," he retains the soulful sounds, but without drums, to talk about how everything is constantly changing. Then "crews pop," on which Niontay appears, erupts to celebrate their collective dominance.
"Splash bros" along with Trapmat Savior is undoubtedly a highlight. We hope this collab turns into a full duo release, just like Moncler Boyz did. On "Van Gogh," Shabb addresses jealous exes who are bothered by his success and his girlfriend's musical preferences. The playful tone returns with "Disco Duck II," a sequel to one of the showpieces of "Hood Olympics." On the closing track, "Rope," he omits the drums and ends on a mysterious note.
Mike Shabb is gearing up for the release of "Hood Olympics 2" and shows his tremendous artistic growth with this record. This SP develops as a true work of art, where he balances between musical innovation and his roots. "Shabb Van Gogh" is a strong addition to his impressive discography and feels like a half marathon of pure fire vibes in barely thirty minutes. As far as we are concerned, this is another salty top release. Shabb proves once again that he can give the game a big load of salt. 🌟 8/10!
#hhz #houhet salt #hiphop #mikeShabb #rap #jazzrap
