Philadelphia hip-hop legends Mr. Eon and DJ Mighty Mi, better known as The High & Mighty, have made the scene salty again with their latest comeback record. Together with their label Rawkus Records, they released their debut album "Home Field Advantage" in 1999, which quickly became an underground classic. This album even included a verse by Eminem when he was just about to break through as an international icon. More dope tracks followed such as 'The Highlite Zone' and 'The 12th Man' in the early 2000s.
Now, after two decades of silence, the duo is back with their fourth album and a fresh deal with Soulspazm Records. The album opens with "2 Man Crew," a raw mix of hardcore hip-hop and turntablism that shows that these boys are still rock hard. Next, "Zounds" takes you into their mindset and shows that they are stronger than ever.
The track "Pinky Tuskadero" featuring Kool Keith sends a clear message to global audiences, while "6ers & Squires" featuring Skillz drops epic bars about irrepressibility. The crew gets reinforcements from Breeze Brewin on "Super Sound" and Your Old Droog adds soul on "The Rose Bowl," complete with samples from The Alchemist. "Dubbs Up" featuring King T introduces some more g-funk vibes, and "Prism" featuring Large Professor and Tash takes you on a lyrical trip off the rooftops.
Halfway through the album, the "Mighty's Big 5 (Live from the Palestra)" interlude pops in, and "Most In Outs" reveals the Smut Peddlers once again over a piano tune, while never being cancelled. "I. Goldberg" featuring MC Serch and Sadat X again serves up hardcore boom bap beats. And if you thought the recordshop anthem "Funk 'O' Mart" didn't already make you nostalgic enough, "Spaceport" does just that with Chill Rob G & Copywrite and their rhythmic blasts.
"Highest Degree" with O.C. continues to pop until the finale "2 High Whiteys," which deploys a very recognizable blues flip. The song even references a quarter century ago when a perceived lack of respect toward Masta Ace still caused controversy. Despite the misunderstanding, they have now made peace.
For fans who began their exploration with Eminem's memorable verse on their first album, it's pure magic to see The High & Mighty, like LL Cool J or MC Lyte, continue to drop such quality releases in 2020. DJ Mighty Mi keeps his boom bap productions fresh and innovative, and Mr. Eon's driven performance still impresses. This album is a perfect balance of old school and new styles, with guests ranging from legendary O.G.s to underground innovators. The room is bubbling with salt with this release and definitely deserves a fat 9/10.
#hhz #houhet salt #hiphop #thehighandmighty #comeback #rap
