01. Ugly Heroes feat. DJ Eclipse – Ugly

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Detroit’s most consistent producer, Apollo Brown, comes through with his trademark sound – brassy horn chops, vinyl crackle, and layered drums that knock just right. Definitely turn this one up and let Apollo’s production bump at it’s head-nodding, face scrunching best. Red Pill jumps out first with a quick shout to Mello for making the deal on this record: “It ain’t a major deal yet, but it ain’t minor shit / got the industry by the throat with an iron grip.” By :53 seconds in Pill puts a sock in all those armchair comment box reviewers mouths with a display of lyrical wordplay that I’ll leave you to unravel on the repeated rewind. After the verse, DJ Eclipse lays a gorgeous scratch hook, reminding people Ugly Heroes is Ugly as ever. The second verse finds Chicago veteran Verbal Kent choking listeners out with their livestrong bracelets. Verbal proves he’s a bad dude like Erykah… knocking your wheaties bowl offa the table, liftin you up and literally throwin’ you offa the label. Then at 2:16 Mr. Kent decides to jump it up a notch and match Pills tongue twisting throw down with another display that leaves your pause button worn. Before it’s over Apollo masterfully brings it back to a sit down soul stirring conversational tone.