Cakes Da Killa x Proper Villains - Muvaland
Genre: Electonic /
Hip House
Score: 8/10
This is a new collaborative EP between Harlem underground hip hop veteran Cakes Da Killa and NY DJ & producer Proper Villains.
What to Expect: : I’m less familiar with Proper Villains, but I’ve been listening to Cakes Da Killa for a while. I remember loving his Eulogy mixtape back in 2013, as it was a very hardhitting and wacky set of hip hop and hip house tracks. On that album, he carried that rugged, cutthroat attitude of a classic NY rapper that we all love, and proudly wore his identity on his sleeve like a badge of honor. His album Hedonism sounds like he reeled the eccentricity a bit back and went for more accessible sounds, and from there he was pretty quiet with the full-length releases. Now that he’s back with a full EP with Proper Villains, I’m not too sure what side of Cakes Da Killa I was going to see on this EP. Is he going to pull all of the stops, or tone it down for a larger reach?
Overall: Cakes da Killa is as eclectic and as skilled as ever on this EP. Indeed, many stops have been pulled thanks to Cakes Da Killa’s consistently animated performances and cutthroat bars throughout this record. However, Proper Villains ultimately emerged an unsung hero, as he clearly pulled the rest of the stops that Cakes figuratively missed. The house and techno beats throughout this track are consistently well produced, detailed, and groovy. Not only does this EP feature Cakes Da Killa’s best perfomances in his distinct hip house sound, but is also one of the best produced electronic music projects I’ve heard this year. I hope these guys do an entire album together.
Play by Play:
1. Where You @ - This skit made me laugh. It paints the vibe of being outside of the club gasping for air as the hottest, sweatiest basement dance party shakes the main staircase leading up to the street level. The bar just sold out of their Sagittarius Season special, someone left their shoe on top of the hydrant near the entrance, your phone’s at 2% and Cakes is 35 min late yet absolutely nowhere to be found. This is going to be a long night.
2. In Da House – That bassline is so crisp and infectious. The hook is catchy, and Cakes comes in with real energy. The house beat is classic as hell. “How you never been fucked but keep a stick up ya butt” will be one of the funniest bars I’ve heard this year. I love the percussion and the retro synth hits. Cakes’s delivery and wordplay is consistently entertaining His songwriting has gotten way sharper and Proper Villains does such a good job supporting his performance. This is a club banger.
3. Don Dada – This beat is incredible. Cakes’s performance is completely off the wall. His bars and rhymes are watertight and his delivery is super primal. This song is about to settle in my head for the next month. At points Cakes raps as quickly as heavyweights like Twista and Busta Rhymes. This beat is rumbling, the siren’s are blaring, and the percussion is so exciting. This is definitely a major highlight on the EP
4. Intermission – Cakes goes off, spitting a very wordy verse over an eerie minimal beat. It’s really impressive, and reminds me of an interlude off of Brockhampton’s Saturation tapes.
5. ICU (feat Nomi Ruiz) – I love the retro house beat. It’s classic, exciting, blood pumping, and really fun. That hook is a classic anthem. I feel like I’m watching the most dramatic and elaborate fashion show and the entire crowd is absolutely blown away by the latest designs. His performance is a very energetic and a fun vibe.
6. Muvaland – I love the primal jungle percussion. That bass drum hit is huge and resonant. The groove reminds me of a marching band drumline, especially with the whistle hits. Cakes is firing off on all cylinders, sounding like an absolute beast on the mic. I can’t wait for both of these guys to follow this project up, as it is one of the best hip house projects I’ve heard this year.
Score: 8/10
Favorite Track in Bold
Just my opinion