BY DIGITAL WAX MEDIA STAFF

 

Two hip-hop hotbed cities came together this month for “Sinful Saints,” the latest single from Naups featuring Bizarre and frequent collaborator S.K.E. the Heistman, and produced by Matt Echo.

 

Driven by the slow-burn drum groove of Echo’s grimy production, “Sinful Saints” calls back to a more lyrical time in hip-hop with flashes of the horrorcore elements upon which featured artist Bizarre developed his style.

 

Though the offering lands more closely to Devil’s Night than to Reasonable Doubt, the proceedings never devolve into full-blown theatrics, as the artists at the helm maintain an emphasis on lyrics and delivery throughout.

 

Bizarre takes point on the track, kicking things off as the sole representative of the D and continuing a recent trend of the rapper’s having exhibited a renewed enthusiasm musically. At what was arguably the height of the rapper’s popularity, he was never considered the most “lyrical miracle” style MC amongst his collaborators in D12.

 

Many fail to consider, however, the rapper’s developmental years in Detroit’s battle-rap scene, as well as the fact that he was the first of D12’s members of to see widespread distribution as a solo act through his 1998 EP Attack of the Weirdos.

 

While Bizarre’s lyrical approach continues to incorporate the eccentricities and unorthodox concepts warranting of his stage name, more recent output from the rapper has confirmed that his pen indeed can be quite potent. This is especially evident in recent releases in the HGG series with producer, Foul Mouth.

 

The verse sections of the three-and-a-half-minute posse cut are separated only by brief instrumental passages interspersed throughout the track, which features no traditional chorus section. Naups takes the mic for verse two, offering up the most intense deliveries to be heard within the track by no small margin.

 

The restrained flows and thoughtful cadences provide an interesting canvas for Naup’s compound syllable rhyming, as the less astute listener could fail to pick up on deceptively skillful schemes within the context of the flow’s adherence to the rhythmic pocket of Echo’s deftly mixed instrumental work.

 

A verse from S.K.E. The Heistman caps things off with the most intricate of the flows to be featured in the song. The consistency of the rhythmic deviations here establish a neat sort of syncopated contrapuntal vocal groove which, in conjunction with the section’s many clever one-liners and instances of creative wordplay, make for an impressive array of bars with which to bring the proceedings to a close.

 

Each MC platformed by way of the new single occupies a distinct both lyrically as well as in terms of flow, presence, and overall delivery. Through the distinct personality and approach of each lyricist, a certain balance is achieved sonically with no confusion as to which artist is contributing to which section. Each MC shows up in terms of bringing a distinct and significant contribution to the overall work.

 

Each of the aforementioned variables is amplified as a result of the crisp and clean production of Matt Echo, who is conclusively effective not only in establishing a potent vibe, but also in providing an exquisitely balanced mix for “Sinful Saints.” The opening instrumental measures of the single are all highs and mids, with muffled drums in the periphery giving the feel of a classic sample.

 

The beat drops in fully with a ringing bottom F piano note in the measures leading up to the opening verse, filling out the bottom end and endowing the affair with a minor-key sensibility from which the dark atmosphere of the track is enhanced substantially.

 

”Sinful Saints” is currently available to stream on all major platforms.

 

Photo: Sinister Saints Artwork – Fair Use