SuppliedMista E & Max Millz
Project X
Rebel Nature Records
https://www.maxmillz.com/
In a genre as large and diverse as rap, it’s easy to forget there’s a whole world of underground rappers — especially when we’re bombarded by a constant stream of Drake and Yeezy. Stumbling upon a young, talented diamond in the rough before they make it big tastes sweet but there’s something a little sad about listening to the music of a 30-something-year-old who’s never made it in the rap game but obviously really really wants to.
This much is true after hearing the collaboration between London natives Mista E and Max Millz on Project X. Recorded through Max Millz’s record label Rebel Nature, the album includes features from Bully and Cairo Millz, who are most likely suffering from the same lack of advancement as the album’s main artists.
Putting the absent success of the rappers aside, the actual content of the album is pretty standard. If there was a generic rap guidebook, these boys certainly followed it to a T. The album tells the story of making it from the bottom to the top, which they depict as a world full of women, liquor, and money. Truly a piece of original work. The lyrics play with the familiar outlook of “we’re the best, fuck the rest” in a way that almost seems honest, before looking at the cover art. “Get it Started,” the first track of the album, is especially self-praising and serves up an unhealthy amount of confidence in the teams influence on the music scene. Later on, the duo exercise their egos in “Work it,” which is basically a list of pole-dancing moves that (should) make anyone listening mildly uncomfortable. While the bars are less than genuine, it’s easy to drown them out in the repetitive heavy bass beats they’re paired with. For this, featured producers Platinum Statz, Kamilson, and Beatzonmeth deserve a round of applause.
With the heavy concentration of popular rap music coming from a handful of artists it’s normal to start craving something new. But in the case of Project X, keep it in the darkness of the underground. You’re far better off on the surface with Yeezy and Drizzy.
