Sy ShacklefordIt’s been eighteen years since the seminal New Jersey hip-hop trio known as Lords of the Underground have released an album. 2007’s “House of Lords” had little to no promotion and failed to garner any attention from both commercial and critical quarters. The group was preparing an album in 2020, but the covid-19 pandemic reportedly put a halt to that. Five years later, that obstacle has been removed and the LOTUG trio of Mr. Funke, DoItAll and Lord Jazz have been free to release “So Legendary”. Produced entirely by the Snowgoons, I’m likening the three-man production team to Black English actors: The latter group portrays Black Americans on film and television so well that it’s easy to mistake them as such. Well, that also applies to the German-based Snowgoons because of their European roots and productions: Sample-based, hard-hitting boom-bap sounds which make it easy for even the staunchest hip-hop devotee to mistake them for NYC producers from the Golden Era.
It should be noted that the Snowgoons have an established track record for supplying productions for ‘90s east coast groups, most notably M.O.P. and Onyx. On “So Legendary”, LOTUG receives the same hard-hitting touch. With ten full tracks and no filler, the group dispels notions of them being ‘90s underground rap relics starting with “Circle of Life”, a piano-driven return-to-form highlighting the group’s perseverance. Next up is “Cook ‘Em”, in which the group utilizes kitchen metaphors and imagery for their creative process over a string sample manipulated by the Goons. “Every Man” is just under two minutes and is comprised of verses from DoItAll and Funke filled with advice about having wariness about everyone they encounter. “Another Zone” has the Snowgoons cinematic trademark, feeling like an assault reel consisting of LOTUG’s battle rhymes:
“Keep On Rockin” has LOTUG kind of lampshading their relevance in hip-hop’s current state: They can keep rhyming and keep up with the times without allowing themselves to be debased into the lowest common denominator. “Out of Body” has a folksy sound to its production, reflecting the introspection of the lyrics. “SnowLords, from Jersey to Germany” is how Funke describes the union of the group with the producers, and begins with that line on the narrative of “Absolution”, which is complete with somber organ samples reminiscent of a funeral. On “U Can Get It”, it starts with fast-paced piano samples before some mean snares kick in to make the backdrop complete. That trademark sound that the Snowgoons are known for providing New York City rap acts from the ‘90s with? “U Can Get It” is one such track:
Closing out the album are two singles from what would have been the 2020 release of “So Legendary”: The single “Insomniac” is straight boom-bap underscored by the sleep-related wordplay of the lyrics. “What’s Up” appropriately features Onyx. With a dark and menacing soundscape, the LOTUG hold their own with the Southside Queens guest stars’ mosh pit style of hip-hop. For hip-hop purists and long-time fans, “So Legendary” is sure to help cement the Lords of the Underground’s place in hip-hop’s annals. Though I have a wish list of ‘90s groups who I’d love to see do a full album with the Snowgoons, LOTUG’s work with them is an intriguing addition to both groups’ discography.