Malcolm Williams
Top 25 Favorite Albums of 2019
24. May the Lord Watch - Little Brother
One of the Greatest things Legends can do is continue to be themselves no matter how long they’ve been around. What happens when you are not active for a very long time and then ...poof... you’re back like you never left. Phonte and Big Pooh was able to do just that. Even though the Great 9th Wonder was not apart of this project his absence did not stop a damn thing. The way these guys managed to give the fans of their previous work all the fan service they could ever ask for. For me going in with the understanding that 9th wasn’t going to be apart of the LITTLE BROTHER return I was heartbroken and scared. Not cause I didn’t think the guys were gonna be able to get it done, but more so because I felt he was just a piece of that fabric. I’m super happy to hear that there was an attempt at him being involved but it didn’t work out. NOW let me show these North Carolina Legends the love that they have earned and most definitely deserve. Man when I heard that UBN intro on The Feel it was ”aww man, they’re really back.” Then the music starts and you’re like this feels right. It’s like The Feel was the confirmation that this is Little Brother but it’s a marriage of the New Phonte and the New Big Pooh. It’s so gratifying hearing Phonte be amazing and knowing Pooh was gonna follow him and be amazing as well. It was the perfect introduction to this reintroduction to these guys. Hearing Phonte sing that hook on Right on Time was so epic. Like the entire song is just groovy as fuck but I thoroughly enjoyed Tigallo going off on that hook, I be singing my ass right with him. This song is one of the prime examples that put them in a different league when it comes to Hip Hop Duos. Because they will wordplay and flow you to death but that vocal ability possessed by Phonte pushes them over the top. Black Magic might be my favorite song on the album. I just love everything about it. The beat is one I wish I had in my portfolio. “Black skin, Black faces, Black people make Black magic...” is so hard to me. The way they finesse the beat is impeccable. The little pass off they give us is great. I could go forever, if I get my hands on that beat I’m on it. I almost forgot to speak on the fact that these guys are so genius they came back and gave us closure on all the characters they created over the span of all their previous work through these funny skits. I think there’s so much to love about this album and this new chapter for the Legendary duo. The only reason I have this album this low is I just craved all the albums above it more. But as I said before any album in the twenty to twenty-five area could be have been placed anywhere in that range.
May The Lord Watch is number 24 on my list. I just wanna take this time to show the utmost respect and gratitude to these two Brothers. I’m not from North Carolina but I’ve been here long enough to have Carolina pride and being that I’ve been a fan for a minute makes me even more proud. Phonte‘s “No New is Good News” is one of the main reasons I started rapping last August and why I do what I’m doing on what I do on Mama’s Boy. Thank you Brothers.
