The sophomore outing from the dynamic duo of
Royce da 5'9" and
DJ Premier,
PRhyme 2 maintains a similar formula to the debut installment while improving upon production and vitality. On 2014's
PRhyme,
Royce and
Preem sampled a single artist -- soulman
Adrian Younge -- on a tight collection with a roster of high-profile guests. Here, the pair focus on AntMan Wonder, a Philadelphia producer and composer, for their samples. Combined with hard-hitting beats, old-school scratching, and a dizzying maze of dense rhymes,
PRhyme 2 satisfies more than its predecessor and should please fans of
Smoke DZA and
Pete Rock's collaborative
Don't Smoke Rock,
Run the Jewels' more laid-back material, and the
Dilated Peoples catalog. A distinct old-school flavor creates a rich and nostalgic experience, especially on highlights like "W.O.W." and "Rock It." As veterans of hip-hop,
PRhyme make their impressive pedigrees known, addressing the Lil Mumbles and Lil SoundClouds of the world with elder statesmen wisdom, not outright attacks, as heard on "Everyday Struggle." They get rightfully angry about the state of the world, with
Royce assuming lyrical prophet and truth-teller status on "Black History," while maintaining a tough, braggadocious veneer on the breath-snatching "1 of the Hardest."
Royce's flow is something to behold, with layers of lyrics to pore over with repeated listens, revealing humor, pain, and everything in between. Guest recruits hold their own with the formidable MC.
Roc Marciano stars on the standout "Respect My Gun," as menacing as it is smoothly addictive.
Dave East goes toe to toe with
Royce on the sparse "Era," while
2 Chainz lends some playfulness to the slinky bounce of "Flirt." In addition,
Big K.R.I.T.,
Rapsody, and
CeeLo Green boost
PRhyme 2 with their distinctive voices and energies. At a time when multiple producers and playlists/mixtapes rule the rap game, the focus and intent on
PRhyme 2 are comforts that
PRhyme effortlessly nail. ~ Neil Z. Yeung