Brand new LP & the 4th overall from Sandusky, Ohio emcee/producer Nezzy. Emerging within the underground in 2022 off his first 2 EPs Subject to Change & Pyramids, he went on to follow this up by releasing the full-length debut Hippie Thug the spring of 2023 & subsequently his 3rd EP New World Disorder a couple months later. Hall of Infamy & his previous album Worm Food from last summer have both elevated him in terms of popularity containing some of the greatest tracks of his career, dropping The Infamous N.E.Z. almost 9 months succeeding it’s predecessor.
“The Infamous” produced by C-Lance gives his flowers to one of the greatest hip hop duos of all-time Mobb Deep fresh off their final album Infinite this past fall whereas the self-produced “Mysterioso Pizzicato” maintains a gritty boom bap vibe instrumentally talking about cremating any rapper who thinks they’re hot. “Cuckoo!” wasn’t my favorite single of the 3 although I do appreciate the old school east coast hip hop just before “Raiders of the Lost Art” featuring Ja’king the Divine teams up over a Stu Bangas beat talking about hip hop being more than fame & riches.
We get a cool tribute to the classic video game “Def Jam Vendetta” although I prefer Fight for New York like most people & Icon was complete garbage, but then “Gein’s Theme” ruggedly talks about how there won’t ever be another MC of his caliber. “Vat of Acid” gets the 2nd half going admitting that he’s been a bastard from the very beginning while the lead single “Kaboom Bap” talks about being the man with the plan.
“Riddle Me This” rounds out 3rd with this eerie boom bap beat suggesting to keep your head on a swivel & stay vigilant while “Most Writeous” featuring Copywrite finds the 2 promising over some horns issuing a promise of snatching microphones from anyone who’s spitting wack rhymes. “N.E.Z.” lastly sends it all off saluting The Notorious B.I.G. & the late Prodigy on top of promising to go crazy musically until the day he can’t anymore.
Nezzy has been constantly turning heads by evolving his whole style known for combining hardcore vulgar references filled with deeply introspective conscious rap full of uncompromising rhyme schemes & thought-provoking choice of words ever since opening for opening for Psychopathic Records alumni Anybody Killa & DJ Clay at the co-headlined Welcome Home Party couple years ago, to which The Infamous N.E.Z. feels like a refinement of Worm Food in terms of lyricism & production.
Score: 8/10