After two years sharpening his pen at Pendulum Ink, Hip-Hop’s legendary lyricism academy, John Brown The Rapper stepped into the studio with pioneering production duo Da Beatminerz (Mr. Walt & DJ Evil Dee) and never looked back. What started as a single song grew into an EP, then finally Waxing In Mecca, an 18-track full-length album out now via Soulspazm/Fatbeats. With guest verses from Mickey Factz, Your Old Droog, Rockness Monsta, Ras Kass, and Smif-N-Wessun, the album pairs sharp, dense lyricism with the raw, rugged boom-bap sound that Da Beatminerz helped shape in the early ’90s. The title itself nods to both “waxing poetic” and Harlem as a cultural mecca, reframing boom-bap as a sound still very much evolving. From quantum physics to personal resilience, the album is sonically cohesive but thematically wide-ranging, grounded in sharp songwriting and real-life stakes.
Lead single “Basement 2 Penthouse” captures that journey perfectly. John Brown wrote the first verse acapella for Ransom during a guest lecture at Pendulum Ink, opening with “Putting 2X4s in the rafters like Kobe” and weaving construction metaphors throughout — a theme that came honestly while he was literally living in a flooding basement apartment, dreaming of the penthouse. The video, directed by Tribeca Film Fest alum Victorious De Costa, was shot in that same Harlem building, moving from basement to penthouse as a visual testament to progress and perseverance. Whether you came for the Beatminerz grime or John Brown’s technical pen, Waxing In Mecca delivers on both fronts — a collaborative album that actually feels like two forces building together, not just trading verses. Stream it now and watch the “Basement 2 Penthouse” video above.
Rating: 8/10 — A cohesive, replay-friendly album that honors boom-bap’s roots while proving the sound still has room to grow. Stream it now and watch the “Basement 2 Penthouse” video above.