Here is the 7th showcase compilation from Detroit, Michigan underground hip hop label Majik Ninja Entertainment. Founded by Twiztid & their manager George Vlahakis in 2014 after departing from Psychopathic Records only 2 years before, they quickly built an empire or their own from bringing a few other PSY alumni along for the ride to help introduce G-Mo Skee & Alla Xul Elu to a much wider audience. The label’s first comp showing off their roster Year of the Sword has to be my personal favorite of the bunch thus far with all respect to Songs of Samhain as well as the Attack of the Ninjas compilation & Songs of Samhain 2: Haunted Record Player. However, they’re coming off Cult of Night & The Liminal Space to describe the Outside of Heaven.
After the “Pumpkin Boy” intro, “Glow in the Dark” by Jamie Madrox produced by DeadBoyGrim kicks things off with this trap opener talking about being crazy above intelligence whereas “Maybe I’m Dead” also by Madrox asks whether or not he really feels alive over a spooky Fritz the Cat beat. “Some Kinda Narcotic” by Bizarre, Jamie Madrox & LG talks about the music taking them to a hypnotic place over a boom bap instrumental from Stu Bangas leading into “W.W.W. (Wicked Worldwide)” by Anybody Killa & Twiztid dabbling with g-funk to clap back at their haters.
“Far from Ok” by Jamie Madrox, Krazy Attitude & Kryple finds the trio admitting they’re nowhere near being fine on top of a rock/trap fusion that Grady Finch cooked up while “Loser” by Hyro the Hero & Madrox talks about them not amounting to shit. “Pledge” by Blaze Ya Dead Homie, James Garcia or the artist formerly known as Young Wicked & Jamie Madrox links up so they can tell those who did them wrong to not do them the same just before “Blockin’ Out” by FJ Outlaw, Madrox & N*RAGED talks about cancelling out any negative energy.
Boondox joins Jamie Madrox for “Skin” so they can discuss their preference of being themselves instead of anyone else while “You Got Murdered” by James Garcia & Twiztid talks about what’ll happen if you speak ill of the wicked shit. “Pumpkin Pail” by Blaze Ya Dead Homie & Jamie Madrox explains how hollow they can be while “Just Outside” by Madrox & The R.O.C. preceding the “Pumpkin Boy No More” outro expresses hope of finding a way to get it.
I’ve enjoyed pretty much every single installment we’ve had in the Songs of Samhain series ever since MNE began dropping these comps when the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shut the entire world down but if I had to choose my least favorite chapter in the saga, Outside of Heaven would hold the bragging rights for that title although it’s largely decent & that’s largely because it’s curator Jamie Madrox performs a bulk of these without Monoxide other than only 2 tracks.
Score: 6/10