Richmond, California’s own, Phylosophy dropped a new album titled ‘The Cancer Chronicles’. How’s it sounding? Let’s see [review]:

The Cancer Chronicles is a soft gel in a hard shell. Phylosophy himself, presents the same way. Under the surface of a hardcore, lyric-driven, aggressive approach is an ultra-conscious, for-the-people, cautionary message. Societal ills, Black ones in particular, serve as a muse for the bulk of the album’s highlights.

Take “Dead Weight” for instance, where he spits: “I thought the the point was to get out the hood and get up in the industry/Make a lot of money and leave behind your enemies/But nowadays it seems like most you n*ggas got it twisted“. Or “Slipping Away” featuring Nadiya, a sad story with no happy ending. Reality.

Easily the most radio-friendly track, “I Love My People” featuring Demetrie Jones & AB Jalil, is the pinnacle of this side of Phylosophy on TCC. Not only do the features hold their own but the combination is the key ingredient, along with the nostalgic early 90’s-esque production. If one song could sum up the album, it would be the aforementioned.

Songs like “The Omen” & “Suicidal Maniac” may have been all the rave, if the Northen California native hadn’t revealed his more, well… philosophical self. Maybe this dedication to displaying his dual nature has a traumatic conception; Phylosophy often mentions being misunderstood from an early age on The Cancer Chronicles.

It’s not like he can’t just flat out spit bars but his more inventive rhymes come when he has a target that’s not a rapper.

Where the two sides meet is the most dangerous, dark, beautiful place on “7th & Maple“. It’s hardcore-introspection. Musical tones aside, our hero is playing out plenty dual natured themes. Bars like: “Never wanted to be no street n*gga, I was all about self/But damn sure wasn’t no b*tch, I would kill, that’s how I felt” reveal a deeper-than-surface level look at his self-proclaimed “Jeckyll & Hyde” (see “Verbal Manslaughter“) persona.

When we said “ultra-conscious”, we mean the mention of things such as: flat earth, realms, Black supremacy, the divine and several references to “humans”.

Outside of anything yet mentioned, “Take A Ride” featuring Lonnie Ocean stands to add more layers to TCC and Phylosophy. At first, it may seem out of place but once the “gravity” of the man’s word sink in, you’ll appreciate this 4:28 second mental break.

All-in-!ll, the 17 track project is sonically cohesive, yet dynamic. Phylosophy doesn’t take a track, better yet a single moment off. We could be all day with quoteables, production & curation. The Cancer Chronicles shows flashes of classic West Coast albums, while its creator proves worthy of the comparisons to the emcees that made them.

G-HOLY.COM 2023.

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