Fat Ray and Black Milk
Set Up, The
Last year saw Detroit MC/producer Black Milk takeover the indie hip-hop scene, making noise with his Popular Demand solo LP, beat placements with Pharaohe Monch, and the Caltroit ‘mixtape’ with Bishop Lamont. While he claims that full-length collabs with Sean Price and Guilty Simpson, Monch and others are in the works, Milk’s handling home first, using his newfound stardom to re-introduce Fat Ray, one third of his former group BR Gunna. Ray proves himself a capable MC throughout The Set Up, hurling his throaty threats and self-assertions bluntly and cleanly. Accordingly, Milk downplays his trademark soul samples for grittier melodies, utilizing brass knuckled percussion and eerie vocals to accentuate Ray’s rhymes. ‘Take Control’ is fueled by plodding bass and haunting organs, while ‘Lookout’ sees Ray and Detroit rapper Nametag spewing bars over a sparse backdrop of drums, clanks and screeches. While more established Motown neighbors Guilty Simpson, Phat Kat and Elzhi all contribute top-notch 16s, The Set Up excels with Ray and Milk’s rekindled musical chemistry.
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