Baltimore Rapper Herbology has struck again, with another message driven project, EP 2 The Point. Featuring a wide selection of boom bap instrumentals (produced by Potent Henry), Herb pairs golden-age sound with poetic presentation. With 25+ projects on his resume, Herbology’s experience has made him one of Baltimore’s most talented local artists.
Five-track EP 2 The Point is the latest example of Herbology’s masterful mic game. His brassy vocals and steady cadence are true gifts. That said, Herb’s style of hip hop centers on lyricism that is meant to inspire and uplift his audience. He speaks with the wisdom of an artist who has seen it all, and understands his place in the “Baltimore Club” of underground emcees.
Producer Potent Henry also shines on 2 The Point, providing Herbology with a soulful selection of sampled instrumentals. His chops are tasteful and heavy-hitting, combining delicate samples and heavy boom bap drums. Each beat effortlessly matches Herbology’s style, and he maneuvers them with great skill and pacing.
Herbology Channels Baltimore’s Grit
2 The Point is a front-to-back listen, but one of the standout tracks for us is Honest Testimony. With fluttering melodies and a piercing vocal sample, the production sets the bar high, and the Baltimore rapper delivers, with a cascading series of potent bars. Using the vocal sample itself as a hook is a strong artistic decision, and underlines the power of each verse. The songwriting is impeccable, led by flurries of multi-rhyme schemes.
“As I deflect a deeper breath you sit and listen when I’m vexed/and give me guidance, keep me level when I’m feeling stressed.”
Herbology’s ‘long bar’ writing style, and clever internal rhyme schemes are reminiscent of a different era of hip hop, and create a sound that is truly timeless.
Other highlights of the EP include Running To, with its heavy bassline and a pristine vocal feature from Baltimore Neo Soul artist Ghanè. The project ends on an especially somber note with What They Die For, which laments loss of life at the hands of material greed.
2 The Point is a fire project for true hip hop heads, especially in a time where a renaissance of boom-bap seems to be in effect. Stay tuned for more on Herbology. We will continue to track the career of one of Baltimore’s most talented underground artists.
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