If you haven’t had the chance to listen to this project we really recommend you do. WTK and V Don put together a classic piece of work that will age great……
Willie The Kid and V Don’s “Deutsche Marks” borrows its namesake from a currency used in a unified Germany from 1990 until 2002, a timeline that runs parallel with the East Coast’s reign at the helm of Hip Hop. That period’s sound is synonymous with what heads believe to Hip Hop’s zenith and was forged utilizing harpoon lyricism over gritty production. Deutsche marks succeeds at restoring a feeling Jay claimed left back when snoop kicked over some cgi high rises.
Standouts include “Bleacher Report” the beat sounds like urban war call but plays like an ode to triumph as Willie provides drinks to his niggas, that’s the ritual as he rhymes “. The cut is followed by “Foreign Lands” which features Mayhem Lauren who delivers strong but comes as off as simply a warm as Willie plunges on the track, “Habitual, hella bands, yellow Helly Hansen…”, suited for the occasion without even chorus separating his polarizing bars from that of the previous emcee .The mood changes swiftly over the minimal “24 hours” track as Roc Marciano joins the round table dining on sea bass and exchanges descriptive bars with Willie who channels Hawaiian Sophie Hov and throws victim off of boat. Overall the track is reminiscent of the Goodfellas prison diner.
Closing with “Still here” an exhibition of haphazard lyrics strung together through rhyme. The title serves as testament to Willie’s skill set and ability to survive the industry drama unscathed. V Don closes the project with an excellent sample repeating, “where are they going?” that fades away, provoking listeners into an encore of that brief effort that clocks in at under a half hour.
With Willlie The Kid rhyming as well as he always done, and V don positioning himself as the flag bearer for the return of East Coast Hip Hop, “Deutsche Mark” may serve as exemplar for similar emcees to stop forcing there style over the current sonic landscape and incorporate the signature sound that made the region distinctive; which would have to mean repairing the relationship between emcee and producer.
-Matthew Carroll
