King Los has been widely hailed as one of the game’s best lyricists, though he doesn’t always get credit in the mainstream eye. And yet few can deny the elite nature of his pen game, to the point where emcees looking to collaborate already understand the stakes. Perhaps that’s why King Los opted to fly solo for his latest release, the brief but lyrically-focused EP Four Peace Nugget, a four-song freestyle pack that features beats from Mobb Deep, Busta Rhymes, and Drake.
We’ve already opted to spotlight the project’s closing track “Lemon Pepper Wings,” a five-minute clinic that finds Los addressing Tsu Surf following a heated Clubhouse debate among other topics; in fact, the jam-packed freestyle is so dense with meaning that it likely deserves a deeper analysis in its own right. Yet there’s more to Four Peace Nugget than its climactic chapter. For the remainder of the tape, Los opts to have a bit of fun over Mobb Deep’s “Survival Of The Fittest” and “Give Up The Goods,” as well as dexterous take on Busta Rhymes’ “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See.”
It’s certainly refreshing to see a rapper who appreciates the golden era, and hearing Los body beats from the nineties will certainly be appreciated by hip-hop purists. Those who give this one a spin should share their favorite tracks — or otherwise bars — in the comments below. Do you think Four Peace Nugget solidifies King Los as one of today’s lyrical greats?