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“Shadows” is the newest album from L.A. rapper/producer and member of the DRODIANS hip-hop collective Killahronh. This project’s execution is akin to DRODIAN founding father Sneek Rothstein’s 2021 record “Menace”, where the songs themselves are influenced by themes brought up in a short narrative broken up into interludes. Though not as cinematic and over-the-top as “Menace” (except for one bit. More on that in the next paragraph), the narrative on “Shadows” is just as simple and straight-forward. Killahronh books some studio time and knocks out pretty much ALL the songs on this album, but before, during and in-between these recordings, he’s reminded of the shade and harsh criticism thrown at his artistry.

The biggest strength of “Shadows” is the use of legendary West Coast rapper Ras Kass as a narrative framing device. In the first of the album’s three skits (called ‘silhouettes” because ..…”Shadows”, that’s why), Killahronh enters the studio to find the engineer bumping one of his previous songs: a NECK-SNAPPING, boom-bap track (if only THAT made it to this album’s tracklist) featuring Ras Kass. After the RIDICULOUSLY over-exaggerated comment from the engineer’s friend (his pimp voice alone is worth the price of admission, particularly the way he says “motherfucker” at the end), another friend mentions how dudes on the street never found Killahronh’s music dope in the first place. That guy re-iterates this point in the third, final and – dare I say – BEST silhouette, and even suggests “trendy”, albeit generic, ways in which Killahronh can pivot his sound towards a mainstream audience. And while I won’t spoil how Killahronh responds to that comment, the response itself is intelligent and inspirational and a pivotal moment on the record.

Getting a couple gripes out of the way, the minor one involves the “2^nd Silhouette” where Killahronh selects a few beats to rhyme over with the engineer’s assistance. Yes, it sets up the next few songs in the tracklist, one of which didn’t even make it to the album: the recently-released single “Frequencies”. But to me, I felt that it strayed away from the thematic core of the album’s narrative.

The major gripe, however, was the noticeably short verse from Ras Kass on “Listen Up”. The song opens and closes strongly with excerpts from a 2019 episode of Talib Kweli’s “People’s Party” podcast. The first deals with the praise heaped upon “Nature of the Threat”, a sprawling, hook-less history lesson on the origins of white-born racism towards black people which, despite its dense and provocative content, is regarded as one of Kass’ greatest songs. The second is an ironic look at how the high quality of an artist’s work doesn’t always equate to long-term relevancy in the music world. Killahronh, fueled by the boisterous, horn-driven production on this track, kicks things off with a passionate verse about having to go the extra, EXTRA mile to get his points across to the listener (like collaborating with Kass, as brought up on the first silhouette). On his fiery verse, Ras Kass advises Killahronh to NOT dumb down his sound at all, especially for fame and clout. He then delivers one of the album’s best lyrical moments when he spits “The claim is they want hot shit / I pour 24 karat melted gold up your anus”. As a whole, it’s still a solid track, but one where I felt Kass deserved more time on the mic.

If you’re familiar with Killahronh’s music, he’s been making songs centered on his underdog status, relentless grind, passion for hip hop and little to no fucks given to the haters for years now. But I’d make the argument that “Shadows” is the most laser-focused he’s ever been in addressing these issues. On the first song “Midnight”, he LITERALLY goes Super Saiyan and rips fellow DRODIAN rapper/producer Too Nasty’s dark, grimy beat to shreds with aggression towards his detractors and confidence to back it up! He even leaves part of the beat for its creator to do some lyrical damage to it (Points for his “I came up off the swamp water, you might think I’m Mowgli” bar, by the way). The DRODIAN tag team keep the momentum going on the following track “Bowser” where Killahronh addresses the criticism based on his lyrics ‘going over people’s heads’. And in this song, he drops one of the album’s most memorable lyrical moments: “I technically knock ‘em out/ It’s just not flashy cuz most don’t catch what I’m talking ‘bout / It’s like a Hustler magazine, not reading a thing / Rather see titties and ass so they can shoot out human beings”

There’s a couple of “diggin’ in the crates”-type tracks on the album that should please fans of sample-based hip hop. “Not a Lyricist” features this 90s boom-bap-inspired instrumental laced with a Latin-flavored flute sample that sounds, as Killahronh says at the start of his first verse, “grimy, dirty and raw”. The hook is an absolute highlight and one of the most ear-grabbing on this record (“Lyrically, I’m not a lyricist / I’m just lyrical because I used to listen to Canibus”). While I’m not the biggest Canibus fan (though, as a West Indian island ninja, I absolutely fuck with “How we Roll”), the hook adds a sardonic vibe to the track as Canibus himself, like fellow rapper Ras Kass, is also known for dropping bars and schemes that flew past listeners’ heads. By comparison, “Chili Cheese” (which is the last instrumental played in the “2^nd Silhouette” interlude) sounds a bit cleaner and more melodic, with some male vocal chops leading the track’s drum and flute-based beat. And for such a short song (it’s actually the shortest on the record), Killahronh packs it with a solid amount of wit and braggadocio, with some quotables to boot (“Gone in 60 seconds, so it’s been a minute / Since you spit some shit that’s timeless, I’m talking infinite”).

But it’s not all aggression and vinyl samples on “Shadows”. There’s also moments of mellow reflection like “Tunnel Vision”, a track that I imagine will go over VERY well at a live show thanks to its catchy-ass hook and smooth, breezy beat (points for the talk box, G-funk inspired vocals on the intro and hook). Over the moody, nocturnal soundscape of the following track “BB6Wheelz”, Killahronh drops a short but incredibly witty verse with a few occasional self-aware moments I imagine were designed to ensure his listeners’ focus aren’t solely on the beat, like “Hip hop’s in jeopardy like Sagak”. And there’s the penultimate track “Mr. Nobody” where, over a bluesy, disenchanted instrumental and a male vocal sample that WILL stay with you long after the song ends, Killahronh ruminates on the frustrations he feels in his rap career and the loneliness felt in trying to accomplish his long-term goals.

But the big surprise on this record came in the inclusion of the final track off Killahronh’s 2021 project “The Implementer” to this album’s tracklist. Excluding the extended podcast excerpt which padded out the original version (called “Talent”) to 8 minutes, “Talented” is the same bittersweet and emotionally resonant song that stood out to me since I covered that record. And given the subject matter of “Shadows”, it fits PERFECTLY here, with its brutally honest look at the chances of success in the rap game from both Killahronh and legendary Long Beach rapper Crooked I still ringing true.

Of course, I couldn’t end this review without mentioning the guest features on this album. With Crooked I and Ras Kass already known and respected in the hip-hop world, “Shadows” boasts some truly talented artists well-deserving of greater attention. Take SKRILLZ DIOR, whose razor-sharp verse on “Don’t Hate” amplifies the song’s theme of appreciating the effort and passion put into the music instead of hating on it for no reason. In addition to a rare moment of singing from Killahronh via the hook, “Flea Flicker Hail Mary” delivers a solid second verse from rapper 4ize and an IMPRESSIVE final verse from rapper Digga’ Dame Lee (“I was conceived to the crackling sound of vinyl” is one of the best lines I’ve heard in a rap song all year!!). Rapper/producers Young Hak and Diar Lansky bring some lyrical introspection and sonic smoothness to the table on the track “Audible”; and on the final track “Bodies of Work”, whose classy, soulful production alone makes for a truly satisfying way to conclude this album, singer/rapper Daniel Kushnir delivers a brilliantly-written complementary verse to Killahronh’s acknowledgment of his growth as a lyricist and artist in general.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed and appreciated “Shadows”. The beat selection is great from top to bottom, the performances by Killahronh and his team of supporting spitters are superb, and its overall message of staying true to one’s artistic voice is sure to resonate with anyone who calls themselves a creative. Here’s hoping Killahronh continues to avoid the shadows that seek to loom over his life and career. In short, this album is definitely worth checking out!

OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10

Now available on Spotify