B. Dolan

I think it's safe to say I am a Strange Famous fanboy to my core, with the inner thigh tattoos to prove it. But that doesn't mean I'm incapable to being critical and honest either. B. Dolan just dropped off his follow up to Fallen House, Sunken City, which to me is right up there with Cold Vein & Fantastic Damage as one of the best indie rap records to ever be released. Kill The Wolf is his "proper" follow up album since he doesn't feel his House Of Bee's projects count, and it's a huge step in a more progressive lane for King Bee. And I feel more than alright.

Not that B. Dolan hasn't always been pushing the artistic envelope since The Failure, but he's now handling a vast majority of the production, touring with a band, and creating some of his most exciting sounding, and written songs of any performers out. Granted it's somewhat different in narrative than Kendrick's TPAB, but that same fire, heart, and focus is present throughout Kill the Wolf.

What's becoming more apparent is that my favorite albums have such deep literary value outside of the musical value, and Kill the Wolf is something I could imagine reading as a book of poems and stories all by themselves. Not to rob B. Dolan of his immaculate skill as a gifted MC, because frankly the dude can rap his bald yet somehow still bearded balls off. But there is something so weighted about what he pens for each song, and you can feel that B carries it all on his back wherever he goes.

The album is 11 songs, and moves with purpose and enough punch to pop the shitty tweeters in your dad's hand me down Cutlas Supreme. The heavy handed "Graffiti Buffers" takes your favorite homage tracks to bombing, and turns it on its ear. Here B. Dolan is the anti-hero and rolls around buffing away your wildstyle end to end with pride and a middle finger out.

"Safety Theatre" is a beautifully executed track, and one of my favorites on Kill the Wolf. The production is crunchy, hard and just kicks you in the teeth with swinging drums and an electro static of layered synths. "Raising suspicion in a nation of snitches. Surveillance is the matrix we were raised to exist in." A clear examination of the powers that roam our streets, sit in political seats, and pretend to carry out the greater good. God damn! B. Dolan, there are pieces of this album that bring up the feelings I had first hearing Evil Empire from Rage Against The Machine. Just chills and fire bro, all over my facial regions.

There are many stand out songs on the album, but what seems like an obvious choice for a fan favorite is the spoken word, Cars & Trains produced, "Who Killed Russell Jones". Of all of the Wu-Tangs eclectic and animated members Ol Dirty Bastard always stood out, and also burned-out well before he should have. B. Dolan pens a sad, sobering look at his tragic last days and and how his addiction and struggle was glossed over by those who should've cared most.

B. Dolan has gone from someone I liked as a new artist on Strange Famous Records, to one of my favorite artists making music right, along side Ceschi, Homeboy Sandman, Sage Francis and MF Doom. All carry that something that continously draws you into their characters and personas, but it's the depth and detail of the writing and music that keeps you frantically pouring over the lyrics, and waiting for new albums.