WilsonBlock1000 Radio

Late Detroit MC P.H.D. Releases Posthumous Solo Debut “Poor, Hungry, Determined” (Album Review)

by -

P.H.D. was a 41 year old MC from Detroit, Michigan who started as 1/2 of Da Bash Brotherz with local MC/producer Foul Mouth. They would put out a mixtape together in the spring of 2010 & Foul would go on to become one of the city’s most in-demand beatsmith as well as co-founding Middle Finger Music with Pat Deegan. P.H.D. however tragically passed away in the spring of 2020 a couple months after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns began. But when it was announced a week ago that Foul would be joining Jimbo Slice & Pig Pen in producing his posthumous solo debut over here, I knew it was gonna be a genuine thing as opposed to how other posthumous albums get handled these days.

“The Check’s in the Mail” kicks things off with an angelic boom bap beat & the late Motor City emcee tearing up adversaries from beyond the grave whereas “Time 2 Shine” takes the mellower route talking about how far he had come until his passing. “Beware” works in some organs, kicks & snares continuing to body rappers like it ain’t nothing just before the groovy boom bap infused title track explains the significance of P.H.D.’s moniker.

B-Side comes into the picture for the heartfelt “Gold” so both of them can stay determined leading into “Money, Money, Money” featuring his niece Vae Vanilla finds 2 discussing family affairs over an orchestral boom bap instrumental. “Zoo Gang” featuring Guaranteed pulls from jazz rap this time around doing it big, but then “Psychopath Talking” featuring Dagda & Spit the Supreme Being sees the trio getting aggressive over a darker beat.

“I’m OK” featuring Jake Knew hooks up a vocal sample assuring the ones they love that they’ll be home soon & they’re doing well while “4 MCs, 1 Fam” by Da Bash Brotherz featuring Aztek the Barfly & Joey Beeps gives off a hardcore flare talking about being family. The symphonic “Questions” featuring Drunken calls out someone who was plotting against him from the very start & after the interlude, “MASH Unit” featuring Lee Harvey shoots for a cloudier feeling promising to never entertain their foes again.

To start the final leg of the LP, “Gotta Move On” has to be one of the most introspective moments on the album seeking to stay strong in the end while the soulful “One of Them” vulnerably talking about how he never thought the love of his life would replace him with another man. The penultimate track “I Know” advises to never start a war you can’t finish like Viet Cong over a luxurious boom bap instrumental & “If You See Me, Pt. 2” closes out the posthumous effort with a sick Detroit posse cut.

Back Again was such a solid tape from the beginning of the previous decade & it’s unfortunate that P.H.D. passed away during a scary time even though some look back on it weirdly & understandably so. That being said: I was sure there had to be some music he made before his untimely death & this posthumous debut is a good look as to who he was. The production is remarkable & the features are tight, appropriately telling the story of the Poor, Hungry, Determined.

Score: 8/10

Comments

Post a Comment

The Street Sign Store

Streets

103rd street 108th Street 109th Street 111th Street 14th street 16th avenue 1st Street 1st avenue 216th Street 222th Street
23rd Avenue 23rd Avenue South 2nd avenue 4th avenue plaza 50th Street 5th Street Acacia Avenue Alhambra Road Alki Avenue Southwest Alondra Boulevard Alvarado Street Andover Street Andover Street & Rainier Avenue Antwerp Street Arizona Avenue Aurora Avenue Azusa Avenue Baldwin Avenue Baseline Road Bell Street Berkshire Avenue Blackstone Road Brand Boulevard Broadway Broadway & Harrison Street Broadway & Thomas Street Burbank Boulevard California Avenue California Avenue SW California Boulevard Carson Street Catalina Avenue Cedros Avenue Central Avenue Charles Street Charlestown Street Charleville Boulevard Chestnut Street Claremont Boulevard Cloverdale Street Crenshaw Boulevard Cypress Street Dakota Street Dearborn Street Del Amo Boulevard Denker Avenue Denver Avenue Devonshire Street Donna Marie Lane East Boulevard El Bonito Avenue El Molino Avenue El Sereno Avenue Elevado Avenue Elk Avenue Figueroa Street Florence Avenue Foothill Boulevard Fremont Avenue Gains Mill Street Gardena Avenue Gardena Boulevard Garey Avenue Garvey Avenue Genesee Street Glendale Boulevard Graham Street Grandee Avenue Green Lane Greenwood Avenue Harrison Street Harvard Street Helms Avenue Henderson Street Hollyglen Lane Holt Avenue Honolulu Avenue Hoover Street Indian Hill Boulevard Inglewood Boulevard Ivy Avenue John Street Juneau Street Kenwood Street La Cañada Boulevard Lake Avenue Lake Wash Boulevard Lavender Lane Lincoln Avenue Lodi Creek Road Lomita Boulevard Long Beach Boulevard Los Arboles Lane Los Robles Avenue Louise Street Lower Azusa Road Madison Street Magnolia Avenue Malachite Avenue Manhattan Beach Boulevard Marengo Avenue Mariposa Street Mission Street Monterey Road Mountain Street Myrtle Avenue Oakland Avenue Old Mill Road Orcas Street Parthenia Street Phinney Avenue Pine Street Rainier Avenue Redondo Beach Boulevard Reseda Boulevard Rev. Dr. S. McKinney Avenue Rio Hondo Avenue Rosecrans Avenue Rosemead Boulevard Roy Street & Broadway SW Alaska Street San Dimas Avenue San Dimas Canyon Road San Gabriel Boulevard Santa Monica Boulevard Seattle Boulevard Seattle Street Sepulveda Boulevard Seward Park Avenue Silverlake Boulevard Slauson Avenue Spring Street & Western Avenue Stanford Street Sunset Boulevard Temple City Boulevard Thistle Street Torrance Boulevard Tremont Street Tyler Avenue Valley Boulevard Vicksburg Avenue Vista Del Valle Road Wardlow Road Washington Boulevard Waverly Road Weller Street West Haven Road Wilson Avenue alameda street alamitos avenue alpine street anaheim street arden road arroyo parkway beacon avenue south belvidere street boren avenue broadway court cahuenga boulevard centinela avenue chester avenue claremont street coco avenue colorado boulevard colorado street bridge columbia street conceptual street sign photography cordova street euclid avenue fair oaks avenue foothill street garfield avenue green street herbert street holliston avenue holly street howard street hudson avenue iowa avenue jackson street jefferson street la brea avenue la rosa road lemon avenue linden boulevard locust street madison avenue malibu colony road mar vista avenue mentor avenue michigan avenue olvera street orange grove boulevard venice blvd ventura blvd virginia street
Show more