A true independent Hip Hop veteran, Marlon D represents the beautiful city of Oxnard, CA (a few miles north-west of Los Angeles) and releases his 9th LP titled “Shadows 3“. This album features 18 songs that will really make you appreciate RAW unorthodox Boom-Bap Hip Hop and lyricism to the fullest. His music style is really “One Of A Kind” in my book for sure! He stays consistent with his sound literally from front to back 100% of the time!
His cadence, flow, vocabulary has to be something completely different for Hip Hop to say the least! It’s not everyday that I can truly say “I’ve never heard a style like this before” that being said, all real Hip Hop heads will agree with me as soon as they hear this project. For being his 9th album, his INDIE grind is really valued and represented well on this record. I had an opportunity to check out his whole catalog on Bandcamp, extremely impressed with his consistency and hard work! To be pushing your 9th album on a 100% independent level is a real gift! But I have to say that this latest album might just be a best music out to date!
How I can breakdown this album, simply by saying that the subject matter embraces true adversity, hurdles and struggles in the overwhelming independent Hip Hop game! Both real Hip Hop fans and MC’s alike can relate to this album. Hip Hop at the end of the day is therapeutic, as Marlon D says in the track “Wrong Or Right” produced by SAM RI. “DUI” is one of the tracks that really stood out to me, definitely the substance on this track speaks volumes to be honest! The story on this track has to be one of the realist I heard in 2017, when it comes to the topic of DUI’s, the true mind-state & actions of someone risking their lives and careers drinking and driving!
Marlon D worked with a solid collection of producers on this album, Vitamin T, John Henry from Shovel N Hammer, Alex Santos & more! At the end, Marlon D puts is whole life into this album, showcasing his undeniable talent a true independent Hip Hop artist! Oxnard, CA has to be proud of Marlon D, putting that city on is not easy, but he is really doing it! Make sure to support this album and be the ultimate critic yourself!? You wont be disappointed!
RATING: 7/10
