Newark’s 050 Boyz have been on the scene in various guises since the illustrious Golden Era, but it’s been only two years since they joined forces proper to launch an assault on the industry.
Being from Brick City; Riq da Kid, Tru Trilla and Prince AK no doubt rubbed shoulders with some of the areas most prolific rappers, but a weighty co-sign from legends Treach and DoItAll is testament to the legwork 050 Boyz have put in over the years.
Flash forward to 4 August 2015 – the release of debut album Everything 050 – and you see that all that time spent honing their craft has paid off as they prove why artists from Jersey have historically garnered attention and a loyal fan base to boot. Repping their area to the fullest (050 being a nod to the Jersey district code), it makes sense they would enlist the help of local producer Clinton Place to deliver the speaker shattering, neck-braking tracks. Everything 050 is Golden Era 101. It’s hardcore boom bap, it’s witty bars, its horns and soulful samples, and it’s why I have played it a few times over and still enjoy the high-octane energy the three emcees deliver.
Opening with “Hot Damn”, listeners are forced to brace themselves for the raucous, in your face vibe the trio emit. That said; they throw in a track like “Bang” proving they are not all the way turned up all of the time. Given there are three members, you’d think features would make for a cluttered project, but they manage to pull it off notably with DoItAll on “Pay Them No Mind”, Fam and Treach appearing on “DNA” and the UK’s WiseRap on “Priest”.
If you are looking for something that pushes the boundaries then this might not be the album for you. This is straight up bars to beats that hark back to a time when men wore their jeans with a looser fit and T-shirts without a deep v-neck. Fans of gritty, grimy hip hop will definitely find a track or two they can rock with.
050 Boyz’s Everything 050 released 4 August 2015 on 050 Entertainment.
