L.E.G.A.C.Y: Suicide Music

“Entirely produced by Khrysis.”  This is really all I needed to see after reading the press release of L.E.G.A.C.Y’s sophomore album, Suicide Music.  Not saying that Leg is a slouch, because quite frankly, behind Phonte and Pooh, he may be the strongest member of the Justus League collective.  I was first blown away by L.E.G.A.C.Y on “Tour of Duty,” a J League posse cut off of the Soldiers of Fortune album, when he stormed in as the song’s opener:  “100% if I’m on the track/ 10% grit mixed with 10% this/ Follow me now, it’s 10% hot bars/ swallow me now, 10% Rock Star/ 10% wildin’ 10% raw talent/ slate? I’m clearing it/ 10% life experience/ 10% word play every verse that he say/ 20% cocky, the game is like hockey/ NHL, cuz n****s hate L.E.G.A.C.Y…”  Yeah, from there I was hooked, the dude has skill.  It doesn’t hurt to have top notch production though.  And what more can you ask from one of the best producers around at the moment.  Khrysis really can’t do any wrong.  He’s in that Black Milk category right now and Suicide Music certainly contends for one of the best produced albums of the year so far.  Can L.E.G.A.C.Y keep up as opposed to playing the co-star to the beats?

The album’s title refers to the dark nature of Leg’s music, but what about Khrysis?  Well, hearing Khrysis’ beat on the title track may cause producers to kill their own careers… anyone else hearing that beat?  Good lord.  The album could’ve ended here and it would be a wrap.  The song literally leaves me speechless and L.E.G.A.C.Y certainly doesn’t fade into background.  Instead, he provides a dope chorus and two outstanding verses to set the tone for the rest of the album.  It’s a stand out track on the LP, undoubtedly, but by no means does it stop there.

“Bang!!!” sends chills to the eardrums with the eerily haunting beat (especially when that familiar piano loop kicks in), and Leg only gets challenged by this beat and takes the song to a whole new level that it may not have achieved without the proper production.  Once again, this is seen on the trunk rattling “4 Cornered Room;” a massive beat that only pushes L.E.G.A.C.Y to new heights.  Does he reach them?  Yes.  In fact, on most of Suicide Music he exceeds any expectations people have of him.  He’s probably most charming as an emcee (in that emcee demeanor, of course) on “The Greatest” simply because even though it is your typical braggadocio joint, his chemistry with the Khrysis production and the way he’s able to succeed on the climactic beat really does make you believe that he fits the title of the track.  Rarely am I impressed by any claims of one being “the greatest,” but I’m certainly not hating on this.

For people who haven’t heard the remarkable “TKO,” which features marvelous verses from Leg, Phonte, Sean P, and Chaundon, ya’ll are in for a treat.  Listening to it for the 40th time still may never do the song justice, and Khrysis’ knack for making outstanding posse cut beats is really an enigma.

L.E.G.A.C.Y picks his spots on Suicide Music, and with only a 10 song application, there is very little room for error.  While the first half of “Policia” might be a little too hating towards cops for my liking (and even at times borderline offensive to people who may have police relatives) and even carry one of the weaker beats heard from Khrysis in recent time (the second beat is much better), there is certainly more than enough to capture the listener in a short amount of time.  Tracking in at just over a half-an-hour, L.E.G.A.C.Y and Khrysis have constructed an album perfectly timed, near perfectly executed, and perfectly devoted to the concept of suicide music.  Even though I would’ve loved to hear more maturing songs like “The Age” and “Looking Glass,” these tracks only lead me to think that L.E.G.A.C.Y is getting better with time.  Being surrounded by a conglomerate like the Justus League will only have a further positive impact on him, but he is certainly worthy of his own spotlight.

88/100

“Suicide Music”

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“Fly So High”

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“The Age (Fish)”

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