Philadelphia underground veteran Vinnie Paz following up his 8th album All Are Guests in the House of God roughly 7 months after with his 2nd EP. Breaking out as the MC of Jedi Mind Tricks & the leader of the Army of the Pharaohs collective, he put out his first 2 solo albums Season of the Assassin & God of the Serengeti in 2010 & 2012 respectively until returned in 2016 with The Cornerstone of the Corner Store. The Pain Collector would become my favorite of his since his first 2 but since as above so below, Paz has been staying consistent by delivering a new solo effort every year & is carrying on tradition by making Jacinto’s Praying Mantis a physical exclusive.
“Contra Cocaine” is a boom bap opener talking about killing every chance he gets whereas my favorite cut on the EP “Blood Bank Affair” produced by The Czar-Keys & Scott Stallone hooking him up with some guitars, kicks & snares so he can get in his Boxcutter bag lyrically. “Ghost Limb” has a futuristically eerie approach instrumentally thanks to Nickel Plated assuring you prolly a saw a body in Pack Pistol Pazzy’s city leading into “Bullet in the Head” incorporating sampling talking about being an animal.
The song “Brainscan Exorcism” featuring Boob Bronx & Recognize Ali brings the trio together on top of a grisly piano/boom bap crossover wanting everyone to enjoy them while they’re still alive while “Funeral Pyre” has to be another standout track complexly taking y’all to a different level over a sample-woven Shuko beat. “Zoë Lund” wraps up Jacinto’s Praying Mantis mixing woodwinds, kicks, snares & a scratch hook from 7L to get outrageous.
I’m unable to speak for where the Ikon the Verbal Hologram will go from here whether it’s a 9th solo LP or a new Jedi Mind album, but he gave the underground a solid prelude EP until that time comes. Production-wise, I’m personally leaning more towards his last couple full-lengths although Scott nailed the engineering. Squatdeadface furthermore doing the artwork makes me happy as a Griselda head who’s been following him since FLYGOD is an Awesome God & lyrically, Odrama vin Laden remains one of the greatest from the City of Brotherly Love.
Score: 7/10