Duck Down Records, much like the New York City borough it calls home, is known for a gritty, lace up your Timbs style of Hip Hop. For nearly two decades, the label has prided itself on carrying on the tradition of hard-hitting boom bap. With the induction of Skyzoo and Torae in 2009, Duck Down added two proven underground emcees with a passion for lyrics as tough as the cover art for labelmate Sean Price’s Mic Tyson, solidifying the bond between the two frequent collaborators.
Now, with the release of their new 14-track LP Barrel Brothers (released through Empire via FGR & Internal Affairs Entertainment/Loyalty Digital), which features over a dozen rappers and producers, the duo have created a sound that combines the rugged and rough style of hardcore Hip Hop with the lyrical prowess of the genre’s underground, turning the album into a showcase of skill that, while light on its feet, packs a punch.
The Barrel Brothers set off with producer Oh No on the project’s first track to prove they’re the “Talk of the Town.” With a beat that’s somewhere between 9th Wonder and DJ Premier, who appears on the album’s final track, Skyzoo and Torae begin their verbal onslaught.
“Belts and rubber bands is my attire / D-Boy stance, my hands is by the fire / I been here to triple my plans like a supplier / Palms itching, the money chants is like a choir / Ain’t too many left on the land that I admire / So really I’m just rapping for me and a cranked tire,” rhymes Skyzoo, who seems to have an endless set of ways to brag and boast.
While proclaiming one’s accolades is a trademark of Hip Hop, both Skyzoo and Torae have each had their own past success: Skyzoo’s debut album The Salvation peaked at #16 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart, receiving critical acclaim; two year’s prior, Torae and Marco Polo’s Double Barrel EP was also lauded by both critics and fans. Still not impressed? The Barrel Brothers won’t stop until they “Make You a Believer.”
With a beat that leaves you peeking over your shoulder for a Meek Mill appearance, Skyzoo and Torae once again fire a barrage of hard-hitting verses, turning their peers into opponents with battle-ready rhymes. Yet as tough as Barrel Brothers can be, the two emcees excel by merging Hip Hop’s distinct underground sound with one more akin to New York City’s gritty hardcore rappers.
“Blood type is Yankee blue / Sky changed up off the steps and made a coupe,” begins Barrel Brothers’ single, “Blue Yankee Fitted.” Though the drugs, guns and violence found in the track would lead you to believe the duo was heavily influenced by Army of the Pharaohs, the muted horn courtesy of producer Illmind provides an underground feel that matches the calculated delivery of Skyzoo and Torae. Not quite purist or conscious enough for the underground, slightly less angry than what hardcore Hip Hop fans are used to, this offering to the birthplace of Hip Hop is as relentless as it is methodical.
And make no mistake, lyrics like these took time to cook up.
“You fuckin’ with the best in the borough, the Barrel Bros of Brooklyn / Ain’t nobody give us a lane, fuck it we took one,” raps Torae, on “Triangle Offense,” yet another proclamation of the duo’s greatness. Rather than a sprinkle of crafty rhymes, Barrel Brothers is slathered with lyrics like these that can’t be ignored due largely in part to their aggressive nature, but also thanks to their craftiness.
A true one-two punch, this album goes 10 rounds without losing a step, deep tracks like “The Hand Off” and “Memorabilia” delivering the same intensity and lyrical prowess as the album’s first half, a rare feat for today’s Hip Hop scene. Living up to the hype respectively earned by the album’s co-creators, Barrel Brothers leaves the two emcees a legacy they can be proud of and gives fans an album sure to make their heads nodding for months.
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Skyzoo and Torae are the truth! Album of the year in my opinion.
While the album is REALLY dop, it’s a bit too early to be calling it album of the year.
Gibbs’ joint & others got AOTY labels months back [& this joint’s better…]
Hiphopdx should have gave this album 5/5 they dumb
Great album
Great album. Solid efforts from Black Milk and Premo, those are some real classic beats. Torae and Skyzoo and Random Axe. Axe Brothers?
production is bangin’ on this. none of that annoying trap crap. this is straight hip hop boom bap with some great lyrical dexterity that the game is missing right now. the beats are utterly amazing on this joint!
This is album is pure lyrical hip-hop oozing out straight from the golden era.
Every project Skyzoo is involved in is on point 4 1/2, The Aura is the best rap song of year so far
This album is the realness that I’ve always wanted from a hiphop album these days.
real hiphop
Shit is hot
I thought Skyloo & Antman Wonder did a good job with An Ode to Reasonable Doubt too
Real Hip-Hop
Str8 Banger.. I hope these dudes get their just due respect for such a solid project
These two brothers can straight up RHYME. It’s rare you find new MCs with this kind of skill these days.
they not new tho…
You sound fuckin new..
This is the best hip-hop album I’ve heard in a few years. I love 4 bar Fridays and triangle offense. There isn’t on bad track on the dam thing.
Second that… Up there with Dag’s ‘E&J’ IMO.
Can’t get much better than this
Its aight
This is exactly what I’m in the mood for right now. Hard beats, ill spitters. Period! This joint is so satisfying, lol. My only criticism would be the singles should have been the join with Random Axe, the Jahlil beats joint, and the joint with “Where brooklyn at” in the hook. No matter where you from you yellin that biggie shit, lol.
What does HipHopDX know about underground and real hip hop music? Go suck off Drake!
Meanwhile, Skyzoo and Torae NEVER disappoint, always come with it!
REAL HIP HOP IN THIS BITCH.
I can’t stop playing this sh*t, the whole album is dope.
Skyzoo was always going to be to dope for torae, but tor held his own most of the time. Considering it took 2 months to make as indie artists its incredible, I wish there was more jhalil beats tho, SK ‘s record with him is second to none.
This LP is just stabbed up any duo that thought they were nice, highlight for me was Skyzoo bodying Random axe and Torae on All in together, Lyrically no 1 in rap can touch Skyzoo he has so much range with the pen, guess thats why he ghosting for Dr. Dre. But please believe Torae can rap his ass off, hardcore NY mc who ironically Skyzoo is his only competion. The only prob I have with this joint is it is a little bit short. The production is sequenced perfectly, so many lines that will go over your head the first few times, hence the replay value is heavy.
Thank you. Seriously. I’ve been trying to tell people all of this shit for a minute now. NO ONE touches his pen game. Most people don’t even digest his rhymes right.
Damani Nkosi
..and Torae had the best verse on “All in together”. Nobody did better than that first verse. NOBODY
Lmao! Tor had the best verse on AITN? GTFOH!
dope….
I know this is late, but i’m gonna chime in anyway. This album is dope. I would even say, “classic” to old school rules. Plus alot of the true heads are grown now and we want more in from our music nowadays. But todays standards 4 mics (dope) is the new classic. These 2 cats can truly carry the weight and “The K” (as they call it) should be proud. Torae, MAN…Im gonna need a late pass on the rest of your catalog. I know Skyzoo’s work, but you be killin ish too. Tearin ish down!!!! Your verse on the track with the Butterfly hook “We be to rap, whut key be to lock” Love that ish. Like I said, BOTH these cats can rhyme…FOR REAL!!! Im a fan, believe dat
AOTY, that fuckin’ simple! Hope Cadillactica will be even better tho. #realnycrap
This is what HipHop sounds like u SUCKAZ!!!
weak !
Bout time NY, bout time……….. If this was a tape,like the great B.I.G said” I’d let this tape rock until the tape popped!!!”
Flippn’ Dope.. Exactly What I was waiting for!!!
This album is a true banger. 2 of today’s nicest emcees with ill production. NY at its Finest!!!
Torae is dope but, he drops too many n bombs, aka the easy way out. Skyzoo never droped it his whole career. At the end of the day you need to be a decent english student to digest Sky fully, pause. SIMPLY put, Torae is not on the same shelf of creativity as skyzoo. But Torae still nicer than 99% of rappers today. Compare catalogs tho…
Only dudes in rap on the level of lyricism/creativity as Skyzoo is….Zero. Since cloud 9 droped zero rappers fucking with skyzoo..Cloud 9/Power of words/The Salvation/Live from the tape Deck/ The Great Debater/ Theo vs JJ/ A Dream Deferred/ Penny Series 1 and 2/ Ode to Reasonable doubt now Barrel Brothers..Who f’n wit skyzoo? For real?
One of the greatest NY rap albums in modern history, bet you Peter Rosenherb and Cipha Clowns will never play it on the radio..5 STARS EASILY
Hands down one of the best Hip Hop albums released in 2014! Support real hip hop.
Listened to the first 2 songs and this album is already fire!
Dope
This is a solid album, and I’ve been on these guys for a while but think it’s my favourite project of theirs both solo and as a pair.
And people say NY is dead, they don’t know what they’re missing
Wow that was 45 minutes of sick music
Best track is the aura.
Bringing that gravitas back to Hip Hop.
Dope album. True NY sound.
Awesome
this album is a most have!!!1
No Drake feature = No swag.
You old ass east coast fools need to get with the times.
Young Money runs shit! YOLO!
Simply put,bananas! The dopest album of the year! Hands down Skyzoo word play is phenomenal & Torae’ is a beast! Best duo since the great M.O.P. or Kiss & the Ghost!
Got my copy in the mail yesterday and the album is absolutely bangin. Dope beats and dope rhymes. Love the sound. No gimmicks, no glitz, none of that swag rap content of bitches, cars, money, and clubbing. Just two dope MCs giving you their stories.
These young kids that are too busy with Chief Keef and Lil Wayne. They’ll never know what they’re missing.
The Best Album of 2014 !!
No doubt. Got this on repeat!
3/5
yea right lol
Your trippin. This one of the best releases of the year. Easily a 4 to a 4.5 outta 5.
One of the best albums of the year.