The underground is where hip-hop still breathes unfiltered — away from marketing gloss, industry favors, and mainstream algorithms that pretend to represent the streets they ignore. In that heartbeat of resistance, three heavyweight drops land back-to-back like warning shots. Manzu Beatz and Daniel Son set it off with “Danny Ocean.” Montreal duo Slik Jack and Vincent Pryce reload with The Pryce You Pay. Then E.L.P. storms through with “Goblins,” proving the veterans haven’t lost an inch of their edge.
These records share a pulse — raw, grounded, and deeply aware of how easy it is to be overlooked when your art doesn’t fit neatly into the pop system. Yet instead of bending, these artists double down. They speak truth, sharpen craft, and thrive precisely because they refuse to vanish.
🎧 Manzu Beatz x Daniel Son – “Danny Ocean” (ft. Snotty)
The first single from VOCI STORICHE Vol. 1 feels like watching a noir film scored by a turntable. Soulful drums, slow-burning basslines, and slick scratches roll beneath Daniel Son’s husky cadence. Snotty joins in like a co-conspirator, turning sharp bars into cinematic grit. This isn’t a song — it’s a heist scene set to wax, the lyrical getaway car peeling out on every verse.
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What stands out most is intent. Manzu Beatz gives Daniel Son a canvas that refuses to hide behind gloss — just texture, discipline, and honesty. The message between the lines: legends aren’t waiting for validation. They build their mythos one verse at a time. “Danny Ocean” isn’t about escaping; it’s about reclaiming control.
💥 Slik Jack x Vincent Pryce – “The Pryce You Pay”
Montreal’s underground pillars return like prophets in the smoke. Pryce lays out a cinematic backdrop that feels handcrafted — dusty soul loops, rock chops, jazz grit — all warped into a 15-track clinic. Slik Jack moves over it like a blade, slicing syllables and exhaling experience. Their chemistry hasn’t aged a day since Everyone’s Gotta Pryce; if anything, it’s hardened.
The project’s features — Grea8Gawd, Estee Nack, Pro Dillinger, Bub Styles, Daniel Son, and more — remind us that the underground isn’t a step down; it’s the bloodstream. Each guest adds another strike of realness, crafting a cipher where every line matters. In a world obsessed with image, The Pryce You Pay rewards authenticity through sacrifice — long nights, ignored emails, and bars that outlast the hype cycle.
When mainstream media forgets these names, the streets remember. That’s how Black and Brown brilliance survives erasure: through community, not approval.
👹 E.L.P. (Empirical Legacy Project) – “Goblins” (ft. Scritchmatic & Soulo Poppa, prod. Fantom of the Beat)
Fantom of the Beat (Haas G of The UMC’s) laces “Goblins” with a menacing blend of dance and hip-hop — eerie synths, thunderous kicks, electric undertones. Scritchmatic and Soulo Poppa devour the beat with veteran confidence, rapping like generals from two different states united by a mission. The chemistry? Unquestionable. Their verses drip with dark humor and sharp critique, slashing at the copycats and trend-hoppers flooding digital spaces.
This track hits like a monster movie: entertaining, dangerous, and precise. While others mimic, these two create. They’re not chasing charts or clout; they’re chasing legacy. In an era where gimmicks get headlines, “Goblins” roars from the underground like a protest chant: we’re still here, and we never needed permission.
All three releases stand as proof that real artistry doesn’t die; it adapts. These creators build their lanes from scratch, proving that thriving doesn’t mean being visible — it means being undeniable. Whether it’s Daniel Son’s bulletproof bars, Slik Jack’s storytelling ferocity, or Scritchmatic’s grit, they all share one code: persistence as rebellion.
They navigate a music landscape that often sidelines their demographic and style, yet still push through — not for fame, but for the craft. It’s a reminder that the underground isn’t under anything. It’s the foundation.
