Bub Rock “Rock Season”

by Alex P80 Parks

The Long Island emcee is back again with another full-length LP. Rock Season shows more growth and versatility in Bub’s skills while bringing in a balance of established veteran producers and some newer cats on the rise.

Bub Rock doesn’t only confine his to rhymes to drugs and the trite lines of success and wealth. But rather, Bub holds realistic views and a relatable persona while maintaining a vault of thoughtful and intelligent rhymes involving everyday life. Bub’s wild references are broad but pointed and applicable. There’s far more than superficial lyrics with Bub Rock. Like many skilled writers or poets, he has a special relationship with his words to convey a feeling, a mood or in taking the mundane and just making it sound extra fly.

“Intro” (prod by Fith) Coming in strong over a series of haunting piano loops Bub spits lines like:

“Right to carry, Shoot like Barry, Rick or Brent

All intense predicaments

It’s in the air, gotta watch them n***as over there

Curve shit, curveball, knack for baseball caps.

N***as that pitch in the field, cut my verse on like, yo you heard him?

While they working

You know me too well, though n***as have to hate

I’d rather sell merch while you n***as fabricate”

“Deja Vu” feat Codenine (prod by JLVSN) The Strong Island and Lynn, Mass emcees connect on this joint, bringing their elite raps over a JLVSN beat consisting mainly of Masterpiece’s “Love is what you make it.” Both spitters ride the smooth slow-tempo with a warm, confident vibe.

“RockSeason Freestyle” pairs Bub with NY producer The Artivist. The track sports a robust loop with guitars, strings and drums. The Artivist selects a rhythmic loop with decent tempo for Bub to spill out his lyrics onto.

Bub rhymes :

“I wish you health and wealth,

A hundred years of success.

Even if you wish me the opposite

Under ya breath, Poppin shit.

Pillow talkin with devious women,

Let’s not..

Same exact sheets i fucked on

She slept in the wet spot

Get ya spot wet…”

Check the track here:

https://soundcloud.com/kingbubrock/bub-rock-rockseason-freestyle-prod-by-artivist

Bub brings his witty rhymes, both visceral and intelligent on joints like this.

“Titos” (Produced by The Historian) is a vibrant loop with a steady flute and bongo percussion, with enough energy to keep the ladies’ hips swinging.

With rhymes like:

“I got a chick for every bump on ya face

I don’t follow, you n***as swallow, wipe that cum off ya face”

It’s evident that he’s not taking anybody serious as threat to his skills in the game.

Bub clearly has an affinity for the 70’s/80’s soul and R&B samples like “Nah“(prod by ECTO-84) where he sways back and forth over the airy vocals and light guitar loops. Tracks like “The Rock 2” (prod by Seth Silensir) and “New Century” (Produced by The Standouts) feature chopped up horn and string loops coupled with a vocal soul samples.

“Familia” ft. Broz (Prod By Giallo Point) Bub is sharp on this cut over a thumping Giallo beat with beautiful strings loops and repetitive acoustic guitar riff. Bub’s flow just pours out on this joint. Bub’s homie and a solid emcee in his own right, Broz, delivers his lines with ease.

“The Kill” (Produced By AP) On an uptempo throwback joint, over 80’s r&b vocals and resonating synths, Bub brings the heavy street soul here. We don’t hear Bub talking about shooting cats amidst some beef, instead he rides solo, dropping gems about his son, the constant annoyance of dealing with women and his perspectives on life.

“Ball Playing n***as” (Prod by Historian) Bub drifts off on this one over a delicate jazz sample from the Historian with a sped-up vocal loop highlighting the somber and introspective mood of the track. It’s a gorgeous loop full of rich jazz instrumentation as Bub floats effortlessly.

“Seasons” (prod by Wavy Da Ghawd) is a grand orchestral loop with a choir sample in the background. Bub brings his perfected flow with lines like:

“What better time for a victory lap

Look back on the year

I bomb this Cup of pineapple with clear

Out-rapping you, back to back it’s no fear

That’s a fact, should be under the cap on the Snapple.”

“Cold Summer” feat Rome Streetz (prod by The Historian) With a smooth 70’s vibe, a subtle guitar riff and rising strings, both elite NY emcees bring their best.

“Pink Lo Mein” (prod by Artivist) Over chopped vocal loops and punchy drums, Bub rhymes:

“We coin quotes for quotas, watch the come-up

Couple features bout to come out and you know I’m talking

Cuz Being real don’t cost you nothing, N***as cant afford it

And when you real they big you up cuz n***as can’t ignore it.

I like to chill and play the cut, my aura, the cloth I’m cut from.”

“Memories” ends on a sentimental yet inspiring note. Don Carrera crafts a poignant soul beat full of heart. Bub Rock dives into the past to share his stories.

Rock Season has the peaks and valleys tempo-wise, while also varying mood from the melancholy to the more uplifting; Bub brings the cuts that appeal to the ladies, and then delivers the tough emcee-duo tracks along with the smooth soul joints, all throughout the course of this sonic journey. Regardless of a concept or a collection of songs, memorable albums are born from contrasting and differing tracks juxtaposed and sequenced in just the right way.

Bub sounds as smooth as ever on Rock Season, spilling his rhymes into one another, maintaining a dope cadence. Bub always brings the fly, creative wordplay. Never catering to a particular style or attempting to broaden his appeal, Bub Rock displays a range of flexibility with his flows on Rock Season. Certainly his best and most comprehensive work to date. No stopping Bub Rock as he continues to rise and create polished projects, further enhancing his body of work and his place in HipHop.