Lord Juco “Raised Right”

One of the torch bearers of this current indie hip hop generation, Lord Juco continues to elevate his art with his debut LP, Raised Right, officially hoisting his flag as a dominant force of the underground.

Constantly working on EP’s, collaborative projects and doing features, he’s not only one of the most prolific and consistent emcees, but he’s highly respected and sought out by fans as well as artists new and established, looking for a solid collaborator. As 1/2 of the Death at the Derby series with partner in crime, Cousin Feo, they continue to regularly deliver high quality music and unique physical collectibles for fans and supporters of a niche they essentially created.

With Raised Right, Lord Juco approached the album as a true debut LP. Juco took his time, crafting an album with specific producers in mind to capture his signature sound across an array of well selected beats. Loop specialist and fellow Canadian, Nicholas Craven delivers a unique arrangement of chopped vocal samples, as Lord shines on “Hearsay.” A Dot and C Dot of The Standouts contribute another subtly soulful gem on “LookBooks” with DJ John Doe on the cuts.

Lord Juco pulls in Veteran Vinny Paz on “Leafs vs Flyers” and also achieves the reggae rap vibe with a feature from fellow Toronto native, Falcon Outlaw on “Sting.” The features are used sparingly, allowing Juco to mostly do his own thing. On “Briscola” producer MarvWon simply snapped, sending Juco onto another astral plane with his focused rhymes. While there aren’t really any skips, other highlights include the Blckwndr laced “Lemon Pepper” “Faux Fendi’s” funky riff’s, with big-record appeal, and the psychedelic r &b vibes of “Losers Luxury.”

After years of analyzing and absorbing Lord Juco’s lyrics and his flow, there seems to be an ever-changing strength to his craft. It may have been his clever wit or his creative double entendres. It is undoubtedly the way he commands the mic. Not in a menacing way. You want to hear what else he has to say. His rhymes are always on point, but Juco’s captivating yet relatable voice and nature reminds listeners of a friend and not a distant favorite emcee. Add to that, his wisdom and words make him seem older than his 27 year old frame would have us believe. Always ready to tell us a story, this time it’s HIS story to tell.