Heem Stogied x Tha God Fahim - Chiefstogied Review

Chiefstogied is Heem Stogied's debut EP, released on February 26th, 2016. It's produced entirely by Tha God Fahim, who is also featured on half of the track list. The album artwork shows a traditional Native American smoking a long pipe in a green-tinted hue.

"Tha Crown" utilizes a layered, atmospheric instrumental which gives Heem Stogied plenty of room to operate. Everything about this track, from the beat to Heem's flow and chorus, recalls the chill, laidback style of early Ab-Soul. Heem's first verse and the chorus are the most memorable elements, establishing this as one of the EP's standout tracks.

"Makes Me Sick" features a jazzy keyboard melody over a hard boom-bap drum. Heem and Fahim take turns passing the beat back and forth, spitting quick verses. This track is by far the highlight of the EP, the duo perfectly complement each other on this smooth instrumental.

"Grimiest" starts with a looped voice sample over the drum. Fahim kicks off the track with his verse, then Heem follows up with two solid verses. The beat is slightly repetitive, but still an enjoyable track from the duo.

"Last One's" is built around a funky instrumental that Heem Stogied fully dominates with his rapid-fire, laidback flow. It's a shorter track that lets us bask in the prominent twang for the final minute as the beat rides out.

"Reminiscing" uses a lush instrumental that evokes a nostalgic, mid 2000's vibe. Heem handles the beat with a pair of verses and a chorus with some motivational and self-reflective bars: "Reminiscing about the days we were younger, do you ever just wonder? Get the bloody money, took it in the plunder."

"Weed Farm" concludes the EP with a lush guitar loop layered with eerie strings over the drum. Heem delivers motivational bars centered on cannabis, accompanied by a chorus that recalls the style of Aesop Rock. Fahim closes out the track with a quick verse, which recycles a few bars from tracks in his previous work but still manages to drops some gems: "I failed all my tests in high school, I'm high as school, which is not cool, but fuck it."

Chiefstogied is an effective introduction into Heem Stogied's unique voice, one we'll get more acquainted with the deeper we dive into Fahim's discography. This EP flies by, clocking in at just over 18 minutes. Fahim's production and presence alone make this project well worth a listen.

1. Tha Crown - 4/5

2. Makes Me Sick (feat. Tha God Fahim) - 4/5

3. Grimiest (feat. Tha God Fahim) - 3.5/5

4. Last One's - 3.5/5

5. Reminiscing - 3.5/5

6. Weed Farm (feat. Tha God Fahim) - 3.5/5

Tha God Fahim - X-iled from Earth Review

X-iled from Earth is Tha God Fahim's fourth album, released on February 7th, 2016. The album artwork depicts a planet divided by a Yin-Yang symbol, hinting at the dualistic nature of his persona. Fahim is credited as the sole producer on the entire album; each track features one or more of his affiliates. Fahim continues building his foundation as he's still operating under Griselda Record's umbrella.

"War Path" opens with a brief skit about how one gets sent to Hell. The beat is built around a drum layered with a repeating xylophone melody. Fahim kicks off the track with a tightly packed verse, setting the stage for Heem Stogied and Anubis to contribute with their distinct voices. This is the first appearance of Anubis, who fits right in with a gritty, energetic verse. 

"Pyramid Temples" establishes an intricate piano melody over the drum. Fahim and Anubis handle the beat with a pair of solid verses. An example of Fahim's dense wordplay: "I told the blacksmith, make the blade toxic. So I can slay my enemies, enemies memories, penalties limit these, these so called entities."

"Craig Harrison" is named for the famous British sniper who once held the record for longest confirmed kill in combat. The beat uses repeating synths over the drum to create an unsettling, eerie vibe. Kungg Fuu's dense verse is gritty and violent. Fahim's style here is more experimental, featuring non-linear, one-liner bars that are hit or miss, though this line is a personal standout: "I shoot without looking, that's what I call glaucoma."

"Smack Fire Outcha Skit" features a short clip from the film Reservoir Dogs, in which Michael Madsen, as the character Mr. Blonde, speaks with the captured cop: "I don't have a boss, nobody tells me what to do."

"Assassin's Gift" features a haunting, hard-hitting synth beat. Smoke opens the track with a calculated verse, his smooth delivery fits the beat well. Fahim continues his experimental wordplay, which mostly lands. Kungg Fuu closes out the track with dark, high-energy bars: "I'm at your funeral, giving your mom a hug while stealing in her purse."

"Tha Here After" begins with a speech by Louis Farrakhan. Fahim produces a hard beat layered with methodical strings. Anubis delivers a dark, violent verse full of creative rhymes, followed by Fahim, who contributes a quick verse to close out the track.

"ledbjed" is a solo track featuring Anubis, who delivers a serviceable two-minute verse. The instrumental here is simple and repetitive, making it by far the least interesting beat on the album. Despite the minimalist backdrop, Anubis displays his introspection in the bars he strings together, concluding the track with a powerful lines that reflect the album's ethos: "I'm Heaven and Hell together, the Ether, the Nether, the Sun like stormy weather, my eyes golden feather, are you ready for whatever?"

"Cosmic Asswhoopin'" opens with a brief comedic intro before the beat drops. Heem Stogied opens the track with another high-energy verse. Fahim slides in with a brief interluding verse with punchy bars, such as: "I shoot you in your forehead, have you seeing out your third eye." Kungg Fuu closes out the track, matching the high-energy established by Heem Stogied.

"6th Dimension" establishes a raspy boom-bap beat over a looped chant. The track starts with Fahim, followed by Anubis and closing with Heem Stogied, who delivers one of the best flows on the album with his tempo-perfect bars.

"Forensics" uses a whimsical, layered instrumental utilizing strings and keyboard. Heem Stogied, Fahim, and Kungg Fuu fully return to form from their previous outing as they each deliver solid verses on the unorthodox beat.

"Vacation" rides out the album, closing with a solo track by Smoke, whose vocals are distorted similar to how A$AP Rocky chops and screws his own vocals. The chorus is catchy and he has some clever bars under the warped vocals. Fahim's beat is simple but fits the track well as the outro.

Although X-iled from Earth is most likely Tha God Fahim's weakest entry so far, some of the tracks still meet the high threshold he's established in his previous work. The large amount of features detracts a bit from Fahim's lyrical output, but his skills as a producer remain on point. Overall, it's a decent entry in his catalog, though at times it lacks the thematic cohesion of Shadows Over Nazereth or his two collaboration albums.

1. War Path - 3.5/5

2. Pyramid Temples - 4/5

3. Craig Harrison - 4/5

4. Smack Fire Outcha Skit - 3/5

5. Assassin's Gift - 4/5

6. The Here After - 4/5

7. ledbjed - 3/5

8. Cosmic Asswhoopin' - 3.5/5

9. 6th Dimension - 4/5

10. Forensics - 4/5

11. Vacation - 3.5/5

Tha God Fahim - Dreams of Medina Review

Dreams of Medina is Tha God Fahim's debut EP, released on December 15th, 2015, via his Bandcamp page. This is officially his third project, following his first two albums, Shadows Over Nazereth and Blvk Pearl. The title primarily refers to the holy Islamic city, Medina, Saudi Arabia, as pictured in the album artwork. However, given that Fahim was born in Ohio, it is also likely a double entendre referencing Medina, a suburb of Cleveland. The EP is largely self-produced with only two guest-produced tracks. Fahim closes out 2015 with another solid entry into his rapidly expanding discography.

"Dreams of Medina" opens the EP with a soothing keyboard melody by Brooklyn producer August Fanon, who previously contributed to Mach-Hommy's debut album, FYI. Fahim gets dark and introspective in his opening verse, closing out the track with blood-chilling bars: "I smoke a blunt to take the pain out and if I wasn't high, probly try to blow my brains out."

"Devils Messenger (Interlude)" functions as a bridge, featuring a synth buildup leading into a smooth, jazzy clarinet solo as the beat drops.

"Fire Lord Ozaii" immediately transports the listener to a charred battlefield in feudal Japan with a hard-hitting drum layered over a pulsating synth melody. Fahim delivers a potent two-minute verse, skillfully melding ancient and urban warfare while referencing pop culture and creatures in fantasy. The track continues the dark, feudal atmosphere he established on his debut album, Shadows Over Nazareth.

"Samurai's of Homicide" uses a hard-hitting drum over a layered woodwind melody. Fahim shares the beat with Kungg Fuu, as they each deliver a serviceable verse. The wordplay and pacing work well with this unorthodox beat, but the lyrical content lacks the impact that they display more often than not.

"Rainy Dayzz" utilizes a silky smooth piano loop over a classic boom-bap drum. In under three minutes, Fahim establishes an effective chorus and verse to pair with my favorite beat on the EP. The chorus is introspective and hard-hitting: "Go through a deadly phase, stuck in this labyrinth, caught in this maze, ain't no escape from rainy days."

"Myths of Evil" uses a eerie synths over another hard boom-bap drum. Fahim brings back his aggressive delivery and violent wordplay, asserting: "Ready to die, why the world is to blame, got the illest clique in the game, pouring champagne." Sound effects of a lightsaber battle conclude the verse, after which the beat rides out for the final minute. The track ends with a quote from Emperor Palpatine: "Your hate has made you powerful."

"Swamp Water Death Trap" is produced by Giallo Point, a UK-producer and founding member of Crate Divizion. Giallo uses an intricately layered instrumental that effectively creates a mysterious energy with keyboards, chimes, and woodwinds. Fahim provides another solid verse, full of clever rhyme schemes. The track opens and closes with dialogue from an unidentified film involving Shaolin monks.

"Karate Chops & Glocks" perfectly encapsulates Fahim's style—the title, chorus, and the simple, atmospheric beat that accompanies it. Kungg Fuu returns with another slick verse to complement Fahim's presence as they close out the EP.

Dreams of Medina feels like an extension of Shadows Over Nazareth, continuing the thematic combination of ancient Far East warfare with modern urban crime. Fahim once again proves his production capability, crafting instrumentals that perfectly match his gritty demeanor. With a lean 20-minute runtime, it flies by and easily warrants multiple playbacks.

1. Dreams of Medina - 4/5

2. Devil's Messenger (Interlude) - 4/5

3. Fire Lord Ozaii - 4.5/5

4. Samurai's of Homicide - 4/5

5. Rainy Dayzz - 4.5/5

6. Myths of Evil - 4/5

7. Swamp Water Death Trap - 4/5

8. Karate Chops & Glocks - 4/5

The God Fahim & Giallo Point - Eyes of War Review

Eyes of War is a collaboration album by Tha God Fahim and Giallo Point, released on January 11th, 2016. Giallo Point is a UK-based producer under the independent label, Crate Divizion. He previously produced a track on Fahim's debut EP, Dreams of Medina. This is their one and only album together.

"Fields of Fire" begins and ends with a snippet from the classic 1966 spaghetti western, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Clint Eastwood famously says: "You see in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig." Giallo sets the stage with a hard boom-bap drum layered with whimsical piano chords. Fahim impressively opens the album with a single verse that surpasses two minutes in length. He effortlessly connects bars with clever rhymes and flow switch-ups as he navigates the beat with ease.

"Guillotines" opens with dramatic strings, followed by a subtle drum behind a delicate piano scheme. The track is kicked off by an uncredited feature by PhybaOptikz—a UK-rapper, Crate Divizion affiliate, and close associate of Giallo Point. Phyba handles his minute-long verse, setting up Fahim for one of his own. The contrast of Phyba's British accent against Fahim's American dialect makes for a memorable track.

"Hira" uses a dramatic instrumental that resets every other bar with a pronounced cue, mixing in sound bites and flow switch-ups as it goes along. Fahim's verse is calmly aggressive; his delivery calculated while his bars depict horrific scenes of violence.

"Gallows Thief" showcases Giallo's old-school vibe with a scrubbed sample chorus that connects two quick verses by Fahim. The atmospheric beat is layered with orchestral strings on top of a snare drum. Fahim rapid-fires a pair of dense, 40-second verses that maintain his output standard for this project.

"Trained 2 Kill" utilizes layers of piano, synths, and woodwinds over the drum. Fahim's flow and wordplay continues to impress, delivering deep and insightful bars, such as: "Corrupt systems got me searchin' for divine wisdom, I'm just tryna make it out this crime prism."

"Shiloh" uses a sample from Black Moon's "How Many MC's..." from their 1993 debut album, Enta da Stage. Giallo subtly scrubs and layers the instrumental to give off distinct 90's hip-hop vibes. Fahim delivers a pair of aggressive verses with a familiar style and flow.

"Pistols & Lies" opens and closes with cryptic dialogue between mobsters; the source is currently unknown. Giallo increases the tempo of the drum, mixed with an eerie synth and delicate keyboard, setting up Fahim to deliver his most violent and aggressive verse thus far: "Two twin glocks pop nigga, you spinnin' doom's wheel."

"The Trap" briefly begins with a laidback intro before abruptly cutting into his most aggressive chorus to date. The beat matches the tempo of the previous track, and Fahim continues upping the ante on his violent, horrorcore lyrics: "I pull up where your baby at, unload the clip and spray the Mac."

"Brasco" is the standout track on the album for me. The beat is immaculate: a hard-hitting boom-bap beat layered over a delicate piano scheme. Fahim establishes a memorable chorus between his verses: "When I die bury me with a pound of haze, I pray that God wash my sins away."

"Golden Sun" is nearing drumless territory, as Giallo relies on a simple snare rhythm and guitar riff for the beat. Fahim uses an extremely precise rhyme scheme, stringing together references with letters, for example: "Peace to Big L, peace to AZ, N.A.S. Nas, B.I.G. that raised me." Fahim closes out the track with a quirky repeated line: "I hit a rapper with a shanghai bicycle kick."

"Parallel to Hell" uses the iconic bars from Nas' NY State of Mind as the chorus. Fahim references Nas' famous words in both of his verses, clearly showing respect to one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all-time in Illmatic. 

The unique chemistry between Tha God Fahim and Giallo Point comes together with Fahim's gritty demeanor mixed with a 90's hip-hop backdrop. With standout tracks such as the intro track "Fields of Fire" and the impressive "Brasco," nearly every verse on the album demands dissection upon multiple playbacks. Fahim continues to establish himself as an underground hip-hop legend as a member of Griselda records.

1. Fields of Fire - 4.5/5

2. Guillotines - 4/5

3. Hira - 4/5

4. Gallows Thief - 4/5

5. Trained 2 Kill - 4/5

6. Shiloh - 4/5

7. Pistols & Lies - 4/5

8. The Trap - 4/5

9. Brasco - 4.5/5

10. Golden Sun - 4/5

11. Parallel to Hell - 4/5

Camouflage Monk & Tha God Fahim - Blvk Pearl Review

Blvk Pearl is the first collaboration album between Tha God Fahim and producer Camouflage Monk, released on June 21st, 2015. The Buffalo-based producer, Sean Corey, is a core member of the Griselda Records production team. Prior to his first official album release with Fahim, Monk had already produced some of Westside Gunn's first singles, and worked with Brooklyn rapper Hus Kingpin. Although Fahim is also listed as a producer, Camouflage Monk's distinct and delicate production style is present from start to finish.

"Mr. Monk" serves as the intro, sampling Alan Hawkshaw's "Strangelands"—a tune that I instantly recognized from Wiz Khalifa and Berner's 2014 single, "Chapo." A brief dialogue between Camouflage Monk and a child is spoken over the track's whimsical strings, piano, and synthesizers. 

"Pray IV Me" opens with Monk's woodwind melody and subtle piano layered over a slow boom-bap beat. Fahim's heavy lyrics paint a vivid picture of internal and external conflict: "I pray to lord, my soul to keep. While I'm steady, loading up this heat." His introspective, yet calmly violent verse sets a high standard for the rest of this project.

"Kings Skit" is a very brief four second interlude, barely worth mentioning, which leads directly into the next track, "Twin Towers." Monk speeds up the beat from the previous track, Fahim's delivery matches the uptick. His hook line in the chorus, "extended clips long as the Twin Towers, " continues blending themes of urban violence with feudal warfare, referencing "swinging swords." While neither of his two verses carry as much weight as the chorus, the track fits in with his overall sound to this point.

"Showdown in LittleTokyo" is another brief interlude which I assume is a snippet from the 1991 Dolph Lundgren film of the same name. The clip is fifteen seconds of punching sound effects, while it fits the kung-fu vibe, it's non-essential and barely worth noting.

The title track, "Blvk Pearl," features silky smooth production by Camouflage Monk, using a light guitar chord over the simple boom-bap beat. Fahim shows off his laidback flow, delivering a pair of verses on top of the lush riff. The chorus echoes his self-reflective nature, acknowledging the duality of love and hatred for being himself: "They love you when you rich, hate you when you broke, envy when you alive, pray when you get smoked."

"Worst Enemy" utilizes a multi-layered instrumental, switching up the typical boom-bap drum we've come to expect thus far. Monk's production paints a picture of a foggy urban night, before any words are spoken. Fahim's wordplay is both rhythmic and intricate, connecting urban violence with a feudal Japan backdrop through rhyme. The beat rides out longer than usual, allowing it to resonate further after the chorus ends.

"Tha God Speaks" is an interlude using a famous quote spoken by Bruce Lee. Referring to Bruce Lee as "Tha God" shows how highly influential the legendary martial artist is to Fahim and his style. The quote perfectly sums up themes of the last few tracks: "Be always yourself."

"Divine Mind" uses another smooth guitar sample over a boom-bap beat, similar to the title track. Fahim delivers yet again with two potent verses along with his catchiest chorus so far on this project: "Cash flow steady on the rise, all I can think is gettin' by, gettin' high, to waste time."

"Shanghai" uses another abstract, multi-layered beat, similar to "Worst Enemy." Fahim spits his most aggressive and violent bars thus far, going in for just over 100 seconds. Bars such as, "liftin' a .45 the only time I ever benchpress," and "keep more bullets than friends," clearly illustrates the prevalent violence he's been exposed to.

"$$$$" is an interlude that uses an iconic quote from season one of The Wire. In episode 9, titled "Game Day", Detective Lester Freamon says, "You follow drugs, you get drug addicts and drug dealers. But you start to follow the money, and you don't know where the fuck it's gonna take you."

"Spirit of the Shogunn" uses a low-key, subtle beat with a touch of woodwind that is consistent with Monk's production style. Fahim plays off the previous interlude, exploring the paranoia of anticipating cops and rival gangs coming for him. He reminds us: "There's always somebody watchin', so watch your back and proceed with caution."

"Lord Speaks Interlude" repeats the same Bruce Lee quote from before, emphasizing just how meaningful this message to Fahim's self-identity and artistic persona.

"I Can't Breathe" continues the trend of using soft, layered production that matches a similar vibe to previous tracks by Camouflage Monk. Fahim delivers a single verse, spitting intricate wordplay and rhyme schemes we've come to expect. He shouts out, "Nas told us It Was Written, written," revealing a foundational influence for most conscious hip-hop artists.

"Shinobi Ninjas" concludes the album with a delicate piano scheme layered over a hard-hitting boom-bap beat. Fahim delivers the most impressive verse of the entire project. For nearly two-minutes, he rapid fires bar after bar, weaving together samurai war stories with urban crime. Highlighting a few lines, "I keep it real to the follicle, to every last diabolical molecule, to the very last Tylenol," and "I'm from a place where gunshots rock babies to sleep." The chorus is interluded and proceeded by two short clips from the anime Berserk, appropriately wrapping up the album.

From start to finish, Camouflage Monk orchestrates instrumentals perfectly tailored for Fahim's dark and gritty, yet enlightened essence. Some of the beats sound similar and blend together, but after many repeat listens, Fahim's wordplay shines through on each and every track. Fahim has established such a high floor, he consistently delivers without dipping below the standard he's set for himself. Blvk Pearl is an early Fahim release that shouldn't be overlooked. 

1. Mr. Monk (Intro) - 4/5

2. Pray IV Me - 5/5

3. Kings Skit - 3/5

4. Twin Towers - 4/5

5. Showdown in LittleTokyo - 3.5/5

6. Blvk Pearl - 4.5/5

7. Worst Enemy - 4/5

8. Tha God Speaks - 4/5

9. Divine Mind - 4.5/5

10. Shanghai - 4/5

11. $$$$ - 3.5/5

12. Spirit of the Shogunn - 4/5

13. Lord Speaks Interlude - 4/5

14. I Can't Breathe - 4/5

15. Shinobi Ninjas - 4.5/5

Tha God Fahim - Shadows Over Nazereth (2015) Review

Shadows Over Nazereth is Tha God Fahim's official debut album, dropped exclusively on his Bandcamp page on May 4th, 2015. You won't find this one on any major streaming platforms, making it a true hidden gem in modern underground hip-hop. Information about this elusive release is scarce, but from what I can tell, Fahim handled all the writing and production himself. The album cover perfectly sets the tone, depicting the shadows of four sword-wielding samurai, a common theme in his lyrics and production style.

The "Intro" is a snippet from the first episode of the 1997 anime Berserk. It features Guts, also known as the Black Swordsman, saving a young girl from a group of bandits who are assaulting her in a bar. From the initial clash of thunder and lightning, to the final scream of a dismembered man, this short sound clip offers an interesting glimpse into Fahim's influence and effectively sets the tone for the entire album.

"Shogunn" immediately sets the bar high. Its layered production of chilling strings, subtle flute, and hard-hitting drums creates a soothing and nostalgic beat evoking feudal Japan. Fahim's rapid fire delivery and lyrical flow are top-notch from his very first verse. The content speaks of demons, warlords and samurai, but with a modern, urban twist. Smoke, an early affiliate of Fahim, delivers an uncredited feature. While his bars and inflection complement this beat, Fahim's near two-minute verse truly reigns supreme.

"Germ Skit" opens with a three guys watching a 90's Street Fighter advertisement, quickly drowned out by a cartoonish, slapstick fight over blunt smoke. It takes a dark turn when a gun is drawn and fired, as one character remorselessly shoots the other dead. The immediate reaction of the witness is darkly humorous, particularly as the shooter double-taps the corpse and takes his blunt. This skit immediately brought to mind the crudely offensive, dark and disturbing, yet deadpan humor found in some of Wu-Tang Clan's early album skits. It's one of very few skits Fahim will ever make, and its purpose is clear: establishing a ruthless persona that Fahim boasts on the next track and throughout his work.

"Germ" immediately establishes Fahim's smooth, multi-layered production style with clean piano chords and a crispy boom-bap beat. His flow continues to impress as he spits two aggressive verses seamlessly integrated around the chorus. He employs clever rhyme schemes creating engaging wordplay, but he doesn't solely rely on them, particularly in the first verse. Fahim's lyrical topics range from ninjas and samurai to bloody urban shootouts. 

"Hellface" revisits the feudal Japan vibe "Shogunn," but with a slower melody that aligns with Fahim's deliberate delivery. This track also marks the first appearance of Kausar, another early, uncredited affiliate whose voice and energy complement Fahim's style. The track's memorable chorus, "Mac by the nightstand, grams under the pillow. You monkey-in-the-middle, so turn me up a little," effectively serves as its outro.

The "1-800 Skit" stands as the album's most expendable part. It's overly long and feels entirely out of place with the tone established thus far. While Fahim has a few funny lines, they're outweighed by attempted jokes that don't quite land. The punchline, "1-800 Sue a Motha Fucka" is initially amusing but quickly becomes repetitive. After hearing it once, it becomes the only easy skip on the album.

"The 50" is most comparable to "Germ" thus far, featuring a multi-layered beat behind Fahim's effortless flow. This track truly solidifies his versatility as both a producer and a writer. It boasts his strongest chorus yet, with morbidly deep, motivational bars that remind listeners: "As the pendulum paces, your time wastes, get off your ass if plan to be rich, tryna be Scarfaces, as the darkness awaitens, you get your life forsaken, your minds twisted in matrix."

"Whirlwind Livin'" breezes by with lush boom-bap beat. Fahim delivers a single verse that powerfully displays his maturity and insightful depth as a lyricist. His hardened but self-aware bars effectively span from the reality of hardcore gang life to an introspective "search for wisdom." The track's chorus, "Livin' in this whirlwind, this world of sin," serves as its outro, leaving listeners with ample food for thought as the beat rides out.

"Fools Fallacy" features an eerily calming chant, subtle piano and jazzy trumpet solo. The outro uses a soundbite of Liberace introducing Chopsticks, when he says, "I'd like to return to the classics. Perhaps, the most famous classic in all the world of music." It's a line that was famously sampled on De La Soul's track "Plug Tunin' (Last Chance to Comprehend)" on their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989). This track effectively serves as an instrumental interlude, perfectly setting up the following track.

"Death's Blessing" begins with a haunting female chant, even more pronounced and bone-chilling than the interlude. The melodic strings and synths back up the vocals, setting up an abrupt beat drop where Fahim continues to showcase his mixing abilities with an uplifting, mellow piano scheme on top of a raspy boom-bap drum. His first verse vividly describes a violent scene on the frontlines of a bloody battlefield, declaring, "I'm Malcolm X by the window, wielding a gun." Gunshots followed by an ambulance siren are heard as he delivers the chorus, which seamlessly transitions into his next verse. Fahim delves deeper into the internal struggles of those who succumb to gang violence, speaking on the false hope of success and being unable to escape their own shadow. The final chorus ends with a loud crack of lightning as he concludes, "Automatic Sterling send you to Anubis," being the Egyptian God of the Underworld. The beat rides out as the sound of traffic in a thunderstorm pulls us back into reality.

"See No Evil" opens with two quotes from Malcolm X. The first he speaks of having the right to own firearms, followed by his famous declaration, "I'm a man who believed I died 20 years ago, and I live like a man who is dead already. I have no fear whatsoever of anybody or anything." This set the stage for another smooth synth and piano arrangement, with the beat dropping as Fahim's verse begins. His wordplay is dense, using the perspective of an outsider to the violence portrayed in the previous track. The chorus powerfully reiterates the track title, concluding with a chilling bar, "Say goodbye to an angel, shake hands with death."

"Squid" opens with a dubbed snippet from the 1978 cult kung-fu classic, Five Deadly Venoms. It's the scene when Toad challenges the Centipede to a duel. As the piano and synths build, Fahim introduces Kungg Fuu, a core member of his circle. Fahim's verse triggers the beat drop, as he intricately groups rhymes within each stanza as he sets the bar high once again. Kungg Fuu's distinctly deep vocal inflection and laidback rapping style notably compliment Fahim's more aggressive approach well. The track abruptly ends with an unclear audio clip of an apparent dispute.

"THC" is the first and only posse track on the album, bringing together Fahim, Smoke, Kungg Fuu and Heem Stogied, another inner-circle member of his crew. The intro features a chopped and screwed sample from an obscure 1976 single "It's Always Been You" by singer Joe E. (Neubauer). The track comes from his only album, Love Got In My Way, which is considered a lost album, as he attempted to transition from a construction worker to a professional singer in the mid 1970's.

An abrupt cut from the sampled intro immediately launches into the gritty, pulsating synth beat. Smoke then recites the chorus: "The THC takes me to my ascension, don't give a fuck about the world when I'm twistin'." As a clear weed anthem, their verses naturally revolve around a common theme.

Fahim leads off with another high energy, aggressive verse, setting a high standard for his crew to follow. Smoke seamlessly transitions from the chorus into his verse, delivering timely weed bars with a smooth, laidback flow. Heem Stogied and Kungg Fuu then tag-team the third verse, with the chorus being absent between their turns on the mic. Heem Stogied's energetic and quick delivery are reminiscent of Danny Brown; his straightforward bars work particularly well on this beat. While Kungg Fuu's verse is the shortest and least notable, his presence fulfills its purpose on this posse track. The outro brings back the Joe E. sample, employing a chilling, descending melody to close out the track.

"Axe Murderer" opens with another soundbite from the first episode of Berserk, this time of the Snake Baron who delivers the sinister line: " I love to hear humans scream as they burn and the sound of cracking bones." This menacing quote kicks off a pronounced boom-bap drum, accompanied by a delicate violin loop, and Kausar returns for another strong verse. Despite being the shortest track on the album, Kausar's performance is outstanding; bar-for-bar, I'd even give him a slight edge over Fahim, who still maintains the high standard he's set for himself. Kausar's flow on this track is densely intricate and tailored perfectly for this beat.

"Crocodile Smile" serves as another impressive showcase of Fahim's dual ability to produce and deliver introspective, insightful bars on hardcore gang life. His tone matches the beat; it's aggressive yet each bar is meticulously crafted. He speaks of guns, drugs, and surviving a life of crime, but his mature, reflective nature truly shines in the chorus: "The faces of death has many completions, they wanna put us away for carryin' Wessons. Tell me, God or guns, which is better protection?"

"Love, Live, Life" opens with a upbeat, whimsical piano loop, synchronized with a dynamic boom-bap drum, creating one of the album's best beats. This track stands out as Fahim's most uplifting, motivational, and introspective piece thus far. His opening bar promptly sets a hopeful, positive theme: "They say misery loves company, but there's no company for misery." He then questions his faith, highlighting violent consequences as a fool's fallacy, delivering the poignant line: "Sometimes I think death ain't as hard as life."

"Demons Interlude" introduces a warm, smooth keyboard tune, effectively setting up the closing track. "Demons" carries over the established melody, timing the beat drop perfectly as Fahim's bars illuminate the dark depths of his visions of zombies, demons, devils, and evil spirits. He concludes the album with a line that deeply resonates within his overarching themes: "Six degrees of separation, the Devil may cry, gettin' high, and watchin' time go by."

Shadows Over Nazereth recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. To this day, Tha God Fahim's exact age remains unknown, though speculation places him between 28-30 years old as of 2025. That would imply he was roughly 18-20 during the making of this prolific debut. When I discovered Fahim in 2022, Shadows Over Nazereth was my starting point and first exposure to his music. Since then, it's become one of my most played albums of his, rivaling select future collaborations with his good friend, Mach-Hommy. As I unearthed more about the origins of his samples, I ended up watching many classic kung fu films and all of Berserk—a preliminary necessity to writing this review.

The Wu-Tang influence is apparent, but Fahim succeeds in creating a distinct blueprint for his future vast discography. From start to finish, every single track on this album is deeply layered and meticulously crafted. Fahim impressively self-produces the entire album, tailoring each beat to fit the themes he and his crew explore. His raw, urban, crime-fueled life experience, crossed with imagery of feudal Japan as a backdrop, makes for some of the most potent and intriguing style of hip-hop one can stumble upon.

1. Intro - 4/5

2. Shogunn (feat. Smoke) - 5/5

3. Germ Skit - 3.5/5

4. Germ - 4.5/5

5. Hellface (feat. Kausar) - 5/5

6. 1-800 Skit - 3/5

7. The 50 - 5/5

8. Whirlwind Livin' - 4.5/5

9. Fools Fallacy - 4.5/5

10. Death's Blessing - 5/5

11. See No Evil - 5/5

12. Squid (feat. Kungg Fuu) - 4.5/5

13. THC (feat. Smoke, Kungg Fuu & Heem Stogied) - 5/5

14. Axe Murderer (feat. Kausar) - 4.5/5

15. Crocodile Smile - 4.5/5

16. Love, Live, Life - 5/5

17. Demons Interlude - 4.5/5

18. Demons - 5/5