In April 2024 we saw the return of the dynamic duo known as Halal Boys, consisting of Gorgeous Jefe and Lord Ra. Their sophomore effort, Black Blues Brothers, is one of the best albums of 2024. With the follow up to the 2023 critically acclaimed album Kufi Conversations, we are presented with an assortment of flavors and vocal delivery styles that are similar to it’s predecessor while introducing completely new elements in interesting ways. The production comes from a medley of talented producers including Lord Ra, Gorgeous Jefe, Golden Arms, 8oheight and Co-production from Sayy10 on the track, “I Was Told”. Track-list photography and design by Ghazal Hessami & Halal Boys.

The album kicks off right away with an unskippable intro. Produced by Ra himself, the drumless-ness and quality of that sample chop is incredibly addicting. Jefe goes absolutely nuclear with his verse on what is supposed to be an intro, yet I find myself returning to this track just as much as others.

I do this shit for my lost souls, whatever my fate only God knows

Jefe on Intro Pt. 2

This beat sounds like a victory lap wearing the gold you found in a treacherous worldwide hunt for the Deadman’s chest.

Appreciate you buying beats cuz’ you was helping with the rent

Ra on Days Before Juneteenth

Produced by Jefe, Made For Me stands out from the rest of the project.

I got horror in my art like I’m Junji

Jefe on Made For Me

Produced by 8ohEight, Last Supper haunts with a glissando and an alluring synth pad. If I was to write my favorite bars from this track I would literally be just writing the lyrics down. Any time we see Gooro pop out for a feature we can expect everyone to bring their A game.

Stand the test of time, spit the best of rhymes

Gooro on Last Supper

Gopal’s guest verse was fantastic, Lord Ra flow is effortless over his own beautifully crafted beat switch, and Jefe delivers one of my favorite verses from him on the project.

Not everything prayed will immediately come true

Jefe on Dedicated

Who else doing consistent albums with skits though?

This is the song that come on and I start driving a lil bit faster. Proof that the Halal Boys are not just “conscious rap”, and they have the same range as any mainstream artist but with more homegrown organics and the audacity to speak their minds.

Shoulda went ahead and minded yo’ mad ass business.

Jefe

Produced by Golden Arms, MikeJack has plenty of room with less drums than most tracks on the project, but no lack of dense lyrics or beat switches. Once Ra’s verse comes in the strings start to sound more like a suspenseful scene in a murder flick. The only track to have a video so far to my knowledge is Power, featuring Gooro.

Mac Deville has two stand out features on the project as well with Prayer and Anointed, both produced by Ra. This is not the first time we have seen these three on a track together, Let Life Be Good on the Halal Boys initial project Kufi Conversations is still in my rotation to this day.

Candy for the noses of the hopeless

Mac Deville on Prayer

Carbon copy duplicates, watch as I do the shit

Solute on I Was Told

Closing out the album with a verse from Solute is a fantastic choice. This one is my favorite track on the whole project. The beat from Ra is one of his best I have heard, Jefe spits one of the best verses we hear from him, and Ra floats over his own production effortlessly. Hopefully we get to see these three on many more tracks together.

Black Blues Brothers is not the Halal Boys only release this year. Jefe and Ra have each released several independent projects and collaborations with Akata, Pelle Pelle Music, BEATS 2 RAP 2 by Soy Reco, Good Lord, Vol. 1 by Lord Ra, and Limited Edition LM by Gorgeous Jefe and Fresco – there is no shortage of quality music to listen to from the Boys. Not to mention the rest of the discographies from Solute and Mac Deville, each of them with a vast array of tracks from the past few years. I urge you to dig in and discover new soundscapes to indulge this week.

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