Myka Nyne - Mykology (2011)

01) Bright Flashbacks
02) Mind Right
03) Where Would You Be
04) Hey
05) Oh Yeah...Alright (ft. Aceyalone, Sunspot Jonz, Casual & Kirby Dominant)
06) Breathin' Down Your Back
07) I Must Cross (ft. Viveca Hawkins)
08) Trimming
09) Tell Me
10) Face of a Waterfall
11) Don't You Go

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When Myka 9 began his career as a musician, rap was in a radically different place. Say whatever about the “current landscape” in hip-hop, his name isn’t the only thing that’s changed over the years. What has remained constant though, is his focus on straight-up no bullshit hip-hop, on full display with Mykology, the LA rapper’s fifth solo outing.

On first listen, the most striking moment on the album comes early with “Mind Right”, where Myka’s tone sounds relaxed over the thumping instrumental, but in actuality he’s in full mic-attack-double-time-flow-mode. For every instance that Myka flexes his emcee skills, he’s showing versatility as a vocalist somewhere else with cuts like “Hey” and “Tell Me”.

Album highlight “I Must Cross”  finds Myka juggling the roles of rapper and vocalist effortlessly to create a head nodding perspective on American immigration. If that wasn’t enough, Myka, along with Organized Elements, handled the production as well.  The west-cost jazz infused funk serves as the backbone for the rest of the album to build itself.

Mykology clocks in with 11 tracks at a bit over 40 minutes. What it may lack in length it makes up for in focus and cohesion. No frills, no superfluous interludes, just no gimmick hip-hop. It’s been over two decades since Myka 9 made his first marks with Freestyle Fellowship, and the experience shows. Mykology sounds confident, inspired, and still every bit as fresh Myka 9 has been throughout his career.