Errol Eats Everything Delivers a Genre-Blending Hip-Hop Odyssey of Truth and Groove | Album Review
Imagine a brightly painted mural unfolding as far as the eye can see, filled with retro imagery, adjusting perspectives with each look as viewers pass. A genre-spanning Hip Hop odyssey, Errol Eats Everything’s sprawling self-titled 17-track debut album is exactly the type of work that has little qualms about delving into humanity’s darkest chasms whilst imploring listeners to nod along, tap their feet and open their minds.
Of course, you can’t quite file this record under a standard rap release. As an MC, Errol is both teacher and agitator, injecting pop culture references and timeless appeals for justice into verses that would sound at home in the lineage of Jay Electronica’s profound lyricism or MF DOOM’s mystique. Yet a streak of levity also cuts through the heaviness; Errol’s personality shines through his witty wordplay, comedic timing and knack for inserting historical facts into normal narratives.
Meanwhile these tracks bloom together like an audio mosaic: beat-up drums, jazz-filtered samples, reggae tones and soulsick vocals swirl together in an international brew. Some might label this eclectic approach overambitious, yet Errol embraces the risk like a boxer entering the ring — prepared to turn contender chaos into transcendent harmony. And though a few moments may come off as dense to those who crave more carefree bops, the album’s consistent impulse toward truth-telling and communal uplift feels refreshing and necessary.
Errol Eats Everything, fresh off the heels of the NYAM!, his EP that reached #1 on college radio charts, immerses listeners in an unvarnished dimension where personal struggle is entangled with cultural tension. Resilience, identity and diaspora liberation are constant throughlines in nearly every verse here, a well anticipated food and water whose production blends old-school beats with contemporary verve. With its self-reflective lyrics and jam-ready overtones, the following 6 tracks give you an insight on the album’s outlook:
First, the track “Kingdom” is introduced with a warped, twangy MF DOOM-esque old school Hip Hop blast. Errol’s deep, easy flow cuts through the moody beat, asking the listener to look inward. Certainly, “Kingdom” encourages us to consider the historical roots of oppression and the reflection that we see in the mirror. It’s a philosophical clarion call for the album, and it sets an intellectually charged tone.
Possessing a Nas-like flair and an earworm hook that will linger long after this track is over, the hypnotic gem “NRG” pulses. Its tribute to resilience and unity underline Errol’s talent for conveying universal truths with plain-spoken earnestness. The combination of Errol’s voice with the lively percussion creates a palpable feeling of empowerment, and challenges everyone to transcend adversity.
With the next song “Fly Girl”, the vibe moves into a jazzy sax-driven, highlighting Errol’s penchant for storytelling through shifting perspectives. In fact, the story unfolds into a cautionary tale of love, deception and the maze of veiled interests. The danceable groove is a welcome foil to the acidic lyrical content that reminds listeners that no whim, even one as bewitching as this, is without a twist.
Another interesting gem “Ballad of the Brutes (feat. Cla’ence Jo)”, with its contemplative speeches and boom-bap influences intertwining in a cinematic whirl, recalls classic Jay-Z’s faculties. Over handball games, Errol and Cla’ence Jo bounce lines off one another, their chemistry a vehicle for a tribute to hustle, success and being themselves. And the layered production and powerful deliveries reflect the realities of working toward success in a world that often pushes you the other way.
Angry, unsparing and emotionally charged, “Automatic Traumatic” rails against systemic travesty. There’s a rawness here that some might find unspooling, but the refusal to shrink away from uncomfortable truths is part of its power. The hook’s repetition acts as a call to action, imploring listeners to keep their eyes and ears open, be ‘woke,’ and protect their peace against oppression.
The track “Be Out!” serves as an escapist anthem, acting as crackles with radiant energy, calling on listeners to shed negativity and toxic cycles. The interplay between Errol’s muscular flow and K-Riz’s versatile presence makes the message even more intense: No matter how bleak your surroundings, there’s always a door to self-preservation and hope. And if the album leans occasionally heavy on political and cultural commentary, this track supplies a moment of levity and unassailable motivation.
On the other eleven tracks Errol persists in his exploratory approach to sound and subject matter, threading through stories of the quotidian struggle with overt calls for revolutionary mindsets. At times, a track veers unexpectedly into reggae-inflected grooves; elsewhere, Errol lays down verses bursting with insights and knowledge atop moody, minimalist instrumentals that resemble the intellectual grit of Yasiin Bey. This variability could be seen as a chink in the album’s armor by listeners craving a singular sound. But with the filler-free approach and unyielding sincerity, every new nuance of the music propels a larger story of unity, empowerment and historical consciousness.
Lyrically, no subject is taboo for Errol: class inequities, race relations, cultural displacement and the plight of the diaspora all find themselves entwined, composing a complex tapestry of reflection and action. But he’s able to humanize all of the stanzas, too, sprinkling the stories with personal memories and a sense of humor that keeps the material from reading too didactically. It’s indeed a balancing act few of his peers are negotiating so nimbly. Yet there are moments when Errol’s message revels in indulgent density, and sonic allure threatens to be outpaced by substance — casual listeners likely will have to visit multiple times to appreciate the synergy of sound and substance.
The album’s engineering, too, favors a raw, unpolished aesthetic — in a way that, for some, might seem at odds with Errol’s progressive message. Others, however, will see it as a strong reflection of his do-it-yourself grind and unyielding refusal to conform to commercialized ideals. This tough authenticity ran through every bar, showing that Errol isn’t trying to pander. His goal, like that of Marcus Garvey before him, is to provoke real thought and solidarity between continents.
At a time when the charts are peppered with surface-level anthems, Errol Eats Everything invigorates Hip Hop. Funny lyrics, eclectic production, and complete fearlessness conspire to make this project an impressive endeavor for anyone wanting a soulful, affective experience. Indeed, if you have an appetite for intellectual stimulation, cultural insight, and indelible head-nodding grooves, this record is a feast, and it’s been too long since you’ve eaten.
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