East Coast Hip-Hop is back and in full effect with Year Round Records, the new label imprint from the legendary DJ Premier.  Fans of groups/artists like Screwball, Cormega and Mobb Deep (pre G-Unit) are guaranteed to be feeling NYGz, with outstanding production from rising producers like Emile and Kingdom.

Comprised of the duo Shabeeno and Panchi, NYG’z is a new twist on an old concept.  The album Welcome to G-Dom, carries the torch where the Gang Starr Foundation left off, making it an exciting release for fans of true, underground hip-hop.

The release begins with the classic Premier styled track “It’s On”, a perfect introduction that makes you want to get up and jump around, like on an old school M.O.P. song. “Ya Dayz R #’d”, the album’s lead single and video channels the classic Screwball sound all over it.  While the lyrical content is very generic, production and overall street vibe makes up for it.

“Laundry Kings” (feat. St. Laz), is laced with a gritty beat by Kingdom reminiscent of vintage QB Mobb Deep or CNN. However the NYG’z don’t always take it back to the old school with equal results. Their remake of “Gz & Hustlaz”, originally performed by Snoop Dogg, features basically the exact same track with the same rhyme scheme. How are they going to try to do this better than, or even on par with, 1993 Snoop Dogg?  You can’t!

Thankfully, the title track, “Welcome To G-Dom”, brings it back to that classic DJ Premier sound. This is solid track, but with lukewarm lyrics. “Giantz To Thiz” comes off better, as Premier freaks the overused sample like only he can, making it into something entirely new. The same can be said for “Strength”, which is probably the best representative of Premo’s style on the entire release.  As many songs we have heard from Premier over the years, this song is great example of how he can keep his own unique style intact by constantly keeping it fresh.  No one does this better than Preem.

“Bow Down” featuring Blaq Poet (Screwball) & Rave, directly follows the infamous 2Pac interview snippet that closes out “Giantz To This”, and then includes samples of ‘Pac in its chorus.  This is very well executed, over an insanely dope beat by Kingdom, who has no problem shining next to a producer great like DJ Premier.

Overall, if you are a fan of raw, street NYC hip-hop, you will enjoy this album. The production definitely outwieghs the lyrics, but just the fact that these cats are resurrecting that grimy vibe that many modern day artists (both underground and mainstream) seem to lack, makes it worth the price of admission alone. However, if unique concepts and lyrical wordplay are what you crave, simply look elsewhere. But if you just need a seriously energetic track when waking up in the morning, NYG’z is a perfect fit. – Prizmatik