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Everyone knows Flee Lord is one of the busiest and nicest MC’s in the game right now. Consistently dropping albums, he fits right into that East Coast revival scene where he gets on some mean beats and just talks his shit, often about all the dirt he’s done to get where he is today. In house producer for his Lord Mobb crew Mephux consistently pushes Flee to his limits though. On the follow up to their phenomenal 2020 album Pray for the Evil 2, the pair shows off their chemistry, versatility, and drops what might be both of their best work ever.
Pray for the Evil 3 kicks off quick with “Paying Homage”, a relatively simple beat made interesting by its heavily chopped string sample. Featured here is the underrated legend Cormega, who drops a truly standout verse for the year that puts fake thugs and wack MC’s on lyrical blast. “Go Mode” gives Lord Mobb a chance to put on some of their other members like G4 Jag and Phonk P. By this point, its clear that Mephux is not just another Alchemist clone; His samples, in this case a wandering saxophone sample, have such an original, yet cinematic and polished feel that is a cut above most producers in the scene.
Coke getting cut, like a razor to your face,
Your strategy stagnant, you mad that I’m rich
These verses same worth as a half key of sniff, yeah I been on my shit
Flee slows it down a bit and speaks on his rags-to-riches story on “Notion”, which has an absolutely gorgeous sample on the hook. He’s always able to jump between the street talk and more reflective subjects effortlessly, without breaking character or tone. Another killer feature comes from Fat Joe on “The Essence”, where he continues to show some bars and longevity in this scene; The guy has been around even longer than Nas and was a superstar, so hopefully he can get some more recognition with these recent appearances. Next is a chopped and screwed interlude by the legendary DJ Red. Flee has made it very clear he’s a student of the game despite only diving in recently, and this trilogy goes out of its way to get big names back on to pay homage.
“I Still Pray” and “Juice” are typical, quality boombap tracks that see Flee play with his go to flow a bit. Then there’s “Final Four”, a much anticipated posse cut with Roc Marciano and Conway – perhaps the scene’s two greatest – and Trae tha Truth. Everyone does exactly their thing here over a mean, chainsaw sounding beat reminiscent “Omar’s Coming”, with Trae showing a lot versatility lately (he also had a full on Michigan trap album this year). While Flee, Roc, and Conway are in the same lane, they provide a great contrast to each other on a technical level.
Perhaps Pray for the Evil 3‘s greatest highlight is “Impala”; Featuring frequent LA collaborator T.F, him and Flee spaz over a massive, high energy trap beat. This is something you’d never expect to hear Flee spitting on or to hear Mephux produce, but it turns out to be a banger. “Out the Mud” is another dope, more lowkey record that has Flee subtly crooning on the hook and reflecting on his come up. Finally, there’s “Goodbye”; A simple tribute by Flee to the series, the crown jewel of his discography, and some beautiful melodies by Tiona Denice.
Even amongst all the music Flee Lord has dropped and legends he has linked with, his work with Mephux remains a highlight. The chemistry they show, pushing each other creatively and constructing diverse, fleshed out albums, is special. The Pray for the Evil series goes out on a highlight, as some of either artist’s best work to date.