Onry Ozzborn - Hold On For Dear Life

Album Rating:

9

I will admit to knowing nothing about Onry before meeting him in person at Black Gate Sessions in Chicago almost a year ago. I had listened to Grayskul and liked it, but I remembered JFK's voice more than OO's.

Knowing that he was working with a friend of mine, Alex Zavala, was cool cause I've always been worried about Alex a little bit. He's like the friend who always spills on himself. You feel sorry for him and kind of want people to be nice to him. What I see in him as a friend is different than what people see in him as a stranger, and that always concerned me.

I'm also guilty of saying "awwwwwwwww" and tilting my head to the side when I see Alex walking in a straight line. He's just the cutest.

But I'm here talking about Onry, Fuck Alex. Alex ain't got shit to do with this review of Onry's latest.

This morning when I put it on for the third time in two days, I can honestly say I had a complete body smile going on. The layers of this dude's talent are fucking thick, and by working with other vocalists on this, like Sapient and Reva DeVito and other cool sounding names, OO has managed to make a record that physically feels good to listen to.

By the time I get to "That Good" featuring Sapient, I'm ready to fucking call this the winter rap album I needed. I've been so down on hip hop since last hearing Dark Time Sunshine and being blown away with it.

I remember driving to Milwaukee with Smooth Lou to see Keen One rappy rap and saying to him that DTS actually ruined hip hop for me. Nothing else sounds good for some reason.

Fuck Onry and Fuck Zavala for that.

But what makes Onry fucking awesome on his latest is that he's completely understandable, completely even keeled, relaxed, intelligent, intimidating and I'll admit it, he kind of scares me a little bit.

Like when I met him in Chicago he didn't shake my hand, he tripped me and spat on my awesome new skully. Yes, that's OO sputum, not semen you Fucks.

Whatever Onry puts out from here on out I'm fucking snagging because every time I write him off out of being too overwhelmed with new music at syffal.com this muthafucker puts out the hot.

Dear Onry,
I hadn't planned on publicizing this, but you're fucking awesome and we should totally get matching tattoos of each other on our elbows. Then when we see each other we can touch elbows and our tatts will be giving each other completely heterosexual man hugs yo.

Fuck Zavala.