Time moves on, and as many people have said, ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same’. Whether planned or not, the day after many were let down by the American justice system once again in the wake of the Breonna Taylor grand jury decision to try 1 of the 3 cops connected to her killing for ‘wanton endangerment’ of the neighboring apartments, Blackillac and Caught A Ghost released REVOLUTION, a moving single and video montage honing directly in on the civil unrest and lack of justice that many minorities and disenfranchised communities face on a near daily basis. Zeale and Phranchyze set aside their normal braggadocio and verbal complexity to tell strong truths over the sparse but stout backing track provided by Caught A Ghost. Check this one out, leave a like and a comment if you support the message, and spread it around to help those who need to wake up do so.
With the trajectory of Blackillac over the past year or so, it seemed inevitable that they’d eventually cross paths with fellow Austin trendsetter Quin NFN. This connection comes in the form of Phantom, a serious banger showcasing the individual styles of Quin NFN, Zeale and Phranchyze over a dark, piano-driven NA the Producer track. Dan2TheL comes in once again with the hero-level assist on the video, which is simple in format but powerful in imagery, wholly amplifying the song experience for the listener/viewer. This one is definitely about to find its way into the rotation heavy, and the video is already piling up numbers, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking it out, leaving a like and a share, and spreading it around for your people to dig.
Blackillac is usually known for high energy, braggadocious, in your face tracks, but for 2020, it appears that they are planting the flag of creative range and stylistic variety. Big Bang, the latest track and video from the duo, finds them utilizing a different flow than normal over a hypnotic track, with plenty of inter-song referential use to weave between the dual chorus that provides the song a foundation. Zeale and Phranchyze also manage to show tons of confidence in the most reserved way possible. This is definitely another winner from a winning team, and the Dan2TheL-directed video helps boost the experience. Check it out, leave a like and a comment, and share it around!
As Blackillac continues their ascension, we’ve been blessed with a constant stream of solid music and video output from the duo of Zeale and Phranchyze. Their latest hit (no pun intended) is the dark and mysterious Hitman, a banger produced by NA the Producer with plenty of moodiness and heaviness to back up the braggadocio coming live and direct from the talented MC pairing. As a bit of a bonus, the two linked up with Dan2theL for a straight-forward, no-BS, well-shot music video :
As someone who has been there to watch both of these cats rise out of the Austin battle-rap scene into solo stardom, and eventually morph into financially and culturally viable artists, I am extremely proud of Zeale and Phranchyze for taking full advantage of a chance to live the dream. I’m definitely staying tuned, as Blackillac is positioning themselves for a breakout year in 2020.
Blackillac is most certainly a force to be reckoned with, and it doesn’t take much research to solidify that fact. Exhibit A can be found in their latest single, SHOEBOX, a slow banger letting folks know that the come up is very real (monetarily and creatively). The duo, along with guest MC 300 LBS of Guwop, drop the aforementioned knowledge over a drone-y, bass heavy track that hypnotizes the listener. Aside from taking time in the studio, the crew has also been out on the road heavy… check out the Meet The Blacks vlog, where the first episode focuses on their time with Dew Tour 2019 :
If you like what you’re seeing or hearing, be sure to follow these cats, because this is clearly just the beginning of the journey. Knowing Blackillac and their work ethic, it’s almost guaranteed that good things are in store for them.
Things have been going really well for Blackillac. Despite constant time recording and travelling to play shows, however, they’ve managed to drop a classic video in the form of Juice It Up. The duo not only pays homage to Austin by heavily including JuiceLand in the song’s structure and visuals, but there is also wonderful tribute to films like Friday and House Party, both of which provide a solid narrative structure for the video. Highly entertaining stuff, for sure, and a testament to Blackillac‘s talent, skills and sense of humor.
The magic that can occur in the rare instances where you introduce old friends to new friends only for everyone to get along is hard to match. Maybe that’s why it seemed inevitable that Zeale Rapz would find a way to link his multiple successful ventures into a single stream of dopeness. His longtime companionship/collaborative efforts with Phranchyze, along with their mutual friendship of Gary Clark Jr., resulted in the creation of Blackillac. Meanwhile, Zeale Rapz had forged a newer, sharper and more politically driven connection with the killer production duo of NGHT HCKLRS, resulting in the lightning fast creation and maturation of Blastfamous USA. With both camps combining forces for the upcoming busa flock EP, it was only fitting that they signal it with a music video in the form of pull up. The video showcases all of the key components folks need for understanding what busa flock is about : unique aesthetic, high style, banging production, quality rhymes and a sense of humor are all calling cards the crew possesses. The connection is intriguing, and yet it makes all the sense in the world… I will definitely be keeping my eyes and ears open for more.
Phranchyze has never been afraid to embrace his influences wholeheartedly, no matter what the source. His latest project, #TheAnimeTape, is a chance to embrace the spectrum that most hip-hop heads enjoy on the low. Here’s a video from the project as well!
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 