Moka Only: Carrots and Eggs

The only cat out there putting in more work than Madlib in the hip-hop game is Canadian rapper-producer Moka Only. Since dropping his debut more than 10 years ago, he has worked on more than 40 albums either as a solo or collaborative effort. Yes, that’s right, 40. But even with all those records under his belt, Moka remains inspired and fresh, especially on his latest, Carrots and Eggs. Across its 23 tracks, he incorporates vocal samples, references rapper-pals like A-Plus of Souls of Mischief, spits about what he loves, and altogether creates a dope-ass dusty journey through hip-hop. Whether he gets jazzy like on “Felt Before” or brings straightforward hot boom-bap on “The Door”, Moka slays those wack emcees and beatsmiths he loves to talk shit about. He gets particularly fiery on “Clapsnare”, on which he slaughters regurgitated hip-hop clichés like the hand-clap snare-drum and many others. If any of this sounds at all appealing, do yourself a favor and cop Carrots and Eggs. And don’t be afraid to pat yourself on the back for supporting one of hip-hop’s most creative and inspiring minds. Also, if this is your first foray into Moka’s catalog, be prepared to drop some major funds as you are likely to want more and more.