As you probably already know, Big Hoodoo just released his first album in over FOUR YEARS!  The Hoodini Chronicles Part 1: The Red Book dropped yesterday on all digital platforms, and you can also get physical copies over at BigHoodoo.com!

I’ve seen some pretty favorable reviews of the album so far, and the one I’m about to tell you about is no different!  Journalist Ryan Gradoville takes you through the album’s highlights, features, and standout tracks.  You can see the full review below.

From Medium.com:

It’s been four years since Detroit hip-hop artist Big Hoodoo released his previous effort Asylum, and it seems he has been hard at work sharpening his craft. On his latest album,The HooDini Chronicles, Pt. 1: The Red Book, Hoodoo displays a certain ferociousness and charisma that some have claimed was missing on other projects, resulting in what I feel is his best work yet.

The album opens with “Juice (Intro)” featuring Bam Beda (who also appears later on “7 Plus 3”) and is an epic way to start the album. The track begins with Hoodoo rapping over sad piano keys, only for the beat to build around it before the song transitions into more sinister keys, with a chorus that pays tribute to Thug Life’s “Under Pressure” classic. At 5:47, it is also the longest track on the album, giving you the impression that Hoodoo is trying to grab your attention right away.

Additionally, there are a few club banger type tracks on here like the juggalo anthem “Hatchetman” as well as the addictive “Take Over” with frequent Hoodoo collaborator Blac.

However, it was the second half of the album where things really picked up for me. The somewhat haunting “Ride High” features some incredible bass and guitar riffs and finds Hoodoo tapping into his inner 2Pac lyrically, addressing those praying for his downfall. “Juggalo Love (Murder Medley)” features fellow Psychopathic Records artist and constant weirdo Ouija Macc and is a pretty impressive collaboration, with both artists trading rhymes back and forth at points. Though their styles are very different, this collaboration works well, even if the heeeeeeeeeey chants get a little old after a while.

Speaking of Psychopathic Records, Insane Clown Posse appears on the uplifting “Against the Grain” about persevering despite being “wronged…Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn” as Shaggy 2 Dope humorously puts it. The instrumental reminds me of something from the late ’90s, with guitar strings and a catchy chorus. Meanwhile, “RIP” is probably my favorite song on the album and definitely one of the strongest tracks, featuring a chilling instrumental. The second verse, in particular, is maybe Hoodoo’s most impressive performance on the album.

While I wish there was a little more variety in the production and subject matter at times, what we get is an impressive addition to Big Hoodoo’s discography with The HooDini Chronicles, Pt. 1: The Red Book. Hoodoo sounds hungry and determined, and it’ll be interesting to see where he goes with this collection of chronicles.

Props to Ryan Gradoville of Medium.com for the review!

Websites:

• Big Hoodoo "Hoodini Chronicles Part 1" Review @ Medium.com