Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire is one of those underground rappers that, even within alternative hip-hop head circles, hasn't gotten the flowers he deserves (at least he got a well-deserved Madlib cosign with their 2020 track "Black Mirror"). Regardless of his low-key presence in the game, the Brooklyn MC is back with a vengeance. Born Hugh "Hughie" Anthony Allison, eXquire has just released his third studio album I Love Y.O.U cuz Y.O.U Ugly Vol.1. If that "Vol.1" is any indication, we should be looking forward to his next installment, because this is sure to be one of the most slept-on rap projects of the year.
The project is eXquire's first since 2020's Confessions Of A Sex Addict, which followed up his acclaimed self-titled debut studio album in 2019. These projects set a precedent for his versatility: on I Love Y.O.U, he's just as skilled at boom-bap storytelling as he is at distorted trap anthems. On the almost completely feature-less album, Hughie is applying that versatility to some manipulated instrumentals, as you can almost always notice a distortion layer or electronic effects to accompany a song.
Speaking of the album's sonic direction, I Love Y.O.U is distinctly more electronic and ethereal than his previous work. It might remind listeners of some of the early cloud rap and trap of the 2010s, back when artist like Lil Ugly Mane, A$AP Rocky, and Denzel Curry were matching New York flows with hazy instrumentals inspired by Southern rap styles. Fans of any artist in this style should be rushing to listen to this album right now, as eXquire does not slouch at all on the lyrical end of things. He knows exactly when to engage listeners with his wordplay and flows and when to rein his tongue in and focus on the track's high-octane energy.
It's hard to say what Hughie will do next, as his discography includes such oddities as a collection of demos to show fans his creative process. Regardless of what's in store from here, this album is going to hold fans over and bring a lot of first-time listeners on board. Here's hoping this becomes a sleeper hit.
You can check out I Love Y.O.U cuz Y.O.U Ugly Vol.1, the new album from Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire below.
Tracklist
1. Space Invaderz (feat. BOOTS)
2. West Indian Archie
3. Follow Me
4. Bubbleguts
5. Y.O.U Need To Go Out More
6. Ptah!
7. Chocolate Sunshine
8. Happy Accidents
9. SHANGO
10. The Weight of Water Part 2
11. ABC
12. Ruzzle
