Last Thursday I discovered some saboteur cut my Malibu's oil coolant valve, causing $300 in repairs. As I cannot think of any known enemies that know where I live, I'm assuming that it's the Cali shitbirds below me that peddle drugs out of their apartment window next to my parking spot. Hearing Opio's “Aggression” has me feeling like Walter Sobchak, I want to beat the information out of one them while shouting “this is what happens when you find a stranger in the alps” (the Comedy Central edit).
Opio knows what's up. This aggression will not stand! He's collaborated with Chosen Few producer Unjust for an album inspired by The Big Lebowski and its soundtrack. Sweeping orchestral strings of “Aggression,” sampled from the original score, drift across the drum breaks giving Opio a backdrop that complements his verse on the mellowing bliss of feeling intergalactic after an afternoon blunt. The album, titled Mark It Zero, consists of stories of the duo's own Dude-like adventures.
The past two years have been a resurgence for the Hieroglyphics camp, specifically the Souls of Mischief crew. Even though last year's Montezuma's Revenge was produced by Prince Paul, one of my favorite producers of all-time, I did not expect to keep that record in rotation for more than a month. Z-Man's recent free EP is getting steady burn, especially “This Has Gotta Be Love,” which has me excited for Six Pack of Dynamite. My point is, I did not foresee a revival of the Hiero crew, but it's a welcomed ambush.
To the person that cut my coolant valve, you're entering a world of pain, my friend.
No surprise here, Mark It Zero drops April 20 on Hiero Imperium.
