Beast Coast Edition: Who Had The Better Verse?

For fans of hip-hop in its conventional, tried-and-tested mould, you’d be hard pressed to find a record in 2019 that is more optimized for your needs than Beast Coast’s debut project as a collective. An authentic and heartfelt ode to the culture that uplifted them, Escape From New York harks back to the golden era of the posse cut where each MC brought the pinnacle of their penmanship to the table. Predicated on friendly competition rather than animosity, Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers and PRO ERA’s decision to pool their resources in favour of one common goal doesn’t mean that they’d have to override the drive to outdo one another. Hardwired into hip-hop’s DNA since the formative years of battle-rap, asserting your dominance on a track is still an intrinsic part of not only the artist’s mindset but the online discourse which surrounds a track’s release.

By this token, each member of Beast Coast’s studious approach to the craft of hip-hop and respect for its originators and agitators means that it’s only right for Escape From New York’s 13 tracks to be analyzed in this manner. After a month-long period of digestion, it’s time to delve back into this multi-faceted project and pinpoint its MVP’s.

Images throughout:

Meechy Darko:  Noam Galai/Getty Images
Zombie Juice: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Erick Arc Elliott: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images
Nyck Caution:  Randy Shropshire/Getty Image
AK: Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images
Issa Gold:  Scott Dudelson/Getty Images