indie tribe Open Up their Struggles with L O W B L O W

An Album Breakdown of the Indie Hip-hop collective’s stellar sophomore.

Album Cover for indie tribe’s L O W B L O W

tribe on the move. In fact, the faithful Hip-hop collective has been for quite a while now.

Rapper nobigdyl. originally founded indie tribe circa 2016 as more of a loose alliance with him, Mogli the Iceburg, Jarry Manna, and WHATUPRG.

It wasn’t until the latter two left, and Jon Keith and DJ Mykael V joined when indie tribe started to move more as a single unit.

Though one could argue they’ve always been a tight collective, the hype surrounding their second iteration boosted their stellar run.

(Left to Right) Mogli the Iceburg, DJ Mykael V, Jon Keith, and nobigdyl.

Their tight-knit debut, 2021’s U P P E R H A N D, showed the group’s ability to cohesively mix in their own styles with consistent energy and witty wordplay alluding to their faith.

And after a slew of solo releases, the tribe is back with their sophomore effort L O W B L O W. And now, without the hype of “Oh snap they joined indie tribe” How would their newest album fare well?

Who am I kidding? they’re as superb as ever.

LOWBLOW still retains the heat within the group’s synergy but they take a different approach in their lyricism.

(LEFT) U P P E R H A N D, (RIGHT) L O W B L O W

On the surface, it’s virtually identical to their last album; no shortage of trap beats, firm verses between the artists, and the less-frequent hypeman work by DJ Mykael V.

But there’s a couple nuances that make this seem different.

Clocking in at 44 minutes, there’s quite the room for more diverse production; some more bombastic while some more reserved and fuzzy.

But what sets this apart are their moments of vulnerability, enveloping the record are each rapper retelling their struggles.

Dyl with his struggle with ego and insecurity, Mogli with alienation from the culture of Western Christianity.

To heavier moments like Jon Keith’s destructive tendencies, many of which were better explored in his solo album EREMOS.

Despite these though, much of their storytelling doesn’t sour any pre-conceived vibes nor its accessible appeal.

Nor does it deter what each style and wavelength they bring to the table.

Mykael’s energy injected in the record.

nobigdyl with his mild, nonchalant delivery, juxtaposed to his playful wordplay.

Jon Keith with his higher voice, more melodic style of rap flows, along with his similarly witty wordplay.

To Mogli with his consistent flows, and more alternative edge.

LOWBLOW showcases the tribe’s capabilities, no matter how varied the styles they bring, their newest effort is a lowkey solid display of their range.

“I know it’s been a minute. We’ve been busy” are the opening lines to the album’s unorthodox opener 40 DAYS.

How is it unorthodox? You see, it begins the album’s pace as slow, from this rather somber beat with its voice-like synths.

They open about their spiritual life, and in Mykael’s own words; it’s not pretty.

Y’all said I’m way off, y’all said I’m backslidin’
How you got eternal life, and still feel like dyin’?
Just ’cause God won, it don’t mean “Stop fightin’!” (Fightin’)
Be who He said I am, man, I’m still tryin’

Jon Keith plays with the juxtaposition of God’s perfect nature and our flawed selves.

That contrary to popular belief, even if Christians believe they are forgiven and have eternal life (John 3:16), their flawed humanity gets in the way.

Twenty years of pain feel like forty days of pourin’ rain (Noah)
Noah, if you know it, then you feel the same (Phew)

Dyl’s constant seasons of pain remind him of Noah’s time, where 40 days of raining flooded the world while Noah’s family were in an ark.

This is where the title comes from.

Dyl also vaguely talks about childhood trauma, and then ends it by saying the generational cause ends with him.

Trauma isn’t always very obvious
I’m findin’ out my childhood was haunted with accomplishments

Problems that my parents couldn’t solve
Passed down from before, gonna end with me (Me)

Mogli, meanwhile, talks about his alienation from the culture in American churches, a recurring theme throughout the record.

I deconstructed everything that I believe in, back to the beginning
And built it back on top of Christ arisen
I’m still agnostic on a lot, but think the journey half the point in livin’
I’m worried less about the politicin’

“Agnostic” is a rather heavy term when it means a believer of a higher being though unsure of who that would be.

But “Agnostic” here means neutral and indifferent to what is deemed Biblical and what’s only cultural, even meaning unsure of the answers.

But still, Mogli assures that his faith is still fixated towards Christ, and that the journey from here is still as important.

Also, the flow of his closing line is so superb.

I’m a imperfect complex padawan of Yeshua
Judge me by my fruit, not the market for a genre

Picking up the pace is ACT, a more minimalist bop carried by the production’s thumping bass drum and its stiff cymbal taps.

Jon Keith, from his hooks to his flows, took a while to grow on me, and this track has some memorable lines from him.

I’d even say that he even outshines dyl in many moments on this album, but his breakneck flow from here is too out there not to be noticed.

DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER has my favorite production on this album; the mix of the thin percussion and that fat and fuzzy bass.

Dyl starting the hook all distorted and all bring a menacing vibe that’s as intriguing as it is infectious.

Speaking of dyl, he’s the star here. Talking about talking about your unfiltered faith, no matter how much it is a hard swallow to pill.

Don’t kill the messenger, the message what offended them (True)
A friend that’s willin’ to check ya is gonna build ya (Shoo)

The importance of being a good brother/friend also plays a role, not only must one strive to better each other (Luke 17:3), but dyl also call out their former festival organizers, over a business deal turned sour.

Waitress with the vibes tryna get up in the photo
Texts from the lawyer said the compromise a no go (What)
Friend turned to foe, man that’s feelin’ like a lowblow (Lowblow)

SLIDIN’ has one of the more memorable choruses in the whole record, and Jon‘s singing really grew on me, which made me appreciate this too.

Though CASKET… CASKET is where it’s at.

In a record full of posse cuts, this is the most posse cut of them all, where all of them are on their prime, at their pen game, and at their sickest.

I could never go the ways of the masses, ayy
Couldn’t be a slave to the lashes (Can’t do it)
Rather die than a life full of average
Got a King James and it came with a casket — nobigdyl

I just dug my own grave and it’s lit (Yeah)
Traded in my cash for a crown and it fit (Fit) — Jon Keith

You might assume that you know all my views
’Cause you watched some dude on YouTube misusin’ some Scripture (Who are you? Huh?)
I’m sure you’ve contemplated the wisdom of the ages
And came to the conclusion you see the whole picture — Mogli the Iceburg

CASKET plays with themes seen throughout the record; From never compromising their faith in music for extra money and fame, to defending their very faith, even taking shots at universalism.

RICH is one of those classic gritty bops that’s on the more heavy end on the album. It’s not a song I go crazy over but it’s certainly a memorable hook.

It’s easy to think tracks labelled as freestyles are more like throwaways, freebies when you hop on the station, but BELOW THE BELT FREESTYLE is certainly an exception.

From its more dissonant production, balanced by the tribe’s retrospectives on their career, and their upbringing.

I grew up where cops pull up and call you a n — *police siren*
So I can’t pretend that a party got my interests considered — Dyl

I put my ten thousand hours in heard twenty thousand no’s
But I came back from every one of ’em with forty thousand flows
To serve a hundred thousand fans with just a handful of my bros — Mogli

Dyl’s line in particular, recalling his hometown trauma marred by racism, is impactful not because of his political indifference, but because it’s the most notable out of the many allusions to cussing throughout the record.

Cussing in CHH isn’t that huge of a stigma, it’s more like an unwritten rule that I’d argue, can actually be more creative in a way.

PLAN is the first of the more rock-influenced tracks on LOWBLOW. And coming from a guy who leans more indie rock, this is not it.

But let’s brush that aside, I appreciate the lyrics, because it plays with the concept of letting go and letting God; essentially to listen to God’s individual plan instead of carving your own way.

Man makes plans and God laughs
While the whole world’s spinnin’ in the background
I’ve been goin’ nowhere fast Father light my path

“Laughs” seems like a rather harsh term to essentially mean one can’t really out-wise God, which is what the tribe felt when they carve their own path.

(Proverbs 19:21) And once they did, they feel empty and aimless, which what makes God’s ways of planning in our lives all the more sweeter.

Technically, CECE is LOWBLOW’s lead single, but the general consensus is it’s a track put up there to boost album sales, being released in 2022.

And though it disrupts the album’s pace, CECE itself is a superb example of why indie tribe, especially nobigdyl and Jon Keith, are such excellent writers.

From their varying cadences to their bars ranging from Jon’s

Can’t keep it lowkey, I asked Him why He chose me (Yeah)
He said “You lookin’ lonely, but don’t be lonely by yourself”

to dyl’s

My crew ball like Caillou (Ball), my crew hot like Cayenne (Hot)
We got tunnel vision
Rest in peace to Princess Diana (Hey)

Jon Keith too with his producing duties, that left-hand keyboard builds so much hype, my goodness.

If you have any track to check out first, definitely this one.

Meanwhile, PEPE LE PEW is a more hushed and introspective track, where the band opened up with their past addictions, whether it’s lust, ego, or even drugs.

I was a fool of rebellious youth
She was a drug and better masseuse
Had an affair like a sedative do
She passed the pipe, it was Pepe Le Pew

One can make a case of whether or not their references are more like metaphors, but it’s certainly a reserved admission of guilt.

It’s not trying to be a powerful statement, nor the record’s emotional core, it’s a long somber note, and I’m not trying to downgrade it.

WHAT’S THE USE is another Mogli-centered alternative track, and although he has his moments (like SALTWATER on UPPERHAND), this is not one of them.

Seriously, the edgy rap-rock fusion can feel off-putting, which unfortunately undermines its rather validly Ecclesiastical moments. It’s just not for me.

FREE sees Jon Keith play well with his hooks, a more somber number from its wobbling moody guitars. Jon’s voice is just beautiful on this one, and it’s a better example of the album’s more vulnerable side.

I build a hundred feet up of wall to protect the bleedin’
I spill all of my feelin’s to ceilings
Who’s interceding for real

This is where we also see dyl at his most emotive; a feeling of alienation and the desire to feel no pain.

Who prayin’ for me?
Had somebody tell me something funny
Said above the clouds it is always sunny
I don’t doubt it but the way my tears comin’ down

And Mogli with that vocoded bridge? Even in these little moments, the tribe work really well together.

That’s supposed to be the central ethos felt in the album’s closer TRIBAL COUNCIL II.

Unlike the original TRIBAL COUNCIL closer, this is a more chill one, which although makes sense in the album’s pace, kind of feels like a closer leaving me wanting more.

And not necessarily in a good way. It’s not the best encore I’ve heard, but still, it’s a great statement on its own.

The tribe, in a few parts, talk about being taken aback by Satanic imagery in Hip-hop:

Y’all write raps with a crayon
Man that trash indefensible
Really edgy of you flashing pentagrams
At a festival
Y’all goofy, I’ma make sure that you know it
You can criticize what I believe, but trust me I won’t be afraid to show it

And in the end, it all comes back to representing the tribe

Holy smoke in the ville and I didn’t roll it up
Holy smoke and it’s still holy the joke is up
Holy smoke on the way to Canaan it blazed the way
Thankful that the angel of Yahweh came in and made a way

And Jesus, of course.

In retrospect, many of the album’s emotional elements feel similar to BROCKHAMPTON’s GINGER with its more vulnerable moments.

Production-wise, as it’s helmed by 1995 and a slew of other producers, they switch things up in healthy doses.

Overall, L O W B L O W is certainly a record that deals with both the tribe’s own personal matters, from their emotions, and yet can still go out guns blazing.

Not in a moment of duality or two-face…ry, but something that feels organic and compelling.

This is an extended version of my album review on my Instagram: The Left Ear with Lee. Be sure to follow me on my socials (Medium, Instagram, Facebook).

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