I Have a Hidden Hobby
By
Montener the Menace
Album Review
Social media definitely has its ups and downs but, one of
its up’s is that on occasions you can find some hidden gems and make some new
and exciting connections. One of those connections led to this review in fact.
I first saw a post about the album on Jabbathakut’s Social
Media and I happened to like a post on Montener’s Instagram and followed him. I
was interested as he stated the album was recorded back between 2008/09 and I
wondered why it had taken so long to release it. Shortly after that we had a
chat and the rest, as they say, is history.
I make no bones about the fact that I like to support
home-grown talent. I feel it is always a good thing to support those up and
coming artist’s from your country, be they local or otherwise. So, this was a
great chance to do that and the line up of guest artist’s alongside Montener
was so impressive, I just had to go for it. This also gave me the chance to
include one of my mini-interviews as a bonus to the review and you won’t want
to miss that as it has some great stuff in there.
So, let me get straight into this one and give you lowdown
from my humble point of view:
The album kicks off with one of only two tracks that was
actually recorded recently, the Intro
and it really gives you a great insight into the fact he has a great sense of
humour, which definitely helps these days, and add the that the nice bit of
production from Domingo and it sets up the album quite nicely. So, now we turn
back the clock a few years and get into the album proper with It’s Over Now, with production coming
from Iron Fist Productions, cuts from DJ Ike and featuring stateside
heavyweights Blaq Poet and Punchline this one drops heavy and knocks out all
those wack emcee’s who wanna step up. You can’t really start an album any
better than this, for real. Next we are on to the title track I Have a Hidden Hobby and this one
features Baron Samedi and production from Explosive Beats. The Piano heavy beat
gives the whole thing that horror movie soundtrack vibe. That fits well with
vibe of the track with Hip Hop being the hidden hobby but, it also wakes you
wonder what interests lay beneath the surface of anyone. From hidden hobbies
the curtain now raises on what is a showcase of some of the UK’s finest. Step features Cuts from Jabbathakut and
guest emcees Klashnekoff, Cappo, Ranson Badbonez and Boodah (Montener’s
brother), the production comes courtesy of Domingo and what a banger this one
is. The beat is orchestral driven with heavy pounding vibe giving the perfect
stage for each emcee, and Jabba of course, to demonstrate just exactly how good
they are, outstanding.
King of my City
hits with a definite funky feel to it and will have you nodding your head and
the rest of your body, probably. Production here comes from Iron Fist
Productions, the cuts from 12 Finger Dan and features Big Twins (infamous Mobb)
and Maylay Sparks. The big players keep coming and here it’s all about dropping
stories about where they’re from and where they’re at. Seek and Dismantle has a guitar driven upbeat vibe courtesy of
production from Explosive Beats with some dope cuts provided by 12 Finger Dan,
featuring Boodah and White Lotus we have the emcees on an almost battle rhyme
tip as they take their skills to the streets seeking out those to dismantle.
The vibe of Agent’s of Rap is as
deep and funky as it gets with Domingo’s production. A definite track to keep
ya head nodding featuring Wordsworth, Unlearn the World and Inja. In fact the
focus of this track is really appropriate at this time as is explores the media
and many subjects that have recently been reported and affected so many. The
intro to, in fact the whole track, Facebook
Friends, will have you cracked up at a time when Facebook was quite new and
we all liked to be secretly chuffed about who we were friends with online, some
of us still are... UM not me though, nah! Featuring Boodah and Copywrite the
rock guitar heavy beat from Explosive Beats is the sort of track you just wanna
turn up a few notches.
So, halfway through the album and your fingers should be
nowhere near the pause or stop button. I’m only pausing the album in between
tracks so I can type. Anyway, the second half of the album literally explodes
with The Better You Are. The drum
heavy, and I mean Heavy, is provided by Rockwilder and comes complete with cuts
from the legendary Sammy B-Side. Alongside Montener we have Boodah and Stakka
Lyrics who take us on a dizzying ride that speaks of how practice makes
perfect. Keeping the real Hip Hop coming Straight
Hazardous features Jak Danielz, Nutso and Boodah dropping some serious bars
over Domingo’s hefty production with some furious cuts from DJ Ike. Next we
finally get Montener the Menace all to ourselves on War. The string heavy production
from Explosive Beats and ferocious cuts from Jabbathakut, gives Montener the
platform to stand tall and prove he has the talent to take rap to the trenches
and do it in style. Intro to Big Daddies
comes from the movie Scum and that might make you wonder what’s coming? You
won’t be disappointed as Montener, Skuff, Unlearn and Boodah take you on a
journey as brutal as the movie, albeit in a different way of course. The head
nod beat with a good dose of horns comes from Explosive beats and is the
perfect background.
Draw First Blood
is second solo track for our man Montener the Menace. A proper battle rap track
this one has exactly what you want from track of this style. A banging dope
beat from Domingo, a sprinkling of sweet cuts from DJ Ike and another
demonstration that Montener has skills. Up next is a remix of the album’s title
track, I Have a Hidden Hobby and this one is a lyrical remix as it features
Copywrite this time around who provides that extra dimension to the track. The
production from Explosive Beats is the same as the original. Into the
penultimate track of the album and this is the last full track of trip back in
time. My Sort of Happy Song has two
sides of the same coin. The first verse is chilled out, almost pop rap, in
total contrast to the second verse where we see Montener back to his raw and
hardcore self. Just goes to show, he is capable of flipping styles, if he
really wanted to that is but, I’m not sure he would really want to flip...
Rounding the album off full circle by bringing it back to the present with the Outro and see’s our man going back over
some of those outdated references from the album but, still keeping that
comedic edge over a funky little Domingo beat.
Overall my honest opinion here is that this is about as good
as you can get for a debut. The production throughout is on point and the added
bonus of the guest emcees and DJ’s really adds weight to this release overall.
The album flows well from track to track and keeps you focused and not wanting
to skip any track, which is itself a huge plus. Montener the Menace has got skills,
there is no doubt about that and if you take in account this is twelve years
old, think of how good and fresh this would have sounded back then. Some might
say that twelve years ago it would have been eclipsed by releases from bigger
artists. However, having looked back to 2008/09 and the big releases, I think
that this album would have been big, especially on the underground Hip Hop
scene.
Why do I think I Have a Hidden Hobby would have done so
well? Simple the album has big guests, solid production with names people
recognise and respect. It has that real Hip Hop feel with banging beats, dope
cuts and quality lyrical delivery and content. If you like to listen to your
Hip Hop for entertainment then the album has that but, if you like to be
entertained and feel the music and the lyrical content then this album has that
too. If you add in the humour as well this album ticks so many boxes then it
should be on your list, end of story.
Now, there is a lot of stuff I could add about this album
but, I want you hear than from the man himself. So here is the mini-interview I
did with Montener the Menace, check this:
First off I wanna thank you for taking the time to answer
these few questions. I like to do these mini interviews where I can to help
give everyone a bit of an insight into the artist and their music. With that
said I’ll get straight into it:
Could you give us a bit of an insight into you
background in Hip Hop music or Hip Hop in general and how you came by your
‘stage’ name?
I started listening to hardcore rap when I was about 9. I
used to steal my older brother’s cassette tapes. I always remember listening to
Naughty by Nature, Wu-Tang Clan and Cypress Hill. Once I started listening to
rap I was hooked. I was obsessed with hip-hop in secondary school and would
spend all my spare pocket money on buying a new album from a little hip-hop
shop in Croydon called, ‘Bye or Die.’ It was actually in Year 6 in primary
school where the start of my rap name was created. I was sat at a table with my
mates and we all created new ‘funny’ names to call each other for the day. For
whatever reason, I thought of Untin Montener. (God knows why.) It sort of stuck
with me and when I started rapping properly I called myself Montener the
Menace.
How did the album come about?
It was actually during the Covid-19 lockdown. Someone who I
hadn’t spoken to for years randomly messaged me about why I never released an
album. Then tragically, the British rapper Ty died from the virus. It got me
thinking that life can be short so why not just release something officially.
There was always a nagging feeling in the back of my mind about never releasing
an album, but at the time I recorded the songs I was training to be a teacher.
I didn’t want it to affect my new career so I kept all my songs to myself. The
only song that was released was ‘It’s Over Now’ because Blaq Poet liked the
song so much he put it on his 2012 album E.B.K.
I made sure that I had all images of my face removed from
Google Images and released the album without giving away who I am, as I don’t
want it getting back to my work. I sent tracks to a few people I know and after
receiving feedback I selected the songs I wanted to use on the album. I sent
the tracks to the very talented Jabbathakut who I have worked with a few times
and he mastered the album. After he told me he thought the album was dope as
hell, I knew that others might think the same.
You have some wicked guest appearances on the album. How
did you manage to get these to happen and are these artists you had always
wanted to work with?
I started writing rap as a hobby and I remember wondering how
I could do a song with some well-known rappers. I knew that no one would want
to do a song with an unknown novice so I messaged Domingo on MySpace and ended
up buying a couple beats from him. I then messaged various rappers that I
admired and told them that I was doing a song with the legendary Domingo. To my
surprise, this worked because quite a few rappers wanted to be on the tracks. I
was and still am a fan of every rapper that features on the album. I feel
blessed to have such high calibre features on the album.
When I was younger, I recorded every single episode of ‘The
Lyricist Lounge’ so I can’t believe that Wordsworth and Punchline ended up on
the album. The same can be said for Blaq Poet and Big Twins. 90s and early 2000
rap is my favourite era and I love Queensbridge hip-hip and I still get excited
when I realise that I’ve done songs with Blaq Poet and Big Twins as I was a massive
Screwball and Infamous Mobb fan. Although I love American rap, I also grew up
listening to British hip-hop such as Task Force, Skinnyman, Roots Manuva and
Jehst, so wanted to ensure that I had some of the best UK rappers on the album
too. I feel that every feature on the album has its place and they all gave me
dope verses. I want people to get excited when they look at the tracklist as
that’s a line-up I’m proud of; I even have a song produced by a Grammy winner
on there!
As you state on the album into and in social media
posts, the album was recorded between 2008/09. You give a bit of an insight, on
the album insert, into why it took a while to get the album released as it is
now. Could you expand a bit on this for us?
As I previously mentioned, I became a teacher and didn’t want
it affecting my career. I thought that some of the songs were too good to be
unheard so I bit the bullet and released it. I’m very overwhelmed at how many
people have purchased the album from all over the world and sent me messages
telling me how much they enjoyed it. I even get fans asking me to sign the
album which is crazy! I was worried that the lyrics would sound dated as I
rapped about certain topics which were relevant at the time but not now, that’s
why I recorded the Intro and Outro to help explain that the songs were recorded
years ago. I love the fact that my
eldest child has a small part on the album. I was also a little worried about
how my wife would react to some of the lyrics, but she has been brilliant about
the whole thing.
Do you have any plans to record more and release any
more music in the future?
I didn’t have any plans to start rapping again, but I am
getting a lot of lovely messages from producers and rappers asking me to come
out of retirement and work with them. I was a different person back then. I
also know that I’d be a lot better at rapping and writing now as I was still
new to the game and inexperienced when the tracks were recorded. When I hear
some of my lyrics and listen to the flow on certain songs, I cringe as I
wouldn’t make those mistakes if I was to rap now. I’m a lot more critical of my
music now that I used to be. Those songs can’t be changed now and I expect
there to be some negativity aimed at me, but I am still proud of the album.
I recently had a critic slate me as a rapper so right now I’m
pretty determined to prove him wrong, so maybe I will do a follow-up album,
just to show people how much of a matured rapper and person I am from the one
that’s on this album. I don’t even know where I’d find the time to write and
record songs again with three young children and a demanding job, but you never
know!
One last question. You note, also on the album insert,
that your brother Boodah was an influence on you as an artist. Just how much of
an influence was he and what other influences were there that helped to guide
you.
My brother is 9 years older than me and I have always seeked
his approval. When I first started rapping, I was bloody useless and he was
brutally honest with me. I used to get really pissed off about it at the time
but looking back, he was 100% correct. I feel that our trips to the studio gave
us a unique bond as we were both doing something together. If it wasn’t for him listening to rap, I
wouldn’t have had amazing albums to steal and listen to at school. I now look
at some of these artists like gods because of how they’ve influenced me as a
lover of hip-hop. Artists and groups such as Wu-Tang, DJ Premier, Nas, Masta
Ace, Mobb Deep, The Roots, etc. made me see rap music as an art form and not
just music.
So, I want to thank you again for taking the time to answer these
few questions. Before we sign off is there anyone you would like to give a
shout out to. Respect my man and it’s over to you:
Other than my brother, I’d like to thank every single person
that has purchased a cd from me, taken the time to listen to the album and send
me messages of support. Nutso and his manager Cee Da Cuban have done their best
to try to promote the album and I appreciate that. Unfortunately I lost contact
with Explosive Beats (producer from Belarus) many years ago but he sent me some
amazing beats for the album. I’d like to acknowledge his contribution. Lastly,
thank you for reaching out for an interview. Cheers everyone, Montener the
Menace.
Ok, so there you have it people. You’ve heard from the man
himself and I have to say that I, for one, would love
to see more from Montener the Menace, either in the form of an Album or EP
release or even the odd guest appearance here and there, for me this guy has
real talent and this album displays that love of the raw and Hardcore Hip Hop
style that many love and still permeates the Hip Hop scene from the UK and
Europe to the USA, Australia and beyond. Real Hip Hop is out there and it lives
in the hearts of the independent artists everywhere.
Before I wrap this up I'm going to just add a little something that I normally would not do? I'm going to give the album a rating. Not being a fan of ratings I decided to take everything into account as I was reviewing. So, two or three hours later and considering the production, Montener's lyrical skills and content, the guest appearances and even the artwork I came to the conclusion that I couldn't give this release anything less an 9 out of 10. As an underground independent release, in my humble opinion, this one is an instant classic. A hidden gem that has finally received the release it so richly deserves. But, seriously have a listen and see...
So, if this one has not yet sold out by the time you read
this? Do yourself a favour and grab a copy and make it a sell out. If it has
already sold out then hit those streaming sites now.
On that Note,
Peace I'm Out.
Steve
All streaming links are available Here: https://montenerthemenace.hearnow.com/
Montener the Menace on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montener_the_menace/
Check the Album on YouTube Here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDuSam8qqwKwQW4Xk4IE_IA
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