BP Infinite’s new producer compilation, Kill or Be Killed, is the hip-hop equivalent of a roundhouse kick to the face from both the beatsmith and his incredible cast of collaborators. And in case that comparison sounds hyperbolic, here’s what the producer said about his mindset when he started crafting the album’s beats: “I wanted to make an album that sounds like the movie Bloodsport with a tournament of diverse, unique talent.”
To meet his goal, BP worked on this project for more than 18 months as he painstakingly sorted through existing beats and created new instrumentals for the project. He then fleshed out the instrumentals that he thought specifically matched the artists he wanted to work with. This meant ensuring that the likes of Elzhi, Redman, Elucid, Skyzoo, and many others had the brawl-inducing beats they needed.
With everyone on board, BP and his guests were ready to create Kill or Be Killed and deliver that musical roundhouse. The results are one TKO after the next. There’s the murderous title track, which features RJ Payne and Skyzoo spitting snarling raps while DJ Stitches scratches on the hook.
The aptly titled “Kill Squad” brings Stitches back into the fold as he complements the raucous rhymes of Redman. While these are among BP’s favorite cuts on the album, he’s especially fond of “Deep in My Heart” because he wanted to make sure that Kill or Be Killed featured “a posse cut of emcees just going back to back.” The lineup more than did their job on the track, with Cory Gunz, Tragedy Khadafi, Elzhi, and Murkemz bringing the heat.
Following a number of notable joint albums and ambitious EP releases, BP deserves a victory lap like Kill or Be Killed. And so do the hip-hop heads out there who will find a lot to love about this project. The album is available now through all major digital retailers and streaming platforms, with 150 copies available on red-marble vinyl through Bandcamp and Get on Down, via Common Virtue Records. Please note vinyl has a color variance and customers may get a lighter or darker copy at random.
Tracklist:
01. Tournament of Champions
02. Kill or Be Killed (feat. RJ Payne, Skyzoo, DJ Stitches)
03. Street Vengeance (feat. Tragedy Khadafi, Nature)
04. We Out of Here (feat. Elucid, Gudda Vell)
05. They Know Who It Is (feat. E Class, Nature)
06. Kill Squad (feat. Redman, DJ Stitches)
07. Love and War (feat. Eddie Kaine, J. Arrr, Bub Rock)
08. Raise Your Glass (feat. Shabaam Sahdeeq, 9th Prince, Bunchy Cartier)
09. Can’t Fuck With Me (feat. Tragedy Khadafi, Mooch, DJ Stitches)
10. No Replay (feat. Tragedy Khadafi, Gudda Vell)
11. The End (feat. Shots Almigh, E Murda)
12. Screwface (feat. Dunbar)
13. Deep in My Heart (feat. Cory Gunz, Tragedy Khadafi, Elzhi, Murkemz)
14. I Survived (feat. Shots Almigh, Eddie Kaine)
15. Listen Up Part II (feat. Pillz, Bunch Cartier)