Los Angeles, California emcee and producer A-F-R-O is back with his 16th extended play. A protégé of R.A. the Rugged Man after winning the Definition of a Rap Flow contest, his Duck Down Music Inc.-backed 5th EP A-F-R-O Polo, produced by Marco Polo, introduced him as a promising up-and-comer within the underground scene. Following projects like The Drawing Board, The Bad & the Ugly: The Goods Always Die First, Crimson Fury, The Bad & the Ugly II, and No More Patience…, he returns with Blood Rain.
The self-produced “No H.E. Double Hockey Sticks” opens the project with a reflection on his faith, while “The Hangman” utilizes a symphonic boom-bap aesthetic to assert his dominance. On “Highway Robbery,” featuring 4-Ize, the duo explores themes of high-stakes survival, while “No Talk” serves as a flex on his legitimacy compared to those who remain silent.
The second half of Blood Rain shifts gears with “Saints Row,” which adopts a funkier approach, advising listeners to tread carefully. “Antagonist” utilizes an organ flip to delve into his growing villainous persona, while “Burn It Up” leans into a ghostly boom-bap flare. The title track concludes the project with a hopeful look toward brighter days.
While fans await his full-length debut, Blood Rain provides a compelling 20-minute journey through his psyche. Compared to his earlier output, the production here is noticeably more experimentally dark, and his delivery carries a sharper, angrier edge.
Score: 7/10