Saw Dibiase tweeting about Mutant Academy the other day, and given how on-point his curation tends to be I made myself some time to check it out. End result, I haven’t been this excited about rap movements since Dr. Yen Lo dropped in 2015. Oh wait up, when was the first 5 Chuckles album? Anyway…it’s been a while.
Mutant Academy is a collective founded in, and mostly based around, Richmond, Virginia by rappers / producers Fly Anakin and Henny L.O. at least three years ago. They seem to be clocking in at ten members currently, with Chapel Drive boasting the fact that it’s the first project to include every member of Mutant Academy all on one release.
You’d expect Wu-Tang style posse cuts with a description like that, which wouldn’t be a bad thing, but it’s not a fair comparison based on era. Odd Future might be another reference point but the rhymes here are deeper and more matured, weighted almost perfectly in delivery against a diverse production slate. Focusing around key members Fly Anakin and Koncept Jack$On Chapel Drive is a modern-day masterpiece of gritty beats and raps for days, distinct in it’s lack of hooks and quality of lines.
Fifteen tracks in all including a few short skits, Chapel Drive feels like the breakthrough moment for a collective that has eighteen releases on their bandcamp page, and a good place to start before digging through their other projects and solo outings. Limited edition wax and cassette release that’s almost all gone, be quick if you want to grab one. Currently the best bet is straight from the label: https://www.vinyl-digital.com/en/Hip-Hop-Rap/Chapel-Drive.html
On second thoughts, maybe that Wu-Tang comparison isn’t too far off. Who knows where Mutant Academy is going to take us?
First full length album from your favorite duo Fly Anakin & Koncept Jack$on. First project in existence to include every Mutant Academy member all on one project. We started on this album a year ago and the timing of the release couldn’t be better. Remember to think for yourself and mind your fucking business, this world is bigger than all of us, enjoy the music.