Tony Newbury & Charles Hamilton – ‘$OMETHING NEW’ [Album Review]

$OMETHING NEW is a 9-track collaborative project between LA-based NJ rapper Tony Newbury and 2009 XXL Freshman Charles Hamilton. The pairing is an unprecedented and, we dare say, forward-thinking idea involving indie artists, barring the usual paperwork and red tape, in the music business. As the title suggests, the duo present something new with a touch of the old, from punchy drums, off-kilter production and raw, unfiltered, emotionally powerful rapping, listeners are in for a treat.

The first track, “WE GOOD,” flips a classic soul track and helps set the stage. No intros were required, and we get right into the mix of the action as Newbury floats gently over Hamilton’s choppy production, brimming with glitchy vocal samples and warm pads. Here, Newbury reflects on his journey and despite the pitfalls, he is still standing tall and in high spirits with lines like “Tabernacle wordplay, legendary motivator/ask what your girl say, fuck what you heard/Ama be around from the 1st to the 3rd/flying back home, we should smoke till it burn.” The next track, “Beauty Salon,” is a live performance of Newbury kicking bars over a smooth beat. This is an interesting change as it takes listeners into a studio session-like situation, and while it sounds unmixed and raw, the energy in the room can still be felt. “POSITIVE SELF DESTRUCTION” flips the classic M.A.S.H theme and turns it into a gritty-lofi hiphop track. Bolstered by punchy drum breaks and dusty textures, the beat forms the perfect backdrop for Newbury’s reflective lyrics, followed by Hamilton’s playful hook.

So far, the project sticks to its original theme that fuses themes of self-awareness, reflective thoughts, with stream-of-consciousness and dynamic beats. “JUST WANNA RAP” and “PRE-COOKED MEDICINE” are tracks that carry weight in terms of style and expressiveness of their art. Newbury comes across as playful but conscious, while Hamilton’s off-kilter vocals play the complete opposite, because we are not sure exactly what we will get. On the former, Newbury proceeds to kick bars like “Everything is good, living my life/Feeling like am on a new type of high/Everyday is a battle, trying to get better/Am a storm raining down, fettecini and cheddar” and on the latter both rappers trade bars that give listeners a glimpse into their lives. “FOR THE MOMENT” is a nostalgia-inducing piece that flips a classic Total song into something new, and the result is a raw and visceral display of lyricism from Newbury, who pens an affectionate tale. The next track, “HI, MY NAME IS TONY NEW,” is an ode to a dancer who brings him joy while her mesmerizing moves drown away his worries. Newbury has a knack for penning unorthodox tales with relatable elements. He can be funny, thoughtful and even carefree all at once, but the one thing he always brings to the forefront is his heart.

Overall, $OMETHING NEW is an interesting and niche project for lovers of alternative, off-kilter hip-hop. The rapping is engaging, sometimes serviceable but ultimately entertaining, and their unpredictability works in their favour. Tony Newbury can rap about almost anything, while Charles Hamilton’s unorthodox production adds an edgy element to it all.