Distant Pham and Brutal Caesar – ‘The Disdain’ [Album Review]

Distant Pham is a rap duo made up of emcees Master Wiz  and Realz Reality. and their latest release The Disdain, breaks their 17-year hiatus as a duo. This time around, they teamed up with producer Brutal Caesar, who handles all of the album’s production, creating a cohesive body of work that stands the test of time.

The Disdain, is a 10 track project that showcases raw, unfiltered lyricism laced with insight and social conscious themes and backed by punchy cinematic boom-bap beats. The opening “Rap When” is a reflection of the past and the modern times and an acknowledgement of how things have truly changed. Master Wiz leads the opening salvo with the following “My helmet block a mind reader from reading my thoughts/I’m consumed like Dr. Doom, My mask covers my scars/And all the animals fall in line like the Tarzan call” in tandem  with Realz Reality’s bravado laced bars “I’m alone on my home/Life’s hard orphan Annie/bolted out, ran the streets but the streets never ran me/That is insane or Who sane, my pain I explain/Whose name drains and leave the competition slain/Call me Realz.” The next track, “I Believe,” is a thoughtful piece that talks about life decisions, environmental limitations and the power of self belief. The production has a solemn feel, but it’s punchy enough to keep the head nodding while Master Wiz and Real Reality remind us to always believe and aim beyond the sky. The first feature comes on the track, “I Can’t Take It,” featuring  Prophet and pairs three hard-nosed lyricists who send warning shots to all the fake wannabes out there. Nothing is spared as the duo deliver another verbal onslaught on “If I Die,” which sees them teaming with the OG Jon Connor. The result is a solid street banger that showcases raw lyricism.

The title track  “The Disdain” features Slay 1 and I must add, it’s a menacing piece that matches the title. The beat has an ominous string sample with pitched-up vocal chops and crunchy boom-bap drums that hit like a mallet. As for the rhymes, nothing short of brilliance from all three rappers. “Flashes” has a soulful, vocal-driven backdrop and is underpinned by vivid lyricism that dives into the concept of winning and having a champion mentality at all times, while “The Ninth Hole” is a blend of social insight and aspirational themes, reminding us of the steps men take to push through the madness.  The final track “Ybr” is another thoughtful track that dives into culture vultures, changing hip-hop cultures and societal pressures that demand changing attitudes for the tradition. The production is scenic, punchy and dark and is laced with more than enough gems for listeners to catch. Also joining them on the track is the NY lyricist Skyzoo, who helps close it with a solid verse.

Other notable tracks include the scenic “Before the Darkness” with its no-holds-barred verbal display and “WalkWillWalk” where the duo give their take on modern society, integrity and the code of real men who make things happen.