Karma and Trizzac have been two of the standout member of the drill group Zone 2 for a few years now. They’ve appeared on a ton of tracks together, including the, well, let’s say, “controversial” track “No Censor.” There, we saw Zone 2 forgo the typical convention of censoring out the names of the opps they are talking about, instead addressing certain individuals directly, many of which were allegedly killed by either Zone 2 members or affiliates. They also popularized the use of the Sonic ring sound effect when listing names off, adding a whole new level cheeky disrespect to what they were doing.
Normally I’d link that track, but it’s been long removed from Youtube, which isn’t surprising in the least. But, if you’re curious, here’s a link to a fantastic reactor, LeeToTheVI, and his video on “No Censor.” It’s quite jarring, honestly, and as you’ll see by Lee’s reaction, caught just about everyone off guard with how straight forward, intense and disrespectful the track it. It harkens back to tracks like Chief Keef’s “War” or “Whole Crowd,” where Keef does something similar, but not to the legitimately catchy and nasty degree that Zone 2 did. It’s also worth noting that this was my introduction to Zone 2, and Trizzac really sets his standard by detailing how he “pushes blades into chest plates” and proclaims to be proud of his Judas moniker, since he couldn’t help but laugh when he found out an opp, who happened to be his cousin, was killed.
If you listen to that track, then you’ll get a pretty good idea as to the vibe and energy that Karma and Trizzac bring to every track here. It isn’t an album that is breaking any boundaries, or pushing the envelope. Instead, both rappers and their well place guests focus on sharp, dark and violent bars, while flexing their ever-improving flows. You won’t find any experimental, radio friendly tracks on this project, which is accurately titled, Demented.
While the project doesn’t feature anything that you wouldn’t expect from these two artists, it does give them both a pretty interesting opportunity. Instead of finding new styles and beats to ride, Karma and Trizzac use to tape as a chance to constantly one up one another. With every verse, each rapper is trying to find new creative, and extremely vivid ways to describe the violence they experience on the streets.
That means hearing Trizzac rap about how badly he wants to see “an opp boy’s guts” on the title track, and letting us know that when he heard an opp died, he responded with “yes, great, splendid.” This tongue in cheek and disrespectful energy runs strong throughout every track here.
“Tragic” with V9 and ST, as well as “No Fibs” with A.M and Skengdo are examples of just how well all of the guests suit these tracks as well. “Tragic” fits V9’s tendency to be comfortable on Eastern style beats, and A.M and Skengdo bring another dose of darkness and violence to an already oppressively dark project.
I’m still struck by the eerie, uncomfortable vocal sample on “Back 2 Back,” which gives Karma a great platform to give one of his most energetic and angry performances. He raps about using his knife so much, and being so determined to get the job done, that he often as to switch from his right to his left because his arm started getting tired.
“Throwback Thursday” is an interesting track, and the only one where they kind of step out of their typical subject matter. It’s a track that is more focused on sex and women, but it’s a bit odd, considering it’s still dark and energetic like the other tracks here. It might be Karma’s most impressive appearance from a flow perspective, but hearing Trizzac rap about being the “king of sucking boobies” is a little too on the nose and awkward for me. I appreciate the attempt, but it just doesn’t work for me here. The most romantic thing Karma could come up with was, “horny, Satan,” which I guess is fitting considering who it’s coming from.
Another slight misstep here is “Fuck The Police,” not because of the subject matter, but the beat here is just off. The bass is constantly going out of tune, which works in other tracks I’ve heard, like some Block6 tracks. However, the rest of the mix is so low, to the point where you can barely hear the strings. So all you have to focus on is the overwhelming and off key bass. I will admit though, hearing Karma start his verse of with, “Fuck the police, fuck the police, fuck the police” made me laugh my ass off the first time I heard it.
“Mentally Unstable” is a fitting title, as on that track, and throughout a lot of the tape, Trizzac and Karma do seem to revel in the subject matter they’re rapping about. There really isn’t any internal reflection or coming to terms with what they’ve done, but that isn’t the point here. I also wouldn’t say that any of the tracks here glorify what they’re rapping about. Just because they recall some of these events with an aura of pleasure doesn’t mean they’re advocating for the listener to ditch their day to day and start beefing and stabbing opps. I think a lot of people can’t really understand that, and misinterpret a lot of rap music as a call to arms and declaration that this is the lifestyle that everyone should be living. At the same time, I can also admit that it doesn’t fill me with joy to hear Trizzac rap about, “tearing up veins and vessels,” while Karma asks, “is it me or the Devil I’m hearing? When I’m angry, I hear evil whispers.”
“Dead” is another highlight/ It’s a track that was released a while ago, but was only on Youtube in it’s censored form. So in a way, this is like “No Censor Part 2,” as Karma raps, “how you gonna talk on my friends?/ When you friend got kweffed/ And your other bredrin’s dead/ And your other bredrin’s dead/ And your other bredrin’s dead/ They don’t wanna ride for their guys in the sky/ Why? Cuz they might just end up dead.” It’s horribly catchy, as Karma raps with a vigor and vicious pace. Both rappers then follow in steps of previous tracks, refusing to censor out names of various dead opps. I’m not going to get into every reference and story here, but they’re all detailed in the lyrics on Genius if you’re interested in the specifics as to what they’re rapping about, because there is a story with every reference they make.
Just as is the case with a lot of metal music, I won’t lie and say this specific vein of drill is for everyone. But I think that the two genres are similar in a lot of ways. A lot of the heavier, darker metal music that I love deals in a lot of heavy, nasty themes. The music is grim, oppressive, and unnerving in a way that transcends into the exhilarating, much like a great horror movie as well. Violence, blood, guts, broken bones, despair and death are all common trends in that type of art. The same can be said for the more straightforward and autobiographical drill that Karma and Trizzac give us here.
No, it isn’t necessarily “fun” to hear graphic accounts of the ways that real people have been killed. And maybe that’s where drill get’s a bit harder to stomach than other types of music that generally deal in violent, but fictional, situations. These are real names and real people that have lost their lives under circumstances that a lot of people would describe as pointless and stupid. And all of that may be true. However, there is something to be said for the legitimate talent and knack that both of these guys have for crafting songs that get their points across extremely effectively. There is a ton of creativity and artistry at work here, regardless of how you feel about the subject matter itself.
Karma and Trizzac delivered exactly what their fans would’ve wanted and expected with Demented. It is overflowing with vivid and violent lyrics that are still filled with humorous lines and pop-culture references. The instrumentals may be a little bit one dimensional, but that is what you tend to get with this style of drill. The main focus is on the lyrics and performances of the rappers. The imagery and energy they convey through their lyrics take center stage, and contribute greatly to the relentless nature of the trackless. There isn’t any let up or time to let you catch your breath. They don’t allow you to take a break and cleanse your palette of the horrible things they’re rapping about.
In a way, that makes the project all the more effective. It acts as a reflection of life on the streets. The second you let your guard down, that’s when life may finally catch up to you. So instead, you need to keep your foot on the gas, constantly prepared to defend yourself and those around you. As is always true with my views, I may not be able to relate to this sentiment personally, but I understand, given their situations, why it may be the preferred mindset. So whether or not you think they are legitimately mentally unstable, tapped, or insane like Karma and Trizzac seem to admit in their lyrics, they themselves believe that this mindset is a necessity. You may not agree with that thinking in the slightest, but it does feel like a true reflection of the life they have lived up until this point.
In the end, it’s clear that neither artist are concerned with making anybody comfortable, or packaging their tracks in a more palatable fashion. It’s unflinching and uncompromising, while at the same time being legitimately exhilarating and entertaining at many points. Their improvement as artists are obvious and impressive, and even if they never branch out from this sound, I’m confident that Karma, Trizzac and the rest of Zone 2 will always be a sort of gold standard for this specific vein of drill music.