Black Liquid’s Mixtape Double Feature: Tru Nyce & Cooley

by | Jul 18, 2014 | MUSIC

Tru Nyce – Life On Mars III: Tha Zone Age (Datpiff)
The hood. The south. Tha Zone Age. I don’t know why, but I like Tru Nyce. He’s not trying to do anything more than be himself.

Tru Nyce – Life On Mars III: Tha Zone Age (Datpiff)
The hood. The south. Tha Zone Age. I don’t know why, but I like Tru Nyce. He’s not trying to do anything more than be himself. The subject matter is motivation, women, his team, celebrating; all usual topics, even some storytelling. But you can hear his hunger throughout, and within every verse. There are some tracks I definitely could do without, like “Private Show,” but tracks like “Rize Up,” “King,” “Lost Gurl,” even the New Orleans bounce like “Know They Name,” show Tru Nyce at his best. I also found DJ Invasion’s weird flubber signiture sound thing to be kind of annoying, and in the way at times, but overall this is a solid release and I’d really like to see a cohesive, non-mixtape release from him in the future.

Cooley – 2000COOLEY EP (Bandcamp)
This shit bores me. I really want to like it, but I said it–I just can’t get into it. Now, I’m not being a hater, despite how harsh that statement may sound; I’m just being honest. So let’s divide the crowd real quick. Cooley is a Migos/Young Thug, rhyme-scheme-followed-by-adlib (“Lord”), Chief Keef high hat (tick tick tick tick 808) rapper kinda guy. If you like any of those names or production styles I mentioned, you will love this. If you like them for them, but don’t feel like hearing something similar, you will hate this. For me, its exhausting to listen to something so repetitive, derivative, and predictable. Octavion X represents well on “Boomshakalaka,” as does the Hippies And Goonz crowd on “Time,” where Cooley actually breaks out of his rhyme scheme cage and delivers, proving without a doubt that he is talented, and capable of so much more than he is showing us. I will listen to Cooley’s next release, and I respect this project for what it is, derivative or not. But the MC, the artist, in me wants to hear him, not them.

Marilyn Drew Necci

Marilyn Drew Necci

Former GayRVA editor-in-chief, RVA Magazine editor for print and web. Anxiety expert, proud trans woman, happily married.




more in music

Stay Hungry pt. 1 | Band on the Road

Editor's Note: Writer's Block is a space for Virginia writers to share personal essays, fiction, memoir, and works that fall somewhere in between. In Stay Hungry, Richmond local Eric Kalata looks back on a cross-country tour and the restless optimism of...

RVA Live Music | WiFiGawd, Hot Mulligan, Heavy Friends & More

Starting the summer with some big shows. Kanawha Plaza is looking like the spot to be this season, but there is still plenty happening in the clubs around town this week. Lastly, Happy Pride! I'd love to feature as many LGBTQ+ artists as possible this month, so if...

‘Songs of Truth’ Brings Sojourner Truth to the Hippodrome

Editor's Note: For more on the life and legacy of Sojourner Truth, read Christian Detres' companion essay HERE. This has been an inspirational season for Richmond’s homegrown theatre. We are following up the sold-out run of Witchduck with the mid-project musical...

“The Game Is the Game” Reppa Ton Drops New Album

Editor’s Note: This piece was developed from an extended conversation between Reppa Ton and Chauncey “Chance Fischer” Jenkins. The new album drops tonight at midnight HERE. Sitting outside at Common House talking through Memento Vivere when the conversation drifts...

The BIG Richmond Summer Music Field Guide 2026

Trying to put together a list of shows in Richmond these days is becoming a pretty hard thing to do. The city has gotten really busy, but at least it’s not boring. There are more shows, festivals, DJ nights, and random Tuesday concerts happening in the River City than...