Damu the Fudgemunk is a producer from D.C. who has been releasing music for over a decade. In recent years, he’s produced albums with the likes of Insight, Flex Matthews, and Blu. For his most recent project, he turns to former Panacea frontman Raw Poetic for Moment of Change.

If you’ve been following Raw Poetic’s solo career, you know that in recent years, he’s been really experimenting and expanding his sound on albums like Gulliver, Hemlock, and Paging Mother Earth. This are all fascinating albums that push the boundaries of genre, but sometimes it’s nice just to hear a talented emcee like Raw Poetic spit some rhymes over some boom bap beats like he did back in the day. Of course, while Damu is making some boom bap beats, that doesn’t have to mean they are simple. Not by any stretch of the imagination. He’s laying down some complexly layered beats that are both extremely soulful and just a little weird and unexpected, enough to always keep you on your toes. It also means that Raw Poetic doesn’t always have to just sit back in the pocket and spit his rhymes – there’s more room for him to switch things up and bring all sorts of different flows to the project. This he does as he weaves these complex verses that bounce back and forth between abstract imagery and frank discussion of real life issues. It’s what set apart Raw Poetic ever since he started putting out albums – he can really get your mind wandering as he paints a picture with beautiful metaphors, and then quickly draw you back down to earth with simple observation about what it’s like to be a Black man in America right now.

Moment of Change is a great moment between two D.C. hip hop veterans. Damu and Poetic have great chemistry together, and they made seven songs that are both easy to enjoy, but also packed with information so that you can keep peeling away the layers with repeat listens.