Stik Figa is an emcee originally from Topeka, but now based in Fort Worth. He kept busy in 2021, with a few EPs and singles before dropping his excellent East of MacVicar Ave album in September. Now he’s come right back with it, this time teaming up with Dallas producer August Fanon to release another full-length album, Heresy.

For this album, Stik Figa and August Fanon are looking at the word “heresy” not just from the traditional religious context we often encounter the word, but also “as opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted.” Essentially, this album is meant to start some conversation between different hip hop gatekeepers about what’s acceptable in the artform and why. The funny thing is, for someone who’s always looking for something new alongside what’s familiar and classic, this album doesn’t seem that weird to me. It just sounds good. That said, I can certainly see how if you only come to hip hop from one angle, whether it be a certain style or generation, this album can definitely feel outside the box. Fanon does a great job of producing tracks that have some really inventive flips and creative approaches to percussion and beats. He’s not just sitting back on the same boom bap groove for eleven tracks and then peacing out. For all the weirdness of his production, Fanon makes sure to keep everything raw and soulful, which is where his beats still remain approachable for all of his experimentation. He might throw out some unusual rhythms or drop the drums out completely, but the overall feeling will keep you engaged. The only small problem on the album is that there are a couple of vocal sample interludes that go on too long and cause the music to lose momentum. On the mic, Stik Figa is his usual charismatic self, with a playful and clear delivery that will immediately draw you in. As he makes his way through the album, he’s stirring up conversation about both hip hop and religion, and just bringing honest discussion about how both have played significant roles in his life. We also get some notable guests on the album, with Sleep Sinatra, Bodye, Vic Spencer, Anwar Highsign, Seuss Mace, Miles Bonny, Iceberg Theory, and Denmark Vessey all getting in on the fun and trying to outdo each other with their verses.

“Heresy” isn’t perfect, but the point of this album is to have fun and get some conversations going about what heresy and hip hop mean to you. To that end, this a successful album from two indie hip hop veterans.