Sacramento, California, USA singer, songwriter and MC Showtime Ramon and Brooklyn, New York producer ProjectPorter bring back the ’90s hip hop sound without the grudges with their collaboration Speed.

By Graeme Smith

We’ve featured the work of Showtime Ramon before on this blog. At the beginning of the year, I ran the rule over his album The Abominable Snowman. Returning with ProjectPorter in tow means we get to hear a fresh take on his inimitable sound.

Lyrically, Speed touches on the struggle of being a rising artist in the American hip hop scene. Showtime Ramon draws on pop culture references and his own experiences to create a unique story, backed by instrumentals that feel both throwback and future-facing. Album opener Overdrive is the perfect case in point, mixing nostalgia in the verses with atmospheric electronica in the beats.

Jade Cargill pays tribute to the WWE superstar of the same name, drawing on her world to tell a personal tale. Tightrope references James Bond and is a moody, severe highlight. Cradle, too, celebrates Bond, sampling the Nintendo 64 game Goldeneye and giving us a groovy, urgent album centrepiece.

Baby, I’m A Star shrugs off any tension with a vibrant, bombastic effort before Yellow Diablo brings some brooding lo-fi and more video game and wrestling references. Ken Griffey Jr closes the collection in a cinematic style with a haunting backing track and mesmerising vocal delivery.

Showtime Ramon’s take on the ’90s sound is just the tonic and brings it right up to date with the perfect mix of nostalgia and modernity. Working with ProjectPorter proves to be a match in heaven. The more I hear of Showtime Ramon, the more I dig his sound and I’m certainly looking forward to getting better acquainted with more of ProjectPorter’s work.

Speed is out now and you can check it out below.