United Grind’s founder, HiJinks takes center stage in the new video for “Ambush Ballad,” a lyrically-charged banger featuring Raleigh, N.C. emcee Lena Jackson.
While the video’s focus is primarily on HiJinks and his guest, it also features other members of his United Grind crew. They act as the hypemen for both rappers, who absolutely dominate the mic with their own distinctive deliveries and head-turning bars over the intoxicating production supplied by Deryck/Colorful Mind of Bratislava, Slovakia.
HiJinks and Lena Jackson bring loads of charisma to the visuals, too, which were directed by HiJinks’ own Reel Dope Cinematic venture in association with Game Changing Productions & Stay Beat Studios. It all feels like a sneak preview of how this and other tracks off United Grind’s new album, Grind or Die (Vol. 1), would hit in a live setting.
Check out the visuals and head over to your preferred streaming platform to support Grind or Die (Vol. 1), out now through United Grind!
This is the full-length debut from Midwest underground collective United Grind. Consisting of Ohio duo Play Havoc alongside Detroit quartet GameChangers, the crew initially formed about a decade ago with all 6 members putting in work throughout the independent hip hop scene both individually & as a unit. So in order for the crew to take their profile up to the next level, the sextet is getting together for an official full-length debut collectively.
“Step Lively” opens the album with some kicks, snares & pianos as HiJinks, Lee Harvey & R.E.D. all belittle anyone who dares to step up to them on the mic whereas “Give It Back” finds everybody over some dusty boom bap production obliterating all wack emcees. Vice Souletric & GameChangers stick around for “Got Somethin’” talking about being the illest spitting without even trying to front over a sample-based instrumental, but then “Ambush Ballad” by HiJinks & Lena Jackson says it all very well down to the cavernous boom bap beat as well as the warmongering lyrics.
Moving on to “Similar”, we have Play Havoc on top of a trap instrumental with a vocal loop delivering that signature O State tempature just before the GameChangers shine on their own with “Doin’ This All Night” returning to the boom bap with his mood being treating every single joint he hops on as food leading into the aptly titled Juggernaut June solo cut “Cut Throat” fusing some horns & keys. The energizing “M.A.M.N. (Me & My Neighbors)” by Benny the Butcher, G. Huff & HiJinks makes it clear you don’t want issue with them while the Vice Souletric solo cut “Real Wild” aggressively let’s y’all in on how they keep it.
“Grimey Love” by GameChangers has a more vibrant tone getting on his fly shit while “The Order” by Play Havoc, G. Huff, Che Noir weave some more pianos talking about how it be like another hobby bar for bar. The penultimate track “Undercover Goons” HiJinks & Juggernaut June keeps the well-flipped samples going declaring themselves to be such with HiJinks ending the album on his own throughout “Body Bag” making it clear that United Grind be a problem.
Being a midwesterner myself, the United Grind really got something going on with this debut album here & to see the outfit continuing to elevate musically from here is definitely worth keeping an eye on. It’s really fresh to hear every single member getting a chance to shine as they each have something that makes them stand out in their own unique ways & make it clear that they’re living proof of hip hop always evolving over tight production.
Midwestern rap movement United Grind deliver the dynamic new visuals for their hard-hitting single, “Give It Back,” ahead of the release of their highly anticipated debut compilation, Grind or Die (Vol. 1).
This video serves as the perfect introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the group or any of its six members—Ohio’s Vice Souletric and HiJinks and Detroit-based emcees Sand Man, Nu Face, Lee Harvey, and Juggernaut June. They all get their time to shine in these sleek visuals directed by Reel Dope Cinematic, who blends a minimal color palette with dope edits and effects.
The track also happens to be an absolute banger, thanks in part to the wavy production from Grand Rapids, Mich.-based producer Big Shaady. And then there’s the head-turning rhymes from the crew, who pass the mic back and forth while delivering a hook that sounds tailor made for hyping up the crowd during a live show.
Check out the visuals and head over to your preferred DSP of choice to support. Grind or Die (Vol. 1) is due out March 28th via the crew’s own United Grind imprint.
Midwest rap movement, United Grind takes control of a modern hip-hop classic in the slick new video for “United Grind Cypher.” It’s a distilled dose of rhyming from six emcees at the forefront of the United Grind movement, as they get set to drop their collaborative Grind or Die (Vol. 1) LP this spring. Heading off the cypher are Ohio’s Play Havoc (HiJinks & Vice Souletric) and Detroit’s Game Changers, all of whom get to showcase their skills over the Neptunes’ seminal instrumental, Clipse’s “Grindin’.” There are few better beats to choose for a showcase like this, and everyone gets a chance to shine on here.
With DJ Nu ERA holding it down on the decks, we get to watch as HiJinks, Vice Souletric, Nu Face, Sand Man, Lee Harvey, and Juggernaut June (in that order) tackle one of the genre’s most well-loved instrumentals. While everyone involved has been in the game for a minute, this really feels like a proper reintroduction to their talents with plenty of wordplay, punchlines, and autobiographical bars to unpack in repeated viewings.
Check out the visuals and stay tuned for more content off Grind or Die (Vol. 1), which becomes available for pre-order on March 14th!
