T.13 aka Ryan Lovins is best known as one half of the hip-hop Group PHD, formerly known as Pot Heads. He's recently released his debut solo album Good Things Take Time.
His group PHD are in my opinion, the hardest working hip-hop group in New Zealand and over a career spanning 10 years they have released 10 albums. So you can imagine how fitting in a solo album in the midst of this work pace would be a challenge. The project took 5 years to complete and like the album title would suggest, it took time and it is definitely a good thing.
T.13 is a skilled lyricist and rapper and one hell of a songwriter. The 15 track album as you would expect, is similar in sound to PHD and features band mate Anime producer Zone One, and DJ Jimmy Handtrix who are all regulars on previous PHD releases.
The album has two singles Momentum and Falling In Reverse, that sport slick music videos and showcase T.13's natural charisma and ability as a performer. You only have to see T.13 perform live to see he's a showman through and through. His ability to connect with the audience with his music and his signature chant "New Zealand Hip-Hop" is unrivaled in the Auckland underground scene and has seen his group PHD open for the likes of Mobb Deep, Tech N9ne, RA The Rugged Man, Dizzee Rascal, Dead Prez, Lupe Fiasko and many more.
The album has a bunch of features on it with artists such as Teezee, Pakkz Tha General, Baliztik, Genocide, Lapse, and the track Blazing Trees features an impressive line up of local rappers 4sayken, Illa Myke, Tokie Konez, Anime, Lapse, LAZ, Teezee and True who together along with T.13 fall under the crew banner THC or The Hydra Collective.
I liked the darker more aggressive joints on the album like Demon In The Vapour which is a song about the evils of Meth and Fxck a Hook 2 which has a huge trap beat and some fantastic double time flows. This track goes off live and gets the crowd jumping.
You can buy hard copies of the album, downloads and T.13 merchandise from bandcamp and also check out the PHD website for some amazing free music opportunities.
Check out the music video for Momentum
Check out the music video for Falling In Reverse